Unified Home & Visiting Teaching by Randy F. Rubio

UNIFIED HOME & VISITING TEACHING STRATEGY “Brethren, home teaching is not just another program. It is the priesthood way of watching over the Saints and accomplishing the mission of the Church. Home teaching is not just an assignment. It is a sacred calling. Home teaching is not to be undertaken casually. A home teaching call is to be accepted as if extended to you personally by the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The priesthood forces in our units are usually small, often untrained, with very limited resources available at their disposal and faced with gigantic odds of inactivity to achieve the mission of “inviting all to come unto Christ.” (Moroni 10:32) I hope to make a modest contribution to these heroic men (and women) in helping them accomplish the Savior’s commandment of ‘watching over the flock’ utilizing creative methods and approaches that works. I fondly refer to this idea as the “guerrilla home teaching” concept in honor of the men in battle who are faced with overwhelming odds against their adversaries yet achieving their missions given very limited resources using non-conventional approaches. Guerrillas have no-nonsense, bottom-line, down-to earth approach in meeting their challenges. At the end of this article, I have narrated our experience in a small branch where we employed this tactic and the success they have accomplished while they used it. THE CHALLENGE

If you have already tried to organize home teaching, you probably already know by now that it takes a lot of time given the enormous task confronting you. Sometimes it’s just Pres. Ezra Taft Benson downright discouraging when you think of the overwhelming number of less active, new converts, and inactive members combined. When you match this against the limited human resource and talent you have in your unit, the challenge can be formidable. In our provinces I believe the challenge is compounded by the fact that many do not have the resources and time available compared to the more economically blessed parts of the country. When the odds become too much to bear, our tendency is to simply maintain the ‘status quo.’ These results to either not doing any home teaching or suffering from the paralysis of the tedious process of organizing. I am not proposing that home teaching be organized in some other way but I would like to present a flexible model where home teaching can be organized faster. In certain occasions where home teaching assignments are not yet completed, the home teaching visits can be happily rolling along and the brethren beginning to experience the wonderful spirit of home teaching. As Pres. Spencer W. Kimball often challenged us – DO IT! Let’s not allow the administrative part of home teaching encumber the more important work of ministering to the saints. (Please refer to the article on “Organizing Home Teaching Efficiently”).

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

“May all home teachers recognize that they have an inescapable responsibility to go into the homes of the people and teach them to live the gospel principles more faithfully, to see that there is no iniquity or backbiting or evil speaking, to build faith, to see that the families are getting along temporally. That is a very serious responsibility; it really is. But it is not a heavy burden—it just takes a little more faith. It is worthy of our very best effort.” Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley

Even when home teaching is organized as prescribed, most home teaching companionships are not able to meet on their own. Either one of the companions is unavailable. With ever increasing economic challenges and scarce employment opportunities, the brethren do not have as much discretionary time as they used to. When this happens the visits are not done or if they attempt to actually meet and finding the other missing, the visits are simply cancelled. I have also observed that home teaching becomes a unpleasant task for these companionships because in most cases they hardly know each other. Neither rapport nor friendships have been previously established. Close friendships are often the exception instead of being the rule. Since home teaching is work, close friendships are prerequisites to a functioning home teaching companionship. Often there are no regular activities to provide the brethren with informal interaction. The interaction is minimal at best and only occurring for only one hour during Sundays. With that hour mostly devoted to lessons, the brethren do not have the chance to get to know each other better on a personal level and therefore remain as strangers to each other. Another noticeable pattern is that home teaching duties are often relegated to the very least of callings. It’s probably because we have not taught the brethren the doctrine of home teaching right. (D&C Sections 20 & 84). We need to repeatedly teach the duties and responsibilities of priesthood holders, honoring the oath and covenant of the priesthood, and accounting of our stewardship so that we can help them catch the vision of this latter-day work. We also need to teach them the promised blessings of faithfulness. Let’s show them the beauty of the gospel and the magnificence of the priesthood organization. It’s by teaching the doctrine and principles of this great work that may cause positive changes in our lives. Elder Boyd K. Packer has taught: “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior” (in Conference Report, October 1986). One recent observation I have also noted is that many of us have never been required prior to our church membership to be visiting and caring for other people’s families. Home teaching is an unfamiliar concept for converts. Those that are quite motivated to do it, I also observed, are mostly the ones who once belonged to church organizations that promoted some sort of missionary work. Since they are already accustomed to visiting homes, they adapt to home teaching like fish in the water. Because it is new to the majority of the brethren, it means our teaching has to be deliberate and vigorous. I very well remember what Elder Dallin H. Oaks many years ago said: “Leaders do not learn leadership by reading handbooks. They learn leadership through a leader’s example.” (at the Manila Regional Conference) This concept of learning from a leader’s example is very applicable to home teaching. Many of the brethren have never been shown how home teaching is actually performed. If our teaching has been only infrequent references to home teaching and mostly by lecture, I doubt very much if our brothers have assimilated the necessary skills that home teachers ought to have. They do not learn home teaching by just giving lectures on home teaching. Home teaching should also be taught by demonstration or powerfully by example. If they do not learn how to perform home teaching, they cannot have confidence, so then they are not likely to home teach. Copyright © 2005 Randy F. Rubio All rights reserved “Being Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause”

