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.