Zion's Home & Visiting Teaching Service

ZION'S HOME & VISITING TEACHING SERVICE: "We care when you don't have time to."

Home/visiting teaching getting you down? Can't get that annoying priesthood leader/Relief Society sister off your back? Home/visiting teaching interfering with your TV, golf or me time? We can help! At Zion's Home & Visiting Teaching Service we'll do your home/visiting teaching for you. For a small monetary fee we will send one of our trained representatives to the homes of your families.

Basic Visit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10

Basic Visit plus Spiritual Message . . . . . . . $15

Birthday and anniversary cards in addition to the Basic Visit and Spiritual Message. . . . . $20

Is $20 too much to pay for peace of mind? Call us at 1-800-752-2537. That's 1-800-Slacker.

PLEASE NOTE: Because of heavy volume, an extra $15 will be added for the last day of the month.

Check Out Our New Services!

Meetings: We will send a representative to the appropriate meeting to take notes for you and report back.

Ward Council Meeting: $30

Ward Council Meeting w/ written report: $50

Presidency Meetings: $20

PEC: $25

Sacrament Meeting: $20

Sunday School: $20

Priesthood: $20

3-hour Sunday Block (best value): $50

PLEASE NOTE: Surcharge of 10% for stake meetings. Call us at 1-800-752-2537. That's 1-800-Slacker.

Talks and Lessons: Did a bishopric member call and assign you a talk? Tired of wasting Saturday night preparing a lesson? Well, free up your time and just read one of our professionally prepared talks and lessons. No need to spend countless hours pouring through books, writing and praying. We'll do it for you!

Basic Talk (any subject assigned): $20

Scripture Talk (basic + 5 scriptures): $30

Deluxe Talk (scripture + 1 poem + 2 G.A. quotes): $40

All talks are guaranteed to last 15 minutes. Add $1 for each additional minute.

Basic Lesson (40 minutes): $25

Deluxe (Basic + visual aides): $35

Super Deluxe (Deluxe + Handouts): $45

*Due to high expectations, centerpieces and floral arrangements, Relief Society lessons are slightly higher. Call for quote.

* Due to lower expectations, priesthood lessons receive a 10% discount.

Call us at 1-800-752-2537. That's 1-800-Slacker.

Casserole Service: If you just can't possibly throw together food for various Ward occasions, WE CAN! Our basic services include:

a.. Funeral Potatoes

b.. Green Bean/Mushroom Soup with Crunchy Onions

c.. Green Jell-O with Carrots

d.. Spinach Dip in a Bread Bowl

e.. CheezWiz/Tater Tot Surprise

For only $15 (plus deposit) each delivered to your house with Corningware marked with your name! They'll never know you didn't make 'em! Remember our number: 1-800-S-L-A-C-K-E-R

Introducing our Bundle Buys and Frequent Shopper Plan: Bundle any 3 services and receive a 20% discount. Receive one free Basic talk or lesson with any 10 purchases.

There you have it! We take all the work off of your shoulders and put ours to the wheel just for you. We're not doing the work for you, we are doing you a service, and after all isn't service what it's all about. A good person serves others, and an even better person lets others serve them. Let Zion's Home & Visiting Teaching Service serve you!

Count your blessings,
Sista Beehive & Sista Laurel

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Mormon Nudists

Before we heard about this KUTV news story on Mormon nudists we had no idea that such a community existed. Of course the idea of Mormon nudists piqued our interest, not because we are tempted to try it, but because of how contrary the concept seems with the modesty teachings of the LDS faith.


Since we don't personally know anyone who is a Mormon nudist/naturist, we decided to check out LDS Skinny-Dipper Connection, a website dedicated to "...faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout the world who have a wholesome interest in social nudity under appropriate circumstances." There are no pictures on the website. While the site contains a lot of information about how these Mormon members reconcile teachings of the LDS faith with their desire to be nude, we were still unable to find answers to our most pressing questions about Mormon nudism.

~ A common tip for those who might be nervous about public speaking is for them to picture their audience naked. When giving a talk, if everyone is already naked, then what do you picture?

~ If you are home teaching or visiting teaching a reluctant family or sister, does showing up naked make them more or less likely to let you in to share the message that month?

~ When out and about and naked, where are our keys supposed to go?

~ When playing nude sports...there are just so many questions here we can't even wrap our brains around it?

~ Does getting naked make the stretch marks go away?

~ Since your clothes are already off, do you put your clothes on to let your spouse know you would like some alone time with them?

~ Sunburns, bug bites, splinters, frost bite, sports injuries, poison ivy, these all seem so deadly when naked?

Look, we don't foresee the LDS church coming out with a list of "appropriate circumstances" where "social nudity" is okay any time soon...or ever. To each their own, God be with you naked Saints, but we Sistas plan on keeping our clothes on.

Modest is the hottest,
Sista Beehive & Sista Laurel

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You Might Be a Mormon If...

Finish this sentence! We know you've got some good ones.

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Elijah Abel: Black Mormon Pioneer

Elijah Abel, Black Mormon Pioneer

Today marks the 33rd anniversary of the restoration of the priesthood to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of African decent. On June 8, 1978 LDS church leaders announced that the priesthood would be extended to Mormon men of every race. Those who were there for that remarkable day have said that they can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news.


While many of us have heard the stories of how the world and members of the church felt on this day, few may know the story of Elijah Abel. Elder Abel was was the first black Elder and Seventy in the LDS church and one of the few black members in the early history of  the church to receive the priesthood.

