Visiting Teaching

Friday, 20 January 2006

Life in the church soon teaches us that the Lord does not ask us about our ability, but only about our availability. And then, if we demonstrate our dependability the Lord will increase our capability (Neal A. Maxwell)

That is so true with Visiting Teaching. This afternon I had the opportunity to accompany the Sister missionaries to visit Sister Sundai.


Sister Sundai with daughters, Hanis, Ellis, Agnes and Doris at their humble home.

Sister Sundai has chosen to be baptised on her birthday 2005 and she didn't know it was also my father's birthday.

We met each other for the very first time when both our fathers were hospitalised. Sundai's father's bed was next to my father's bed. We kept each other accompany looking after our fathers during the nights. She could not speak or understand English. I could understand a little Iban. With whatever vocabulary and comprehension that we know of the Iban and the Malay language, coupled with lots of physical and facial expressions, I am glad we were able to understand each other :)

Her father was discharged first and since then there was no recurrence of his sickness. My father was discharged a week later, readmitted and died in the hospital, one month before her baptism. She didn't know that either. Her eldest daughter, Hanis, was baptised the same date. Today, her second daughter, Ellis, was taught the first lesson.

"Visiting Teaching is an Assignment to Love Someone"

Yes, I have learnt to love Sister Sundai and all the other sisters that I have visited. Yes, I love visiting teaching. I know this will uplift the Sisters' spirits and strengthen the Relief Society organisation and the church on the whole.

♥ I met a sister in the night, whose lamp had ceased to shine,

♥ I paused and let her light her lamp from mine.

♥ A tempest sprang up later on, and shook the world about,

♥ And when the wind was gone, my lamp was out.

♥ But back came to me the sister – her lamp was glowing fine;

♥ she held the precious flame and lighted mine.

(by Sister Peggy Loveland)