Visiting Teaching and Chocolate Chip Cookies

In my church the women's group (Relief Society) has a support system (Visiting Teaching) for each of the women.  Essentially two women are assigned 2-3 different women to visit on a monthly basis.  That way everyone has someone else that they can count on.  In our ward (congregation) I am the visiting teaching coordinator and as such they have me do a monthly visiting teaching message.  I have found that coming up with these messages is not the easiest thing to do.  So to help out others who may be in a similiar position I have decided to post my messages here. 

Visiting Teaching and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today we are going to talk about how Visiting Teaching is like chocolate chip cookies.  A chocolate chip cookie consists of a huge mass of dough sprinkled sporadically with absolutely yummy chocolate chips.  The dough represents the foundation of the cookie, the spiritual message and ministering.  The chocolate chips represent the joyous moments that raise Visiting Teaching to more than just messaging and make it about caring.

A lot of time our judgement on the "deliciousness" of the cookie itself is limited by our own perspective.  A lot of chocolate chips may be present, but we can allow the flavor of the dough to overwhelm the chocolate chips!  In other words, we often become so focused on whether we have sat and presented the message that we forget about the caring we have done.  The dough itself is delicious and filling, but the chocolate chips are what bring it all together.

What are the chocolate chip moments?  I asked some of my friends and these are some of their chocolate chip moments:

• Friendships made.
• Smiles and Hugs
• Meals brought in times of need.
• Someone to listen to you.
• Having someone there for you through thick and thin, that you know you can call on in a pinch.
• Dropping off of a favorite drink or treat.
• Emails just to check in on you and see how you are doing.
• Coming over just to chat.
• Going out for a Girl's Night Out, having lunch or dinner together, even getting a pedicure together.
• Truly being loved.

On the church website it says "a Visiting Teacher ministers by helping sisers know they are loved, help in them grow, and serving them in times of need."  We can't do that without the caring!  When doing your Visiting Teaching, don't forget the chocolate chips!


(If you use something like this for a talk or a V.T. moment in church, I highly suggest taking in a basket of chocolate chip cookies.)