Speculations for General Conference

[ksfisher]

23 minutes ago, rongo said:

I respectfully disagree with your respectful disagreement.  

Having others do the heavy lifting, and just having the bishop authorize or kick it back for further study strikes me as making the bishop unneeded and irrelevant. I've known bishops who enthusiastically "delegate, 'til they breathe for you," but I've never liked that. I think most people want to counsel with their bishop about problems, not a designated representative. 

What Dispensator is outlining is essentially what they handbook says now.

Handbook 2 6.2.4

High Priests Group, Elders Quorum, and Relief Society

Welfare is central to the work of the high priests group, the elders quorum, and the Relief Society. In meetings of the high priests group leadership, the elders quorum presidency, and the Relief Society presidency, leaders plan ways to teach principles of self-reliance and service and to address welfare needs. Under the direction of the bishop, these leaders help members become self-reliant and find solutions to short-term and long-term welfare concerns.

Short-Term Welfare Needs

As the bishop provides short-term assistance, he may give assignments to Melchizedek Priesthood or Relief Society leaders.

The bishop normally assigns the Relief Society president to visit members who need short-term assistance. She helps assess their needs and suggests to the bishop what assistance to provide. The bishop may ask her to prepare a Bishop’s Order for Commodities form for him to approve and sign.

The Relief Society president’s role in making these family-needs visits is explained more fully in 9.6.1. For information on other short-term welfare responsibilities that apply specifically to the Relief Society president and her counselors, see 9.6.2 and 9.6.3.

Long-Term Welfare Needs

Many short-term problems are caused by long-term difficulties such as poor health, lack of skills, inadequate education or employment, lifestyle habits, and emotional challenges. Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society leaders have a special responsibility to help members address these concerns. Their goal is to address long-term concerns in ways that lead to lasting change.

As Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society leaders become aware of long-term needs, they respond compassionately to help individuals and families. They use resources available in their organizations and in the ward. They pray for guidance to know how to provide assistance.

To gain a better understanding of how to help, Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society leaders normally visit members who have welfare needs. They may use the Needs and Resources Analysis form or otherwise follow its principles to help members plan ways to respond to welfare needs.

As leaders help members respond to long-term needs, they counsel with the bishop. In some cases, Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society leaders work together.

Reporting to the Bishop and Seeking His Continued Direction

The high priests group leader, the elders quorum president, and the Relief Society president regularly report to the bishop on actions they and their organizations are taking to address short-term and long-term welfare needs in the ward. They seek the bishop’s continued direction on their welfare efforts.

If individuals and families have short-term problems that they cannot resolve themselves and that Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society leaders cannot resolve, leaders inform the bishop immediately.

If Melchizedek Priesthood leaders and Relief Society leaders learn of possible concerns with worthiness or sensitive family matters, they refer the members to the bishop.

 

Sorry about the long quote, I really like to keep them shorter, but the entire section seems relevant.

Different wards are going to have differing welfare burdens.  What a bishop may find appropriate to delegate in one ward may not be appropriate or feasible in another.

In my own ward I would worry that the load carried by the EQ and RS president already seem more than they can deal with, and a greater role would be difficult to take on.

I do find that our current bishop does try to delegate to ward council members where appropriate.

 

Edited September 27, 2018 by ksfisher

[The Nehor]

28 minutes ago, rongo said:

I respectfully disagree with your respectful disagreement.  

Having others do the heavy lifting, and just having the bishop authorize or kick it back for further study strikes me as making the bishop unneeded and irrelevant. I've known bishops who enthusiastically "delegate, 'til they breathe for you," but I've never liked that. I think most people want to counsel with their bishop about problems, not a designated representative. 

Too often “counseling with their Bishop” becomes “wanting to tell their latest financial sob story”. The Bishop has plenty to do with interviews and helping his people spiritually progress. If I were a Bishop I would want to meet with every member once every year if possible and not just for Tithing settlement and give them an interview suited to their spiritual state. Then again, I am probably crazy.

[Rain]

 

 

3 hours ago, The Nehor said:

Part of me would like to see a trained welfare specialist in every ward that does the initial interview for welfare help and provides recommendations to the Bishop. In some wards welfare eats up way too much of the Bishop’s time.

