Efforts to grow the new Spanish Group in our stake

20 March 2016                                                                       

TO: All Bishoprics and the YSA Branch Presidency

RE: Helping the Spanish Group take the next step

Dear Brethren,

We are very excited with the progress of the Spanish Group that meets each Sunday as part of the Sandy River Ward. Truly the Lord has blessed this fledgling Group that has its own sacrament meeting and Sunday School class since each Sunday at 9:00 a.m. under the able leadership of Group Leader Carlos Ibarra.

We join with Bishop Hokanson in embracing the doctrines that urge us forward in providing a Spanish unit in our stake (see doctrines on the next page) with the goal of the Spanish Group becoming an independent branch by the end of the 2016.

The Spanish Group now needs our help to take the next step in its progression.

Since its founding in January, the Group has been blessed by a strong “group council” made up of very capable, bi-lingual leaders and two sets of Spanish-speaking missionaries—one set in support of the Sandy River and Estacada Wards and one set in support of all the other units.

What the Spanish Group now needs is for every ward and branch in our stake to become more engaged in supporting this young Group.

To this end, by April 10, we ask each bishopric and the YSA branch presidency to…

·   Assign a member to serve as the Spanish Key Contact for your ward or branch;

·   Assign all Spanish-speaking members of your unit to serve as Spanish Member-Missionaries in your ward or branch.

Those assigned will not attend the Spanish Group, but serve as a conduit for the Spanish-speaking (full-time and ward) missionaries to expand their reach to Spanish-speaking members and investigators throughout our stake. The following two pages provide guidelines and recommendations for fulfilling the above assignment.

Thank you for accepting this assignment and helping to move forward the work in our stake.

Faithfully yours,

The Stake Presidency 

Guidelines for Growing the Spanish Group

 Doctrine behind why we have a Spanish Group in our stake

·   D&C 90:11 - “…every man shall hear the fullness of the gospel in his own tongue and in his own language…”

·   1 Nephi 21:22-23 - “I will soften the hearts of the Gentiles, that they shall be like unto a father to them…”

·   2 Nephi 4:9 – “…thou shalt not utterly be destroyed; but in the end thy seed shall be blessed.”

·   1 Nephi 21:22-23 – “…I will lift up mind hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.”

·   2 Nephi 10:18 – “I will soften the hearts of the Gentiles, that they shall be like unto a father to them…”

ACTION PLAN: How we can help fulfill these prophecies

BISHOPRICS TO ASSIGN: Each bishopric or branch presidency is to identify and…
(1) Assign a Spanish Key Contact in your ward or branch; and

(2) Assign all Spanish-speaking members of you ward or branch as Spanish Member-Missionaries.

ASSIGNMENT, NOT A CALLING: This is to be an assignment, not a calling. They are not to be sustained or set apart, unless the bishopric chooses to do so. All those assigned are to continue in their current callings. We add a caution that if this assignment creates an undue burden on any individual or family, bishoprics have the option of not issuing the assignment. However, we ask that you give us an explanation of why they were not assigned.

DEADLINE: All assignments are to be issued by or under the direction of the bishopric or branch presidency. The names of those assigned are to be submitted to the stake presidency directly or via Derek Conklin no later than April 10.

EXPECTATIONS: Below is a brief overview of what the Spanish Key Contact and the Spanish Member-Missionaries are expected to do. All serve under the direction of the Bishop, the priesthood key holder, via the Ward or Branch Mission Leader.

Expectations of those assigned

SPANISH KEY CONTACT DUTIES:

·   Attend a Spanish Missionary Correlation Meeting twice a month (a Thursday, 8pm meeting in the Sandy River Ward Bishop’s office);

·   Regularly report either in person or via the Ward Mission Leader to their own Ward Council on missionary progress among Spanish-speaking members and investigators in the ward;

·   Help coordinate efforts of the Spanish Member-Missionaries in their ward or branch.

SPANISH MEMBER-MISSIONARIES DUTIES:

·   Regularly receive Spanish-speaking missionaries into their home for training;

·   Create a Family Mission Plan on how to reach out to Spanish-speaking friends;

·   Help share pass-along cards on Spanish Group meetings.

Who to assign in your ward or branch

Below are those we’re aware of in each ward or branch who speak Spanish. All should be assigned to serve as Spanish Member-Missionaries in your unit. An asterisk is placed by the name(s) we recommend you consider for the Spanish Key Contact, but the choice is yours.

