Direction to Bishops on two important actions they will take in December 2018

1 December 2018

Bishops and Branch Presidents…

The following is to help you prepare for two important actions you will take in December:

1. FINANCES: We hope to have for you by next week a customized report for each ward and branch listing for you all the financial numbers you’ll need going into 2019, including: 

a) your 2018 allocation and carry over;

b) your expected income for 2019 as per your sacrament meeting attendance;

c) a recommended amount to budget for 2019 to cushion against fluctuations in sacrament meeting attendance;

d) the total “extra” amount you’ll receive from the stake in 2019 to help subsidize families for any summer camps you choose to hold in addition to the trek in the summer of 2019;

e) a chart showing how your sacrament meeting attendance has been trending over the past 4 quarters.

2. AREA PLAN PRESENTATION: You may be wondering what you are expected to present in your 3rd hour presentation on the Area Plan 2019 on Sunday, December 30.

In support of your presentation, we will deliver to you by the middle of the month these two documents:

a) the 8.5x11 flyer (see attached) describing in detail the “My Plan 2019” which you are to distribute one per household during your presentation;

b) a wallet-sized, folded card (see attached) to be distributed to each person who attends the presentation, which lists the 4 priorities of the plan and provides a place on the inside for each to write down their own “2019 My Plan."

WHAT AND HOW TO PRESENT IT

We recommend you consider the following in preparing for your Dec. 30 presentation:

• Review again the one-hour presentation by the Area Presidency in which they address at length each of the 4 priorities, which will be a good resource for your presentation; here is the link again for the video presentation: https://www.dropbox.com/s/oce4y37lddqqbd9/NANW_AreaPlanBroadcast_103018_ReviewCopy_360p_captions.mov?dl=0

If you need to register to view it, use:

User Name: churchleader

Password: Nov2018_broadcast

• We suggest your presentation can be this simple:

1) Distribute the support materials to those in attendance;

2) Have members of the bishopric or branch presidency conduct a brief discussions on each of the 4 Area Priorities;

3) Give members 10 minutes at the end of the meeting to ponder and write down 4 things they want to commit to do in 2019 in support of the 4 Priorities.

4) Close with a testimony and prayer.

We hope this is helpful,

The Stake Presidency

Encouragement to Ward and Branch Councils to make sacrament meetings more Christ-focused in 2019

                                           

12 December 2018

TO: Ward and Branch Councils

FROM: The Mount Hood Stake Presidency

Christ-Centered Sacrament Meetings in 2019

Dear Ward and Branch Leaders,

The new year—especially this upcoming new year—is an excellent time to make changes.
We have already recommended that you make sure you have teachers in place willing to embrace the “Come, Follow Me” approach in the classroom. (Please encourage teachers to review resources on www.lds.org such as a search of: “Videos for Leaders” and “Come Follow Me: New Testament.”)

You’ll also remember that in Elder Quinton L. Cook’s introduction in General Conference to the new 2-Hour Meeting Schedule he announced that Sunday meetings in 2019 “will consist of a 60-minute sacrament meeting each Sunday, focused on the Savior, the ordinance of the sacrament, and spiritual messages.”

We feel to emphasize in our stake a focus on the Savior in all sacrament meetings in 2019.

We urge you to assign a talk or talks with a topic focused on the Savior each Sunday in 2019 (not Fast Sunday, of course). We’ve also asked the High Councilors, when assigned to speak in your ward or branch, to follow this counsel.

Furthermore, we ask that this be a frequent topic in Ward Council meetings that you counsel together often on how to place emphasis on the Savior in each sacrament meeting.

The following resources will help you generate talk topics on the Savior:

·      Sunday School Manual: The New Testament lessons found in the 2019 edition of “Come, Follow Me — For Individuals and Families”;

·      Scripture Helps: The scripture Study Helps found online, including the Topical Guide (57 topics referencing Jesus Christ), Index to the Triple Combination, Guide to the Scriptures, Gospel Topics, and the Bible Dictionary;

·      General Conference: Messages from the Brethren are replete with talk topics on the Savior; search for “Jesus Christ” on www.lds.org and click on “General Conference” in the left margin (please do not assign a single talk to a speaker).

On page 2 (or backside) you can see examples of how to use these resources to assist in generating a wide variety of topics on the Savior.

Thank you for accepting this counsel. We feel strongly it will set the tone for a more spiritual sacrament meeting and for our gospel study of the New Testament at home.

Examples of Sacrament Meeting Talk

Topics that Focus on the Savior

Mount Hood Stake • 2019

2019 ‘Come, Follow Me — For Individuals and Families’

January 7-13: Matthew 1, Luke 1

·   How Jesus’ unique heritage (mortal mother, immortal father) was essential to fulfill God’s Plan for His children.