 

2 hours ago, DispensatorMysteriorum said:

Amigo,

 

I am the bishop of my ward, and your analysis is very much true. I wish we had someone to call that could do this in our ward. I like the idea very much and have considering doing this. The problem is the people I'd like to call are generally tied up in stake callings or otherwise indisposed. 

This is sort of/kind of/somewhat along the lines of what a provident living specialist was supposed to do.  Everyone treated the PLS as a food storage guru, but after I was called I searched the handbook and found that the specialist actually was supposed to be working with the ward leaders to assist in helping with welfare needs - food storage info being only one of those needs.  I took it to the bishop and said, "here is what the handbook says.  This is what is the general view of a PLS.  Which one did you want me to do?  I'm happy to do either, but need to know which one you were calling me to and if it is as the handbook describes then I need to be utilized by the ward leaders in order to do my calling."  He said, "You are right. I'll get back to you."  Not much later I was released because our ward at the time really didn't need someone in that calling.   

Edited September 27, 2018 by Rain

[rongo]

11 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

What Dispensator is outlining is essentially what they handbook says now.

Except for auxiliary presidents being the front line contact, doing the heavy lifting. In every one of the handbook items you listed, the bishop would have determined to send people to those people. 

I have seen a lot of bishops who are anxious to divest themselves of as much as possible, especially with welfare. On the other hand, a bishop who can firmly teach and enforce true welfare principles can be a savior on Mount Zion to many in a way that ward council members (who have to have things ratified, anyway, and don't hold keys) can't. 

There is definitely an increasing culture of complaining about burnout and being overwhelmed on the part of bishops, and the Brethren are responding to this by instructing to delegate more and more. The "delegate until they breathe for you" quote is actually from Elder Anderson at a bishops' and stake presidencies' meeting in Phoenix. I think it's sad, because ideally you have a man with broad shoulders who can handle a lot of stress and adversity. More and more, things are trending towards "bishop coddling," and having ward council members assume many of the functions of a bishop. To me, this is sad, and not trending towards "better" on "good, better, best." 

Edited September 27, 2018 by rongo

[ksfisher]

4 minutes ago, rongo said:

There is definitely an increasing culture of complaining about burnout and being overwhelmed on the part of bishops

My observation would be that this is caused by a culture of complaining and burnout by people in other callings.  One eye opener I had the first time I served in a bishopric was the number of people asking to be released from their callings because it was too much for them.  And a lot of these seemed to be teachers who were only teaching every other week. 

There seems to be an increased desire among many members of the church to be "Sunday morning members."  Members who go to church Sunday morning, leave as soon as the last class is over, and not do anything until the next Sunday morning.

When ward members are diligently filling their callings it takes a tremendous load off of the bishop and allows him to concentrate on the things that only a bishop can do.

Edited September 27, 2018 by ksfisher

[rockpond]

10 minutes ago, rongo said:

Except for auxiliary presidents being the front line contact, doing the heavy lifting. In every one of the handbook items you listed, the bishop would have determined to send people to those people. 

I have seen a lot of bishops who are anxious to divest themselves of as much as possible, especially with welfare. On the other hand, a bishop who can firmly teach and enforce true welfare principles can be a savior on Mount Zion to many in a way that ward council members (who have to have things ratified, anyway, and don't hold keys) can't. 

There is definitely an increasing culture of complaining about burnout and being overwhelmed on the part of bishops, and the Brethren are responding to this by instructing to delegate more and more. The "delegate until they breathe for you" quote is actually from Elder Anderson at a bishops' and stake presidencies' meeting in Phoenix. I think it's sad, because ideally you have a man with broad shoulders who can handle a lot of stress and adversity. More and more, things are trending towards "bishop coddling," and having ward council members assume many of the functions of a bishop. To me, this is sad, and not trending towards "better" on "good, better, best." 

Some 15+ years ago I was the home teacher for a family when the father committed suicide.  He left the family in bankruptcy -- there were some financial issues he had hidden from his wife.

The bishopric immediately swapped out my (Aaronic priesthood) companion for a very competent, seasoned accountant and asked us to help this grief-stricken widow work through mountains of paperwork and financial information to figure out where she was (this basically amounted to me hanging out with the kids while my companion worked with her).

However, the bishop was still meeting with her frequently.  My companion was just there to handle the details in an area in which he was an expert.

