In response to the warnings issued by Julie Rowe following her near-death experience

A response to an email from a member of our stake on Dec 22, 2014 asking my opinion about the works of Julie Rowe:

Thank you for your kindness in sharing this information and for your desire to bless and protect your family…and possibly to reach out to others and help them prepare, as well...for the coming tribulations that will surely beset the world.

While I don’t doubt this writer's experience, her testimony or even her motives, I simply remind you of a phrase often used by priesthood leaders: “Don’t get ahead of the Brethren.” There are many ways of doing just that, including: 1) feeling we, and others, need to fast every week, or 2) move our family to Missouri, or 3) stock up on more than just food, water and fuel. There are other books that have been written by well-meaning members, who have had similar near-death experiences. The late Lance Richardson’s very compelling book “The Message” is another example.

My counsel is that you take Julie Rowe’s work for what it is—a personal experience that has compelled her to want to do things differently in her life. But it is NOT revelation for the Church. That only comes through the Prophet. In the last days I’m confident there will be many well-many members who will proclaim revelation and that they feel compelled to serve as “another witness” to the truth. But we should act only on what comes from the Prophets, not from personal witnesses or experiences of others. Now, having said that, remember the Brethren expect us to make common sense decisions. We live in a cold part of the planet. It makes sense to have a 72-hour kit or other provisions that include protection against the elements. But that decision should be based on common sense and not because of information gleaned from her warnings.

Finally, while Julie Rowe's motives may be altruistic, remember she is still selling books…and probably, in time, DVDs or paid online content. 

I caution you against accepting her testimony any more than face value. She is not a prophetess. She is not the Lord’s mouthpiece. Despite what she may say, she was not given a “mission” to return to life or earth to warn anyone beyond her own family. The Lord simply does not work that way. We have been told repeatedly to stay with the Church, stay with the Brethren. And do not get ahead of them. Quoting scripture and Church leaders and bearing testimony of the Savior and His Plan is nice, but it only lends inappropriate credence to her claims that she is to warn everyone. That is not her place nor is it the Lord’s way of warning His people. He promises over and over He will lead us through the last days; preserve His covenant people. We trust in Him by keeping the commandments and by trusting His prophets…and not getting ahead of them.

To me, Julie Rowe is getting ahead of the Brethren. I would not follow her.

2015 Finances, Including Summer Camp Funding

Dear Bishops,

We are pleased to report that the summer camp funding plan, instituted in our stake in 2012, has successfully completed its first full-year. Thank you for helping parents appreciate the benefit of having to pay only $100 per child regardless of gender.

In short, we provided this year a summer camp experience for 215 young people in our stake. Here’s how the camps were funded without having to resort to fundraising:

                  $21,500 raised by families (215 summer camp attendees @ $100)

                  $11,800 the Church’s “extra” allocation for youth activities in our stake

                  $33,300 total revenue earmarked for summer camps

                  - 34,400 total cost of all summer camps in 2014

                  <$ 1,100> deficit  

The 2014 stake budget was adjusted to cover the deficit in summer camp funding. The stake also plans to cover the anticipated shortfall in 2015.

This means the family obligation for summer camps in 2015 will remain $100 per child, even though we anticipate a significant increase—from 215 to 265—in the number attending summer camps next year. Will you please notify families as soon as possible so they can anticipate this obligation by spring 2015 when you begin collecting fees?

Also we are pleased to announce that your ward budget allocation for 2015 will remain based on your sacrament meeting attendance.  It appears nearly every ward will have a substantial carry-over from 2014 into their 2015 budget, which raises two matters:

·   We continue to receive requests from ward Scout leaders asking to reinstate fundraising because of a lack of funds, they say, to adequately conduct their programs. We encourage you to be more transparent with leaders about your ward’s financial status and to establish reasonable, even generous, budgets, with all your organizations.