NOTE: The Spanish Key Contact may be either male or female. It may be helpful that the Spanish Key Contact is already in a ward leadership position or serving as a ward missionary.

Names in parenthesis are persons with significant Church callings that already require a heavy commitment level. Please use caution or flexibility in making assignments to these individuals due their current leadership load.

Please advise if there are any other Spanish-speaking members in your ward not listed below.

Damascus

(Bill Miller)

Matt Newell*

Gonzalo Romero*

Estacada

Travis Garrison*

(Doug Lee)

(Andy Trujillo)

Brigham Baird

(Don Gingell)

Zchon Jones

Tracy Piercy

Paul Raines

Vohne Spieth*

Miriam Spieth

Brian Thompson

Joseph Wilson*

Wendy Wilson

Mt Hood YSA

Jorge Barragan*

Steven Holbrook*

McKenna Thomas*

Powell Valley

Jared Cheney

(Michael Hardy)

David Capps

Enrique Cuevas*

Carol Belshie*

Sandy River

Dale Wilcox

Greg Brown*

April Dobson

Craig Dobson

Marie Hokanson

Corey Hokanson

Aaron Smith

Richard Stark

Brian Yates

Fabiola Moreno-Chavez

Marta Cauich Pinto

Ruth Norris

Tickle Creek

Clair Reynolds

David Conklin*

Derek Conklin

(Preston Farner)

Melia Long

David Shaw

Doug Yates

Jimmy (Quantillo) Santos

Walters Hill

Morgan Ortiz*

Roger Budge

Mike DeLeon

Melody Keene

Crismon Lewis

Kevin Lewis*

Vaughn Lewis

Jay Ricker*

George Arauz

Max Strasburg

Patrick Woodho

Are ordinances still valid if performed by unworthy priesthood holders?

The following was my quick response to an email from the wife of a priesthood holder (formerly leader), who confessed to inappropriate activities that he has kept from his family for years. That, of course, raised questions about the validity of all ordinances and blessings he has performed for his family over the years.

Thank you for asking this question. I am leaving shortly for the temple and probably should take more time in responding this evening…and will be happy to so if you would like. However, because this pains me deeply that you have suffered over this question, I would like to try and eliminate or at least mitigate your pain as quickly as possible.

In short, when a priesthood holder is unworthy, the sanctity of an ordinance or blessing is violated, but not the validity.

The Lord, in His merciful understanding of how mortal and imperfect we all are, He stands behind His authority and validates every ordinance performed by his imperfect children…His sons, in this case.

So what is a man’s motivation to be worthy?

We commonly use a phrase in the Church that says, “power and authority of the priesthood.” We sometimes think those two descriptions of the priesthood are synonymous. They are not.

In one of the most important sections in the Doctrine and Covenants about priesthood (D&C 121), we read this one verse: “Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen.” (v 34) It then goes on to explain what it means to be chosen and not chosen.

In brief, we learn that MANY men have hands laid on their head and receive authority. Only a FEW “choose” to have power through righteousness, as so well described in the rest of D&C 121. The Lord accepts the use of His authority, even when performed unworthily, but the priesthood holder forfeits his privilege of priesthood power through his unworthiness. 

Your husband’s desire to have power, not just authority, led him to the point so that when he was caught he was willing to face “the fire” and “walk the thorny path” to bring power into your home and the lives of his family. While his “official discipline” may only be for a short time (probably until this summer or possibly even sooner), the power of and in the priesthood will not return so quickly. It will depend on how deeply repentant he is and how faithful he will be over the coming months and maybe years.

I hope this can bring comfort and solace that all ordinances and blessings pronounced upon your children are still very valid and your sons now must decide…choose...if they will use their priesthood authority with power or not. So when the scripture says “chosen,” it doesn’t mean the Lord does the choosing, i.e. plays favorites, but that we (priesthood holders) must choose whether or not we will draw the powers of heaven into our use of His authority.

Helping youth learn to repent of serious sin

The following was sent to bishops on Feb 8, 2016 as part of training used in a Bishopric Training meeting:

CONFESSION
Isaiah 29:13-15 – Applies to both secret combinations and individuals - Youth are swayed mightily today by the precepts of men
- Hiding deep “works in the dark”
D&C 58:42-43 – Lord’s requirements for repentance (see also Bible Dictionary)
How do we help youth to be forthright and know what needs to be confessed?