I see this as the best model.  With nearly all welfare needs there is an accompanying spiritual/personal issue to be addressed (hopefully not always as devastating as this particular example)... the bishop is the person who needs to be discussing that with the member.  But, the bishop can certainly look to ward leaders or members for specific help... under his direction.

Edited September 27, 2018 by rockpond

[ksfisher]

6 minutes ago, rongo said:

I think it's sad, because ideally you have a man with broad shoulders who can handle a lot of stress and adversity. More and more, things are trending towards "bishop coddling," and having ward council members assume many of the functions of a bishop. To me, this is sad, and not trending towards "better" on "good, better, best." 

I would see what you are calling "bishop coddling" as sharing the load. 

 

And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

Exodus 18:17-18

 

The counsel that Jethro gives to Moses is very applicable to bishops today. 

 

[e-eye]

1 hour ago, DispensatorMysteriorum said:

Amigo,

 

I am the bishop of my ward, and your analysis is very much true. I wish we had someone to call that could do this in our ward. I like the idea very much and have considering doing this. The problem is the people I'd like to call are generally tied up in stake callings or otherwise indisposed. 

You have someone - It's called your Elders Quorum President!

I have a friend who had a very needy ward.  He was doing welfare non-stop.  He usually used his Elders Quorum president but then decided to create this position himself.  He released his counselor and called him to work with every person who needed assistance.  This person would sit down and do a budget with the individual/couple who needed assistance and they had to complete the budget prior to meeting with the bishop or he may help them out the first time but they would have to budget out what they would do before getting more assistance.  - This helped the people and him.  The bishop has the final say on who gets what, but you can put steps into place before a person ever gets to the bishop or during their time of need. Also, the self reliance course is a great course but it's 12 weeks and sadly the people who need it usually don't go or don't last.  

[rongo]

32 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

My observation would be that this is caused by a culture of complaining and burnout by people in other callings.  One eye opener I had the first time I served in a bishopric was the number of people asking to be released from their callings because it was too much for them.  And a lot of these seemed to be teachers who were only teaching every other week. 

There seems to be an increased desire among many members of the church to be "Sunday morning members."  Members who go to church Sunday morning, leave as soon as the last class is over, and not do anything until the next Sunday morning.

When ward members are diligently filling their callings it takes a tremendous load off of the bishop and allows him to concentrate on the things that only a bishop can do.

The problem is when it is the bishop who is getting stressed over duties. I have even heard bishops seeking a concrete list from General Authorities as to what they cannot delegate, and what they can --- with an eye towards divesting themselves of everything they don't have to do. A bare minimum approach. 

21 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

I would see what you are calling "bishop coddling" as sharing the load. 

 

And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.

Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

Exodus 18:17-18

 

The counsel that Jethro gives to Moses is very applicable to bishops today. 

It certainly is, and bishop's should appropriately delegate. I just happen to think, personally, that way more is being delegated (and encouraged to be delegated) than is necessary or helpful. Ideally, you have a strong bishop who can be a source of spiritual power for his ward members and isn't looking to delegate away as much as possible. 

[rongo]

11 minutes ago, e-eye said:

You have someone - It's called your Elders Quorum President!

I have a friend who had a very needy ward.  He was doing welfare non-stop.  He usually used his Elders Quorum president but then decided to create this position himself.  He released his counselor and called him to work with every person who needed assistance.  This person would sit down and do a budget with the individual/couple who needed assistance and they had to complete the budget prior to meeting with the bishop or he may help them out the first time but they would have to budget out what they would do before getting more assistance.  - This helped the people and him.  The bishop has the final say on who gets what, but you can put steps into place before a person ever gets to the bishop or during their time of need. Also, the self reliance course is a great course but it's 12 weeks and sadly the people who need it usually don't go or don't last.  

The above is what I don't like. A conscious building of layers and barriers, like the touch tone phone menu trees we hate navigating --- their sole purpose is to throw up layers and barriers to weed out people before they have to be transferred to a live person. 

Good bishops can, and should, be the first contact for people in need, I think. It's hard enough to go to the bishop, without the bishop having them call the EQP or RP first before he will talk to them. 

[DispensatorMysteriorum]

32 minutes ago, rongo said:

The above is what I don't like. A conscious building of layers and barriers, like the touch tone phone menu trees we hate navigating --- their sole purpose is to throw up layers and barriers to weed out people before they have to be transferred to a live person. 

