Ministering As Christ: Immediately

Wrote this for the Relief Society March 2012 Newsletter.

One of my favorite scriptures stories in the New Testament is the story of the woman with the issue of blood. Mark tells of a “certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And having suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse” (Mark 5:25-26).

Here was a woman depleted and desperate. She had been suffering physically so long that she spent all of her money and energy on doctors to heal herself, but to no avail.

Hearing word of the Savior in her town, this sickly woman battled through the throngs of people, for she had faith to know “if I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole” (Mark 5:28). 

 

My favorite part in this story is how the Savior responds. The scriptures say that immediately Christ noticed someone had touched his garment. And he immediately stopped and inquired who was in need. And then, he immediately went to her and spoke to her. 

 

Christ did not have to stop and heal this woman since she had already been healed. He could have pressed on, knowing this woman's physical ailments were taken care of and gone his way. But, he stopped immediately.

There are many sisters in our ward who are like this woman. They are women of great faith who are suffering physically, emotionally, and mentally. Sometimes they are suffering in silence, only wishing they can reach out to Christ and be healed.

As visiting teachers, we are an extension of Christ's love here on earth. We are asked to watch over and care for a few select sisters in our ward. Our calling is not a difficult task to carry. It is our responsibility to be like Christ and help the sisters we visit teach immediately.

Visiting teaching is more than just a monthly visit and a short lesson. Visiting teaching is ministering. The importance of visiting teaching is “to watch over and strengthen sisters in their individual needs, visiting teachers have ongoing contact with them through visits, phone calls, e-mails, letters, or other means” (Handbook 2 9.5.1-2). 

 

In a day and age when we can send a text almost immediately, or update our facebook status many times a day, we should have a much easier time reaching out and communicating with the sisters we teach. When we reach out and communicate with those on our visiting teaching routes, we are able to develop closer ties of friendship and love. Only then can we truly assess the spiritual and temporal needs of the sisters we are asked to watch over.

In the last General Conference, Sister Beck spoke to the women of the church and addressed visiting teaching. She so powerfully stated, “With so much need for relief and rescue in the lives of sisters and their families today, our Heavenly Father needs us to follow a higher path and demonstrate our discipleship by sincerely caring for His children. . .Now visiting teachers have the responsibility to ‘sincerely come to know and love each sister, help her strengthen her faith, and give service’” (“What I Hope My Granddaughters (and Grandsons) Will Understand about Relief Society”, November 2011 Ensign).

Reach out to those sisters on your visiting teaching route. Friend them on facebook. Put their number in your cell phone. Call or text them when you are at the park or finishing the laundry Let them know you are thinking of them and love them. Pray for them. These are simple things we can do in our day-to-day lives that can help us minister to those we teach.

I hope that we can be more like the Savior as we get to know and love those whom we visit teach. He was a perfect example of ministering to those in need. Let us stop, and immediately help those who are struggling both temporally and spiritually. Hopefully, in doing so, we will be able to help them in the healing process and find hope in their trials.