Visiting Teaching Handout July 2016

• Scroll down for the July visiting teaching handouts.
• If you are looking for a handout for the September visiting teaching message you can check it out here.

Here is a link to the Visiting Teaching Message for July 2016: Our Potential for Parenthood. I had way too much fun with it, so I came up with a couple of different handouts. I think it is important to Pray and Ponder over your sisters, and what they might need to hear from you this month. It might be good to focus on different parts of the lesson for each sister you visit.

I first read this message about a week ago, and I have been pondering and praying over it ever since. This particular message has pulled at my heartstrings. It quotes Elder Neil L. Anderson's talk Children from the October 2011 General Conference. A few months after my Husband and I celebrated our 1st Anniversary, I remember listening to this talk live. It played a big role in our decision to have our first child. I love this talk. I highly recommend you read it. There are a lot of great stories and quotes in it.  In his talk he said:

Many voices in the world today marginalize the importance of having children or suggest delaying or limiting children in a family. My daughters recently referred me to a blog written by a Christian mother (not of our faith) with five children. She commented: “[Growing] up in this culture, it is very hard to get a biblical perspective on motherhood. … Children rank way below college. Below world travel for sure. Below the ability to go out at night at your leisure. Below honing your body at the gym. Below any job you may have or hope to get.” She then adds: “Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for.”7

Isnt that a great quote? I just love it! Hence, this handout was born. Plus, aren't Lemons just perfectly Summery?

The above quote that Elder Neil L. Anderson referred to in this talk is found in an article titled Motherhood is a Calling by Rachel Jankovic from the Blog DesiringGod.org. This is also a fantastic read.

Click Here for your Free Printable Download of this 'Squeeze" Handout.

Ideas to Supplement this Handout:

1. Add a doTERRA Lemon Essential Oil Sample to this Handout.

• Not sure what Lemon Essential Oil is good for? Click here to find out.
• Want to obtain some for your sisters? Go here to purchase from my friend and neighbor.

This is how my final product turned out.

I bought this EK Tools 1/2 inch Circle Punch to get the perfect sized hole for the sample lemon oil, and to make sure my Handouts were cut perfectly straight I used my new Paper Trimmer. It is always exciting to get a package in the mail, and I was so happy I had the right tools to make this project look so nice!

2. Another Idea is to add a Lemon Squeezer like this one.

3. Or you could add some Lemonade. Yum!

Being Sensitive:

Not all sisters have "Picture Perfect" families as mentioned in  Elder Neil L. Andersen's talk Whoso Receiveth Them, Receiveth Me April 2016 General Conference.

God loves children. He loves all children. The Savior said, “Suffer [the] little children … to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”1

Children today find themselves in many different and complex family configurations.

For example, today, twice as many children in the United States are living with only one parent than were 50 years ago.2 And there are many families that are less unified in their love of God and willingness to keep His commandments.

In this increasing spiritual commotion, the restored gospel will continue to carry the standard, the ideal, the pattern of the Lord.

In the Visiting Teaching Message it says:

Though not all of us become parents in this life, we can nurture children of every age. We enjoy the blessings of being part of Heavenly Father’s family, and we experience the joys and challenges of being part of an earthly family. And for many, parenthood awaits them in the eternities ahead.

Some sisters haven't been blessed with children yet. Some have lost children. Some have children far away at college, or on missions, and some may be estranged from their children. I believe that knowing and loving your sisters can help you magnify your calling as a visiting teacher. One of the best ways I have found to do this is to pray for them. You can ask Heavenly Father to help you see them like He does. Perhaps you will be prompted to refocus your lesson on the fact that we are Heavenly Father's Children and He loves us very much.

I taught Sunbeams last Sunday and the lesson was I belong to a family.  It says:

Heavenly Father and Jesus love every family

Show picture 1-7, A Loving Family. Explain that some families have a mother and a father, and some families have only one parent. Some families have a grandparent or other person helping to take care of the children. Some families have many children, while other families have one child or no children. Help the children understand that every family is different and Heavenly Father and Jesus love every family.

I love that even the lesson for the 3-4 year old sunbeams emphasizes the love that Heavenly Father and Jesus have for every family no matter their circumstance. Isn't it cool that the lessons in all 3 meetings seem to have related themes? Last week in Sacrament meeting one of the talks was based on Elder Neil L. Andersen's talk from the April 2016 General Conference that I mentioned earlier in this post. I thought they correlated perfectly. I think there is some divine guidance there. In the July Visiting Teaching Message it says:

“It was essential that God’s spirit children have mortal birth and an opportunity to progress toward eternal life,” taught Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “In light of the ultimate purpose of the great plan of happiness, I believe that the ultimate treasures on earth and in heaven are our children and our posterity.”1

For your Free Printable Treasures Quote Handout click here.

We are Heavenly Father's Children. We are His treasures!

Make some Hidden Treasure Cookies for your sisters and give them this recipe card.

For your Free Printable Download of the Hidden Treasure Cookies Recipe Card click Here.

Don't these Hidden Treasure Cookies make your mouth water?

Don't have time to make cookies? Attach your Treasure quote to some chocolate gold coins.

I hope you find some ideas here that you can use. You can customize your handouts to meet your sisters needs. I have a testimony that Heavenly Father answers prayers. I know He can help you to see them like He does, like Children of God. We are children of the King of Kings. Now that really is a treasure.

To check out the handouts for the August Visiting Teaching Message click here. 

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Originally posted on July 1, 2016