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

Sometimes I also think that the home teacher’s job is like the white collar job in the workplace. The work in the office is so much more appealing than the work that requires us to get out of the office. We love the meetings, the interviews, extending callings, teaching lessons, jobs that are primarily done in the convenient confines of the chapel. Once we home teach, we get out from our comfortable locations to dirty streets and places. Since most of us have not caught the vision of home teaching, we regard it as a chore. Consider these hindering factors: (a) home teaching requires one to set aside time, a luxury to financially challenged brethren and families trying to create a balance out of their stressful lives (b) one has to get out of his comfort zone to work with someone he probably does not know well (c) he visits people who do not necessarily welcome him in their homes unless they are active members. Under such circumstances, we expect home teachers to make the voluntary visits. I believe that the bigger percentage of our priesthood holders have not matured to a point where we can suppose home teaching to naturally follow its course. Since it is not scheduled, it’s not done. Even scheduled meetings are not well attended, how much more for unscheduled home teaching. Home teachers need help to overcome so many obstacles to doing their job right. I am certain there are more problems that are encountered in your own unique circumstances but I believe these are the some of the biggest obstacles to overcome. I know the Lord is ready to assist us when we willingly do our part. THE GUERRILLA TACTIC Home teaching is done in most of our units mostly by inexperienced leadership. It is not anyone’s fault, it’s just reality. Often active brethren are limited in numbers thereby making the ideal companionships very difficult. Organizing home teaching takes time and requires a lot of leadership initiative. It also requires vision, commitment, and action on the part of priesthood leaders at all levels. Even if we want to do well, many of us lack the training and experience necessary to effectively implement church programs. This idea is intended to enhance how the home teaching program is conducted. However, this is not to pretend that this idea holds the perfect answer to all of our home teaching challenges. Each unit will have unique challenges which will require local solutions. But I believe this idea works because it provides the right mix to spark interest, excitement, immediate success, and even fun. When the brethren find themselves succeeding, the behavior is likely reinforced. This idea probably also works because it takes advantage of the Filipinos love for company. Prior to our membership in the Church we once belonged to very close friendships, associations, and fraternities. If this idea is properly executed it can enhance the home teaching experience as we know it thus increase the likelihood of sustaining momentum. It is simple to execute, flexible, fun to do, and can turn a rather ordinary activity into a real spiritual experience. The first pillar of this idea is to SCHEDULE home teaching visits. Designate either the 1st or 3rd Sundays (2nd and 4th Sunday cluster is also another option) as home teaching days in the ward. If you can schedule it every Sunday at once, it would be better. The point is to help the brethren develop the habit of allocating specific time for home teaching. Sunday is the ideal day because most brethren are not working and they also know that this day is devoted to Church service. If the ward meets in the morning, the visits can be scheduled in the afternoon. If they meet in the afternoon, it can be scheduled in the evening or in the morning. Scheduling can also be made on weekdays if feasible. By doing home teaching together, you introduce the element of fun and excitement. This creates the so-called bandwagon effect. The activity also provides an opportunity to develop camaraderie and friendship as the brethren are brought together to work. Brother Stephen D. Nadauld formerly of the Second Quorum of the Seventy has this to say: “Esprit de corps is a spirit of devotion and enthusiasm among members of a group for one another, their group, and its purposes. A group that has the spirit accomplishes its purposes, has strong ties with its members, and is fun to be a part of. Wise leaders can promote these feelings in appropriate ways and observe marked improvement in group performance.” (Principles of Priesthood Leadership) Copyright © 2005 Randy F. Rubio All rights reserved “Being Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause”

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

Our quorums are hungry for deep and meaningful associations and earnestly waiting for a good cause that they can be part of. We can make home teaching the opportunity for developing close friendships and the great cause that we can all join. By working together, and doing home teaching simultaneously you are like a guerrilla force sent out specifically on a search and rescue operation. This can induce high spirits and enthusiastic response. Home teaching need not be a solitary and lonely exercise. Announce to the brethren that the entire priesthood organization of the ward will home teach at the same time. The goal of the leader is to enlist as many brethren and young men as much as possible. Make the announcement engaging and obtain their commitment. Perhaps you can reinforce the announcement by asking the brethren to sign-up if they are joining the home teaching program that day. Pass out a piece of paper and have them write their names down. Or ask them to raise their hands up high for 30 seconds to signify their commitment. Leaders must go out of their way to extend personal invitation to the brethren and asking for their help particularly those that need to experience home teaching. Whatever you do make the invitation memorable. [This is how I made the announcement memorable: “Ako po ay nanawagan sa lahat ng tunay na lalaki na makilahok ngayong hapon sa ating home teaching alas kuwatro ng hapon. Kung kayo po ay tunay na lalaki, pakitaas lang ang kamay. (Laughter). Then I called on each one who raised their hand and reminded them on the meeting place and time. I also called on the ones who did not raise their hand and asked why. One of them answered: “Hindi po ako sigurado.” So I reminded him gently that the Lord only requires two types of answer: Yes or no. He answered, no. He couldn’t come that afternoon but he has joined us twice already since then. The phrase “tunay na lalaki” have now been used frequently to refer to the “do-it” attitude of the brethren. For example, if the branch president calls for a meeting he asks the brethren: “Mga tunay na lalaki ba tayo?” The brethren now recognizes that this attitude is part of the gospel culture.] Once they have formed the habit of home teaching and have caught the vision, you can move to schedule home teaching every Sunday or teach how they may conduct voluntary visits during the week. The second pillar of this idea is TRAINING the home teachers. Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone, a member of the Seventy, has this to say: “We teach, train, and retrain, and then we patiently wait for the results we desired. Some may not mentally grasp a concept or principle; others may not agree and so need persuasion; still others may lack the motivation. The long-suffering leader is more interested in training and developing souls than getting the job done quicker or in some other way, or by someone else.” (The Incomparable Christ: Our Master & Model) Home teachers would like to do a good job but don’t always know how. When people become members of the Church they are required to do many things that they have never done before. This new experience can be terrifying. Since many of us have been in the Church for a while, we take these things for granted. For example, to speak in public, to say public prayers, to teach a class, to bear a testimony or home teach are not easy tasks. We can’t just assume either that our older members already know what happens in a home teaching visit. I remember a counselor in the bishopric confiding to me that he didn’t know how to home teach yet. Unfortunately, we have limited our teaching to lectures only. We teach the doctrine by lecture. We teach the skills of home teaching by demonstration. Someone has to model it for them. Someone has to show them how it’s done. This idea incorporates a workshop session on home teaching. The most effective way to teach home teaching is for someone who knows how to do it, showing it to someone who doesn’t, in an actual home teaching situation. The next best way is to do a demonstration for home teaching trainees to observe. A demonstration can make it so much easier to understand. The home teaching visit should be broken down into three stages: what happens prior to, during, and after home teaching. Then someone who has some experience in home teaching is paired with someone who needs to see how it is done. In this case the missionaries and returned missionaries are a great resource and they should be involved. Copyright © 2005 Randy F. Rubio All rights reserved “Being Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause”

