Demonstrating Our Discipleship through Love and Service
Download the message in English
Prayerfully study this material and, as appropriate, discuss it with the sisters you visit. Use the questions to help you strengthen your sisters and to make Relief Society an active part of your own life.
Demonstrating Our Discipleship through Love and Service
Throughout His mortal life, Jesus Christ showed His love for others by ministering to them. He said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). He set the example and wants us to “succor those that stand in need of [our] succor” (Mosiah 4:16). He calls His disciples to work with Him in His ministry, giving them the opportunity to serve others and become more like Him.
Our service as visiting teachers will closely resemble the ministry of our Savior when we show our love for those we visit teach by doing the following:
- Remember their names and the names of their family members and become acquainted with them
- Love them without judging them.
- Watch over them and strengthen their faith “one by one,” as the Savior did (3 Nephi 11:15).
- Establish sincere friendships with them and visit them in their homes and elsewhere.
- Care about each sister. Remember birthdays, graduations, weddings, baptisms, or other times that are meaningful to her.
- Reach out to new and less-active members.
- Reach out to the lonely or those in need of comfort.
3 Nephi 11; Moroni 6:4; Doctrine and Covenants 20:47
From Our History
“The New Testament includes accounts of women, named and unnamed, who exercised faith in Jesus Christ. … These women became exemplary disciples. … [They] journeyed with Jesus and His Twelve Apostles. They gave of their substance to assist in His ministry. After His death and Resurrection, [they] continued to be faithful disciples.”
Paul wrote of a woman named Phebe, who was “a servant of the church” (Romans 16:1). He asked the people to “assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many” (Romans 16:2). “The kind of service rendered by Phebe and other great women of the New Testament continues today with members of the Relief Society—leaders, visiting teachers, mothers, and others—who act as succorers, or helpers, of many.”
For more information, go to reliefsociety.lds.org.
What Can I Do?
- How am I increasing my ability to nurture others?
- What am I doing to ensure that the sisters I watch over know that I love them?
Suggested handout Download English file here
The file will download automatically and is 6x4 suitable for a photo print if you wish
Also available in Chinese Download Chinese file here
Still looking for ideas? Try Google and look for 'Visiting Teaching message handouts July 2012'