He was born a slave on July 25, 1808, in Maryland, and it is believed that he escaped slavery into Canada by using the underground railroad. Elijah Abel was baptized in September of 1832 by Ezekiel Roberts. He was ordained an Elder on March 3, 1836 in Kirtland, Ohio by Joseph Smith, and in 1839 he was made a member of the Nauvoo Seventies Quorum.

In 1847 Elijah Abel married Mary Ann Adams, another African-American. Their first son Moroni Abel was born in 1849, and their son Enoch and grandson Elijah, held the priesthood. Enoch Abel, was ordained an Elder on November 27, 1900 and Enoch's son, Elijah, was ordained a Priest on July 5, 1934, and an Elder on September 29, 1935.

Elijah Abel served LDS church missions in New York, Ohio and Canada. He worked as a carpenter for the building of three LDS Temples, Kirtland, Nauvoo and Salt Lake. In 1853 Elijah Abel and his family journeyed to Utah with other Latter-day Saints. He and Mary Ann managed the Farnham Hotel in Utah.

Elijah Abel served his last mission for the LDS church in 1884, returned home and died on Christmas day, December 25, 1884. In 2002 a monument was erected in Salt Lake City at Elijah Abel's grave site to memorialize him and his family. The monument was dedicated by LDS church leader Elder M. Russell Ballard. His obituary in the Deseret News, said Elijah Abel "died in full faith of the Gospel."

It has strengthened our testimonies to learn the the history of the pioneers of our faith, especially those of African decent. On this day there are many stories to be shared, and this is the one that has touched us today. What do you remember about that day, or why is that day significant to you?

Oh Happy Day,
Sista Beehive & Sista Laurel

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No, Thank You! I'm Mormon

1958 "Be Honest With Yourself" LDS advertisement.

As Sistas in Zion scenario: Dick and Jane are guests at a dinner party at the home of Bob and Betty. Betty has prepared a lovely tray of cocktails which Bob is graciously offering to his guests. Dick and Jane are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,and Bob is unaware that Dick and Jane do not drink alcohol.


Being a gentleman, (ladies first!) Bob offers Jane a drink. Before Jane can even respond Dick yells, "No! We do not drink alcohol. We are Mormons and we believe in the Word of Wisdom." Dick then knocks the drink out of Bob's hand spilling red wine on the new tie which Bob's children lovingly handpicked from the Sears Roebuck Catalogue, and gave to him for Father's Day.

Betty, the ever prepared hostess, retrieves a bottle of club soda to offer as a drink to her sober dinner guests and use on the spilled red wine before any stains set. Bob tells Dick "not to worry" and that "Betty is a whiz at getting stains out." Bob apologizes to Dick and Jane for being unaware of Mormon customs and assures them that any offense was unintentional. Bob and Betty excuse themselves so that they can get Bob out of his soiled shirt and into a freshly pressed one, which Betty wisely had on hand in case of instances such as these.

While Bob and Betty are away Jane gives Dick a stern look. Dick tells Jane that he is "uncomfortable staying at a dinner party where "strong drink" is being served." When Bob and Betty return, Dick and Jane make a polite excuse and swiftly leave the dinner party. Bob and Betty discuss how they "never took Dick and Jane for such strange people," and decide that it must be their being Mormon that makes them so peculiar. Betty regrets inviting them over for dinner and hopes to heaven she can get the wine out of Bob's tie, because the children would be so disappointed.

Have you ever been with an LDS friend in a social setting and they act so awkwardly in a situation in which a simple "no, thank you" would be enough? You're at a restaurant and they hand you the wine list and this friend has to go into a long explanation about why you don't need it.  Someone asks if you have a lighter and instead of just saying no, there's a weird stutter filled answer, or they are always complaining because there's a coffee pot in the break room. Do you ever find yourself in the situation of apologizing for the social awkwardness of Mormon friends, or are you the person that finds it difficult to navigate these social scenes?

In the 1950s the LDS church launched an advertisement campaign entitled "Be Honest With Yourself." Although the ad may be dated we think the following advice is still quite relevant:

"No, Thank You!

How should you answer the person who invites you to “take a cigarette” or “have a drink” – or do anything which is against your conscience or contrary to the teachings of your Heavenly Father?

What should you say? How much do you need to explain or apologize? When, if ever, should you compromise just a little for the sake of appearances?

The answer is easy. Just say “No – no, thank you.” Don’t waver. Don’t worry about how others may think or act. Be your own natural, honest self. Everyone admires sincerity.

If the invitation to indulge in something you don’t believe in comes from a host or hostess while you are a guest, your answer will come even easier. The obligation of courtesy is not that of the guest but of the host.

The gracious host will never press you, never question your right to be yourself in matters of conscience. He will admire you for your forthright stand.

It’s natural to want to be liked by the crowd. But compromising with principles is always wrong, often dangerous.

What is right? What is wrong? Fortunately, there are ways for members of the Church to recognize right from wrong. Read the Scriptures; listen to the teachings of your Church leaders. And listen, also, to the whisperings of that “still, small voice.” When it whispers “It’s wrong; don’t do it!” – say firmly, honestly, finally: “No, thank you – no!”

BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF"

Sidenote: Is it just us, or does anyone else looking at this picture think Dick should be less worried about the drink and more worried about why Jane and Bob are gazing into each others eyes? We're just sayin.

God be with you,
Sista Beehive & Sista Laurel

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