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

The workshop may be conducted between 15 to 30 minutes utilizing quorum or group leaders, full-time missionaries, returned missionaries and stake (district) resource persons. Make sure to present a variety of scenarios including visits to the new converts, the less active and the inactive. Show how to build relationships of trust and resolve concerns as they are encountered in the visits. As time goes on, you should endeavor to involve more brethren in demonstrating the home teaching skills to their fellow quorum members. This gives you a chance to evaluate their competency level and direct efforts when competency has not been achieved. When the home teaching skills have been adequately taught, demonstrated, and then assimilated, the workshop portion can be utilized to role model or demonstrate other leadership skills such as conducting meetings, teaching techniques, holding personal priesthood interviews, administering ordinances, etc. Consult the brethren what they would like to learn. Use this time to demonstrate skills and avoid long lectures as much as possible. The topics you can address are only limited by your imagination. “Home teaching, properly functioning, brings to the home of each member two priesthood bearers divinely commissioned and authoritatively called into the service by their priesthood leader and bishop. These home teachers—priesthood bearers—carry the heavy and glorious responsibility, of representing the Lord Jesus Christ in looking after the welfare of each member and of encouraging and inspiring every member to discharge his duty, both family and church.” Pres. Marion G. Romney

The third pillar of this idea is to MOTIVATE the home teachers. To motivate the home teachers is to ‘set them on fire’ with our enthusiasm. “The most powerful force on earth is a soul on fire” a quote I still remember from way back on my mission. This can be done through teaching doctrine, bearing firm testimony, personal anecdotes, and inspiring message by the concluding speaker. He may be a member of the bishopric, stake (district) presidency and quorum or group leadership. This is the part where leaders rally the brethren to perform their home teaching duties, accentuating its benefits, emphasizing the mandate from the Lord to doing it “to the least of His brethren” and bearing strong conviction of its importance. [I use music as one of the tools to inspire the brethren. I first showed them how the hymns can be sung with greater excitement. Examples of these hymns are “Called to Serve,” “Onward Christian Soldiers” etc. With my baritone voice, I exaggerated how Christian soldiers should sing on the way to the battle. In singing the chorus parts, I invite them to sing louder and they respond with vigor. I have already relinquished the role of chorister and have successfully passed it on to another who has mimicked what I modeled and he loves it.] The meeting should be held for just one hour - short, concise, and motivational. The idea here is to motivate home teachers prior to making the visits. We feed the souls of the home teachers who will also feed the souls of members when they conduct the visits. By purposely teaching them of their priesthood responsibilities we increase their understanding of their very significant role. (This can reinforce lessons being taught during the first Sunday of the month in priesthood classes.) We must help them catch the vision. This format is very much like what missions conduct regularly for their missionaries at monthly zone conferences. If we need to motivate full-time missionaries regularly, how much more we need to motivate our home teachers. In future meetings, leaders can report on the progress of the home teaching efforts showcasing their own success stories. The home teaching statistics can be shown in graphs to dramatize the impact of home teaching in the ward. Success stories and anecdotes on reactivation efforts occurring on actual home teaching visits can be magnified. Brethren should be given special commendation in public and in private where commendation is deserved. The commendation should be specific not generalizations. Meaningful stewardship interviews must be conducted to sustain the motivation. Copyright © 2005 Randy F. Rubio All rights reserved “Being Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause”

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

The fourth pillar of this idea is to provide the brethren opportunity to EXPERIENCE home teaching. Many of the brethren including those who have been in the Church for some time have never experienced the wonderful spirit that comes with home teaching. Ideally we should have an assigned companion with designated families. This is often difficult to achieve especially in units where the active priesthood force is small. The idea here is for the brethren to experience home teaching at once- to get their feet wet, so to speak. While the home teaching workshop is still fresh in their minds, we give them the immediate opportunity to try the new ideas. Home teaching has just been demonstrated before their eyes. They will now be given the chance to try them in an actual home teaching situation. Many home teaching plans die when companionships are unable to meet. Consequently, the brethren lose their desire to do home teaching. This is the part where we could use the guerrilla’s flexibility. Your first option is to identify the companionships that are present if your home teaching is organized. They can well be on their way to perform their assignments. If the companionships are incomplete, and in many cases they are, then they can be assigned with a temporary companion. If your home teaching is not yet organized, then the brethren can be formed into companionships as you deem appropriate giving consideration to their experience and skills. [When home teaching was not yet organized, we paired the brethren as companions and wrote their names on the board. With their names on the board, the families to be visited were identified by the branch president. They were given about 3 to 4 families to visit. When home teaching was already organized, there were only usually 3 pairs present out of 12 pairs. This is a common problem in home teaching. So we had the remainder of the brethren paired with those who were present. Among them they decided whose families will be visited that day. The work moves on.]

“Home Teaching is one of our most urgent and most rewarding opportunities to nurture and inspire, to counsel and direct our Father’s children in all that pertains to life. … Home Teaching takes the message of the gospel, the message of life and salvation and brotherly love….” To love the work and do our best will bring the unbounded peace and joy and satisfaction of a noble, dedicated teacher of God’s children.” Pres. David O. McKay

The companionships are assigned families for home teaching visits as directed by the Bishop right then and there. Even if the unit is small, six or seven pairs can visit two or three families each within two hours. With this conservative estimate, fourteen or more families could be visited within the allocated time. The companionships then leave the meeting house and visit their respective families. You will notice the brethren’s highly motivated spirits and eagerness to go out and visit. We have now, at this point, successfully induced the element of fun to the activity and at the same time recharged their spirits before sending them off to touch the lives of our people. Both home teachers and the families visited will be edified by the experience. We have now given the brethren the sweet taste of the home teaching experience. The fifth pillar of this idea is to RETURN & REPORT after a home teaching visit. Two to three hours later the brethren return to the meetinghouse to report their home teaching experience. This is the time to hear enthusiastic reports of how they have applied the new skills learned from the workshop. The brethren will share experiences where they felt the spirit. There is an air of great excitement as they relate their success stories. They may be invited to share their testimonies especially those who have joined for the first time. It has indeed become a spiritual experience. The quorum secretary notes from the reports needs requiring attention. Senior companions can fill-out home teaching report forms to report the visit that can be submitted later to the Bishop. During the reporting session, the leaders are made aware of some of the members needs including emergency cases. For example, if the families visited do not have food for the night, or a sick child requiring medicines, or someone needs a priesthood blessing, these needs can be addressed at once. The brethren can even return to the families the very same night to offer the assistance necessary. Copyright © 2005 Randy F. Rubio All rights reserved “Being Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause”

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

The very essence of home teaching as watching over the church, seeking the poor and the needy, mourning with those that mourn, giving comfort to those that need comforting is practiced in its truest form. (Mosiah 18:8, 9) The families feel the concern and caring of the Church and the home teachers feel the warm spirit as a consequence of their Christian service. (The brethren ought to be cautioned in reporting confidential matters to the appropriate priesthood leader.) The Bishop may conclude the program with his remarks and the entire exercise is closed with a prayer. Modest refreshments may then be served but not necessary. The souls of the brethren have been fed and that’s what matters most. The exercise is repeated on another Sunday designated for home teaching.