THE LINES
VIDEO: “Crossing the Line”
The lines for missionary recommendation and sometimes temple worthiness
As “gatekeepers,” we are to use the following guidelines for youth to be recommended for missionary service and temple worthiness:

• Less-Serious Sin, 6 months from last incident: Habitual pornography and masturbation, light petting (above clothes, above waist)
  
• Serious Sin, 1 year from last incident: Fornication, including oral sex; simulated sex with clothes on; sexting (transmitting pornographic pictures of self); heavy petting (under clothes, below waist), any same-gender sexual relationship
  
• Mitigating factors: Time, number, frequency, aggressor, understanding FORGIVENESS: Responsibility and procedures (not the doctrine)
  As a Judge in Israel...
  1. We may forgive on behalf of the Church
  2. Rarely, if ever, do we forgive on behalf of the Lord
  3. We are to help youth learn to walk the path and know when they are forgiven
  Our goal is save this generation!
  

• See Handbook 1, Chapter 4, especially 4.5.2 and Chapter 7, especially 7.2.4
  
• D&C 64:10 – Who is to forgive whom?
  
• Mosiah 26:29 – Who does the forgiving?
  
• Moroni 6:7-8 – What is our responsibility as a Judge in Israel in a church where
  members make covenants?
  
• D&C 82:7-8 – What is the consequence when sin is repented and then repeated?
  
• D&C 58:17-20 – Why should members follow the counsel of their bishop?
  
• D&C 42:88 – 92 – Why are most sins addressed privately?
  
• Mosiah 4:30 – At what point did immorality begin? 
  

Addressing the high number of full-time missionaries returning home early

An email sent to bishops on February 8, 2016:

Bishops,

As part of the training in CCM yesterday (for stake presidents with Elder Stapleton), we spent an unusual amount of time discussing some of new challenges regarding full-time missionary recommendations.

The biggest concern:

An astounding 25% of full-time missionaries are coming home early for a variety of reasons: health, emotional and mental challenges, delayed confessions, more difficult than they expected, etc.

Equally disappointing, those who come home early only a small fraction make it back into the field.

As I review in my mind, I believe we’ve had 5 missionaries come home early in the last 4 years for delayed confessions, medical issues and, in one case, breaking a rule on the mission. Thankfully, at least two of the missionaries returned to the field and have served or are serving faithfully. We’ve had a couple of others where I’ve had to call the missionary and explain that he would be sent home if he didn’t change his conduct in the field. Thankfully again, both finished out their missions.

WE ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM

The Brethren have identified that you and I are part of the problem.

Here’s what bishops and stake presidents are doing:

1. We’re not explaining more emphatically the rigors of mission life. We’re so eager for them to serve (I’m as anyone), that we sometimes downplay what it’s like to (1) get rejected more than accepted, (2) get discouraged more often than feel joy, and (3) have to adapt to the many personalities of multiple companions.

2. In our eagerness that they serve in a foreign country, we’re not communicating explicitly (or downplaying) to the Brethren ALL the background and issues of the candidate. Sometimes a candidate on medication for depression or anxiety will go off the meds so as to not jeopardize getting called or called to a foreign country. The Brethren need to know everything we know.

WHAT CAN BE DONE

They are asking us to be more explicit and give more details on the missionaries…not just write a sentence or two about how good this young person is or what a great missionary he or she will be.

We are to be more forthcoming about past and current transgressions. The attached CONFIDENTIAL guidelines are those shared with all of you before in our training. I recently updated this document, so please discard the previous version received last year. 

They recommend when we need to delay submitting a call, due to a moral transgression (see the attached), that we also communicate with the youth and parents why there will need to be a waiting period. Of course, we are not to communicate to parents the transgression, but encourage youth to be forthright with their parents as part of their repentance process, especially if transgressions occurred while in their teenage years and living at home.

The information we write (not the confidential) is passed on to the assigned mission president and is extremely important to them to know more about the background and emotional-health concerns.

We are likely to see soon new questions in the online recommendation form asking us, as priesthood leaders, if we certify that we have given complete information, not just truthful.

YOUNG PEOPLE WHO GO OFF TO COLLEGE

You may find interesting that one concern raised by other stake presidents was that young people are going off to college, especially Church schools, where they know the mission and even temple interviews can be like “cattle calls,” with so many young people applying. So when they come home to actually leave, we get involved very late in the process and, because they’ve addressed past issues, feel they have nothing to confess or address with you. If you, too, have those concerns, please feel free to share with me so we can address it, if needed. 