Good bishops can, and should, be the first contact for people in need, I think. It's hard enough to go to the bishop, without the bishop having them call the EQP or RP first before he will talk to them. 

If someone asks to see the bishop for welfare needs, I typically meet with them first and assess what their most immediate and pressing needs are. If their needs are very temporary (a medical bill or the like), I just handle it. If it's more complicated, I have them then start to meet with the RSP or EQP (or sometimes one of their counselors) to work on a plan for going forward.

Long-term welfare issues are not the bishop's responsibility. He is the only one that can authorize expenditure of church funds and resources, but it is not his job, nor his keys, to determine how to help them in these situations. That falls squarely on the Elders quorum and the Relief Society. 
 

Once I figured this out, the needy ward members have gotten much better help. Due to the number of ward members who are need, I alone simply cannot devote adequate time to help them really solve their problems. There is wisdom in having the EQP and RSP step forward and really take the lead on this. 

 

 

Edited September 27, 2018 by DispensatorMysteriorum

[Doctrine 612]

That would be the relief Society President and elders quorum President 

that does the welfare as long as the bishop 

Edited September 27, 2018 by Doctrine 612

[ksfisher]

17 minutes ago, DispensatorMysteriorum said:

Long-term welfare issues are not the bishop's responsibility. He is the only one that can authorize expenditure of church funds and resources, but it is not his job, nor his keys, to determine how to help them in these situations. That falls squarely on the Elders quorum and the Relief Society. 

I would disagree with you here.  While the responsibility of helping those who have long term needs rests with the elders quorum and relief society president, they still follow the direction of the bishop.

To quote from Handbook 2, 6.2.4 again

" As leaders help members respond to long-term needs, they counsel with the bishop."

and

"the elders quorum president, and the Relief Society president regularly report to the bishop on actions they and their organizations are taking to address short-term and long-term welfare needs in the ward. They seek the bishop’s continued direction on their welfare efforts."

[bold mine]

Edited September 27, 2018 by ksfisher

[DispensatorMysteriorum]

48 minutes ago, ksfisher said:

I would disagree with you here.  While the responsibility of helping those who have long term needs rests with the elders quorum and relief society president, they still follow the direction of the bishop.

To quote from Handbook 2, 6.2.4 again

" As leaders help members respond to long-term needs, they counsel with the bishop."

and

"the elders quorum president, and the Relief Society president regularly report to the bishop on actions they and their organizations are taking to address short-term and long-term welfare needs in the ward. They seek the bishop’s continued direction on their welfare efforts."

[bold mine]

I guess it comes down to how you view the words "counsel" and "direction." The same words are used for the oversight of the bishop for ministering assignments, but I don't generally dictate all the details on that to the EQP and RSP. They work out the assignments, carry out the interviews, etc. For ministering, I give input, and approve the assignments, but they do the bulk of the heavy lifting. The same holds true for long-term welfare issues. They workout the plans, meet with needy individuals, and do the bulk of the heavy lifting. I give guidance, approval, and direction as needed. 

[The Nehor]

2 hours ago, rongo said:

The above is what I don't like. A conscious building of layers and barriers, like the touch tone phone menu trees we hate navigating --- their sole purpose is to throw up layers and barriers to weed out people before they have to be transferred to a live person. 

Good bishops can, and should, be the first contact for people in need, I think. It's hard enough to go to the bishop, without the bishop having them call the EQP or RP first before he will talk to them. 

People other then the Bishop are “live people”.

[halconero]

8 hours ago, The Nehor said:

Too often “counseling with their Bishop” becomes “wanting to tell their latest financial sob story”. The Bishop has plenty to do with interviews and helping his people spiritually progress. If I were a Bishop I would want to meet with every member once every year if possible and not just for Tithing settlement and give them an interview suited to their spiritual state. Then again, I am probably crazy.

I'm currently serving as the executive secretary to a Bishop who wants to meet with every new move-in within at least two weeks of their arrival in the ward, and with every member at least once a year during their birthday month to see how things are going. That's on top of people who request a meeting, tithing settlement, and temple recommend interviews. He's probably the most effective Bishop I've ever seen. I'd say he spend about 8 hours of his week in interviews.