Under the direction of the bishopric, the EQ quorum presidency or HP group leader may prepare a program after this manner. This program consists of the elements conducive to the workings of the spirit. (Moroni 6:9) Inspiring music is integral to this exercise. The brethren can be assigned to sing solos, duets, quartets in other ways feasible. They don’t have to be in different voices or well rehearsed. The objective is to involve as many brethren as possible in the program conducting music, saying prayers, giving spiritual messages, testimonies, doing role plays, etc. The more people involved the greater the chance they will come and participate. I have included a sample program. SAMPLE PROGRAM One Hour 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. All Melchizedek Priesthood Holders, Prospective Elders, Priests, Teachers and Deacons Presiding: Conducting:

Bishop 1st Counselor Bishopric

Opening Hymn: Opening Prayer: Scriptural Thought:

Called to Serve By invitation EQ President

Home Teaching Workshop:

High Priest Group Leader with Returned Missionaries

Organize the Visit:

Elders’ Quorum Presidency High Priest Group Leader & Bishopric

Musical Number:

Young Men Quartet

Concluding Remarks: Closing Hymn: Closing Prayer:

Bishop The World Has Need of Willing Men By invitation 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Home Teaching Visits 7:45 p.m. Return & Report Session

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

VISITING TEACHING The same activity may also be adapted to the visiting teaching program. If the elements are followed as suggested here, the same benefits are derived. There are four Sundays of the month, two Sundays designated for home teaching and the other two Sundays for visiting teaching. In the branch where we are now they have decided on the following schedule: 1st and 3rd Sunday for Visiting Teaching; 2nd and 4th Sunday for home teaching. In rare instances where there is a 5th Sunday, home and visiting teaching may be combined. The bishop can also conduct a special meeting to report overall progress of both HT & VT programs to allow the members to see the totality of their accomplishments. This can generate more excitement. BISHOP’S ROLE AS SHEPHERD The best part of this system is the flexibility given to the Bishop to care for the members and deputize the home and visiting teachers to assist him in this duty. It is the Bishop’s responsibility to keep active members active, new converts retained, and less active members reactivated. Every Sunday the Bishop, his counselors and especially the Ward Clerk can make particular note of any member or new converts who are unable to come to Church. As soon as a member, or family, or recent convert is conspicuously absent even just for a Sunday the Bishopric puts that person’s name on a list. That list can then be turned over to the EQ President, HPGL, or RS President that very same day to trigger a visit. In a matter of hours, the Bishop will be given a report as to why the concerned members were unable to come to Church. No time is lost at all in finding out the reason for non-attendance. If these members are encountering problems, action can be exerted immediately preventing their inactivity in the Church. A TRUE EXPERIENCE July 6, 2003. Visiting Teaching. Being the 1st Sunday of the month the Relief Society presidency of the branch decided to try the idea upon approval of the branch president. There were only a few sisters who were present that morning but there were at least 15 sisters who showed up during the 4:00 p.m. meeting. As requested by the RS president, I first assisted her in putting the program together. With my assistance, she followed the elements of the sample program and assigning the sisters in each segment. I conducted the visiting teaching workshop through an actual role play. Once the workshop was over, we were now ready to organize the visiting teachers. We first identified the companionships (visiting teaching is already organized) that were present. There were none. This is not unusual at all in small units and even sometimes in large units. The RS President with my assistance then made the temporary pairings and she gave their respective assignments from between two to three sisters per companionship. We had a total of 7 pairs and 16 sisters identified to be visited. Please note also that since the branch has four full-time sister missionaries, they were invited to participate. The four full-time sisters were paired with the inexperienced sisters. The group dispersed at around 5:30 p.m. At 7:00 p.m. the sisters started to arrive. Once the group was already complete, the narrative reporting commenced by companionships. Total visited that night was 14 out of 16. A visiting teaching companionship met by chance a less active family with four children. They came to Church the following Sunday. Three others sisters committed to attend Church and did. One family was identified with a newborn baby requiring medicines. They did not have relatives in the area that could assist. The compassionate service leader took the responsibility of referring the case to the local health center the following day. Two days later the medicines at the local health center were not adequate so the matter was referred to the RS President and Branch President. Within the week the concern was resolved. This is the best part of this idea where action can be immediate and members feeling the impact of our concern. Among the sisters who came that night was a new convert. She was especially grateful for the experience. July 13, 2003. Home Teaching. The brethren decided to try the idea themselves. There were 14 brothers including 1 young man who came to the 4:00 p.m. meeting. Since there were six returned missionaries in the group I assigned them to conduct the workshop demonstrating the 3 stages of home teaching. The first two pairs did the usual lecturing but the Branch President cut them off and insisted that he wants to see how it’s actually done. The returned missionaries obliged Copyright © 2005 Randy F. Rubio All rights reserved “Being Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause”