As some of you will remember, our previous stake president would not allow young people to apply for a mission while at a church school, but required they do all processing with their home bishops and stake president. I have not felt that strongly about it, inasmuch as most of the issues (and they were minimal) were with young people not at church schools. But I’m open to changing that, if you feel it would help.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENT

I will send you in a subsequent email a 4-page document in pdf format that we received yesterday from the Missionary Executive Council, which is chaired by Elder Oaks, on some of these issues and how they are to be addressed. I hope it is helpful.

Preparing young people is becoming more difficult today than ever before due to the pervasive availability and acceptance of immorality and pornography. Another very significant factor is the life of ease most young people experience. Parents have a difficult time finding work for their children or are too busy to expect it. So our youth have lives filled with fun (electronic devices and toys) and busy (school) activities, but they don’t know how to work or do hard things. So they think a mission is “EFY on steroids,” as Elder Stapleton said. When they discover that missionary work is hard, difficult, exhausting, discouraging, long-suffering work, they don’t know how to handle it and some have a melt down.

So the Brethren are turning to us to step up our preparation of youth and their parents…and our clearing procedures to make sure they leave worthy with both eyes open as to the joy and challenges ahead.

I hope this is helpful to all of us. Thank you for the MANY hours you put in to help these young people come to discover the blessing of serving a mission and living the gospel. You may want to consider also meeting with parents to help them understand their even more important role in preparing sons and daughters to serve.

Gratefully,

President Lewis

Report on creating Mid-Singles wards in the Portland area

The following is an email to Chris Bentley, formerly of the Mt Hood YSA Ward, who asked me to inquire about the possibility of creating a Mid-Singles Ward (for those 31-45 years of age) in the Portland area. I sent the following response on February 9, 2016:

Chris,

Sorry it’s taken so long to report back, but you’ll find interesting that your efforts have brought a renewed discussion at the general authority level. Apparently there were some Areas 70s who didn’t even know there were mid-singles units within their areas. The links you sent me listing all the units in the country was an eye-opener for many.

Bottom line: It appears the Church plans to update the handbook and authorize the creation of single adult wards, for singles without children at home 31 to 45 years of age. There must be 150 or more in a stake for a stake president to give consideration to applying to SLC for approval.

BTW…Singles with children at home are to remain in their traditional ward to make sure the children have access to the church’s full programs.

Also…the Brethren do not use the term “mid-singles.” And, since only single adult wards for those ages 31-45 are being authorized, they reference wards for those 31-45 as Single Adult wards.

Thanks to your inquiry, this additional guideline was given for our area:

A Single Adult Ward can be created overlaying multiple stakes, but not to exceed four stakes.

So…

If you still want to pursue this, I think it’s going to take a groundswell effort on your part to see if you can identify enough singles without children (31-45 years of age), who are interested in seeing such a unit created. Then all of you communicate with your stake president and let him know of your desires. You’ll want to keep it within mission boundaries, which complicates it a bit in Portland, as you know, and keep within four (or less) adjacent stakes.

I know you were hoping something could be done for the Portland metro area. Whether you can even arouse enough interest within a 4-stake group (of adjacent stakes) to have at least 150 prospective members wanting to see a Single Adult (31-45) ward created will be a challenge. But at least it’s a foot in the door.

I hope this helps. 

President Lewis

503-667-5843

P.S. By the way…"magnet wards" (a traditional ward designated as a “gathering place” for members across stake boundaries) are not allowed.

Best Practices Shared by Bishops - January 2016

·   Holding Ward Council meeting every Sunday, except for the first Sunday. On that day the bishopric members conduct one-on-one stewardship interviews with the quorum or auxiliary presidents (ward council members).

·   “Something that I feel is making a difference is showing a genuine love and compassion for the members of our ward whenever around them. This love and compassion, as much as possible, is taken into the homes of all our members, those who are less active, new to the ward, and those who actively participate. Not only showing that love and compassion, but helping them recognize it in their own lives and situations…helping them recognize the tender mercies of the Lord.”

·   “We are continuing to give Sunday School a few minutes in most Ward Council meetings to review teaching methods from Come Follow Me with the intention that all organizations adopt the techniques. I feel that the change desired will take years to get permanently established hence the continued focus.”

·   “I’d say we are focusing on people. It seems whenever we place someone’s name on an agenda or report, we place more focus on them as ward leadership and things start to happen. We reviewed our reactivation list at the end of the year that we had made the beginning of the prior year, and we were surprised how many on the list had come back (or moved :). I think consistent, persistent focus on individuals and families has made a difference in our ward.”

