Home Teachers and non-LDS Family

[Jason_J]

What is the difference between home teachers and visiting teachers? Also, I assume that all members are assigned a home teacher, who actually comes to your home to...teach . Has anyone here had to deal with that when the rest of their family is non-LDS? For example, I currently live with my parents, and my family is Catholic. They certainly would not welcome home teachers coming to their home. So how would this situation work out?

[baver3]

Ask your family first if they are okay with you having home teachers. If they arent comfortable then I personally would NOT have them over. And if they are okay with it then I wouldnt assume that they would be present when the home teachers are visiting you either.

I would HOPE that the home teachers could be smart enough and SENSATIVE enough to know your situation and build on common beliefs and THATS ALL.

My husband is not a member and when the home teachers would come he would sit in. It was important to me as I saw no harm in allowing them in our home. They would often volunteer their services, ask if we needed anything and would just try to fellowship. But a few times they were not sensative as they probably should have been and they asked us point blank when we were going to get married in the temple (remember he isnt even a member and had no plans of even wanting to be). It caused a LOT of tension and strife between us and made my spouse terribly upset. There are other problems so I cannot blame this stricktly on the home teachers but looking back it was kind of lame for them to be so insensative.

My bishop currently agrees it a good idea to NOT have home teachers in our home.

[Elgama]

I agree they can offer to do service instead or you can receive your Home and Visiting teachers at the chapel. Home Teachers are assigned to a whole family and are priesthood holders, Visting Teachers are Sisters assigned to other sisters over 18 or those with children

[WmLee]

The title “Home Teacher” is a rather narrow name for someone whose primary responsibility is to “call on and watch over” members. I was assigned as HT to a male, inactive member who was married to a non-member. The first time I went to the house the brother told me straight out, “I know where the church is. If I need something I’ll call ya”.

I stopped by once a month on a Sunday after I finished my meetings. That was about the time he and his wife got back from golfing. I always asked first about his game, the son who was in college and then about his work. We had a common ground for conversation without “preaching” to him or his wife.

After a few visits he asked why I kept coming around. I told him as a Christian I had been taught to help my brother. Looking at his golf scores I figured he needed my help. From then on the challenge for him was to get me out there on a Sunday with him. My challenge was to say “not this time” as my mind gave me all sorts of excuses to join him, (it would be a service so to speak).

It’s been over 10 years and he still knows where the church is and has no desire to attend. But when his mother passes away he called and asked for some help as he had no idea what to do. When the doctors found a small lump on his wife’s breast and they were worried about the biopsy that was scheduled for the next week he accepted the offer of a blessing to his wife, (the bishop came right over) and the bishop blessed the family and home in the prayer he gave before we left.

The lessons taught there weren’t given like you normally expect; the lessens were shown, no spoken. Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers can be wonderful tools of the Saviors work!

[rameumptom]

Have your home teachers meet with you elsewhere. It could be in one of their homes, or perhaps at the chapel.

[NanaBanaFoFana]

The title “Home Teacher” is a rather narrow name for someone whose primary responsibility is to “call on and watch over” members. I was assigned as HT to a male, inactive member who was married to a non-member. The first time I went to the house the brother told me straight out, “I know where the church is. If I need something I’ll call ya”.

I stopped by once a month on a Sunday after I finished my meetings. That was about the time he and his wife got back from golfing. I always asked first about his game, the son who was in college and then about his work. We had a common ground for conversation without “preaching” to him or his wife.

After a few visits he asked why I kept coming around. I told him as a Christian I had been taught to help my brother. Looking at his golf scores I figured he needed my help. From then on the challenge for him was to get me out there on a Sunday with him. My challenge was to say “not this time” as my mind gave me all sorts of excuses to join him, (it would be a service so to speak).

It’s been over 10 years and he still knows where the church is and has no desire to attend. But when his mother passes away he called and asked for some help as he had no idea what to do. When the doctors found a small lump on his wife’s breast and they were worried about the biopsy that was scheduled for the next week he accepted the offer of a blessing to his wife, (the bishop came right over) and the bishop blessed the family and home in the prayer he gave before we left.

The lessons taught there weren’t given like you normally expect; the lessens were shown, no spoken. Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers can be wonderful tools of the Saviors work!

Wow - what a great example ou set as a home teacher:). I sure wish that I had a home teacher like you. Actually, I just wish I had a home teacher - period. I have been a member since 1994 and had home teachers visit twice - that's it. I have been inactive for a very long time and have begged my bishop for home teachers.....My husband is not a member and was present once when the home teachers came and he actually liked it. They never came again. I really wish that the church would not "act" as if everyone has home teachers and it is a wonderful thing for all members. It took me years to get a visiting teacher........Sorry for the rant - I just wish I had HT's that were as dedicated as you are...

NanaBana

[rameumptom]

In our stake, we are now discussing moving from being "home teachers" to home ministers. We need to minister to the needs of the family, not just show up for 15 minutes with a lesson from an Ensign they might already have read.

[Roseslipper]

i have also thought that home teachers and visiting teachers were like guardian angels, sent to us. I too have had less home teachers thru the years that did not come and visiting teachers too. Yes, this had made me sad. But I know the church is true and I am blessed to have the gospel, I also know that we members run the church, its not a paid ministry, and none of the memebers are perfect and were trying as hard as we can. Im not perfect far from it. I know we are all busy, and life is filled with stuff to do, and part memeber familys etc. Though I think we should try harder to do what is right. For me I will try. Will I fail and make mistakes of course. I too wish I had a worthy Priesthood leader a home teacher who would come, visit, teacher, and be a special friend of mine. Oh well nothing is perfect.

[pam]

I'm still wondering what a home teacher is. Lived in this place 3 years and have yet to have a visit. My home teacher is my Bishop. I need to call him to repentence.

[Guest mormonmusic]

I think home teaching also serves a secondary purpose -- it's a buffer between busy priesthood leaders and the families with needs. The Bishop can't handle all service requests. He needs the rank and file brethren to meet these needs without ever relying on the priesthood leadership for help.

There's a saying in business that "conflicts should be resolved at the lowest level in the organization". I believe the same applies to family needs. "Families needs should be met at the lowest level possible" -- first, by themselves, second, by their home teachers, third by their quorum or auxiliary leader (if RS), and last of all, the Bishopric.

Too often everything lands on the Bishop's desk. A good home teaching program prevents that.

[rameumptom]

Pam,

I agree, you DO need to call him to repent. The most tactful way to do it, is to ask him when he's going to visit you, and have him set up an appointment. The second way is to set up an appointment through the exec secretary, and have him note it is for a home teaching visit.

But if the leaders are not doing their home teaching, then why should anyone else in the ward do it? If the bishop feels he is too busy to home teach, then he should talk with the HP group leader to be removed from it, or to have his number of families reduced.

I'm the HPGL for my ward, and reduced the number of families for both our bishop and the 1st counselor in the stake presidency in our ward. They both faithfully visit 3 families each, and do a great job of it.

Of course, one of our ward clerks is my hometeacher, and I haven't seen him in a while.....