·   Earlier this year we asked each ward to pay $500 per year for the next six years to help fund the Stake Trek in 2019 (a $3,000 per ward obligation). Because we also expect a carry-over from the stake budget this year, we have decided to waive the $500 per ward payment for 2014 reducing the overall six-year obligation to $2,500 per ward. Because some wards expect a sizable carry-over this year, you are permitted to pre-pay in a lump sum as much as you want toward your ward’s $2,500 trek obligation.

Thank you again for using the Lord’s funds wisely in blessing the members of your ward.

The Stake Presidency

Ward Conference Plans for 2015

7 December 2014

TO: Bishoprics, Ward Councils and Stake Leaders

RE: 2015 Ward Conference Schedule and Format

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We are honored to associate with you in this sacred work and thank you for your faithful service. We look forward to worshipping with you on the special occasion of your ward conference, as indicated above.

Please use the following guidelines in your planning, as referenced in Handbook 2, 18.2.5:

Theme

In consequence of the teaching received from the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 2014, we have chosen as the ward conference theme in 2015 “Strengthening Families by Bringing the Work of Salvation into the Home.” Our hope is that we will provide greater understanding and emphasis to the five elements of the Work of Salvation — (1) member missionary work, (2) convert retention,
(3) activation of less-active members, (4) temple and family history work, and (5) teaching the gospel in the Savior’s way. (See Handbook 2, Chapter 5, first paragraph)

Our desire is to help members remember we were foreordained to labor in the Lord’s vineyard in this day of hastening “for the salvation of the souls of men.” (D&C 138:56) As we do so in the home, we will find our burdens lifted, our testimonies strengthened and our families united.

The scriptures remind us that as we labor diligently in the Lord’s Work of Salvation that we, too, will “come to the knowledge of [our] Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that [we] may know how to come unto him and be saved.” (1 Nephi 15:14)

Sacrament Meeting

The stake president presides and a member of the bishopric conducts. The meeting is to be 70 minutes in length. During the business, a member of the stake presidency will present the general, stake and ward leaders for sustaining vote. Please review the sustaining list carefully for accuracy prior to sacrament meeting. The bishop will speak for about 15 minutes followed by a special musical number by the ward choir. President Lewis will then be the concluding speaker.

2^nd Hour: Sunday School and Primary

Sunday School: All classes will proceed as usual. Stake leaders are encouraged to attend the classes that correspond to the age group they serve.

Primary: The stake president and bishop, along with the full-time missionaries assigned to your ward, will visit the Primary at the beginning of the second hour. If possible, have both junior and senior Primaries meet together for President Lewis’ message to the children. If not possible, we ask that the senior Primary be invited to hold their opening exercises at the beginning of the second hour.

3^rd Hour: Special COMBINED Meeting (Junior Primary teachers to remain with their classes)

We are planning a unique presentation during a combined meeting for all ward members 8 years of age and older to be held in the cultural hall or chapel, whichever is available at that hour. Please ask families to sit together and arrange to have projection equipment to show a video. A member of the bishopric will conduct the meeting beginning with an opening hymn and prayer.

The meeting will then be turned over to Presidents Hansen and Christiansen to conduct a discussion on the key elements of the Work of Salvation and how to incorporate them in the home. We will then ask families, including couples, to break out into family units and hold a brief family council on how to implement the elements of the Work of Salvation in their home. Singles will be organized into small groups and stake leaders will serve as facilitators to discuss ways individuals can implement the Work of Salvation in their lives.

President Lewis will offer a closing testimony followed by the closing prayer. Please assign members beforehand to give the prayers.

home Visits

On a weekday evening, before or after your ward conference, please schedule with the stake executive secretary a time when five members of the Stake PEC (stake presidency and two high councilors) can pair off with the three members of the bishopric plus the high priest group leader and elders quorum president to visit ward families of your choosing. Please make appointments with the families, where possible.

TEMPLE SESSION

On a date before or after your ward conference, please invite all endowed members to attend a designated endowment session together (no chapel meeting). Please notify us of the date and time.

