Taking Action in Time of Need

Learn more about Visiting Teaching here.

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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.

Taking Action in Time of Need

As visiting teachers, one of our purposes is to help strengthen families and homes. The sisters we visit should be able to say, “If I have problems, I know my visiting teachers will help without waiting to be asked.” In order to serve, we have a responsibility to be conscious of the needs of the sisters we visit. When we seek inspiration, we will know how to respond to the spiritual and temporal needs of each sister we are assigned to visit. Then, using our time, skills, talents, prayers of faith, and spiritual and emotional support, we can help give compassionate service during times of illness, death, and other special circumstances.¹

Through the help of reports from visiting teachers, the Relief Society presidency identifies those who have special needs because of physical or emotional illness, emergencies, births, deaths, disability, loneliness, or other challenges. The Relief Society president then reports her findings to the bishop. Under his direction, she coordinates assistance.²

As visiting teachers we can have “great reason … to rejoice” because of “the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work” (Alma 26:1, 3).

 

From the Scriptures

Matthew 22:37–40; Luke 10:29–37; Alma 26:1–4; Doctrine and Covenants 82:18–19

 

From Our History

In the early years of the Church, membership was small and centralized. Members could respond quickly when someone was in need. Today our membership is over 14 million and is spread throughout the world. Visiting teaching is part of the Lord’s plan to provide help for all His children.

“The only system which could provide succor and comfort across a church so large in a world so varied would be through individual servants near the people in need,” said President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency.

“… Every bishop and every branch president has a Relief Society president to depend upon,” he continued. “She has visiting teachers, who know the trials and the needs of every sister. She can, through them, know the hearts of individuals and families. She can meet needs and help the bishop in his call to nurture individuals and families.”³

For more information, go to reliefsociety.lds.org.

 

What Can I Do?

1. Am I using my gifts and talents to bless others?

2. Do the sisters I watch over know that I am willing to help them when they have a need?

A Handy Handout! :)

Our Thursday

"May we ever be courageous and prepared to stand for what we believe, and if we must stand alone in the process, may we do so courageously, strengthened by the knowledge that in reality we are never alone when we stand with our Father in Heaven."

—Thomas S. Monson

Well, I didn’t end up making bread for visiting teaching and Camille got sick so I took Taryn with me instead. It was all good. Bev is leaving on Friday to visit with her daughter in Georgia so I knew we better get over there. Today I am going to try to put together a “Trip Survival Kit” for her. I can drop it off tomorrow night. :) We’ll see if I make it happen!!

I have to get the kiddies to practice their song for Cori’s farewell. We were doing so good at practicing twice a day but then the ‘real weekend’ happened and we got out of the groove. SO! I will round them up to practice. Let me insert here that I am really and truly going to miss my Cori. Every time we practice I get tears in my eyes just thinking about it. She is amazing and I know that she will thrive on this experience – it is just hard to see her go. Everything changes when you leave and come home. But we will love her more for having gone – absence makes the heart grow fonder and all of that.

Today I am Chore Boss. Trying to get them to get their rooms clean so their friends can come over in the afternoon tomorrow. Fun times. Love being ‘mean mom’ but, them completing chores is a good thing. I usually have them try to do their chores (big ones) when Dad is home (then I have back-up) but, they just might need to work longer and harder today. (their rooms were pretty bad – it was definitely time!)

 Tomorrow we are having cable hooked up again. So happy we will be able to watch the Olympics!! Curtis wanted to be able to watch ASU football when the season starts. :) We’ll probably get rid of it in January when the season (football) is over and the “special'” is up!! Can’t wait for the Olympics (& Food Network!) Friday we are playing cards with my parents and sister. We are having Loaded French Fries for dinner. I think I will make a pot of pinto beans to go with. :) yum! Course, a pot of beans calls for yummy corn bread. . . I know what is for Supper tomorrow! (we have early Supper with Curtis before he goes to work. The kids and I for ‘dinner’ just scrounge and rummage through leftovers! It’s been good so far!)

 

Make it a great one!!

About Tammy: Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother of 7 (ages: G12, G11, B8, G6, B5, B2, G6mos). Stepmom of 2: ages B 25, G 22. Mother in law to two, Grandma to Peyton and Andrew (With another on the way - due in December!!) and blogger at BellaOnline!! Happy & Satisfied!!

Tuesday (or Wednesday) . . .