[Gapper]

Looks like Mormon Land podcast LINK pretty well confirms a 2 hour block. 3 models are mention. a 40/40/40 block for each of the three meetings.  I would assume no opening exercises for Priesthood there.  Alternating Sunday School with Priesthood/Relief Society every other week.  1st and 3rd say Sunday School and 2nd and 4th Sunday RS/Priesthood. Third, normal time for sacrament meeting, almost normal Sunday School and a shorten RS/Elders Quorum where ministering needs are discussed and efforts organized and assignments also.  

Others, more service missions, missionaries, both males and females can opt for how long they will serve, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months or 24 months.  The Mormon Tabernacle Choir being now called The Tabernacle and Mormon.org will change to Become.org.  I also agree that we will see a talk or two on The Saints book and how to use it in the home and in the church. 

 

To the Bishop interviewing. In the new videos that came out last spring for ministering one had a distinct organizational chart. The Bishop was responsible for the items where he cannot delegate his keys. These are to preside over the  young women and young men; finance, common judge, temporal affairs of the Church, the care of the poor and the needy. Many of these areas function as part of his temporal call regarding the Aaronic Priesthood. The Elders quorum president, holding keys, acts for the spiritual welfare since he is called by the Stake President whose call is to minister spiritually to the Stake. This is done by his representative in the ward, the Elder's Quorum President.  Working with the Relief Society President and other auxiliary leaders, the EQP is to focus on the missionary work in the ward, temple and family history work in the ward, ministering program and the quality of teaching in the word. I would add one more item here. The EQP should be most concern with building the spiritual capacity of the members of the Elder's Quorum so that they are active in each of these areas be it by calling or assignment and that alleviates the burden on the Bishop. 

This requires a EQP that is trusted by the Bishop and in some ways under the new program, I believe the EQP is perhaps critical to helping a ward run correctly.  The problem is the Saints and many Bishops cannot let go of control, they cannot build capacity even allowing an individual to fall short so that they learn.  We are here not always to be successful in every effort, but to fall short and learn and grow. The Savior did this masterfully in the Doctrine and Covenants with Joseph Smith as testified there. With ministering interviews, follow ups and Elder's Quorum Presidencies visiting each member and as the handbook points out, it is there responsibility to meet with each member of the Elder's Quorum once a year outside of the ministering interviews. IF a Bishop will allow the program to function as laid out by the Savior, they can focus on what matters most; youth, getting members back on track, and the finance and other temporal affairs of the Church and caring for the poor and needy.  

My personal belief is that it is time for each of us to stand up, be counted as being all in per our temple covenants, and regardless of our calling, seek to minister and bless those around us as the Savior did.  So in truth though the speculation is fun, that they are going to allow missionaries to determine their length of service or more changes coming to the endowment (that is something I don't believe will happen in Conference, it would happen and as you attend the Temple you would notice the changes) to sisters being allowed to also opt to serve up to 24 months in the mission field. All these are fun to think about, but in the end, conference will be a personal invitation for each of us to come unto Christ and be perfected in Him and by Him, listening and obeying the voice of the Holy Ghost as the Savior leads us back home.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HappyJackWagon]

23 hours ago, DispensatorMysteriorum said:

I respectfully disagree. You could call someone to do the heavy lifting, but leave it to the bishop to authorize the plan, or kick it back for further study. Ultimately the keys the bishop holds allows him to make the decision, but much of the grunt work of coming up with a plan could be carried out by others. In fact, that's my current approach in that I often delegate these matters to the EQP and RSP. They come up with a plan for the needy individuals, and then run it by me for approval. Usually I agree with the plan. Sometimes I ask for revisions. 

That's what I did as well. It in no way neutered my keys.

[smac97]

13 hours ago, Gapper said:

Looks like Mormon Land podcast LINK pretty well confirms a 2 hour block. 3 models are mention. a 40/40/40 block for each of the three meetings.  I would assume no opening exercises for Priesthood there.  Alternating Sunday School with Priesthood/Relief Society every other week.  1st and 3rd say Sunday School and 2nd and 4th Sunday RS/Priesthood. Third, normal time for sacrament meeting, almost normal Sunday School and a shorten RS/Elders Quorum where ministering needs are discussed and efforts organized and assignments also.  

Can't listen.  What is the "confirmation" of a 2-hour block?