Additional Training Sessions

Stake auxiliary presidencies are asked to schedule and conduct personalized training with their ward counterparts within a few weeks before or after ward conference.

CONFERENCE REVIEW

Immediately following the conference, the stake presidency will conduct a one-hour conference review with the bishopric in the bishop’s office. The bishopric will be asked to report on: (1) your success in hastening the Work of Salvation in the ward; (2) your personal/family missionary goals; and (3) your ward’s 2015 goals. At that same time, or on another date of their choosing, the stake clerk and executive secretary will conduct individual training with their ward counterparts.

We very much look forward to meeting with your ward and we fervently pray the Lord will bless us with His Spirit that all may be “…edified and rejoice together.” (D&C 50:22)

Baptismal Service Guidelines for our stake issued in 2014

The Stake Presidency recommends the following guidelines for baptismal services conducted in our stake, as outlined in Handbook 2 and Preach My Gospel.

Recommended Elements of a Baptismal Service

·   Prelude music

·   Brief welcome by the priesthood leader conducting

·   Opening hymn

·   Opening prayer

·   Talks: One or two brief talks on gospel topics, such as baptism and the Holy Ghost; other appropriate topics may include the Restoration, the Godhead, the Atonement, principles and ordinances of the gospel, priesthood authority

·   Special musical number

·   Performance of baptismal ordinance

·   A reverence time while awaiting those involved in the ordinance; the time could be used effectively by: (1) having the full-time missionaries teach about the Restoration,
(2) bearing of testimonies; (3) inviting attendees to write their testimony or feelings on a 3x5 card to the new converts; (4) listening to music; (5) singing hymns, etc.

·   Brief testimony or remarks by converts, if desired (we encourage it – see D&C 20:37)

·   Optional: Closing remarks or testimony by the presiding authority or bishopric member

·   Closing hymn

·   Closing prayer

·   Postlude music

Additional Guidelines

·   Baptismal services should start on time and be simple, brief and spiritual.

·   The Ward Mission Leader (WML) organizes the service under the bishopric’s direction.

·   Candidates can be consulted, but do not have the final say about the program.

·   Ward and/or family members are encouraged to participate in the service.  

·   Full-time (FT) missionary involvement in the service or preparations should be minimal.

·   Consider assigning young men in the priests quorum to serve as witnesses.

·   The WML or bishopric member conducts the service, but is not required to speak or give a “welcome to the ward” message.

·   FT missionaries should encourage and prepare candidate(s) to share a testimony or feelings following the performance of the ordinance.

·   Set an expectation that home and visiting teachers, all ward missionaries and all ward council members (or their representative) attend all convert baptismal services and provide support, especially in a fellowshipping role.

·   Consider holding the service at a time conducive to fitting ward families’ busy schedules.

·   Create a culture in the ward that all members attend baptismal services.

·   Refreshments are allowed, but not required and should not detract from the ordinance.

·   Remind family and friends that photographs or video of the ordinance are not allowed.

·   The WML or assistant should fill the font, not the FT missionaries. It takes over an hour to fill the font and, for safety reasons, he should remain there until it’s full and later drained.

·   Ward leaders or members, not FT missionaries, should be responsible for other baptismal service preparations, such as printed programs, clean clothing, extra towels, etc.

Miracle of Softened Hearts Through Service

The following is an email sent to the Portland Public Affairs Directors, Gene and Arlene Platt, describing our stake's efforts to incorporate more service as part of the Hastening of the Lord's work. This was was written soon after our 3rd annual faith-based, community food drive.

The food drive came about in early 2012. I had just been installed as stake president and a committee was already working on a Day of Service project for September of that year. In the past, we had tried to partner with other churches, but apparently they hadn’t responded to our out-reach letters. The committee was struggling with a worthy project that would include other churches. They had come to the conclusion it was impossible to connect with the leaders of other faiths.

