Relief Society Visiting Teaching Message Ideas for December 2017: Willing to Bear One Another’s Burdens

Relief Society Visiting Teaching Message Ideas for December 2017: 

Willing to Bear One Another’s Burdens

My Thoughts:

Something that really stood out to me in this month's message was the following quote, 

“… You promised that you would help the Lord make [others’] burdens light and be comforted. You were given the power to help lighten those loads when you received the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Henry B. Eyring)

We have covenanted that we would help bear one another's burdens, but what really stood out to me is that we are given the POWER to do so, through the gift of the Holy Ghost which we have received.

We can receive promptings of who might need our help at a given time. When we listen to these promptings we are acting upon the power of the Holy Ghost.

Every single one of us will have burdens we carry at some point in our lives. These burdens might be physical, they might be spiritual, they might be emotional or temporal. Whatever the burdens are we can stand ready to help carry our friends, family members, neighbors and even stranger burdens.

To be ready and willing, it helps to do as Sister Bingham says, "We want to use the light of the gospel to see others as the Savior does—with compassion, hope, and charity,”

It is not our place to judge others or their burdens, but it is our place to love and serve.

Our Father in Heaven has given us so much, everything! Surely, we can give to others and be his hands here on earth.

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Sometimes it's fun to give our sisters something when we go and visit them! Here is an idea:

This Bear Treat bag is super easy to make. Attach the "Be Willing to Bear one Another's Burdens" gift tag and fill it with a treat or little gift. See Free Download below for tag and templates to make the bear bag.

To Put the Bear Bag together:

Supplies Needed:

Brown Paper lunch bag

White card stock

Brown craft paper

Black card stock

Black marker

Brown marker

Brown colored pencil

Patterned scrapbook paper

Glue Stick

Staples

Jute

hole punch

Templates

hot glue gun

Here is how you will put the bag together...

Out of craft paper or a brown paper bag, cut out the ears. Fold the paper in half to make it more sturdy then using the ear templates, cut out the ears. Using a glue stick, glue the layers together. Cut out two eyes out of white card stock or use a  1 inch hole punch and punch out the eyes. Fold over the top of the lunch bag. You will be putting everything on the side that does not have the seem. Lastly using in the nose template cut the nose out of black card stock.

Using a black marker draw and color in the black part of the eyes. Using the brown marker draw the inner parts of the ears and using the muzzle template draw the muzzle part onto the sack. You can then fill in the ears and muzzle with some ink or a colored pencil.

Glue on the ears, eyes and nose with a glue stick. Add the line under the nose with black marker.

Cut a 2x5 piece of patterned scrapbook paper. Then cut two 1x4 pieces out of patterned scrapbook paper.  Cut out two 1x1 pieces out of white card stock and fringe the ends. I made them more fringy looking by using a pencil and curling them back and forth. Attach the fringe pieces onto the 1x4 pieces with a glue stick. Then attach the 1x4 pieces onto the 2x5 piece by stapling them on with an "X" pattern. I attached the paper scarf on to the bag with some hot glue. 

You can then cut out the tag, punch a whole in the top and add some jute. I frayed the ends. I attached the tag on with some double sided tape.

Fill the little bear with a treat or a little gift. You can secure the back flap with some tape. 

If you'd rather not make the bear bag, no problem!! You can attach the "Be Willing to Bear One Another's Burdens" tag to something else. I have made them available in the download two different sizes.

I hope these ideas have been helpful. Really the most important thing is that your sisters know you care about them, that you are their friend :) If you'd like more Visiting Teaching Ideas follow my Visiting Teaching Pinterest Board. 

Here is the link to previous Visiting Teaching Posts