"Waiting upon the Lord gives us a priceless opportunity to discover that there are many who wait upon us. Our children wait upon us to show patience, love, and understanding toward them. Our parents wait upon us to show gratitude and compassion. Our brothers and sisters wait upon us to be tolerant, merciful, and forgiving. Our spouses wait upon us to love them as the Savior has loved each one of us."

—Robert D. Hales

Yay today is Curtis’ Wednesday!! :) 11 days vacation coming up in 2 days! I can’t wait. We have been trying to get the childrens’ areas organized – loft and bedrooms. They have kind of gotten a bit out of hand. Part of the problem is the Loft becomes Laundry Central for sorting and folding laundry. So, then if we get the least behind it gets stacked up – especially with their being 9 of us in the family. I have decided to work with Kierstyn and Kaity and get them some Home Management Books for them to work with themselves. Tips and tricks and examples of clean, etc. I am going to use the pocket folder like this one below.
They will be able to use it for a LONG time – which is all part of the whole teaching thing. :) I need to think of something for Clayton. He is at the age where he can start learning how to do specific things, too. *** NOTE: Clayton does chores - I am talking about specific HOME things that will enable him to be a prepared Son of God as he grows older *** Household management is not a GIRL thing. It’s a FAMILY thing and it would behoove him and his brothers to LEARN this so that when they go on Missions and go to College they will be able to take care of themselves. Also, when they get married they won’t be a burden to their wife. :)
I feel tired and sluggish today, so I think I will have to do some bread baking. That always makes me feel better! I LOVE the smell of fresh bread rising and then baking. mmmmmmmmm :) Hey! Maybe when I go Visiting Teaching with Camille tonight I can take Bev and her Mom a loaf. :) YAY good idea!! Off I go . . . well, after we grill burgers and eat yummy potato salad for lunch. Curtis will be leaving in less than 2 hours now. :’( BUT it IS Wednesday!!
Here is a video for you to enjoy for a good laugh:

Make it a great one!!
About Tammy: Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother of 7 (ages: G12, G11, B8, G6, B5, B2, G6mos). Stepmom of 2: ages B 25, G 22. Mother in law to two, Grandma to Peyton and Andrew (With another on the way - due in December!!) and blogger at BellaOnline!! Happy & Satisfied!!

Motherhood

“I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.”

~ Helen Keller

We had a fantastic “weekend” even though Curtis’ was working. It was the worlds’ weekend, not our weekend. Starting Friday Curtis has 11 days off ~~ I cannot wait!! :) So fun!

“Whatever happened to home being the center of the family, a haven of refreshment, a thriving metropolis of productivity? Instead, there are elaborate McMansions that are devoid of life. … We don’t have to follow along in this madness. Our families deserve something better – they deserve a beautiful, welcoming home which is the heart of the family and the center for outreach to the world. Maybe our home isn’t furnished very expensively and maybe it isn’t very big , but we can do our best to recapture the nobility and rightful place of home in our society, beginning with our own home.”

~~ Crystal Paine

Sometimes it is so easy to get lost in the day to day that I forget to appreciate my children – especially because they are home with me 24/7. BUT! Having said that, I wouldn’t have it any other way. When I think of allowing others to teach my children and take that responsibility for their learning upon themselves, I can’t agree to that. Luckily Curtis and I are completely together on this. He is awesome because we have discussed it and he tells me how he feels but that ultimately, it IS ME that is home with them and I can only do what I have the ‘ability’ for (whether that is patience, teachability, desire, etc.). So, it works well. He listens when I am frustrated and then I get ‘grounded’ again and get my focus back. We make a great team. With his new schedule for work, he is getting to actually spend more quality time with the children too. He isn’t dead tired after work because he is spending time with the children BEFORE work. He really is amazing. :) I am a lucky girl.

You’ll have to go to my cooking blog (here) and check out the Amish Cookies recipe. So EASY and So Good!! I was trying to look up some yummy Indiana-ish recipes for my niece to try before she heads off on her Misison to the Indiana Indianapolis Mission!! (greatest mission EVAH!). Anyway, it has a lot of Amish country and I was blessed to serve in one of the heavily Mennonite/Amish areas and got “homesick” for some of that and started looking up Amish recipes. :) So fun & TASTY!!! I will have to share my easy peasy Chicken Pot Pie Casserole recipe – Its whats for dinner tonight. As soon as I hit “ENTER” I am going to go dish it up!! YUM!