Finally, they came back with a food drive idea. And, because there was a concern that other churches would turn us down again, someone suggested we encourage members to go to their non-member neighbors. Admittedly, my first impression was that this isn’t much of a service project…you don’t even break a sweat! You just pick up sacks and drop them off and you’re done. Now what? But when I heard the idea of taking sacks to our neighbors, I was touched deeply in my heart. It was a stroke of genius and inspiration, whoever came up with the idea. 

I have always been concerned that, because of technology and busy lives, we were all losing contact with our neighbors. For years, we’ve (our family) gone around to our neighbors Christmas caroling and that has kept us tied to them, but there were few other opportunities to connect with them except an occasional wave while driving by. I loved the idea of inviting neighbors to join with us in a worthy, non-denominational cause that would help the less-fortunate and many churches in our community. Then, I thought, what a wonderful idea it would be if every Christian went to their neighbor. These are the last days. Difficult times are coming and when men’s hearts begin to fail, those in every neighborhood will want to know where are the believers, where are those with faith in God?

So I began setting up appointments with pastors throughout the east side (those who would give me an appointment; not all would). Fortunately, I had a number of pastor friends already in the Chamber of Commerce (I’ve been involved in two chambers of commerce for the past 5 years; something i was forced into when I was laid off from my job of 19 years and, because of my age, unable to find work at age 60 I went into a home-based business that requires networking). Those friendships helped me get into other doors and by our first food drive in 2012, we had a handful of churches, who consented to participate. Their participation was meager, but it was a start.

Last year we got more participation and the food drive committee, headed up by Patti Paxson, started meeting at the Greater Gresham Baptist Church. We also pulled off a dinner for 10 that included representatives from the Seventh Day Adventist and the founder of a church in Damascus. Subsequently, the Seventh Day Adventist set up a display at our Preparedness Fair in May of this year and our contact in Damascus has been a helpful ally. We have had he and his wife to our home for dinner; a delightful evening.

This year, we got a few more (still not very many, only 9 churches), but we’re learning a lot and the depth of commitment among the few other churches is beginning to take root. We brought in Joyce and Romeo Betita, as our Stake Service Specialists, to head up the food drive in our own stake (working through the priesthood quorums) so Patti could focus on the other churches. She has done an outstanding job in building relationships with the Baptists, Lutherans, Catholics and a variety of others. A month or so ago I spent two hours with Pastor Russ Baley, of the Sanctuary Church in Gresham, at his church and food pantry and from that visit came a deepening friendship so that he was willing to make the YouTube video with me. He has not told me personally, but Patti says he’s received some pushback from others (assuming other pastors) for doing the video. But he remains my friend. I hope to have he and his wife to our home for dinner one day soon.

Because a food drive really isn’t a lot of work on the members’ part, I asked that we not make it our Day of Service project this year, but encourage the wards to conduct their own projects. Then we held the stake (and community) food drive on Oct 11. We declared Monday, October 6, “Food Drive Family Night” (a terrific Patti Paxson idea) in which all members (and those of other faiths) were to deliver food sacks to their neighbors and notify them when they’d be back later in the week to pick up the sacks. Some of our members really got into it, taking as many as 10-15 sacks. It was a huge door-opener for our members, which we hope will lead to deeper friendships with non-LDS and eventually gospel sharing.

We have decided that in 2015 we really want to focus on our members (and all believers in the community) going to neighbors, to create a loaves and fishes miracle. So we’re going to make the food drive our Day of Service in 2015. For the roll-up-your sleeves service project, we are going to encourage our members to join in the East Hill Church’s Community Care Day, that they have been organizing (never inviting us) for all churches in Gresham for a number of years. They clean up and fix up parks and public schools in the area a couple of weeks before school starts (late August). They get hundreds of volunteers. 

