FANtastic acts of caring

I’ve got a fantastic visiting teaching aid to share with you for September. The message, “Special Needs and Service Rendered”, reads, “As visiting teachers we can sincerely come to know and love each sister we visit. Service to those we visit will flow naturally out of our love for them”. It also includes the following quote that I’ve changed a bit and attached to my fan: President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) taught, “It is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom.” Yet he recognized that not all service need be heroic. “So often, our acts of service consist of simple encouragement or of giving … help with mundane tasks,” he said, “but what glorious consequences can flow … from small but deliberate deeds!”

This fan represents small acts of service – each fold could be compared to a personal visit, telephone call, a note of encouragement, e-mail, sitting with her, a sincere compliment, reaching out to her at church, helping her in time of illness or need, and other acts of service.

But when put all together, they combine to represent the simple, but meaningful whole of caring.

To make your fans (these were first sighted here at Martha Stewart), you will need:

  • scrapbook paper, 12 x 6″ long
  • 1 woooden skewer
  • stapler
  • marker
  • glue stick and hot glue or tape

Begin by doing an accordian fold on your paper, starting with the short side. My folds were around 3/4-inch wide.

Find the center of your accordian fold, and staple. I had to staple twice to get through all the folds of the paper. You could also snip the ends to make a pretty edge to the fan.

Bring up two ends, and glue together with a glue stick. Use a binder clip or clothespin to help keep it together as it dries.

Next you will need to cut a wooden skewer in half, and sand any sharp edges.

Use hot glue to attach skewers to the bottom fold of the fan.

Now for your surprise message! Fold the fan in on itself, and write “I care” on the side of your paper that is without a pattern.

When the fan is open, this is what the writing looks like.

Open the fan back up, and insert the sticks into the holes on the top and bottom of the card, which you can download below:

English

Russian

German

 French

Dutch

Spanish

Portuguese

Hmong

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15 Responses to FANtastic acts of caring

  1. Rayel says:

    Such a cool idea. Now to track down the supplies.

  2. Alejandra says:

    Love all you´re ideas. i have been following you for the last 3 months and i been using you ideas, you are amazing.

  3. JaniJo says:

    Great anaology! i love it:)

  4. Pingback: » Blog Archive » Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching Message Ideas September 2012

  5. Rebecca Searfoss says:

    You really have a lot of FANtastic ideas, very creative. I’m going to make this for the families assigned to us to visit, I’m sure they would love it..Thank you so much for sharing this very wonderful craftastic Visiting Teaching message. More power to you!

  6. Silvia Salazar says:

    Hola hermana, espero se encuentre bien, le envío el mensaje del mes de septiembre, espero le sea de utilidad.
    Es vital que nos prestemos servicio unos a otros en el reino.
    Son muchas las veces en que nuestros actos de servicio consisten simplemente en palabras de aliento, en ofrecer ayuda en tareas cotidianas, pero son
    FANTASTICAS
    las consecuencias que surgen de esas acciones sencillas pero deliberadas.
    agradeciendole siempre por sus hermosas y bellas ayudas de cada mensaje…

  7. Silvia Salazar says:

    EN ESPANOL…….

    Hola hermana, espero se encuentre bien, le envío el mensaje del mes de septiembre, espero le sea de utilidad.

    Es vital que nos prestemos servicio unos a otros en el reino.
    Son muchas las veces en que nuestros actos de servicio consisten simplemente en palabras de aliento, en ofrecer ayuda en tareas cotidianas, pero son
    FANtasticas
    las consecuencias que surgen de esas acciones sencillas pero deliberadas.

    agradeciendole siempre por sus hermosas y bellas ayudas de cada mensaje…

    Silvia Rocio Salazar Guevara

  8. Silvia Salazar says:

    your very welcome… and thank you very for take your time to share all this beautifull ideas… we love you sister….

  9. xiomara says:

    silvia que lindo tu mensaje sabes es bueno escuchar de otras hermanas saver que podemos contar con ellas .xiomara

    • Silvia Salazar says:

      hay muchas gracias Xiomara, solo tratando de lograr bendiciones y si es suoer hermosos saber que somos una gran familia…

  10. Heather B says:

    This is one amazing idea! Thanks for all your wonderful ideas! I really enjoy giving a cool handout when I VT, and your ideas are remarkable! 🙂

  11. Jena says:

    Thanks so much for sharing your talents. You are a lifesaver and a motivator and an amazing example. You are loved!

  12. Sylva W says:

    You know I love all your ideas. I don’t know what I would do without them. You are amazing!

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