13 hours ago, Gapper said:

Others, more service missions, missionaries, both males and females can opt for how long they will serve, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months or 24 months. 

Interesting.  We'll see, I guess.

13 hours ago, Gapper said:

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir being now called The Tabernacle and Mormon.org will change to Become.org. 

Become.org is already live, and the missionaries staffing it have confirmed that Mormon.org is going away.  "The Tabernacle Choir" sounds fine.

Thanks,

-Smac

[bluebell]

13 hours ago, Gapper said:

Looks like Mormon Land podcast LINK pretty well confirms a 2 hour block. 3 models are mention. a 40/40/40 block for each of the three meetings.  I would assume no opening exercises for Priesthood there.  Alternating Sunday School with Priesthood/Relief Society every other week.  1st and 3rd say Sunday School and 2nd and 4th Sunday RS/Priesthood. Third, normal time for sacrament meeting, almost normal Sunday School and a shorten RS/Elders Quorum where ministering needs are discussed and efforts organized and assignments also.  

Others, more service missions, missionaries, both males and females can opt for how long they will serve, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months or 24 months.  The Mormon Tabernacle Choir being now called The Tabernacle and Mormon.org will change to Become.org.  I also agree that we will see a talk or two on The Saints book and how to use it in the home and in the church. 

 

To the Bishop interviewing. In the new videos that came out last spring for ministering one had a distinct organizational chart. The Bishop was responsible for the items where he cannot delegate his keys. These are to preside over the  young women and young men; finance, common judge, temporal affairs of the Church, the care of the poor and the needy. Many of these areas function as part of his temporal call regarding the Aaronic Priesthood. The Elders quorum president, holding keys, acts for the spiritual welfare since he is called by the Stake President whose call is to minister spiritually to the Stake. This is done by his representative in the ward, the Elder's Quorum President.  Working with the Relief Society President and other auxiliary leaders, the EQP is to focus on the missionary work in the ward, temple and family history work in the ward, ministering program and the quality of teaching in the word. I would add one more item here. The EQP should be most concern with building the spiritual capacity of the members of the Elder's Quorum so that they are active in each of these areas be it by calling or assignment and that alleviates the burden on the Bishop. 

This requires a EQP that is trusted by the Bishop and in some ways under the new program, I believe the EQP is perhaps critical to helping a ward run correctly.  The problem is the Saints and many Bishops cannot let go of control, they cannot build capacity even allowing an individual to fall short so that they learn.  We are here not always to be successful in every effort, but to fall short and learn and grow. The Savior did this masterfully in the Doctrine and Covenants with Joseph Smith as testified there. With ministering interviews, follow ups and Elder's Quorum Presidencies visiting each member and as the handbook points out, it is there responsibility to meet with each member of the Elder's Quorum once a year outside of the ministering interviews. IF a Bishop will allow the program to function as laid out by the Savior, they can focus on what matters most; youth, getting members back on track, and the finance and other temporal affairs of the Church and caring for the poor and needy.  

My personal belief is that it is time for each of us to stand up, be counted as being all in per our temple covenants, and regardless of our calling, seek to minister and bless those around us as the Savior did.  So in truth though the speculation is fun, that they are going to allow missionaries to determine their length of service or more changes coming to the endowment (that is something I don't believe will happen in Conference, it would happen and as you attend the Temple you would notice the changes) to sisters being allowed to also opt to serve up to 24 months in the mission field. All these are fun to think about, but in the end, conference will be a personal invitation for each of us to come unto Christ and be perfected in Him and by Him, listening and obeying the voice of the Holy Ghost as the Savior leads us back home.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You need to post more so that I can like your posts.  Good stuff.

[rockpond]

5 minutes ago, smac97 said:

Can't listen.  What is the "confirmation" of a 2-hour block?

Interesting.  We'll see, I guess.

Become.org is already live, and the missionaries staffing it have confirmed that Mormon.org is going away.  "The Tabernacle Choir" sounds fine.

Thanks,

-Smac

I like Become.org.  Good choice.  And. I’m surprised it was available.  I wonder if that was a domain that some smart marketing person working for the church reserved a long time ago just in case we ever wanted to use it.

I had never heard of the Mormonland podcast but I’ll try to give it a listen on my commute today and report here. I’m very curious what @Gapper means by “pretty well confirms”. 

