Visiting Teaching

A few weeks ago, I learned about a different side of visiting teaching. I got a new list in January. I was excited to find out that my 80 year old friend Betty was on my VT list. I knew Betty had cancer.

A couple of years ago when I was the ward choir director, I met Betty. She would come and sing with us. I was of course frazzled because Craig was in meetings and our kids were running around the church. I felt very pulled as to where my attentions need to be, with the choir or my children. I think Betty knew that. After each practice, Betty told me how well I was doing. She made positive remarks about my children and would tell me she loved me.

Our ward boundaries were changed and my family was now in a different ward than Betty. Then last July the boundaries were changed again. So I was back in Betty's ward. Betty was a bright face and friend in my transition to being in different ward. Every week she came up to me, hugged me and told me she loved me. By the end of the year we weren't seeing her at church so much. I missed her hugs.

When I went to visit her in January, my heartached. She was lying in bed, in pain with no hair and not responding to anything. I sat and talked to her. Told her about all my kids and what was happening in my life. I also met Betty's daughters that had come to care for her. I went over often for the next, little over a week. One time I sat on the bed next to Betty, she had her eyes opened. I told her that I loved her. She also told me that she loved me. That was the last time she spoke to me. Another time there I went over and shared with her my memories of her friendship.

Betty has now passed on. I was grateful to lead the congreational hymns at her funeral, a good way to serve her. I helped Betty's daughters clean her house after she passed.

I always knew that visiting teaching was more than just seeing a sister once a month. However this is the first time that visiting teaching has meant helping a family with a loved one that is passing on. This was definetly and challenge, but the Lord helped me. I am grateful to have been Betty's friend and her visiting teacher. Betty brought much sunshine into my life. I look forward to seeing Betty again.