·   Weekly contact with the full-time missionaries by hosting them in the bishop’s home for dinner one night (usually Saturday) every week. Having a set time eliminates the need to schedule each week.

·   “I don't think that we do anything special but we work hard to be consistent in what we do.  We implement things we are asked to do and work hard to keep it moving. “

·   Hold ward council meetings often and regularly (weekly) so you can keep the meeting brief (an hour or less) and not overwhelm.

·   Use your ward clerk to capture all assignments in ward council meeting. Use your executive secretary to follow up on the assignments before the next meeting. The reports on assignments can then be written and distributed beforehand so the ward council meeting is not taken up with reports on previous assignments.

  Mount Hood Stake • January 2016

Teaching the Principle of Work for Welfare Assistance

Bishopric Training, January 26, 2016

“The real long-term objective of the welfare plan is the building of character in the members of the Church, givers and receivers, rescuing all that is finest down deep inside of them, and bringing to flower and fruitage the latent richness of the spirit, which after all is the mission and purpose and reason for being of this Church.”

— President J. Reuben Clark

DOCTRINE: Why welfare recipients are expected to work for assistance

·                   ·       “…how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served?” (Mosiah 5:13)

·       “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” (Mosiah 2:17)

·        “Forget yourself and find someone who needs your service and you will discover the secret to a happy, fulfilled life.” - President Benson, April 1979 General Conference

INSTRUCTIONS: Work-for-assistance guidelines from Handbook 1, Section 5.2.3

·   “The bishop has a divine mandate to seek out and care for the poor (see D&C 84:112). It is not enough to assist only when asked. He should be aware of the temporal circumstances of needy ward members and ensure that those in need receive proper care. He encourages priesthood and Relief Society leaders, home teachers, and visiting teachers to help identify members who need assistance.”

·   “The bishop asks those who receive assistance to work to the extent of their ability for what they receive. He teaches the importance of work and gives meaningful work assignments. If members are reluctant to work, the bishop helps them understand that work assignments are given to bless them. When they work for assistance, they remain industrious, maintain self-respect, and increase their ability to be self-reliant."

·   "In some situations, providing welfare assistance may be contingent on members fulfilling simple assignments from the bishop, such as doing assigned work, looking for a job, and eliminating unnecessary expenses. However, some members who are widowed, orphaned, elderly, or disabled may be unable to fulfill assignments. The bishop provides compassionate care to these members based on their situations and capabilities."

ADMINISTRATION: Implementing the work-for-assistance guidelines

The bishop teaches that work for assistance helps the recipient: (1) to maintain self-respect and dignity; (2) to be industrious; and (3) to potentially improve the recipient’s ability to become self-reliant.

The bishop determines the level of work to be performed by those who receive assistance.

The ward council compiles and maintains a list of meaningful work opportunities.

• Receiving welfare assistance is not based on worthiness or level of church activity.
• Recipients can be expected to improve their spiritual development via church attendance, prayers, etc.
• The bishop may also require personal improvement, such as looking for a job or sound budgeting.

STAKE GUIDELINES: Additional counsel on implementing work-for-assistance guidelines

·     Welfare recipients should be taught that the bishop is unable to personally administer all of the welfare needs of the ward. Therefore, he may involve other ward leaders in: (1) administering welfare assistance; (2) monitoring the effective use of the assistance; and (3) providing mentors to work side-by-side with those receiving assistance to help them become self-reliant.

·     Bishops should first turn to members of the ward council, who have stewardship responsibility for the person to receive welfare assistance, for counsel and administrative oversight. Ward council members should be taught that they may further delegate this assignment to others in their respective organization, but still retain oversight and accountability to the bishop.

·     Bishops may want to consider identifying and using past bishops or senior couples as mentors to those receiving assistance with the objective of helping them become self-reliant over time.

Work-for-Assistance Opportunities

Able-Bodied Recipients

·      Bishops’ Storehouse

·      Deseret Industries

·      Temple grounds maintenance volunteer

·      Volunteer for civic and community organizations

·      Assist the elderly to start and maintain a garden

·      Assist other needy and elderly with landscaping, such as mowing, pruning, raking, etc.

·      Serve at the Oregon Food Bank, SnowCap, Zarephath Kitchen, Salvation Army, etc.

·      Deep clean the meetinghouse, such as the kitchen, restrooms, nursery toys, etc.