This year I approached East Hill Church (a known antagonist of our missionaries) and asked if they would allow us to join with them in this worthy effort. They turned me down due to "doctrinal issues." However, the member of their church, who organizes the Community Care Day, called me later and asked if we’d still send volunteers, they were in desperate need. We immediately put out the word and explained to stake members that this church, which has not been kind to us over the pulpit, needs our help. Could we please come to the rescue? We sent the same word to President Craft, of the Gresham Stake, and he joined with us in asking his stake’s members to register for the projects, too. We have no way of knowing how many from our stakes showed up, but we know in some of the 20 or so locations where there were projects, LDS accounted for up to half the volunteers. All the full-time missionaries in our stake were involved. The organizer sought me out personally at the project where I was working, with two grandsons, to express her personal thanks. She told me that what looked like was going to be a dismal turnout resulted in the biggest number of volunteers ever (I think 500 in all). While our church got no recognition, those in supervisory positions were well aware of the LDS turnout and were extremely grateful. It was a true blessing for our members to have the opportunity of rolling up our sleeves and rubbing shoulders with those of other faiths.

So that’s our plan for next year, to join with the East Hill Church in late August (officially or unofficially) and make that our roll-up-our-sleeves Day of Service. Then we’ll have our Faith-Based, Community Food Drive on Sept 19, 2015 with a focus on taking sacks to our neighbors.

Regarding Activities that Require Long-Distance Travel

16 November 2014                 

                                                     

TO: All Bishoprics

RE: Activities that require long-distance travel

Dear Brethren,

It has come to our attention that some Young Men organizations want to schedule summer activities that may require long-distance travel.

While Handbook 2 (13.6.24, p.111) authorizes the bishop (or stake president) to make the final decision on this matter, we feel a need to address it as a stake presidency for several reasons:

·   The Handbook specifically discourages long-distance travel;

·   Long-distance travel creates major concerns, including overall cost, burden on families, safety, lodging, etc.;

·   Long-distance travel can cause an imbalance in youth activity expenditures thus perpetuating a perception of favoritism toward the Young Men.

It is also important to note that we do not decide our policy alone, but it must “be consistent among units in the same coordinating council” (see Handbook 2). In other words, all the stake presidents in our coordinating council must agree, with our Area Seventy’s approval, to allow long-distance travel.

While we encourage and support exciting and inspiring outdoor experiences for our youth, please take into consideration the above reasons and keep travel to a reasonable distance of our stake.

We are fortunate to live in an area that has an extraordinary number of facilities and venues to accommodate most any desired outdoor activity. Thank you for taking advantage of this unique opportunity and helping us abide by the directive of no long-distance travel.

Minimizing Church Activities During the Holidays

                                                                           12 November 2014

TO: Stake and Ward Council members

RE: Stake and ward holiday parties

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As we approach the holiday season, it is natural for every organization to want a holiday party or get-together as a way of unifying members and expressing thanks for everyone’s service during the past year.

While these are wonderful and worthy motives, we request that wards consider holding only one holiday activity or party for all ward members (or adults) in 2014 and into the future. Some wards are already doing this and we thank you.

In place of the other traditional Church-sponsored holiday activities or parties, we urge stake and ward leaders to encourage members to consider holding neighborhood holiday gatherings in their home as a follow-up to our neighbor-to-neighbor efforts during the stake food drive in October.

           

Please know this is not a mandate or policy from the stake presidency, but a recommendation. Our hope is that this letter will resonate with leaders as a way of:

·   Reducing the time demand holiday parties place on leaders and families; and

·   Encouraging members to use the holidays to invite non-member friends into our homes and help them to know of our personal devotion to Jesus Christ.

Thank you for giving this your consideration as we remind everyone that the holidays are ideal for spending time with family, building friendships with neighbors and serving the less-fortunate. Let’s give families the time to do so.

Governing Principles for Stake Activites

7 September 2015

TO: Bishops and Stake Leaders

FROM: The Stake Presidency

RE: 2015 Stake Calendar for the Mount Hood Stake

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The 2015 Stake Calendar is now ready for you to begin scheduling your ward events.  We express a special thanks to the Stake Council members, who spent extra time preparing this calendar to serve as a template for future years.