·   What we learn from the annunciation of Jesus’ birth about God’s timing in our lives and why it’s so important to seek and submit to His will.

January 21-27: John 1

·   Just as the disciples bore witness of Jesus Christ, we can stand as witnesses of Jesus Christ “at all times and in all things, and in all places,” (Mosiah 18:9)

October 14-20: Philippians and Colossians

•  How do we find joy in Christ, regardless of our personal circumstances?

Topical Guide

Jesus Christ, Atonement through

·   Why Jesus Christ’s Atonement is so important to all mankind and to me personally.

Jesus Christ, Condescension of

·   How our appreciation of the Savior’s willingness to become like man so man can become like God can influence the way we live the gospel each day.

Guide to the Scriptures

Redeemer

·   What it means to be redeemed and why we are grateful for our Savior’s selfless act.

Bible Dictionary

Lord of Hosts (see Sabbath)

·   Why the Lord has given us a Sabbath Day and the many ways it can bless us.

General Conference Messages (please do not assign a single talk to a speaker)

‘Strengthened by the Atonement of Jesus Christ’ – Elder Oaks, October 2015

·   How the Savior is able to help us in our day-to-day lives.

‘Jesus Christ, the Master Healer’ – Elder Nelson, October 2005

·   What it means to receive the healing power of Jesus Christ in our lives.’

4 Essential Missionary Activities and Expectations of Ward Mission Leaders

4 Essential Missionary Activities

in the Mount Hood Stake

December 2018

The four essential missionary activities in our stake are:

1.   Weekly Missionary Coordination meetings, under the direction of the Bishop, a member of the Elders Quorum presidency (assisted by a member of the Relief Society presidency) presides and the Ward or Branch Mission Leader conducts the meeting. Those to attend include the ward or branch missionaries and full-time missionaries. This meeting can be held in person or via electronic media. Objective: see agenda items in Handbook 2: 5.1.5.

2.   Daily or every-other-day contact between the Ward or Branch Mission Leader and the full-time missionaries assigned to his ward or branch. This can be done via phone, text or messaging. Objective: the Mission Leader should give direction to the full-time missionaries as to the next steps they should take in their missionary efforts and also ensure they meet the goal of teaching the gospel at least once a day—to investigators, new converts or long-time members.

3.   Regularly schedule full-time missionaries for evening, non-dinner appointments to visit member homes. This is to be done by the Mission Leader or ward/branch missionary he assigns. Objective: so members and missionaries can get acquainted, build a relationship of trust, and ultimately work arm-in-arm in growing the ward or branch and ministering to others.

4.   Twice-weekly report by the full-time missionaries sent via email or text to all who attend the Missionary Coordination meeting. Objective: keep everyone apprised of new developments and needs of the full-time missionaries as well as report on needs of families they visit.

 Full-Time Missionary Report

In fulfillment of the fourth guideline above, full-time missionaries are to make their twice-weekly email or text report very simple and succinct. For example:

·      List the names of only two or three families you visited since the last report;

·      Make suggestions as to the needs or concerns, if any, of those you visited;

·      Ask the ward leaders what they would like you to do to further help their missionary and ministering efforts.

Expectations of Ward and

Branch Mission Leaders

Mount Hood Stake • December 2018

The Stake Presidency asks Ward and Branch Mission Leaders to (1) ensure the Four Essential Missionary Activities are fulfilled consistently, (2) that the guidelines for baptismal services are followed, and (3) that they take responsibility for the following under the direction of the Elders and Relief Society presidencies:

Missionary-Ministering Coordination:  The mission leader is responsible for coordinating the missionary work in the ward or branch, including: (1) conduct the weekly coordination meeting, and (2) coordinate with the EQ and RS presidencies on how the full-time missionaries can assist and participate in home visits with ministering companionships.

Give Direction to the Full-Time Missionaries: The mission leader is to visit each day or every-other-day—preferably on the phone—with the full-time missionaries and assign them to the homes where you want them to visit and teach.

Ensure Missionaries Teach Every Day: The mission leader is responsible to arrange for the missionaries to teach at least one lesson per day. That can be to an investigator or to a member family. The mission leader or a ward/branch missionary is to make the member appointments for the missionaries.

Encourage Finding by Members: The mission leader works with the ward council, via the EQ and RS presidencies, to encourage and train members on how to fellowship and invite their friends to be taught by the missionaries.

Connect the Missionaries and Members: Recent changes to missionary policies and guidelines can create a distancing between the full-time missionaries and the members. The mission leader is to oversee and implement activities that will help members and missionaries work together, including (1) train the full-time missionaries on making their twice-weekly reports to ward leaders more effective and (2) prepare ward leaders to receive and act on these reports.