Make it a great one!!

About Tammy: Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother of 7 (ages: G12, G11, B8, G6, B5, B2, G6mos). Stepmom of 2: ages B 25, G 22. Mother in law to two, Grandma to Peyton and Andrew (With another on the way - due in December!! Congratulations to Josh and Ashley!!) and blogger at BellaOnline!! Happy & Satisfied!!

Glowing & Loving it! :)

“If you want to give a light to others, you have to glow yourself.”

~ Thomas S. Monson

 

Yesterday was an enjoyable day spending time with the family. Wednesday we went to Curtis’ parents house and the kiddies swam and ate hamburgers and hot-n-doggies. :) Fun times! Yesterday we stayed home and my parents came over in the late afternoon and we played Pinochle and my sister came a little before 6 and we ate Nacho’s. (the homemade kind). FUN TIMES!! Michelle stepped in and played for whomever needed a break (restroom, feeding Alayna, etc). So, it works out perfect. I love it. My kiddies did really well playing – although the boys are in wrestling mode lately and it is driving-me-crazy!!! Anyway, a little inside scoop on the Judd Family drama! lol

Today we slept in (getting Curtis ready to work the 2nd shift and possibly not come home until 3am). Curtis fixed waffles and then we went for a drive in the drizzley rain. So fun! Sent off my check to get deposited (piano lessons) and tried to get Taryn’s boots – but the mail man hasn’t delivered them yet. :( She was sad. (pink cowgirl boots). Waiting for UPS to deliver my Birthday STAMPIN’ UP! stuff!! :) WOO HOO!! Curtis is napping right at this minute – which is why I am on the computer. Otherwise I would be spending the time with him. The kiddies are at the kitchen table playing board games (making up their own, I think, maybe – maybe not.) Curtis leaves in less than a 1/2 hour. Kierstyn and Kaity are going to go shopping with their Grandma and Aunt Michelle for swim suits – VERY MODEST ones. EXTREMELY MODEST ones. I am staying on home with the younger 5 and we will bake cookies and eat them and maybe watch “Dr. Who” which they love. (weird, I know). on Netflix. Tonight I am going to a Card Making Meeting with my BFF Camille. CAN! NOT! WAIT! :)

I thought I would talk about the Book I am reading a little bit more. Ms. McBride says: “Much is required of us. Our days are filled with many tasks that can sometimes seem mundane and of little worth, but if we can grasp the incredible truth of what sacrificial service really means, then our entire outlook will be transformed. When done for the Lord, the commonplace will become noble, the prosaic will become beautiful, and the unimportant will become valuable. . . Under the constant attack of our humanistic culture, we can lose our vision and forget the value and worth of our position, becoming self-absorbed, miserable, and discontent.We can abdicate our thrones and never leave the palace.The Deceiver would have us in just such a condition; one that would render us weak, hopeless and ineffective. For “where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18).

Can I just repeat that I LOVE this book. It has given me fresh eyes to see what is right before me. My family has always been a priority. However, recently, I think, I was lost in the ‘everyday drudge’ and wasn’t feeling appreciative. So, this book woke me up again to the true value of being a Stay-at-home-Mom. It really is the best job and I love it. It is good to have reminders of the Eternal Perspective and remember who I am and Who my Children Are. That is critical to always have that as a reminder because it makes me WANT to do better and be better. As a mom. As a wife. As a person. As a friend. Everything. I think this blog will be my journey in appreciation for the great gift of Husband and Children: Family that I have been blessed with. And I really have been blessed with these things. I have always known that.

 

 Make it a great one!

About Tammy: Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother of 7 (ages: G12, G11, B8, G6, B5, B2, G6mos). Stepmom of 2: ages B 25, G 22. Mother in law to two, Grandma to Peyton and Andrew (With another on the way - due in December!!) and blogger at BellaOnline!! Happy & Satisfied!!

Queen of the Home

"Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high. They can become the key to open the channel to communion with our Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ."

