Moving Assesment Sheets-Is This Everywhere?

[Tacenda]

China rules in that department.

Well, we may have even beat out China this week, according to my local weatherman. He brought up China & Mexico and Utah being worse than them, possibly.

[canard78]

Well, we may have even beat out China this week, according to my local weatherman. He brought up China & Mexico and Utah being worse than them, possibly.

Don't worry... there are parts of China where you can see the chunks floating through the air the smog is so thick.

[Calm]

Speaking of smog, Utah has the worst in the nation and probably the world as well, darn inversion.

Come down to my corner. Of happy valley, almost doesn't exist here.

[bluebell]

in our ward it isn't a heavy demand, I think I have only helped two familes move in and out in the last year and they weren't burdensome. The last one was a girl from a place called Magrath, Alberta. She moved here to marry her guy from here and her family showed up with her stuff in a real life horse trailer, can you imagine a horse trailer in then 2012?!

You're such a city boy.

I see multiple horse trailers on a daily basis. Horses still exist you know, how did you think people moved them around?

[Duncan]

You're such a city boy.

I see multiple horse trailers on a daily basis. Horses still exist you know, how did you think people moved them around?

galloping with them! would be my guess! I haven't actually ever been on a horse before, I think I rode a pony named Taco once but that was many years ago

[The Nehor]

Member get hurt because they do not have the right moving equipment

Then they should get the right equipment.

[mtomm]

Horse trailers are THE number one piece of moving equipment. Essential for large households.

[ERayR]

Speaking of smog, Utah has the worst in the nation and probably the world as well, darn inversion.

You obviously haven't been to Denver during an inversion.

[Freedom]

I don't mind helping someone move, I don't even mind helping organizing the move if the person is isolated in some way. 99% of members, however, are quite capable of organizing the move on their own and should not place the responsibility at the feet of a quorum president or bishop. I always tell them to get the move organized - come to priesthood and announce your request if needed, but no, the church does not organize moves any more than it arranges for job interviews or dental appointments.

[Tacenda]

You obviously haven't been to Denver during an inversion.

They aren't saying Utah is the worst all the time just this particular year. And they have a special device to show it. "They" as is weatherman, I blanked out on the politically correct word.

[mfbukowski]

Don't worry... there are parts of China where you can see the chunks floating through the air the smog is so thick.

Here in LA when I am walking around I usually wear a catcher's mask, and find that that keeps out the biggest chunks.

[rongo]

I don't mind helping someone move, I don't even mind helping organizing the move if the person is isolated in some way. 99% of members, however, are quite capable of organizing the move on their own and should not place the responsibility at the feet of a quorum president or bishop. I always tell them to get the move organized - come to priesthood and announce your request if needed, but no, the church does not organize moves any more than it arranges for job interviews or dental appointments.

My wife and I have *never* had the ward we were moving into "move us in." Never. We have always unloaded and unpacked ourselves. We have almosts exclusively used close family to load, with help from a few close friends.

In my anecdotal experience of the last thirteen years (2x EQP, 2x WML, 2x bishopric counselor, 1x bishop), there is a trend towards entitlement among even active and "sharp" members, prompting recent counsel from the Brethren that elders quorum presidents are not movers or moving organizers. People call a bishop up all the time and say, "Wer'e moving into your ward tomorrow. Can we get a bunch of people to move us in?" Or, people will ask ward leaders to organize a move. I instructed my RSP and EQP a few months ago to ask a sister asking for this to personally ask friends in the ward (whom she has) to pack and load her, rather than generically going through the auxiliaries. She posted a request on Facebook for help moving, and was peeved when nobody showed up!

I think people should, as much as possible, personally ask individuals to help, rather than expect the auxiliaries to arrange everything (and then get mad when they do a sub-par job of arranging and executing it).

[bluebell]

I've moved multiple times in my married life (over ten) and we've always had help moving in and out of a ward. At that same time though, we've always done what we could ourselves. We are always completely packed and we try to schedule the helpers to come so that only the heavy stuff that my husband can't lift himself and that is too heavy for me to help with is left. Usually, we do the boxes ourselves, and my husband bought a moving dolly so that when people have had to help us with boxes, it's been as easy as possible.

Our kids are both small, so when we move it's just us and i am so thankful when people come to help. It's a blessing that i never take for granted but i really do believe it is one of the awesome things about being a member. I can't tell the number of times non-member neighbors have commented to us later (or while the unloading is happening) how wonderful it is that strangers would show up to help us move, just because we are members of the same church. They are always in awe.

[Calm]

My wife and I have *never* had the ward we were moving into "move us in." Never. We have always unloaded and unpacked ourselves. We have almosts exclusively used close family to load, with help from a few close friends.