Arrange Leader Visits: The mission leader is to help arrange a visit by a ward or branch leader, preferably a member of the bishopric, branch presidency or elders quorum presidency, in the home of all sincere investigators prior to baptism.

Guidelines for Missionary Work in our stake

12 December 2018 

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

Thank you very much for adjusting to the policy changes we've received lately regarding Missionary Work.

While we are very supportive of the new direction, we are concerned that 

• the no-dinner policy is distancing full-time missionaries from the members; 

• the removal of Ward and Branch Mission Leaders from the Ward and Branch Council is causing them to wonder about their role and usefulness. 

Furthermore, we have a growing concern that we sometimes begin to think that we're supposed to help the missionaries, when it's the other way around—they're here to help us with our missionary efforts. 

In order to address these concerns, we have drafted the attached 2-page document identifying the "Four Essential Missionary Activities" in every ward and branch and the "Expectations of Ward and Branch Mission Leaders." 

Will you please review these together and use them as guidelines for moving forward the Work of Salvation in your ward or branch? 

Gratefully,

The Stake Presidency 

P.S. We receive a report every week on which units are conducting a weekly Missionary Coordination meeting, now presided over by members of the EQ and RS presidencies. We are pleased to report that ALL wards and branches held such a meeting this past week. THANK YOU!

In response to a Ward Mission Leader concerned about the burden of making dinner appointments for the missionaries

Hello, Brian…

Thank you so much for reaching out. And, yes, it’s always appropriate to contact me directly. Vivienne and I feel a kinship to both you and Alisha, thanks to our Self-Reliance class. We are so grateful you are part of our stake and are equally as excited for you to welcome in a baby into the world soon. Congratulations!

As for your question, no, there is no policy, either from the stake or mission, that you cannot use a calendar for scheduling weekend meals. It’s your call or the decision of your ward leaders.

However, we have tried to teach a higher principle by encouraging ward and branch leaders to avoid passing sign-up sheets during meetings. The attached document hopefully will explain why. 

Knowing how sensitive you are to the needs of others and observing your dedication to your calling (you are doing a great job as Ward Mission Leader!), you’ll appreciate the importance of using these wonderful full-time missionaries in our ministering and teaching efforts. Having them in less-active members’ homes could be very powerful and a true blessing in the lives of these special members who need our extra attention. In other words, in my opinion it's worth every effort to get these missionaries, who have been set apart and given a very special mantle to take the Spirit of the Lord wherever they go, into as many members’ homes as possible.

Now that the Ward Mission Leader has a closer tie to the EQ and RS presidencies, I recommend you turn to both presidencies and ask them to use ministering companionships to arrange for missionary lunch and dinner appointments in members’ homes, especially those less-active who are blessed by as much contact from fellow members as they will allow. Let the ministering companionships take turns in fulfilling this assignment, that can feel burdensome to just one person.

I hope this is helpful. Will you forgive me if I take the liberty of copying this to your bishop and EQ and RS presidents so they’ll know you have my support, if you choose to recommend this?

I hope this is helpful. We send our love and best to you both for a very Merry Christmas!

Crismon

Report on a miracle of a missionary who died in his first week in the field

For those who joined in fasting for this tender cause, you might like to know that the body was returned home from South Africa in less than two weeks, much less than the 3-4 weeks that it usually takes. Elder Lamping’s funeral is this Friday. 

Thank you again for remembering this family in your fasting and prayers.

Pres Lewis

Dear fellow stake leaders…

Our stake was recently touched by a very sad incident, and yet witnessed a remarkable tender mercy, too. I thought you’d enjoy hearing about it.

All of you know Sister Beth Newell, our former Stake Relief Society president. She and her husband Matt’s oldest son, Carter, was set apart just last week (the Monday before Thanksgiving) to serve in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission.

Tragically, with less than a week in the Missionary Training Center in South Africa, Elder Newell’s companion, Elder Zane Lamping, suddenly and inexplicably died. https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2018-11-27/young-missionary-dies-after-collapsing-at-the-south-africa-missionary-training-center-48511

Because both elders had been in the MTC such a short time, the Lamping family had not even received an email from their son before he passed away. Needless to say, it left his grief-stricken mother grasping for any information about Elder Lamping’s experience in the MTC. 

With a heavy heart, Beth reached out to the Lamping family in southern Nevada and, in the phone conversation, recognized this grieving mother’s yearning for more information about her son’s week in the MTC. 

The tender mercy...

The Newell’s son Carter seldom took photos even when he had a camera on his phone at home. In hopes he would take at least a few photos on his mission, Matt and Beth sent Carter off with a small, inexpensive digital camera—with no expectation of receiving many photos from their son.

