Betreuung (Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der Letzten Tage)

Home teaching (formerly called ward teaching) is a responsibility of priesthood holders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Home teaching is a church program designed to allow families to be taught in their own homes, in addition to weekly church services. Typically, two holders of the priesthood, of whom at least one must be an adult, visit the home of some assigned families once a month. Home teaching is organized at the ward level.

Assignments and responsibilities

The elders and high priests quorum leadership have the responsibility of assigning home teaching companionships and the families assigned to those companionship. All assignments are approved by the bishop or branch president.

A companionship usually consists of two priesthood holders. In special situations, a companionship may consist of a Melchizedek priesthood holder and his wife. Generally, members of the elders quorum are assigned as companions with other elders quorum members and high priests are assigned with other high priests. Additionally, members of the teachers and priests quorums are assigned as home teachers with either an elder or high priest companion. There may also be situations where a high priest is a companion with an elder.

The bishop assigns every member household in his congregation to either the elders quorum or high priest quorum. The leadership of the respective quorums assign companionships to home teach these households assigned to their quorums. The number of households assigned to a companionship may vary. Companionships are responsible for visiting each of their assigned families at least once per month. Visits are normally thirty minutes. Home teachers are instructed to share a lesson or spiritual thought and inquire concerning the needs and concerns of the family.

See also

• Visiting teaching

Further reading

• Rex A. Anderson: ? (= Master's thesis). Department of Church History and Doctrine, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah August 1974, A Documentary History of the Lord's Way of Watching Over the Church By the Priesthood Through the Ages (byu.edu). 
• R. Wayne Boss: [[Encyclopedia of Mormonism]]. Hrsg.: Daniel H. Ludlow. Band 2. Macmillan, New York 1992, Home Teaching, S. 654–55 (byu.edu). 
• William G. Hartley: Ordained and Acting Teachers in the Lesser Priesthood, 1851-1883. In: BYU Studies. 16. Jahrgang, Nr. 3, S. 375–98 (byu.edu). 
• William G. Hartley: Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History. Deseret Book, Salt Lake City 2000, Home Teaching, S. 508–09. 
• Vernon L. Israelsen: ? (= Master's thesis). Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 1975, Changes in the Numbers and the Priesthood Affiliation of the Men Used as Ward Teachers in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1908-1922. 
• Gary L. Phelps: ? (= Master's thesis). Department of History, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah August 1975, Home Teaching—Attempts By the Latter-day Saints to Establish an Effective Program During the Nineteenth Century (byu.edu). 

External links

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