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

with a demonstration. The third pair also role played the reporting system of home teaching. Some brethren asked questions while others made additional comments. There was much learning happening with the different scenarios presented and how to approach them. The brethren agreed that their role would be to determine the welfare of the member families. Where appropriate the home teaching message will be conveyed. If not, they determined that the families can still feel the spirit by reading a scripture, sharing their testimonies and offering a prayer. All of which can take place within five to ten minutes. It was suggested also that if possible the prayer be offered kneeling. These were wonderful ideas contributed by the brethren. It’s amazing what they can contribute when given a chance. Of the 15 brethren who attended, 2 excused themselves and so we had thirteen who remained. Since home teaching was not yet organized, we formed 6 pairs. The Branch President had prepared a list of 12 families he wants to be visited and assigned them respectively. Among us was a recently reactivated prospective elder. He joined the home teaching visit. I went with the Branch President to visit a former branch president who has already returned to his old church. The branch president applied all the elements discussed during the workshop including inviting us to kneel in prayer at the close of the visit. Two hours later the brethren returned for reporting. Total of 12 families visited. As usual there was much fun and camaraderie. What’s most appalling with their reports is that many less active members desire to return to church activity but don’t know where to begin. July 20, 2003. Visiting Teaching. The visiting teachers visited another 12 sisters. I still had to assist the RS President but she already introduced her own ideas in the program. She even mentioned that she is beginning to really catch the vision. The sisters added another dimension to the visits by suggesting singing hymns during their visiting teaching sessions. In just three Sundays, a total of 40 combined visits were already conducted. I was telling them that though the 40 visits is already impressive, they were just seeing the tip of the iceberg of their true potential. Once home teaching is organized, they can easily double or triple the number of families visited. July 27, 2003. Home Teaching. Ten of the brethren came and visited a total of 13 families. Since we revived home and visiting teaching efforts the total number of individuals and families visited for the month of July is 53. August 3, 2003. Visiting Teaching. Fifteen sisters came to do visiting teaching. A total number of 13 sisters were contacted. We conducted a special meeting to organize home teaching. The branch presidency, elder’s quorum president, high priest group leader, young men president, asst. branch clerk and some other brethren attended. Within four hours including breaks, we completed 80% of the home teaching assignments. August 10, 2003. Home Teaching. It’s been raining hard the past few days. The typhoon “Harurot” has just gone outside of the Philippine area of responsibility. I was personally concerned that priesthood holders might not come to the chapel to meet for home teaching. This was an acid test. I will find out if they will come even if it’s raining. Thirteen brethren showed up and three tricycles. Two and a half hours later, 22 families were contacted. They passed the test. August 17, 2003. Visiting Teaching. It’s been slightly raining in the afternoon. There were 11 sisters who arrived out of 31 sisters who attended RS meeting in the morning. I have now personally distanced myself from being directly involved with the actual planning and implementation of their visits. There were 18 sisters visited. We held a priesthood training session. Sacrament attendance today was 171, an all-time high for the branch. August 24, 2003. Home Teaching. We have now discussed the possibility of doing home teaching every Sunday: 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month will be used purposely to reactivate the young men and young women of the branch. We will also involve the active young men and young women as part of the youth reactivation efforts. This means we will now be conducting the visits every Sunday. The brethren were receptive to the idea. Perhaps the reason for this is because they are catching the vision and beginning to enjoy the fruits of their labor. We will now transition from two Sundays to four Sundays every month. Some who are available during the week have also been identified to conduct the visits on weekdays. The point is to schedule and don’t leave it to chance. The branch president also announced that a major activity will be held for the entire branch when they have reached 200 sacrament meeting attendance. Today, sacrament attendance was another branch record - 176. Copyright © 2005 Randy F. Rubio All rights reserved “Being Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause”

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

Given our limited number of priesthood holders and active sisters who are willing to work, we must constantly look for ways to find out “what works.” The handbooks can’t tell us everything we can and must do. It is our job as local leaders to assess our local situations and determine the best way to solve our problems. Each situation is unique and the solutions will be unique as well. I receive the inspiration of this idea two months prior to my release as a stake president. In the wards where it was implemented as I envisioned, it worked with outstanding results. Now that I am able to test it in a small branch, I know now that it can work despite a limited priesthood force with very limited resources as well. Having been a member of the Church for the last thirty four years, I am elated to have found an idea for home teaching that works. I hope you will find it useful. Bear in mind that when we arrived in Concepcion, there were two organized small branches. With only a handful of priesthood leaders in each branch, it was struggling to run Church programs. One of the branches was presided by a faithful brother who had to travel from Mabalacat to Concepcion (a forty-five minute drive) on Sundays with his family. Clearly it was spreading the small force of leadership too thin. Fortunately, the stake presidency saw this predicament and decided to merge the branches into one. With the additional priesthood strength produced out of the merger, the branch resumed reactivation efforts in July 2003. To illustrate the effect of this strategy, I have included the attendance statistics of the branch prior to the weekly home and visiting teaching from April 6 to June 29, 2003. Apr 6 ND

Apr 13 ND

Apr 20 75

Apr 27 *158

May 4 133

May 11 110

May 18 113

May 25 115

Jun 1 119

Jun 8 128

Jun 15 132

Jun 22 128

Jun 29 110

*The high attendance could be attributed to members’ interest in the merging of two branches. I have no data (ND) for April 6 and 13.

Here’s the summary statistical report of the first three months of weekly home and visiting teaching. Note the dramatic increase in Sacrament meeting attendance as efforts progressed. The members taking part so far is only 50% of the total potential work force. Imagine the possibilities if we could harness all active members to cooperate. Also note that this is only a total of ten actual work hours a month. Imagine again if we could double our work hours.

Date July 06 July 13 July 20 July 27 August 03 August 10 August 17 August 24 August 31 Sep 07 Sep 14 Sep 21 Sep 28

Activity

Sacrament Meeting Attendance

VT 126 HT 116 VT 122 HT 145 Total for the Month VT 140 HT 147 VT 171 HT 176 Training* 146 Total for the Month VT 145 HT 140 VT 152 HT 142 Total for the Month Total for the Quarter

HT/VT Activity Attendance

Families & Individuals Contacted

15 15 12 10

14 12 14 13 53 13 22 22 19

15 13 11 14 *33 14 16 10 19**

76 11 19 8 20 58 187

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching Home Teaching & Visiting Weekly Report Date Oct 05 Oct 12 Oct 19 Oct 26 Nov 02 Nov 09 Nov 16 Nov 23 Nov 30 Dec 07 Dec 14 Dec 21 Dec 28

Sacrament Activity Meeting Attendance VT Youth Reactivation 152 Home Teaching 151 VT Youth Reactivation 159 HT Youth Reactivation 136 Total for the Month VT Youth Reactivation 143 Home Teaching 115 VT Youth Reactivation 142 Home Teaching 142 Home Teaching 153 Total for the Month VT Youth Reactivation 152 Home Teaching 138 VT Youth Reactivation 142 Home Teaching 153 Total for the Month Total for the Quarter

HT/VT Activity Attendance *34 12 *30 *25 40 42 13 20 26 36 26 23

Home Teaching & Visiting Weekly Report Date Jan 04 Jan 11 Jan 18 Jan 25 Feb 02 Feb 09 Feb 16 Feb 23 Feb 29

