Duncan Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 The Elders were over here and were saying that new member discussions can't be taught by the missionaries, home or visiting teachers but need to be taught by the leaders of the ward. They can be taught by the missionaries but it won't be counted on the stake record.This sounds kooky to me. Has anyone heard anything like this at all?
Gohan Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 We were always taught to teach them in connection with the ward missionaries. Don't know what they mean by stake record, they were lessons for us, and reported to the stake as such by the ZLs.So yeah, never heard anything like that.
Freedom Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 There is no record kept by the church that I know of. We have either the ward missionaries or the home teachers teach it. It is not reasonable to have the ward leadership teach it, they have their own responsibilities. 1
BCSpace Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 I've not heard, but if true, it sounds like a great way to get investigators to Church. I've always maintained that we should not be baptising anyone who doesn't consistently come to Church already. 2
Freedom Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 I've not heard, but if true, it sounds like a great way to get investigators to Church. I've always maintained that we should not be baptising anyone who doesn't consistently come to Church already.The reference is to the lessons taught after baptism rather than before. Or perhaps I am misunderstanding your point.
Peppermint Patty Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 (edited) The Elders were over here and were saying that new member discussions can't be taught by the missionaries, home or visiting teachers but need to be taught by the leaders of the ward. They can be taught by the missionaries but it won't be counted on the stake record.This sounds kooky to me. Has anyone heard anything like this at all?Interesting. I know that the missionaries in our Ward are currently teaching new member discussions to one of our families. Maybe this was just implemented?Duncan, it's probably a good thing for the Ward leaders to teach these lessons. My experience as a missionary tells me that most of the new member discussions kind of end up like this anyway: Edited May 10, 2012 by Peppermint Patty 1
Doctrine 612 Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 the answer is there is a form on new members that is sort of like a check list that follows them the first year it goes like baptisim date, confirmation date, priesthood date( if a male), temple date(sealing to spouse or mother and father ect...) new member lessons and a few other things I am unable to remember at this time.
David T Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 (edited) The New Member lessons are a repeat of Lessons 1-4 from Preach My Gospel that the Missionaries should have already taught prior to Baptism, plus one additional lesson's worth of material, 'Lesson 5'. Ideally, these are taught by members as assigned or invited by the Ward Council. Often this is either Ward Missionaries, or the individual's Home/Visiting Teachers.There is no formalized 'does count/doesn't count'. If there is, that's a specfic ward or stake's policy, not Church Policy. The being taught by members in the ideal, however.Plus, 'doesn't count' really doesn't make any sense, as in there is no ordinance or opportunity that is being withheld if New ember Lessons aren't taught. (I was baptized in 2004, pre-PMG, and I was teaching New Member Lessons before I received my own - I never did have them formally taught to me Edited May 10, 2012 by David T 1
cdowis Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 Even more shocking is the change in the visiting teaching policy-- to be counted, one must actually visit the sister.Don't know if this is a local policy or comes from the church.
Kenngo1969 Posted May 10, 2012 Posted May 10, 2012 There is no record kept by the church that I know of. We have either the ward missionaries or the home teachers teach it. It is not reasonable to have the ward leadership teach it, they have their own responsibilities.New and Returning Member Progress Report?
Freedom Posted May 11, 2012 Posted May 11, 2012 New and Returning Member Progress Report?There is a report, but it is not tied in anyway to the new member's records. It is simply kept for statistical purposes and is not required. It is used to make sure the correct steps are carried out to support the new member rather to enforce procedural compliance.
halconero Posted June 9, 2012 Posted June 9, 2012 The Elders were over here and were saying that new member discussions can't be taught by the missionaries, home or visiting teachers but need to be taught by the leaders of the ward. They can be taught by the missionaries but it won't be counted on the stake record.This sounds kooky to me. Has anyone heard anything like this at all?Having just gotten home from my mission in Arizona, I'll just say this isn't true. Well....actually it might be, and not be at the same time, let me explain.On official church records kept by the church they don't actually keep track of new member lessons. In the missionaries' (and most of the time the ward mission leader's) area book they'll keep a teaching record, that does keep track of what lessons have been taught before and after baptism.As for the stake keeping records? No official record would be kept (official meaning, "being sent to Salt Lake" or "put on your membership record"), but each stake president may request different ways of keeping track of new members/new member lessons. It might be that your stake asks that the ward leaders teach the new member lessons.Examples of the ways stake leaders may help and support new members (pulled right from mission experiences. For a time I was an assistant to the President and was assigned to visit the monthly stake coordination meetings on missionary work).Phoenix Arizona Stake: They like to have the Home/Visiting teachers visit with recent converts and read the Book of Mormon with them within the first year. They also keep track of how soon new members receive the Aaronic PriesthoodPeoria Stake: They don't keep track of Book of Mormon reading, but the Stake Leaders like to make sure that recent converts have a calling and a monthly interview with the BishopGlendale Stake: They like to have the lessons taught with both Home Teachers and Ward missionaries.That answer your question?As for a general rule, the new member lessons can be taught by anyone. In my experience....unless you push they don't get done. I usually ended up just teaching them with my companion and dragging along one of the recent converts home teachers when I could. 2
Anijen Posted June 9, 2012 Posted June 9, 2012 I am sure it will vary from Stake to Stake. In our ward we let the missionaries to teach the first or second and then Home Teachers or other ward members to teach the rest. This allows the new convert to be weaned from the missionaries and to have fellowship with ward members. It is one way to keep activation after the missionary is transferred out.
