339. Home teachers are priesthood home visitors whose duty is to inquire into the well-being of the family, and to see if parents and children are doing their family duties and assuming their church responsibilities.
The Priesthood visitors are to be thinking of a new name instead of teacher attached to these priesthood visitors. The word teaching suggests that they are to go there to teach a gospel message, and that primarily isn't what we expect the home teachers of today to do. They are home visitors; they are priesthood home visitors to inquire into the health of the family and to see if they are doing their family duties, and if they are assuming their Church responsibilities. (Seminar of Regional Representatives, April 1969, pp. 20-21) TLDP:517
When the home teachers go into every home and motivate parents, especially fathers, to teach their children by example and verbal teaching, can it be conceived that there will need to be penal institutions, divorce courts, special counseling service? Will there be need for reformatories, courts, and jails? . . .
When home teachers serve their few families as faithfully and as continuously as their bishops do their many families; when home teachers live the commandments near perfection; when they enter into every phase of the life of their charges; then will Satan be bound. . . .
Blessed will be the day when all home teachers, those working on the missionary, genealogical, and the welfare and all programs, become home teachers in every sense of the word, looking after every facet of the lives of their families—spiritual, temporal, financial, moral, marital. That will be the happy day The great umbrella is available. It will protect no one from the storm, the tempest, the danger unless it is spread. (Seminar of Regional Representatives, April 1967) (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 524) TLDP:517
It is the responsibility of the Priesthood of the Church to see that every program of the Church is carried forward for the perfection of the Saints, and that it succeeds. That is the duty of the Home Teacher to see that the members of the families participate in every organization and that they should participate, from their age and their circumstances, and to help perfect their lives. (Seminar of Regional Representatives, Oct. 1969, p. 15) TLDP:517
Home teaching is not limited to a specific gospel principle or church activity. By divine injunction home teaching supports and sustains all home and church programs and activities for teaching the gospel.
What, then, is home teaching?
Home teaching, properly functioning, brings to the home of each member two priesthood bearers divinely commissioned and authoritatively called into the service by their priesthood leader and bishop. . . .
Not only is home teaching a divine call; it is also universal, so far as Melchizedek Priesthood bearers and priests and teachers are concerned. ("The Responsibilities of Home Teachers," EN1973Mar:12,14) TLDP:517-18
There is no substitute for home teaching. We do not need to appoint special fellowshipping committees to help reactivate elders or prospective elders. We do not need to issue a special call or make special arrangements for fellowshipping work. Instead, we use home teachers to do the things that by revelation they are commanded to do. Home teaching is one of the best resources in the Church. Home teachers visit in the homes of the members, watch over and strengthen the Saints, see that there is no iniquity in their lives, and see that all do their duties. . . . ("Only an Elder," EN1975Jun:68) TLDP:518
Home teachers are priesthood representatives, and home teaching is the priesthood way of watching over the Church. Through it, priesthood quorums guide and strengthen their members so they in turn can perfect their families. Through it, fathers, families, and individuals are so guided that they do their duty, keep the commandments, and gain salvation. Properly performed, home teaching is the Lord's way of making all of the blessings of the gospel available to all the members of his kingdom. (Let Every Man Learn His Duty, p. 23) TLDP:518
To perform fully our duty as a home teacher, we should be continually aware of the attitudes, the activities and interests, the problems, the employment, the health, the happiness, the plans and purposes, the physical, temporal, and spiritual needs and circumstances of everyone—of every child, every youth, and every adult in the homes and families that have been placed in our trust and care. ("For the Perfecting of the Saints," IE1968Jan:2) TLDP:517
Related Witnesses:
The teacher's duty is to watch over the church always, and be with and strengthen them;
54. And see that there is no iniquity in the church, neither hardness with each other, neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking;
55. And see that the church meet together often, and also see that all the members do their duty. (Revelation on Church Organization and Government, April 1830) D&C 20:53-55
Author's Note: When the home teachers find something amiss, their responsibility is not one of authority but of priesthood love. They are to "guide and strengthen their members so they in turn can perfect their families."
340. Home teachers are (two) priesthood bearers divinely commissioned and authoritatively called by their priesthood leader and bishop to visit the homes of the members.
Home teaching, properly functioning, brings to the home of each member two priesthood bearers divinely commissioned and authoritatively called into the service by their priesthood leader and bishop. . . .
Not only is home teaching a divine call; it is also universal, so far as Melchizedek Priesthood bearers and priests and teachers are concerned. ("The Responsibilities of Home Teachers," EN1973Mar:12,14) TLDP:517-18
Home teachers have status. Their calls are official. They have been sent by their quorum president, by the bishop, and by the Lord. They should visit frequently in their assigned homes. They are there to do the things listed in section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants. ("Only an Elder," EN1975Jun:68) TLDP:518
Home teaching, in essence, means that we consider separately each individual member of the family. . . . Home teaching . . . is to help the parents with home problems in their efforts to teach their families the fundamentals of parental responsibility. . . . Quorum leaders were given the responsibility of selecting, training, and supervising quorum members in visiting with and teaching assigned families of their own quorum members. CR1967Oct:100
I am aware that we at headquarters authorized some modifications in the home teaching effort where priesthood numbers were very few—even to permitting a wife to accompany her husband where another companion from the priesthood was not available. But these exceptions were to be just that: exceptions—not the rule. We urge that an active bearer of the Melchizedek Priesthood have assigned with him a teacher or a priest or a prospective elder, complying with the scripture, “And if any man among you be strong in the Spirit, let him take with him him that is weak, that he may be edified in all meekness, that he may become strong also.”(D&C 84:106.) This is priesthood home teaching as it generally is meant to function. (CR 1996Apr; Duty Calls, Ensign, May 1996, p.43)