Activity

Sacrament Meeting Attendance

VT Youth Reactivation 145 Home Teaching 146 VT Youth Reactivation [ 218 ] Home Teaching 146 Total for the Month Youth Reactivation 131 137 123 133 122

HT/VT Activity Attendance M/F 13/12 18/22 10/18 14/10

for the Quarter of October to December 2003 Families & Individuals Remarks Contacted 39 *Combined attendance of adults 22 and youth 35 Reactivation efforts for branch 33 youth conference 129 Cancelled due to heavy rains CES Fireside 49 21 16 86 Branch Leadership Training 46 Christmas Party invitation 23 to less active 15 84 299 for the Quarter of January to March 2004 Families & Individuals Remarks Contacted 30 22/30 9/15 15/10

40 persons with special invitations to conference Annual Branch Conference Sunday Evening Discussion Home teaching efforts reverted to handbook model

As the visits progressed, youth and children joined adults in this weekly activity. Sometimes our attendance for these weekly visits peaked at 40. Members were truly enjoying the work. It seemed so easy to devote only three hours a week on a Sunday afternoon to have such great impact on the attendance. Around November 2003, the old meetinghouse was demolished to give way to a bigger and better facility. We were forced to meet in a cramped school building. This was heartbreaking because we thought it could affect the momentum of our efforts. But if you look at the statistics, our concerns were unfounded. Not only did we have high attendance marks, it was also consistent. The once elusive 200 attendance mark was finally breached at the annual branch conference. The branch president treated the members “lechon” (roasted pig) the following month in keeping with his promise to celebrate if we broke the two-hundred mark. Unfortunately, the branch presidency decided to revert to the companionship model. I was reluctant at first but supported them anyway. For this reason, I came up with a system that reinforced the handbook model (read article “Making Your Home Teaching Organization Work). We stopped the group efforts starting the month of February 2003. I assisted the elders quorum presidency organize the home teaching companionships and families. We tried to train them and hoped that they will take the initiative to conduct the visits. In the next two months, I could only count with my one hand the people who continued to serve faithfully. Leaders and returned missionaries alike could not muster the will power to take action on their own. We were coasting once again and attendance began to slump. Copyright © 2005 Randy F. Rubio All rights reserved “Being Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause”

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

SUMMARY If I were to ask you what factors (principles) constitute a successful home teaching program? You are likely to refer to the following: (a) home teachers must catch the vision (b) home teaching has to be organized (c) home teachers must be trained in their duties (d) home teachers be provided with regular motivation (e) home teachers must be held accountable for their assignments and (f) members needs are addressed promptly. Of course, there are many more. Elder Boyd K. Packer has given us a definition of “principle.” “A principle is an enduring truth, a law, or a rule you can adopt to help you in making decisions. Generally principles are not spelled out in detail. That leaves you free to adapt and find your way with an enduring truth, a principle, as an anchor.” (Unwritten Order of Things) The beauty of applying principles is its ability to adapt to a variety of conditions. Thirty five years ago when the church was new, the circumstances were very different compared to our present conditions. Although our priesthood forces were only a handful at the time, our members were quite small in number also. Increase in membership was gradual in the beginning. We attracted enough leaders who were also professionals who learned to manage church affairs quite well. Sources of employment were often available within our localities. These employment opportunities often offered lifetime security. The pace of everyday life of the Filipino was uncomplicated with plenty of discretionary time. Mid-week activities were usually held for adults, youth and children. Members could easily come and participate. Branches were close-knit communities where friendships were intimate. Everybody knew each other by name and other personal circumstances that led to mutually beneficial relationships. Closeness developed naturally. Many who joined the church were poor but lived decently. Welfare needs among members were minimal if there were any and the fast offering program was not available, as we know it today. Extending financial assistance to each other among members in the spirit of community was the norm. While incomes at the time were also small the purchasing power of the peso was definitely better. There was poverty then but not quite with the same pervasiveness and desperation we see today. Given this backdrop, let’s consider the traditional approach of doing home teaching at the time. Home teaching was organized with relative ease. There was no need for urgency. There were only a few families to watch over. The home teacher – member ratio was ideal. Home teaching was done whenever it was convenient for companionships during the week or on Sundays. American full-time missionaries who were likely fifth generation members of the Church provided hands-on training for home teachers. Since priesthood holders were small in numbers, the teaching was direct and deliberate. Skills were transferred much easily since role models were good. The membermissionary connection was without barrier and worked together seamlessly. Home teaching was a naturally pleasant activity because the church community was small. You could count the less-active with your fingers. Even they were known as friends to other members. At the time, you can afford to loosen up with home teaching efforts without fatal consequences because the problems members faced were negligible. Since the church was small and friendships were close, home teaching was only a natural thing to do. There seemed to be no need for pushing or exerting pressure. All of a sudden, membership almost everywhere in the Philippines grew rapidly. Hundreds of people were being baptized weekly. Many came from part-member families and the less-educated sector. As soon as they were baptized, many also went into inactivity. Our leaders were suddenly overwhelmed with unmanageable growth. At the same time, the economic landscape changed. Jobs within localities became scarce as governments, corporations, and private entities cut budgets in order to survive. Overseas employment became a lucrative option. In the meantime, more and more people kept joining the church while capable leaders and members moved out from their localities to seek for better employment opportunities elsewhere. They left many units helpless and without competent leadership. Home teaching and all other church programs immensely suffered. Copyright © 2005 Randy F. Rubio All rights reserved “Being Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause”