Duncan Posted June 9, 2012 Author Posted June 9, 2012 We had stake conference a bit ago and I asked the HC in charge of missionary work and he didn't know and he...doesn't come to church....hardly so I don't anticipate an answer from anyone local for awhile
fuhrimy Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 Looks like lots of great answers out there. Here is what Preach My Gospel actually says about it it."After converts are baptized and confirmed, ward leaders determine whether ward missionaries or full-time missionaries lead out in teaching and how long the full-time missionaries are involved." So it's up to the ward leaders to decide how involved they want the full-time missionaries, but as with all things in the church, rather than it being a spelled out rule, it is a decision that should be made after prayer and study to determine what will be best for each person.
CV75 Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 The Elders were over here and were saying that new member discussions can't be taught by the missionaries, home or visiting teachers but need to be taught by the leaders of the ward. They can be taught by the missionaries but it won't be counted on the stake record.This sounds kooky to me. Has anyone heard anything like this at all?"Every Missionary A Member!"
ksfisher Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 Looks like lots of great answers out there. Here is what Preach My Gospel actually says about it it."After converts are baptized and confirmed, ward leaders determine whether ward missionaries or full-time missionaries lead out in teaching and how long the full-time missionaries are involved." So it's up to the ward leaders to decide how involved they want the full-time missionaries, but as with all things in the church, rather than it being a spelled out rule, it is a decision that should be made after prayer and study to determine what will be best for each person.This has been changed since Preach My Gospel was printed. As of June 2014 the missionaries are to take the lead in scheduling lessons with new members. A fellowshipper should still be present however. I have a copy of the memo at home, I believe it was from the 12.
rockpond Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 Even more shocking is the change in the visiting teaching policy-- to be counted, one must actually visit the sister. Not according to CHI2, section 9.5.1.
rodheadlee Posted February 26, 2015 Posted February 26, 2015 Even more shocking is the change in the visiting teaching policy-- to be counted, one must actually visit the sister.Don't know if this is a local policy or comes from the church.We have visiting teachers? Who knew?
Calm Posted February 27, 2015 Posted February 27, 2015 Note the date of the thread….new directions may have come out from the Church between the original posts and current ones. 2
UtahTexan Posted February 27, 2015 Posted February 27, 2015 Am finally considering talking to the missionaries... 2
3DOP Posted February 27, 2015 Posted February 27, 2015 Note the date of the thread….new directions may have come out from the Church between the original posts and current ones. Indeed...I know my church has sure changed a lot between 2012 and 2015.
cinepro Posted February 27, 2015 Posted February 27, 2015 There is no formalized 'does count/doesn't count'. If there is, that's a specfic ward or stake's policy, not Church Policy. The being taught by members in the ideal, however.Plus, 'doesn't count' really doesn't make any sense, as in there is no ordinance or opportunity that is being withheld if New ember Lessons aren't taught. (I was baptized in 2004, pre-PMG, and I was teaching New Member Lessons before I received my own - I never did have them formally taught to me This was my thought on reading the thread title. Obviously the purpose of the New Member discussions is to help new members meet other members of the ward outside of a church setting. If the missionaries do it, it only strengthens the bond with the missionaries which is the last thing you want with new members. Although I did meet a woman on my mission who had been baptized about six months before I got to the area, and she had great fun telling us about how she found out about Temple garments at a ward function about three months after she joined the church. She obviously didn't leave the Church, but boy, she was sure shocked! So if the New Member discussions include telling them about the garments in their future, that would also be good.
Duncan Posted February 27, 2015 Author Posted February 27, 2015 Am finally considering talking to the missionaries... do it! although I notice you are with Elder L. Tom Perry? how did you swing that?
UtahTexan Posted February 27, 2015 Posted February 27, 2015 do it! although I notice you are with Elder L. Tom Perry? how did you swing that?I was a missionary 30 years ago. He was my pen pal during my mission...long story. After my mission, he wanted to meet me.
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