Help understanding the Bishop Interviews

[rpn]

To answer your questions: yes there is opportunity to make suggestions and opt out of what you don't want to do. Of course, in some instances, such a choice will be perceived as less than faithfulness.

And my guess is that your friend never really understood what their home teaching was supposed to be all about. The home teaching program (and for women a parallel vting program) is set up to make sure that members of the church do not fall through the cracks, so that they always have a friend from whom they can seek help and support. If your friend saw the program as delivering the Ensign message every month, no wonder he thought it useless and a waste of time. Perhaps if he had just gotten to know and love and serve those to whom he was assigned, he might have have more positive experiences. in conveying the love of God for his families.

[Bernard Gui]

The bishop interviews youth around the time of their

birthdays. One of his counselors or he interviews the

youth six months later. The bishop's primary responsibility

is to minister to the youth ages 12-18, with more particular

attention given to the 16-18 group. One counselor watches

over 12-13-year-old youth, and the other over the 14-15 group.

In our ward, the bishop interviews with his door partially

opened (not enough to hear the conversation), and an

adult leader in the clerk office next door, with the door open.

Only the bishop may take confessions or inquire about

moral issues. Reports of abuse require specific action,

but there still remains the issue of the sanctity of

the confessional.

I have served as a bishop and counselor and when I felt

prompted by the Spirit, I gave more detailed questions.

All conversations were strictly confidential and no written

records were kept. Anything that required the attention of

the stake president was passed on only to him. If a youth

revealed a serious moral transgression, I would ask if he/she

had talked with the parents. If not, I encouraged them to

do so, but I did not break confidences. A transgression

that required disciplinary action, however, would involve

the parents.

Bernard