Attached is a pdf file of the 2015 calendar that you can access online along with a second document listing the stake events in each month. This list may look lengthy but be assured many of the events are for specific groups, not the general membership, and there are few that are outside the stake events you’re already accustomed to seeing.

However, the following will be helpful background information to some of the changes:

• FOOD DRIVE: We ask wards to support the Stake Food Drive as our 2015 Day of Service project. As you will see soon, with the new JustServe initiative, there will be MANY opportunities for wards to provide service throughout the year. We ask that your ward’s focus on Sept 19, 2015 be solely the Food Drive to include a Food Drive Family Night on Monday, Sept 14. Details will be forthcoming.

• TWO STAKE FIRESIDES: We have scheduled two firesides in 2015 in the months of November and December. We realize these are traditionally very busy months. However, with continuing concerns about an understanding of women’s roles in the Church, we have decided to have an annual evening with the stake presidency for all women in the stake. In 2014 this fireside is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 26, at 7:00 pm. Next year this fireside is scheduled for Nov 15, 2015. Please encourage the Brethren to help assure their wife is able to attend.

For the second fireside, please note…

• We have scheduled a Stake Christmas Music program on Sunday, Dec 13, 2015.  First, we hope to remove any obligation members may feel to support such a fireside. Second, our hope is that this fireside will serve as one more way for members to invite their non-LDS friends and neighbors to a Christmas music event further underscoring our belief in Jesus Christ. We ask that you support this by not scheduling ward holiday programs that evening.

FURTHERMORE, we ask that ward organizations (RS, HP, EQ, Primary, YMYW, etc.) to consider NOT holding holiday parties or events in the month of December. If they feel strongly about having such events then hold them in November or January.

• SCOUTING: We draw your attention to the fact that the Boy Scout Council has planned Woodbadge training in 2015 to be on a Thursday-through-Saturday schedule during two weeks in June. They arranged this largely because of our request not to hold this valuable, advanced Scout leader training over Sundays. We encourage all serious adult Scout leaders to register for this training in 2015. Depending on the number of applicants, the stake has made a commitment to help subsidize the registration fee for those who want to attend.

• SEMINARY: You will note that Seminary graduation is scheduled for June 7, 2015. This is nothing new except we wanted you to be aware that we plan to hold our own Seminary graduation—for our stake only—in 2015 and possibly into the future. You will also note we have scheduled an all-stake Seminary fireside for Wednesday, February 25, 2015, to replace your Mutual activity that evening. We continue to be concerned by a lessening support for Seminary among youth and their families.

• ATHLETICS: You will note that basketball games in 2015 are being scheduled on Tuesday evenings in order to avoid conflicts with ward events. We may also have a co-ed volleyball program later in the year.

• CAMP HELAMAN/PRIESTS CAMP: We have added to the 2015 calendar the missionary-themed Camp Helaman for all priests. With this day of hastening, we encourage wards to use this camp as your Priests' High Adventure program in 2015. We will discuss this further with bishoprics.

• WEEKEND USE OF THE STAKE CENTER: In the past wards that meet in the stake center have had a set weekend each month for their ward activities. That has been modified somewhat so the weekend is not always fixed. However, all wards are assured of at least one weekend each month to have priority for their events. Please check the online calendar for your assigned weekends.

Thank you for working with us on this calendar. Your feedback is always welcomed and appreciated.

Teaching the Principle of Assignment as the Lord's Way to Govern His Church

                                                                                              

30 March 2014

TO: All Stake and Ward Leaders

FROM: Mount Hood Oregon Stake Presidency

RE: Teaching the principle of governing the Church through assignments

Dear Stake and Ward Leaders,

Soon after God gave man his agency in the Garden of Eden (Moses 7:32), He introduced ordinances, covenants and commandments to bless us (D&C 58:2), to cleanse us (D&C 76:51-52), to help us know Him (1 John 2:3), to guide us (Proverbs 6:23), to prosper us (Jarom 1:9), and ultimately to bring us back into His presence (D&C 25:15).

