And in the name of the Lullaby League, We wish to welcome you to Munchkinland.

As visiting teaching percentages go, our ward is near the city of Enoch. It is amazing! Last month, for instance, we had 123 visits made, 3 sisters missed, and 2 sisters for whom the report was “not available”. People are incredibly responsible and giving. I continue to be impressed by the caring I see. However, we are not quite ready to be translated. As a presidency, we inherited a few odd situations. One sister only accepts a specific sister as her visiting teacher. The assignment can never be changed. It has been that way for years. The previous president tried to fix the situation, but quickly learned that the choice was only one of maintaining the status quo or having no visiting teachers accepted at all.

There are other issues. One or two will only visit their best friends. There are those who don’t want to visit, but will drop off treats/gifts. There are those who don’t want a visit, but love treats/gifts. There are a few that don’t want a partner. There are those that have been known to count honking as a visit. Others call to say they can’t go with a specific person or don’t want the visiting teachers assigned to them.

You’ve got to wonder if we bring the problems on ourselves by being so accommodating. I think if everyone understood the cushy routes that count as visiting teaching, there would be even more requests for “treat dropping visiting teachers” or “going to lunch with friends routes”. Yet, you can only take people as you find them. There are still plenty of opportunities for growth. Maybe the growth is mine. I must admit, my first reaction was, “You have GOT to be kidding me. This is ‘love one another’? This is your idea of sacrifice? With all the trials many of us are facing, you have the time to stress about your visiting teaching route?” It was really distressing at first. I just couldn’t get my mind around it. Now, little surprises me. I find the whole thing intensely interesting. Instead of being judgmental, I find myself curious – like I’ve entered Munchkinland and am studying the route to the Emerald City.

I think visiting teaching is one of those requirements that is much deeper than it appears at first glance. We think we are visiting teaching so that everyone has someone to care for them. We have an organization which facilitates bringing in meals, caring for the sick, and looking after the welfare needs of the members. It is far from efficient. A person is both a visiting teacher and a visiting teachee. One completed visit takes the time of three people, not counting those who call to check up and those who tally the report. When you use the visiting teachers as a calling tree, it is cyclic. Some (in their own way) seek to counsel the Lord in this matter. I rather think the Lord is trying to teach us: This is NOT about efficiency. This is not about what is convenient for you. This is not about your schedule, your friends, or your comfort. This is about loving EVERYONE. Love is not convenient. Love doesn’t expect gratitude. Anybody can love the Dorothy’s of the world. How hard is that? The challenge comes in serving the winged monkeys.