Inactive Members and Visiting/Home Teachers

[Vort]

So,uh, what are you trying to say Vort? :)

Only that God neither judges nor indicates righteousness based on Church calling or position. There are bishops, stake presidents, and even apostles who will never progress to the glory they might have received. On the other hand, there are multitudes of those whose names are unknown to Church history, perhaps even unremembered among their own descendants, and who have never held any significant leadership positions in the Church, who will stand exalted at the right hand of Jesus Christ.

We have a tendency in the Church to say, "So-and-so was pursuing a wicked path and looked lost, but he repented and got on the path! And look at the proof! He served as [insert leadership calling], and his six sons all served as [insert more leadership callings]." This happens at all levels, from a Primary class to a Sunday School or quorum lesson clear up to General Conference talks. But it is basically a flawed example, because it does not actually prove the point. I do not believe that Church leadership positions held are a reliable proxy for righteousness before God. That is my only point.

[bytor2112]

Only that God neither judges nor indicates righteousness based on Church calling or position. There are bishops, stake presidents, and even apostles who will never progress to the glory they might have received. On the other hand, there are multitudes of those whose names are unknown to Church history, perhaps even unremembered among their own descendants, and who have never held any significant leadership positions in the Church, who will stand exalted at the right hand of Jesus Christ.

We have a tendency in the Church to say, "So-and-so was pursuing a wicked path and looked lost, but he repented and got on the path! And look at the proof! He served as [insert leadership calling], and his six sons all served as [insert more leadership callings]." This happens at all levels, from a Primary class to a Sunday School or quorum lesson clear up to General Conference talks. But it is basically a flawed example, because it does not actually prove the point. I do not believe that Church leadership positions held are a reliable proxy for righteousness before God. That is my only point.

I understood your original post and completely agree. That said, I confess that I sometimes marvel at the fact that I am an EQP given who I was just 7 years ago. The calling is not the measure, but it is a stark reminder of the change in my journey on this fallen sphere.

[MarginOfError]

I do not believe that Church leadership positions held are a reliable proxy for righteousness before God. That is my only point.

Case in point--MOE.

On the other side, there is a brother in my ward from India who lacks the communication or organizational skills to be an effective leader. Combine that with his inability to understand and adjust to midwestern American social norms and it is unlikely he will ever serve in leadership roles. But he has the biggest heart and biggest commitmentto the gospel you'll find this side of the Mississippi.

Again, not sure what my point is. Perhaps it's something like, worthiness is not about what we can do, but about who we are.

[dahlia]

I was, however, called as a visiting teaching supervisor in that ward, and it was probably the most difficult calling I've had. I had about 50 sisters (25 companionships) to check in on every month. NONE of them would call me to report their visiting teaching. I would have to call/contact them, and most of them I had to contact several times over only to find out they had not done their visiting teaching.

I prayed and prayed and tried my hardest to find ways to encourage these sisters to do their visiting teaching and get more involved in the work, but it felt like nothing I did got through to them.

I'm a VT supervisor now. I just finished some emails with my supervisor regarding VTs who haven't responded to my multiple requests. I am going to have to call people tomorrow. Thankfully, I don't have as many to supervise as you did. That's a lot, especially if you have to pull teeth to get a response from them.

I think (from looking at previous reports), that these sisters generally get their VT done, but I don't know why they can't just send a brief email - 'We went and saw Sally and Sally was fine.' My VT has only come by once since I was baptized. Maybe every other month or so she'll call on the phone. Actually, that's fine by me. I have enough on my plate. My HT are as regular as clockwork, so that's enough visiting for me.

I wonder if the ladies don't get out some months and are just embarrassed to say they couldn't get it done? I'm curious what my VT says every month, 'cause she sure ain't coming here.

I'm not going to yell at someone for not doing their VT, I just need to know what they did/didn't do so I can file my report.

As I've mentioned, I'm in a ward with a lot of young families with multiple small children. Maybe these women just can't get out the way they'd like? But a phone call would be appreciated, and possible, for most of them, I'm sure.

[JudoMinja]

I'm a VT supervisor now. I just finished some emails with my supervisor regarding VTs who haven't responded to my multiple requests. I am going to have to call people tomorrow. Thankfully, I don't have as many to supervise as you did. That's a lot, especially if you have to pull teeth to get a response from them.

With time it did become a bit easier for some of them. As you get to know the Sisters you are supervising, you start figuring out when the best time to contact them by phone is, or if they keep up better with emails or text messages, or if you need to hunt them down in person at church. If you're really dedicated to getting those reports so that you can turn in accurate numbers, you figure out how to get in touch with everybody best to minimize your personal suffering of failed attempt after failed attempt.

I know it certainly frustrated me during the first few months. Would have made my calling much easier if at least some of them would have taken the initiative to call me instead of me having to hunt them down, but I knew I couldn't make them do their part. I could only do my best at what I was called to do.

Once I had cut down on how much work it took me to get responses, the most frustrating part about it was seeing just how many sisters were not being visited. Almost made me want to take the time to write and send out letters to everyone, just so they got something, but there was no way I could have afforded to keep up with all those stamps, lol.

If you have a difficult group, it is a very thankless calling. I just hope my efforts were helpful to somebody.

[Guest kyolive]

We always New Jersey Escorts you =http://newjerseyasianescorts.com]New Jersey Asian Escort the younger generation represents modern knowledge New Jersey Escort ambition and great desire for success

New Jersey Asian Escorts important factors

[Yehshen]

My VT has only come by once since I was baptized. Maybe every other month or so she'll call on the phone. Actually, that's fine by me. I have enough on my plate. My HT are as regular as clockwork, so that's enough visiting for me.

I've been reading this thread with interest. I do my VT regularly; my VTs visit me regularly. The HT, however, does not visit regularly. His first and only visit was with the person finishing the new members lessons, and he is memorable because he didn't even give me contact information such as phone/e-mail.

Is this experience typical?

[Vort]

Is this experience typical?

Maybe not typical, but not as uncommon as it should be. Please get in touch with the high priests group leader (or, if you're married and under about 40, the elders quorum president) and ask where your home teachers are. You may have been reassigned and your new home teachers haven't contacted you yet. That's actually not uncommon.

It sure would be nice if all Priesthood holders took their home teaching duties deeply to heart and made sure it always got done, but unfortunately, in most wards that's not always the case with all of the home teachers. Some are more faithful than others in discharging that duty.

[Guest ziwenga]

OH~NO

very body wants to succeed. But when it comes to the question that which factor leads to success, opportunity or hard-work, different people will offer different answers. San Francisco Escort

Some people think that opportunity is the first factor leading to success. They hold the idea, as a proverb saying, “Man proposes, god disposes”. San Francisco Escorts Because almost all successful people have good luck and have caught their valuable opportunities, they believe that opportunity is a leading condition of the success. San Francisco Asian Escort If seizes and makes the best use of opportunity available, one can succeed surely. In summary, to them, chances and lucks play the most important role on the road to success.

San Francisco Asian Escorts