Surprisingly, Carter got the "photo bug” immediately upon his departure and during his trip to South Africa (he met up in the Atlanta airport with Elder Lamping and the 18 missionaries all going to South Africa) and during those first days at the MTC he took LOTS of photos showing he and his companion—where they ate, slept, studied and exercised. 

So when Beth discovered a grieving Sister Lamping desperate for any information about her son’s brief MTC experience, Carter’s many photos, which he had already sent home, provided the healing balm for the Lamping family…precisely at the right time!

The next miracle the Lampings need now is to have their son’s body returned quicker than usual. 

Normally, it takes 20-25 days to process such a shipment from overseas. The Newell family has invited all of us to fast this Sunday with them asking the Lord, if it’s His will, to expedite the process and bring closure and healing sooner to the Lamping family.

Thank you for remembering the Lamping and the Newell families in our prayers and fasting this Sunday.

President Lewis

Announcing Budget Projections that now reflect sacrament meeting attendance

11 December 2018

Dear Bishoprics and Branch Presidencies,

The numbers you’ve been waiting for to make 2019 budget projections will be sent to you shortly. 

As you know, ward/branch (and stake) budget allocations from SLC are based on sacrament meeting attendance.

We are now able to establish budgets for you that will reflect the variations in sacrament meeting attendance. We are doing that for several reasons. Hopefully it will...

1) help remind all of us of the importance of inviting others (members and neighbors) to come and worship with us;

2) give added attention to involving the ward council in planning spirit-filled sacrament meetings so more will be drawn to attend;

3) involve more ward leaders, specifically the ward or branch council, in monitoring attendance and generating ideas to improve sacrament meetings;

4) encourage clerks to ensure sacrament meeting attendance numbers are accurately and timely recorded and reported.

While it means your ward or branch budget allocation will fluctuate each quarter, we have calculated a recommended annual allocation you can safely budget against so you can assign annual budgets to your ward organizations.

In a subsequent email you will receive two documents with 2019 projections that should help you:

1) An overview of (a) your budget status for 2018 and (b) budget allocations, including a recommended amount to budget against in 2019, based on sacrament meeting attendance for the last 4 quarters; this document also shows you how your ward is trending in sacrament meeting attendance so you can anticipate an increase or reduction in allocation over the coming months if the trend continues;

2) Budget projection details that you can reference, if you want to see how we arrived at the numbers on the Budget Overview page.

Thank you for working with us in helping this budget process succeed so you can benefit from your efforts to improve sacrament meeting attendance. It also allows you to set up a ward or branch budget that won't fluctuate quarterly.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact our stake clerk Bud Koch, President Christiansen or President Lewis.

Gratefully,

The Stake Presidency

Counsel to a bishop with a member insisting he can serve the Lord in his own way

11 December 2018

Bishop (Name),

Thank you for meeting with me last week. I enjoyed visiting with you and reviewing the wonderful things happening in your ward.

I was especially glad to hear you have a deep friendship and appreciation for Brother (Name), a good brother who has a great heart and apparently gives generously in so many ways outside of Church service.

I couldn’t help but think of him, though, as I read a paragraph from Elder Paul B. Pieper’s talk in October General Conference:

"In the process of taking the Savior’s name upon us, we must understand that the cause of Christ and of His Church are one and the same. They cannot be separated. Similarly, our personal discipleship to the Savior and active membership in His Church are also inseparable. If we falter in our commitment to one, our commitment to the other will be diminished, as surely as night follows day.”

There are so many who want to do it “my way.” They want to do good, but only if they can do it “their way.” 

That was at the heart of the tragic Cain-Abel incident. They both made offerings from the heart—Abel by the Lord’s way, Cain by his way. Except for the fact that Cain listened to Satan and murdered his brother, which undeniably are HUGE sins, you can’t help but wonder why the Lord was so intolerant, so unforgiving, so harsh on Cain…it started out as a free-will offering, something good. Some might say, “Cut him some slack, Cain was just trying to do right!" Modern revelation gives us the important insight that while on the outside Cain's offering appeared to be righteous—maybe even heart-felt—on the inside there was a heart of greed (Moses 5:33).

Whenever we insist on serving “my way,” it’s an indication that there is something deeper in our heart that needs addressing.

I recognize this is likely not the time to address this with (Name), but where you have such a good relationship with him, my hope is that some day you’ll be able to have a heart-to-heart with him and help him recognize “his way” to being a follower of the Savior will not only fall short but undermine his character and lead to him losing his family, “as surely as night follows day.”

I hope this helps in some way. Thank you for being close to (Name) when he doesn’t have time to allow very many others to be close to him.

President Lewis