Make it or break it time!!!

It seemed to be on a fairly regular basis & just before the offering plate was passed, our Pastor at Faith Baptist Church would ask all of us to increase our freewill offerings- as he had children that needed shoes or some other expense.  This request would be accompanied by his wife playing a plaintive altar-call hymn on the piano.  My heart always went out to him but I was only prepared with my literal 2 bits or so of change, in the knotted corner of my freshly ironed hanky, for the cause.

The awkwardness of offering plates was done away & was replaced with private envelopes, for a new concept to me- tithing,  when I joined the Church.  I really enjoyed that aspect!  Freewill offerings seemed a thing of the past!

Over the years though I've come to understand that we have lots of freewill offerings in the Church.  Starting with the one Commandment on the donation slip, Tithing- all the rest are for me to choose from or not.  Give to one, some or all.  It's freewill $$ offering...  Fast Offering; Ward missionary; General missionary; Book of Mormon; Humanitarian aid; Temple construction; Perpetual education; Other

Other freewill offerings don't necessarily involve money.  We are not to be commanded in all things.  We are to be engaged in good causes. Offer a broken heart and a contrite spirit.  Care for the widows and orphans. 

We are to emulate the Savior in going about doing good.  Pay attention to what Alma said at the waters of Mormon.  Know how King Benjamin lived his life. Do our oblations (see Doctrine & Covenants 59:12 footnotes).  Fill our lives with freewill service offerings.

We know about the Good Samaritan.  The vision of the drop-cloth that showed Peter- God is no respector of persons.  All of God's children need help.   There are many more opportunities, for freewill offering of serving, than we can wrap our minds around.

There is one though that is the Granddaddy of all freewill offerings.  It's mentioned in the new Handbook as it was in past guides.  It's talked about in the New Testament. 

Isn't it interesting that the backbone of the Church, as far as freewill individual service acts, is a deed that all Teachers, Priests, Elders Quorum, High Priest Quorum members plus all RS women 18 to death, are automatically expected to participate in?!  The adventure of HT/VT.  Each individual is to be assigned!  

Amazingly enough, right in the Handbook (and as is the case in old HB)  it reads for each group..... 

Relief Society sisters are assigned as visiting teachers by the Relief Society presidency, under the direction of the bishop.  They are not called, sustained, or set apart.   (page 163)

(note how "assigned" is italicized in the handbook)

Christ was coming into the city for that last Passover and He was teaching as much as he could in His remaining few days. Matt. 25 is filled with 3 Parables. The last one is The Sheep and The Goats. My personal awakening about the importance of Matt. 25:31-46 came when I made the connection with that Parable and VT/HT.  Read the footnotes.  Enlightening! 

How interesting that VT/HT is not a commandment.  Very subtle.  Freewill.  Utmost in importance yet not a commandment.  There are those who won't accept an assignment.  There are those that will accept but not do the assignment.  There are those that don't like to do it and also don't want to be done unto to!  There are those that don't like to report they have done their assignment for the month.  There are zealots that pester and drive us nuts about doing our VT.  

It's a mixed bag of tricks but the reality is... we need to master this major assignment, that is not a calling, in order to be separated out, at His coming, on His right hand with the other sheep.

Each Ward prepares a Quarterly Report for the Stake.  The main point of interest is VT/HT.  That is what the Church leaders on all levels care about.  Our freewill offering of taking on the assignment of VT/HT and then actually doing it and reporting it, is major in our gospel progression. 

Me.  Sackcloth and ashes in readiness as I recite my lame excuses out-loud!!  I'm so thankful for repentance.