This pattern continues today where we as leaders are to administer the affairs of the Lord’s Church by commandment or assignment. That distinction is clearly identified in Alma 5:62. As a covenant people, we serve by accepting assignments or callings, seldom by volunteering.

We draw your attention to two common practices in the Church that run counter to this principle: (1) passing sign-up sheets in classes or meetings and (2) volunteer prayers.

Passing Sign-Up Sheets

The passing of sign-up sheets not only causes a distraction during the class instruction, but it circumvents the use of inspiration and creates peer pressure on members to volunteer for an assignment. It also means many, who could be blessed by the service opportunity, are missed because they’re not in attendance.

The appropriate way is for inspired leaders to make assignments in private so members can exercise their agency by accepting the assignment and receive the blessing or decline without experiencing the undue pressure of embarrassment or guilt; often they have acceptable reasons.

Volunteer Prayers

When leaders or teachers call on others to offer an opening or closing prayer in a class or other public setting, we often do it in one of two ways:

·   We ask, “Does anyone want to offer the prayer?” or

·   We call on someone by name and ask him or her, without notice, to give the prayer.

In the first example, we have all experienced the painful silence when no one volunteers, making everyone feel ashamed for failing to step forward and do something so meaningful.

In the second example, we run the risk of embarrassing someone by putting them on the spot, when it may be painfully difficult for them to pray in public, or where they may not be allowed to offer prayers in public as a condition of Church discipline.

The appropriate way for leaders to obtain opening and closing prayers is through assignment—made privately before the class or meeting—so the member has an opportunity to accept or decline without embarrassment. Having a class president in each Sunday School class, who makes assignments, will help avoid putting teachers in a position of calling on students to offer impromptu prayers.

Please know that this principle is not meant to be a “rule” in our stake. We simply ask stake and ward leaders to teach this principle to those in their respective organizations so that, in time, we can minimize, or even eliminate, these practices that can be embarrassing and hurtful to members.

Objectives of Sunday School presidencies in our stake

Notes from meeting with Stake Sunday School President Michael Miller on November 11, 2014, about the role of the Sunday School presidency in each ward:

First and foremost, the Stake Sunday School presidency is tasked with addressing the substitute teacher problem in the stake. Until that part of the “infrastructure” gets addressed, ward Sunday School presidencies will forever feel overwhelmed and will never get around to doing the following:

1. TEACH YOUTH TO TEACH: Ward SS presidencies are to help teachers of youth understand one of their prime responsibilities is to teach youth how to teach and testify, recognizing that many of them will be in the mission field within a very short time of their graduation from high school. This does not mean teachers simply give a student the manual and have them teach a lesson. Teachers of youth need to be instructed how to teach the students to teach and testify without turning over the class to them.

2. CONSISTENT OBSERVATION: A system needs to be put into place where there is consistent monitoring of youth class instruction so there is accountability and determination of training needs so the once-a-month training of youth is effective and will result in changes in the classroom.

3. EFFECTIVE COORDINATION OF TRAINING: Each ward must become more effective in the training of youth teachers. That will require a more effective coordination that happens between the (1) Implementation of tools in the classroom, (2) effective monthly trainings that result in implementation in the classroom and (3) consistent observation and mentoring to insure the right training is being provided on a monthly basis and that teachers are making the changes, as needed.

4. CALLING OF INSTRUCTORS: The ward Sunday School presidency provides counsel and feedback to the bishopric on how teachers, especially teachers of youth, are called and introduced to their assignment. The Stake Sunday School presidency provides the same counsel and feedback to the stake presidency so they can train bishoprics. It is important that all instructors come to understand what an important role they play in the hastening of the Lord’s work and that any attitude of resistance toward the teacher training they receive and/or one-on-one mentoring by their file leaders, including the ward Sunday School presidency, will not be tolerated for any length of time. It is important for bishoprics to address this at the time of the calling.