The message in the Ensign this month was on being a watchcare and ministering to the sisters you visiting teach . I feel like this has been hammered really hard lately, and I can't help but feel like there is a reason. Have you ever been in one of those wards where it's super disjointed and you have no idea who your visiting teachers are or over half the people's names? Well maybe I'm alone in this, but I've TOTALLY been in that ward before. My ward right now though is awesome. Totally warm and inviting. But I just remember all too well how it can feel to sit in Relief Society and feel like nobody would notice if you weren't there. And I'm sure just because I don't feel that way now in this ward, it doesn't mean that somebody else isn't feeling that way. Anyways, it just kind of made me realize that in addition to actually befriending and having a sincere interest in my visiting teachees that I should also be keeping an eye out for other sisters in my ward. If you haven't read it then you should here.
A while back ago my visiting teacher Liz bore her testimony in sacrament meeting on "getting pounded". She and her husband grew up as beach bugs and this term was used when you got pulled under by one wave and then repeatedly pulled down by each consecutive wave just before you could come up for air. When I read this article it made me think of how all the sisters in our ward are experiencing their own trials and might just need a strong arm to pull them up out of the water when life is "pounding" them with struggles (financial, marital, scholastic, whatever). I immediately had the image of a light house pop into my head and the scripture Matthew 5:14 about being a light on a hill. So this is the visual imagery I came up with for my handout for my gals. I gave it to them with a bag of JuJu Fish...they are like Swedish Fish but WAY better because there's lots of different flavors. Plus it kept the beach theme consistent :)
Here it is for your enjoyment and use...