[ksfisher]

13 hours ago, Gapper said:

Working with the Relief Society President and other auxiliary leaders, the EQP is to focus on the missionary work ... and the quality of teaching in the word.

So what happened to the ward mission leader and the Sunday school president?

[ksfisher]

13 hours ago, Gapper said:

IF a Bishop will allow the program to function as laid out by the Savior,

This statement seems to be unnecessarily critical of bishops.

[Duncan]

13 hours ago, Gapper said:

Looks like Mormon Land podcast LINK pretty well confirms a 2 hour block. 3 models are mention. a 40/40/40 block for each of the three meetings.  I would assume no opening exercises for Priesthood there.  Alternating Sunday School with Priesthood/Relief Society every other week.  1st and 3rd say Sunday School and 2nd and 4th Sunday RS/Priesthood. Third, normal time for sacrament meeting, almost normal Sunday School and a shorten RS/Elders Quorum where ministering needs are discussed and efforts organized and assignments also.  

Others, more service missions, missionaries, both males and females can opt for how long they will serve, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months or 24 months.  The Mormon Tabernacle Choir being now called The Tabernacle and Mormon.org will change to Become.org.  I also agree that we will see a talk or two on The Saints book and how to use it in the home and in the church. 

 

To the Bishop interviewing. In the new videos that came out last spring for ministering one had a distinct organizational chart. The Bishop was responsible for the items where he cannot delegate his keys. These are to preside over the  young women and young men; finance, common judge, temporal affairs of the Church, the care of the poor and the needy. Many of these areas function as part of his temporal call regarding the Aaronic Priesthood. The Elders quorum president, holding keys, acts for the spiritual welfare since he is called by the Stake President whose call is to minister spiritually to the Stake. This is done by his representative in the ward, the Elder's Quorum President.  Working with the Relief Society President and other auxiliary leaders, the EQP is to focus on the missionary work in the ward, temple and family history work in the ward, ministering program and the quality of teaching in the word. I would add one more item here. The EQP should be most concern with building the spiritual capacity of the members of the Elder's Quorum so that they are active in each of these areas be it by calling or assignment and that alleviates the burden on the Bishop. 

This requires a EQP that is trusted by the Bishop and in some ways under the new program, I believe the EQP is perhaps critical to helping a ward run correctly.  The problem is the Saints and many Bishops cannot let go of control, they cannot build capacity even allowing an individual to fall short so that they learn.  We are here not always to be successful in every effort, but to fall short and learn and grow. The Savior did this masterfully in the Doctrine and Covenants with Joseph Smith as testified there. With ministering interviews, follow ups and Elder's Quorum Presidencies visiting each member and as the handbook points out, it is there responsibility to meet with each member of the Elder's Quorum once a year outside of the ministering interviews. IF a Bishop will allow the program to function as laid out by the Savior, they can focus on what matters most; youth, getting members back on track, and the finance and other temporal affairs of the Church and caring for the poor and needy.  

My personal belief is that it is time for each of us to stand up, be counted as being all in per our temple covenants, and regardless of our calling, seek to minister and bless those around us as the Savior did.  So in truth though the speculation is fun, that they are going to allow missionaries to determine their length of service or more changes coming to the endowment (that is something I don't believe will happen in Conference, it would happen and as you attend the Temple you would notice the changes) to sisters being allowed to also opt to serve up to 24 months in the mission field. All these are fun to think about, but in the end, conference will be a personal invitation for each of us to come unto Christ and be perfected in Him and by Him, listening and obeying the voice of the Holy Ghost as the Savior leads us back home.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

if you are a EQP, how do you do that without burning out? It sounds nice but do you want to go to Church and be in meetings all the time? With the "burden", you don't want to pass it around so one person does it but spread it around so everybody can help 

[rongo]

7 minutes ago, Duncan said:

if you are a EQP, how do you do that without burning out? It sounds nice but do you want to go to Church and be in meetings all the time? With the "burden", you don't want to pass it around so one person does it but spread it around so everybody can help 

Yeah, it seems like this view of EQP simply makes the EQP the new bishop, sans keys. And relegates the bishop to a clerk (check signer, and someone who signs off on the EQP's heavy lifting).

Edited September 28, 2018 by rongo