The February 2012 Visiting Teaching Message, “Guardians of the Hearth“, discusses how women can strengthen families and homes. As I was contemplating what the hearth signifies, and the relationship of women in the home, some interesting ideas evolved.
The hearth, and the fire within, was once the center of domestic and social life because it provided warmth, illuminated homes, and cooked food. Placement in the center of the house maximized the number of people able to get around the warmth of the fire. The tealight above represents the fire in the hearth.
If we consider making Jesus Christ the center of our homes – the light that illuminates, warms and nurtures, and women the guardians and caretakers of that light, we have a beautiful metaphor represented in this month’s visiting teaching aid. The paper lantern represents women and the things we can do to protect the light in our homes while following Christ’s doctrines and relying on Him to help us.
To make your lantern, print on color copy paper, then cut the bottom portion off at the dotted line.
Fold in half, then cut through the fold and down the printed lines. (The things I chose to print on these lines came from the Visiting Teaching message, as well as from points in the Proclamation on the Family.)
Unfold the paper, then bend into a circular shape.
Tape the two sides together, then set over your lit candle. (I put the tealight inside a baby food jar to keep the flame away from the paper.)
Hope you have a great month! You can download the “Guardians of the Hearth” paper lantern below:
Spanish (click here to download entire post in Spanish)
Thank you so much to my translators: Birgitta, Blanche, Christine, Ana Carolina, Priscila, Delmy, Sasha, May and Cheiko!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas with us!! I have already printed this out and I will be sharing with the sisters that I VT. I’m going to get some of the battery tealights, since there are no more babies in my house! Thank you again!!!
Holy cow, you’re awesomeness is never-ending:)
Just made one!! I put the battery operated tealight in it and it was perfect! Thank you so much for sharing your talent and ideas with us!!
Ok, what am I missing here? I don’t see the link to print this out …
another amazing handout. thanks for sharing!
Thank you for another wonderful handout. I look forward each month to seeing what you suggest. They are always great!
I just “happened” on to your site one day when looking for Primary ideas. What a talented woman. I used your January idea for the women I VT and now the RS is going to hand it out to all the women. Thank you sooooo much for sharing your creativity.
Thanks to your super ideas, you make me look brilliant. If you run away from home, you gotta take me with you.
I loved your VT’ing wheel from January, especially since it was in Portuguese (I attend a Portuguese Branch). If I help you with the translation, would you be willing to post a Portuguese version? I would be happy to start helping you translate every month, and everything, because i LOVE your stuff!!
Thank you! I love the idea, specially that you have it in my native language and now I can share it with the women I VT in my spanish ward.
I just found your website today and I amazed at the level of spirit that goes into each one of your ideas. Thank you for sharing and inspiring me to be a better visiting teacher.
I have your site as well as a couple of others saved as my favorites for VT ideas. 9 times out of 10 it is yours that I use. Thank you!!!!!! You provide an awesome service for those of us who are not as creative but sure would like to be 🙂
I loved this idea! Thank you for sharing. You can also you those battery operated tea light candle so you don’t have to worry about the flames and the paper.
mt lindoooo ,obrigado
Thanks for a fabulous idea! 🙂
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Thank you so much. My sisters that I visit are less active and so I try to have a handout or gift and this is perfect.
Thank you so much. I am so greatful to have it in spanish!!!! You are one of a kind!
Thank you so much for your insight on this VT message! I was having the hardest time trying to figure out how to present the message to our new sisters we are visiting (this being the first time we’re visiting them). This is the perfect thing! Thank you!!!!
You have a wonderful talent. Thank you so much for sharing!
Awesome!!!
oh thank you, thank you, thank you !! I sometimes cannot come up with anything to give to my sisters to go with the lesson each month… I just discovered this today by accident !! Oh thank you soooooo much for sharing !!!
Your stuff just speaks to me. LOVE everything you do! I usually try to spend the bulk of my prep time spiritually preparing the lesson so I don’t have much brain goo left to design something creative. You have helped me have a two sided approach to my Visiting Teaching- cuteness AND content! THANK YOU!
Thank you for the great vt handout!
Thank you mega much from hawaii! 🙂
thanks for sharing your talents. very cool.
I love this. I would like to convert it for use with the YW, with the talk “Guardians of Virtue”http://www.lds.org/ensign/2011/05/guardians-of-virtue?lang=eng
This talk corresponds with the YW lesson “Sustaining Priesthood Bearers”
Can you share it with me in an editable form? Thanks!
Love the Lantern. Would like to use it for our upcoming Stake Primary Leadership Training (our theme is LIGHT ). Can you share it with me in an editable form so I can change the words?
Thanks!
Sandy – I create most of my projects with InDesign. If you have access to that program, I’d be happy to send you the file.
Kristin,
I would also like to get an editable copy. I am a Stake YW Camp director and our theme this year is “Glow with the light of Christ.”
I do have access to InDesign.
Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful art and ideas. I have given some to the sisters I visit teach and they have loved it.
The links produced in the blog is worthy and providing the details about the preparation is really very interesting. I would like to thank the members for providing this information which is very useful. Thanks for sharing.
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