—Richard G. Scott

I have been excited to get to reading this book. It was put together by a Christian woman named Jennifer M. McBride.It came in the mail yesterday (I ordered it at the same time I ordered the childrens’ handwriting booklets). On the back cover it summarizes the purpose of the book:

“In past generations, the role of wife and mother was viewed as a sacred calling. The committed homemaker was seen as strong, capable, intelligent and irreplaceable. She was regarded not only as a crucial part of the home, but as a foundational bulwark of society. She was considered  worthy of great honor, appreciation, and respect. Though the purveyors of feminism have sought in recent years to demean this glorious calling and discredit its importance, the Bible’s hopeful vision of noble womanhood is one worth reclaiming. This volume seeks to cast this vision afresh through encouraging essays, poetry, and quotes from writers past and present. This inspiring collection of vignettes paints a beautiful picture of what it means for a wife to be a crown to her husband, the monarch of the cradle, and queen of the home, as well as for daughters to embrace their rewarding role as regal women of God.”

I am VERY much enjoying this book. The whole idea of being Queen of my Home is a lovely concept to me!! “The Godly wife and mother is no household drudge, weak doormat or mindless parasite. She is a mighty warrior queen who fights righteous battles at her husband’s side and reigns with him over the home and domain God has given them as they work together for Christ’s eternal Kingdom and glory.” ~ Ms. McBride. I love that!! THAT is exactly how I picture it! What greater purpose is there than to teach and nurture my children and love and supporting my husband. I think this goes along perfectly with my own personal belief system. I like how Ms. McBride says, “While beauty and aesthetics certainly have their place, Biblical womanhood is not about furthering and promoting ourselves at all – it is about obeying the Word of God and dying to self. It is about advancing Christ’s Kingdom {in our own corner of the world}. It is about the purpose for which we were created the Almighty God.”. I LOVE THAT!!

I have been blessed with a man who respects me and honors me as a wife and mother in our home. What more can I ask for? Is our life perfect? (nay!) Do we have problems and issues that we have to work through and deal with? (absolutely!) But, because we are focused on the Eternal Perspective and not a here and now perspective we are able to work better together. We are able to do more and be more. I am so lucky to have him. He is amazing and perfect for me.

One thing that I believe strongly is: I don’t need time AWAY from my family to be a better wife and mother. When I have time away, I find I am less patient and understanding upon my return. Especially if it is for any length of time. I hate that. I know that I need a date with my Honey as frequently as possible – this helps NURTURE our relationship. When I spend time with my children, if I am doing it correctly, I am NURTURING my relationship with them. This is what I need. This is what they need. We don’t need outside activities to draw us closer together – that does just the opposite. Those things do NOT make my children better people. If I have to “find them activities” to do during the summer to keep the away from my home and out of ‘my hair’ then I am doing something VERY wrong. This is MY value system for MY family. I do not judge how someone else wants to do their own value system for THEIR family. Everyone is different and we are all inspired to nurture our families in the best way for our family. It is up to us to follow our personal revelation and inspiration for our own families.

Here is a wonderful scripture to remember: Proverbs 31:10: Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. Ms. McBride goes on to say, “Although Feminism continues her barrage against Biblical womanhood, we must refuse to heed her lies anymore. Let us victoriously reclaim our thrones for the sake of our families, the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom, and the glory of God.”

Make it a great one!!

About Tammy: Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother of 7 (ages: G12, G11, B8, G6, B5, B2, G6mos). Stepmom of 2: ages B 25, G 22. Mother in law to two, Grandma to Peyton and Andrew (With another on the way - due in December!!) and blogger at BellaOnline!! Happy & Satisfied!!

Wednesday, Wednesday

"We each have moments of spiritual power, moments of inspiration and revelation. We must sink them deep into the chambers of our souls. As we do, we prepare our spiritual home storage for moments of personal difficulty."

—Neil L. Andersen

 

 

Right now I am listening to 5 of my children (Alayna is still asleep and Quentin just runs around laughing) play “Do you love your neighbor”. I like days where they play well together. LOVE IT!!

Today is Curtis’ Day off. We are doing things as a family. Going to his parents and hanging out playing games with the kiddies. Tomorrow we are playing cards with my parents.  Tonight Curtis has his Elders Quorum meeting and some home teaching. Kierstyn has Young Womens. Kaity has Activity Days. Clayton has a Den Meeting. Fun times! :) Wednesdays are our busy day. I wish our Primary Meeting was meeting today and NOT tomorrow. That would be awesome!

Make it a great one!!

About Tammy: Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother of 7 (ages: G12, G11, B8, G6, B5, B2, G6mos). Stepmom of 2: ages B 25, G 22. Mother in law to two, Grandma to Peyton and Andrew (With another on the way - due in December!!) and blogger at BellaOnline!! Happy & Satisfied!!