Thursday thoughts . . .

 
 (source pink polka dot creations)

I went out Visit Teaching yesterday with my partner.  We visited two sisters in our Ward.  I just love Visit Teaching.  It is a program of my church which I have a great testimony of, and that I love dearly.  For those of you who are not aware, each sister in my church is assigned Visiting Teachers, and all those who are able to, are assigned the duties of being a Visiting Teacher.  This is a program designed so that each month every sister in the church should get a visit from two sisters who come to share a spiritual message (if desired) a helping hand (if needed) an ear to listen (always) and a shoulder to lean on in good times and in bad, all tied up in heart strings of love.

The purposes of Relief Society are accomplished through visiting teaching when sisters are given the opportunities to watch over, strengthen, and teach one another. 

Ideally it is a win/win situation.  The sister who is visited is blessed by the presence of two caring individuals in their home, and the visitors are blessed by their act of service and the spirit of love which should always accompany them.

Source: noisypancakes.blogspot.com via Mindy on Pinterest

Visiting teaching is much, MUCH more than just a visit or sharing a special thought with a sister. It is how we connect with one another. We share hearts and souls and extend charity, which is "the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love" (Bible Dictionary, "Charity," 632). It is an act of service which brings the love of the Lord to every home and to every sister . . . and a most sacred trust.  I have always loved to do it, and I have always loved seeing my Visiting Teachers.  They always become so much more than a sister who visits or a sister to visit.  They always become valued and trusted friends, or at least that has been my experience, and when you are new to a Ward, or the Church, this is invaluable.

I always like to bring a little handout to each sister I visit.  Yesterday it was cards which had the message which you see above on the front of them and then a tasty recipe on the back.


(Source pink polka dot creations)

I particularly loved the message we were bringing with us this month.  To me it embodied what Relief Society is all about, and it really has been the by-line of my own life for many, many years.

"Unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives."
~President Thomas S Monson

I have long felt that we don't truly begin to live our lives . . . until we learn how to give them away.

I'm really looking forward to my crafting Saturday this week with my friends!  I don't often have the chance to get together with these gals and they are always a lot of fun.  All I have to do now is to decide what kind of project I am going to bring along with me to work on.  Perhaps I will do a wedding memory page for my memory book.  I shall just have to see what inspires me over the next couple of days!

 

It's gotten very cold here.  I was so very tempted last night to turn on the heat, but I resisted.  Instead I worked on my Afghan and relied on the warmth of it against my legs.  I am now working on the border around the outside.  It's time to find a new project to work on as this will soon be finished.  It's also time to dig my winter bathrobe out of storage and start wearing it I think.  The cold weather seems to be in a hurry to arrive!  I also saw signs of the leaves changing colours yesterday . . . we went to B&Q last night to get a new mirror for the bathroom (seems a shame to put the old one which is chipped and looking very dated, back up) and there is very definitely an autumnal feel to the air.

No picture of the bath to share today, but they are very definitely getting down to the nitty gritty now.  From what I can see, only the floor needs to be laid along with a few railings, and the new mirror of course.  We have had to order a new toilet though, as the old one was far too tall for me.  My feet don't touch the floor and as much as I like the toilet, I really do want my feet to touch the floor.

Source: contentinacottage.blogspot.com via Marie on Pinterest

I shall be off and about my day now.  I really need to get some blog reading done.  (I am so far behind and I have missed catching up with my friends!)  I am so very thankful for all the lovely comments you leave with me each day.  You are all a source of inspiration and love for me.  I'll just leave you now with a special thought and a wish for a happy day.

"The place where you are right now, God circled on a map for you."
~Hafiz



Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . a delicious Grilled Cheese Sarnie Salad!