In my anecdotal experience of the last thirteen years (2x EQP, 2x WML, 2x bishopric counselor, 1x bishop), there is a trend towards entitlement among even active and "sharp" members, prompting recent counsel from the Brethren that elders quorum presidents are not movers or moving organizers. People call a bishop up all the time and say, "Wer'e moving into your ward tomorrow. Can we get a bunch of people to move us in?" Or, people will ask ward leaders to organize a move. I instructed my RSP and EQP a few months ago to ask a sister asking for this to personally ask friends in the ward (whom she has) to pack and load her, rather than generically going through the auxiliaries. She posted a request on Facebook for help moving, and was peeved when nobody showed up!

I think people should, as much as possible, personally ask individuals to help, rather than expect the auxiliaries to arrange everything (and then get mad when they do a sub-par job of arranging and executing it).

When we moved into our home here in Utah, we had people coming off the street to help us, lol. I think my son had the same experience and his was in the dead of winter. They had already been going to the ward so that might have made a difference. My sister in law lives down the street and her husband and son were helping us so that might have made a difference there, but from what I've seen with those on the street, it isn't unusual. Makes a difference when most who are on your street are in your ward. Edited January 10, 2013 by calmoriah

[Duncan]

IMO any ward should be grateful they have people moving in! why wouldn't anyone want to help them out? I get that they are complete strangers but ah, so what? moving their stuff in is a great way to make new friends

[Hamba Tuhan]

We have almosts exclusively used close family to load, with help from a few close friends.

You are lucky to have had family and close friends around you when you've moved. In most cases, people who've moved into our ward have shown up a bit lost and totally alone, having travelled far from family and close friends to get here -- including from overseas. We are always happy to give them a hand.

As far as those who shift house whilst in the ward, I can't say I've ever seen any inappropriate requests. Our new EQ president and his wife just shifted house, and they asked for a bit of help early in the morning to move a piano, the washing machine, some lounges and book shelves, and the dining table. They did the rest themselves, which would be the normal pattern. I was happy to assist on my way in to work.

[mfbukowski]

When we moved into our home here in Utah, we had people coming off the street to help us,

I had that happen to me in Manhattan when I first moved in.

They were so happy to help, they helped while we were not watching because I guess they wanted to remain anonymous and they even ended up storing a lot of stuff for us I guess.

I guess they forget to tell us where they put it though.

Maybe they gave it to charity for us. Such nice, friendly people!

Edited January 14, 2013 by mfbukowski

[mfbukowski]

IMO any ward should be grateful they have people moving in! why wouldn't anyone want to help them out? I get that they are complete strangers but ah, so what? moving their stuff in is a great way to make new friends

In Utah new people moving in means your best friends just left.

The wards are about two square blocks

Edited January 14, 2013 by mfbukowski

[Duncan]

In Utah new people moving in means your best friends just left.

The wards are about two square blocks

haha! In one of the wards here they are getting a family from BC, hope they like it here!, heck now I want to help them move in if they need it!

Edited January 14, 2013 by Duncan

[canard78]

Here in LA when I am walking around I usually wear a catcher's mask, and find that that keeps out the biggest chunks.

In China this week the levels are so high that there would be emergency conditions in USA:

Probably about as bad as an average day during the industrial revolution in 1800s London.

[DH]

It seems like the assumption underlying the "moving assessment sheet" is that members are incapable of either assessing the situation for themselves or are attempting to take advantage of other people. I think most people at church act in good faith, and sometimes may just need a reminder of what's appropriate and what's not, and doing that at church in a general sort of way might do the trick. I would prefer that rather than having someone from the ward go into homes and assess them, they simply tell the members at church to do what they can for themselves and the ward will help with the rest. If someone does try to take advantage, just walk away from it.

[rockpond]

It would seem that these local leaders who created the "moving assessment sheet" are trying to solve a problem of members not adequately preparing for a move. I get that, but if this were brought up in my ward I would say "no" on the grounds that the act of creating an assessment sheet implies that you (as ward auxiliary & priesthood leaders) are now managing the move. We shouldn't be managing the move. It should just be an act of charitable service provide by friends, family, ward members, and home teachers.

I see moves (especially move-ins) as the modern day equivalent of a barn raising. Let's all be there and have a good day of serving and socializing. But when families start looking to the ward as a moving company, then you've got a problem.

[cdowis]

My daughter had a friend, and her parents often would critize the church. One day they had to move out but both of them were disabled and they were trying to move a house full of stuff alone. I happened to come by and saw the situation.

Within a few hours we had 5-6 ward members who completely moved them out. They really had a change of attitude towards the church.