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

While our circumstances have turned for the worst, we are still employing the same traditional approach of the past. For example, organizing home teaching is still being done without urgency sometimes taking months before it’s completed. Since our church population has quadrupled with massive inactivity, the process has become more cumbersome. During the phase of (re)organizing, home teachers wait for new assignments and temporarily suspend visits. This would have been perfectly alright in the past but the same practice is disastrous now considering that our problems are mounting by the day. The more neglect on our people, the greater the inactivity. We still assume voluntary visits as a matter of course just like in the past. When you consider the escalating pressures that our members encounter daily, home teaching becomes the least of their concerns. When home teaching is finally organized, the distribution of assignments takes more time than necessary. The absent and the ‘not-so-willing’ prevent those who are eager to start from doing much needed work. Again, there seems to be no sense of urgency. As to home teaching reports, our usual approach has been to use pressure at home teachers to the point of exasperation. When this happens, home teachers lose the motivation to perform and leaders get tired of applying pressure. In some areas, the priesthood organization grinds to a big halt. If we were engaged in a war, many of us would be dead already. ☺ The traditional approach in the past has worked for a good reason. At the time, it was the correct response given yesterday’s conditions. However, the traditional approach no longer works today because the problem has changed. I remember a quote that said: “Just when I have found the answers to the question, they have changed the question.” Our new conditions require new solutions. We can still apply the same time-tested principles but have to think of new strategies to fight a new set of problems. If the ‘guerrilla home teaching strategy’ worked for us it is because it adheres to the same basic principles only applied differently to meet changing demands. TRADITIONAL APPROACH Home teaching can wait Home teaching is organized with casualness While organizing is ongoing, home teaching stops Home teaching is done whenever convenient Home teaching is an unpleasant task Home teaching is lonely and solitary Home teachers are pushed Home teaching is discussed occasionally Home teachers are trained by lecture Lecture and actual home teaching are far apart Home teachers just want to get it over and done Home teaching is occasional outburst of enthusiasm If companion is absent, home teaching is cancelled If member is absent, visits are done whenever Exerts pressure for reports Action waits until reported on the next meeting

GUERRILLA APPROACH Home teaching is urgent Home teaching is organized with immediacy While (re)organizing is ongoing, home teaching starts Home teaching is scheduled and performed regularly Home teaching is faith-promoting and fun Home teaching is a simultaneous and a unified effort Home teachers are enticed by the bandwagon effect Home teaching is discussed regularly Home teachers trained by lecture and demonstration Demonstration and actual home teaching within hours Home teachers are looking forward for next visits Home teaching becomes a habit and endures If companion is absent, temporary partner is assigned If member is absent, visit is done within hours Creates eagerness to celebrate success Action is made as soon as reported within hours

Let me elaborate further with this new mindset of implementing home teaching. Home teaching can wait vs. Home teaching is urgent. Everything we do in the church is in preparation of the Savior’s Second Coming. As the popular hymn puts it, “the time is far spent there is little remaining.” Home teaching is organized with casualness vs. Home teaching is organized with immediacy. Refer to the article on “Organizing Home Teaching Efficiently.” If you follow the strategy, home teaching is organized within four to six hours. Beware lest you are tempted to do it alone and that is also efficient but it cannot rally others behind the cause. Involve everyone who has a leadership responsibility in organizing home teaching. While organizing is ongoing, home teaching stops vs. While organizing is ongoing, home teaching starts (or continues). Given our conditions, we cannot give home teaching a break. During the process of (re)organizing, home Copyright © 2005 Randy F. Rubio All rights reserved “Being Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause”

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

teaching can already start with temporary companionships with temporary assignments or continue with previous companionships. We cannot take a break because the sheep becomes vulnerable to predators during unguarded moments. Home teaching is done whenever convenient vs. Home teaching is scheduled and performed regularly. If they cannot come along during quorum’s scheduled home teaching, ask them to give you an alternative day and time. Take note of it and follow-through on Sundays. Don’t just rely on promises. By following through, you also help them keep their promise. You get what you inspect. Home teachers are pushed vs. Home teachers are enticed by the bandwagon effect. Home teaching is an unpleasant task vs. Home teaching is faith-promoting and fun. Home teaching is lonely and solitary vs. Home teaching is a simultaneous and a unified effort. Home teaching is discussed occasionally vs. Home teaching is discussed regularly. Home teachers just want to get it over and done vs. Home teachers are looking forward for next visits. All of these objectives are met when you use the guerrilla home teaching strategy of holding simultaneous home teaching activities including the teaching, training and instant application of what’s learned that goes along with it. It becomes a pleasant task that builds faith and even incorporates some fun. They also begin to look forward to the next visits because of the enjoyment it generates by doing it together. It’s not just enduring but also ‘enjoying’ to the end. Home teachers are trained by lecture vs. Home teachers are trained by lecture and demonstration. Lecture and actual home teaching are far apart vs. Demonstration and actual home teaching within hours. When you teach by demonstration, it is easier to grasp. You also encourage application at once because actual home teaching immediately follows. They are likely to learn faster and gain confidence as a home teacher. Home teaching is occasional outburst of enthusiasm vs. Home teaching becomes a habit and endures. If you just keep your schedule and do it religiously, it will become part of your culture. When that happens, everyone including new converts will simply go and join because it’s the way it is. If companion is absent, home teaching is cancelled vs. If companion is absent, temporary partner is assigned. Maximize the use of your priesthood forces. The ministry waits for no one. Do it alone if you have to. Exerts pressure for reports vs. Creates eagerness to celebrate success. Instead of asking for reports, this strategy invites people to share their success stories even bear their testimonies. We convert the ordinary reporting exercise to a celebration of small victories. Reporting becomes exciting. Action waits until reported on the next meeting vs. Action is made as soon as reported within hours. If member is absent, visits are done whenever vs. If member is absent, visit is done within hours. When home teaching needs are reported at once and our response instantaneous, members feel our concern. If members are not in church, bishop can immediately send home teachers to find out. He receives a report within hours not whenever it becomes convenient to the home teacher. We prevent more inactivity. In our experience, all of these success factors are rolled into one activity and are executed so close to each other. It’s the same principles just applied in a different way. The principles are adapted to the new conditions and circumstances. In the hands of a leader who makes things happen, the momentum rises, the bandwagon effect becomes contagious, new learnings are instantly applied, reporting is immediate, and action is prompt. All of these activities lead to esprit de corps which enhances the group performance. This is all achieved within a matter of three hours. “… that leadership entails a certain boldness. It is, after all, essentially the business of venturing out front, going first, standing in front of the congregation, the faceless audience of thousands, or the hard eye gaze of only one doubter.” Pres. N. Eldon Tanner “Now a leader must cause things to happen and lives to be affected. He should be an instrument of the Almighty for changing lives.” Pres. James E. Faust Copyright © 2005 Randy F. Rubio All rights reserved “Being Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause”

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

MEETING PLANNING WORKSHEET Day ___________________ Time ____________________

All Melchizedek Priesthood Holders, Prospective Elders, Priests, Teachers and Deacons Presiding:

___________________________________________

Conducting:

___________________________________________

Opening Hymn:

___________________________________________

Opening Prayer:

___________________________________________

Scriptural Thought:

___________________________________________

Home Teaching Workshop:

___________________________________________ ___________________________________________

Organize the Visit:

___________________________________________ ___________________________________________

Musical Number:

___________________________________________

Concluding Remarks:

___________________________________________

Closing Hymn:

___________________________________________

Closing Prayer:

___________________________________________

Home Teaching Visits (Time)

___________________________________________

Return & Report Session (Time)

___________________________________________

And their meetings were conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing, even so it was done. [Moro. 6:9]

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

SAMPLE WARD HT & VT WEEKLY REPORT

Ward ____________________________ Date

Activity

Oct 5

Visiting Teaching

Oct 12

Home Teaching

Oct 19

Visiting Teaching

Oct 26

Home Teaching

for the Quarter of October to December 2003 Sacrament Meeting Attendance

HT/VT Activity Attendance

Families & Individuals Contacted

Remarks

Alternate Sundays could also be utilized for youth reactivation.

Total for the Month Nov 2

Visiting Teaching

Nov 9

Home Teaching

Nov 16

Visiting Teaching

Nov 23

Home Teaching Ward Leadership Training

Nov 30

Total for the Month Dec 7

Visiting Teaching

Dec 14

Home Teaching

Dec 21

Visiting Teaching

Dec 28

Home Teaching Total for the Month Total for the Quarter

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

AT THE STAKE LEVEL If you are a stake president, imagine for a moment what it would be like if all active priesthood holders and active sisters in your stake did home and visiting teaching simultaneously? The concept of simultaneous home and visiting teaching efforts can be easily adapted at the stake level with enormous benefits. Consider this step by step process if you would like to adapt it. 1. Discuss with your stake presidency and stake Melchizedek Priesthood committee (Stake Aaronic Priesthood committee and Stake Relief Society presidency as the case may be) the basic ideas presented here with this strategy. Determine if it can be realistically implemented in your stake given your unique local conditions. I am confident that with slight modifications many of these ideas will work for you in most of your wards. Once you have determined it’s applicable, it seems only appropriate to involve the high council in its implementation. 2. You may want to consider using only members of the stake MP committee or all members of the high council. They can be designated as team leaders of the priesthood units in the wards they are assigned. If this is not practical, bishops can fill the position of team leadership as the presiding high priest of the ward. As a stake presidency, you might want to involve yourself initially as team leaders in some of the units to get actual handson experience to help you find out what works and what doesn’t. 3. Orient the designated ward team leaders on the five pillars of the guerrilla home teaching strategy as outlined here. You may distribute copies of this article so they can become familiar with the concept. Discuss what might work and what may not. This is not a cut and dried strategy. However, please avoid dwelling in negativity. Remember even good ideas can be hopeless in the mind of a pessimist. 4. Lead a test run in the stake and get immediate feedback from team leaders. Based on the results, find out what has worked and what has not. This doesn’t mean though that it can’t work. It may simply be a matter of better execution. Do not take early success or failure as proof of this idea to be working or not. Everything of value always takes time. Please feel free to allow modifications including discarding some of the steps if it’s not practical. The bottom-line is to minister to our members more effectively. This is the most important end result. Sometimes the local leaders themselves will find ways to enhance this strategy. 5. With the advent of SMS technology (text messaging) the reporting of statistics can be immediate. Subsequently, the unified home and visiting teaching efforts could be discussed and reviewed during your stake presidency, stake Melchizedek Priesthood and stake Aaronic Priesthood Committee meetings for further improvement. 6. Your stake presidency can go around to wards of your choice every Sunday rallying your people to actively participate in the noble cause of shepherding. Members see you “watching over the flock” and become inspired to do their part through the power of your example. Actions always speak louder than words. More importantly, your role modeling will also serve as a guide for future leaders to emulate in your stake. 7. Work always precedes success. Work and work and work until you succeed. This idea entails a lot of work but work enhanced with fun and excitement to hopefully sustain efforts. However, you and your team leaders will encounter discouraging moments. Such moments should be anticipated and your response already predetermined to never give up. Programs succeed because of your leadership and will also fail due to lack of it. Be consistent, follow-through, and forcefully lead. This same process can be used when considering implementing unified visiting teaching and youth reactivation efforts also. When you keep doing something for a while, members will begin to adapt to it. Once they adapt to it, it develops into a habit. Once a habit, it becomes part of your culture. When it becomes part of your culture, our members will do it as a matter of course. We will see the end of having to exert pressure and the beginning of the joy of ministering. Copyright © 2005 Randy F. Rubio All rights reserved “Being Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause”

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

UNIFIED HOME TEACHING AT THE STAKE LEVEL Stake Presidency designate the Sundays where HT efforts will be held simultaneously throughout the stake

Stake High Council assigned in the wards are designated as HT team leaders in coordination with ward bishopric, EQ, and HP

Ward 1

Ward 2

Ward 3

Ward 4

Bishop

leads unified HT efforts in the ward with the help High Council Adviser

SIMULTANEOUS HOME TEACHING IS IMPLEMENTED

Report High Councilors report to the Stake Executive Secretary weekly HT statistics and submits to stake presidency

Review Stake Melchizedek Priesthood Committee meets monthly to evaluate HT reports and discuss how to improve efforts

Interview Stake President meets with Bishop monthly to discuss monthly HT reports

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

UNIFIED VISITING TEACHING AT THE STAKE LEVEL Stake Presidency designate the Sundays where VT efforts will be held simultaneously throughout the stake

Stake Relief Society Presidency coordinate VT efforts with ward RS Presidencies

Ward 1

Ward 2

Ward 3

Ward 4

RS President

Team Leader for unified VT efforts

SIMULTANEOUS VISITING TEACHING IS IMPLEMENTED

Report Ward RS President report to the Stake RS President weekly on VT statistics

Review Stake Relief Society Presidency evaluates VT efforts monthly

Interview Stake President meets with Stake RS President monthly to discuss monthly VT reports

Unified Home & Visiting Teaching

SAMPLE STAKE HT&VT WEEKLY REPORT Stake _______________________________

Week Ending

Ward 1 HT

Oct

Nov

Dec

for the Quarter of October to December 2003

Ward 2 HT

Ward 3 HT

Ward 4 HT

Ward 5 HT

Ward 6 HT