·      Regularly pick-up litter around the ward meetinghouse

·      Shovel snow or ice when needed

·      Regularly participate with other members fulfill weekly custodial assignments

·      Rearrange donations in the Deseret Industries pod

·      Help pick-up and deliver Bishops Storehouse food or give other assistance

Limited to Indoor Projects

·      Prepare stake and ward mailings

·      Perform Family History Indexing

·      Help clean the meetinghouse

Confined to Home, due to small children, caring for others, disabled, limited transportation, etc.

·      Make quilts to donate to the needy

·      Perform Family History Indexing

·      Make phone calls on behalf of ward leaders

·      Prepare stake and ward mailings

·      Crochet or knit hats, slippers and scarves (ward provides the yarn)

Elderly with Limited Capability

·      Regular phone calls to other shut-ins or those who need encouragement

·      Make visits with ward leaders to the elderly and/or those who are ill

·      Perform Family History Indexing

·      Help clean the meetinghouse

·      Help pick-up and deliver Bishops Storehouse food or give other assistance

Policy for canceling church meetings due to severe weather conditions

7 January 2016

Dear Mount Hood Stake Members,

On occasion, like this past Sunday, the weather is questionable enough for members to wonder if church meetings will be cancelled. In the future, please consider the following guidelines:

When there are questionable weather conditions, the Stake Presidency consults with the bishops to determine whether or not meetings are to be cancelled. We recognize there are many members in our stake, who are equipped to travel to church safely even when there is a fairly heavy snowfall. Therefore, Sunday meetings (or at least sacrament meeting) will almost always be held except in the most severe weather conditions.

However, personal safety always comes first. We ask members not to feel obligated to attend Sunday meetings, if they have any concerns about their own safety due to weather conditions. If you are unable to attend and have an obligation in church that day, please notify a ward leader as soon as possible.

When meetings are cancelled, due to severe weather conditions, stake and ward leaders will make every effort to notify all members quickly by phone, text or email so there is no confusion or undue risk.

In short, if you do not receive notification that meetings have been cancelled, assume our worship services (at least sacrament meeting) will be held. However, safety comes first and members are not to feel obligated to attend if they have any concerns about their own personal safety

Thank you for your desire to faithfully attend services on the Sabbath day.

The Stake Presidency

Stake subsidy in support of non-LDS participation in ward activities

29 December 2015

Bishops,

On occasion, you find yourself using ward funds in support of non-members. This is especially true in Cub Scouts where several wards have successfully recruited friend and neighbor families into their Cub Pack. We congratulate you and thank you for going the extra-mile to use the Cub Scout program as an effective out-reach program to fellowship non-LDS.

Because you are not compensated unless the non-members attend sacrament meeting, we recognize the cost of providing support for such programs may not be covered adequately by your annual allocation. 

Therefore we recommend the following:

SURPLUS FUNDS FIRST: In support of costs by non-LDS, draw from carry-over (or surplus) funds to provide the additional financial support for such programs that may involve non-LDS participation and increase the budgets, as needed.

STAKE TO SUBSIDIZE WHERE POSSIBLE: If carry-over funds are inadequate, make a request to the stake presidency for additional funds. Please recommend the amount needed with details on how you arrived at that figure. We will do our best to meet all or a major portion of your request. 

We remind you that non-LDS families can be expected to pay a greater portion of their son’s Scouting experience, such as paying the full amount for the awards or their son’s summer camp experience. The stake’s summer camp subsidy program, for instance, does not apply to non-LDS. 

Finally, please remember to approach non-member families when conducting your ward’s Friends of Scouting (FOS) campaign. This is something expected of parents of all Scouts, whether members or non-members of the Church.

Thank you again putting an emphasis on Cub Scout recruiting or other similar efforts to invite non-LDS to participate in Church activities.

The Stake Presidency

Confirming the policy on collection boxes in our buildings

9 December 2015

Bishops,

Below is a stake policy about collection boxes that was distributed to ward and stake leaders in 2013. 

Will you please help us follow this policy? We, of course, don’t want to offend anyone, but we feel this is very important. 

As you know, our primary purpose as a church is to be a place of worship--a refuge from the world…and so it’s very important to us that we do everything we can to keep the meetinghouses (especially the hallways and foyers leading into chapels) clean, orderly and clutter-free as members enter to worship, draw close to the Lord and participate in sacred ordinances.

Feel free to forward this to others or, if you have any questions, please reply to this email.

Thank you,

President Lewis

Policy for collection boxes in the foyer

Bishops,

On occasion we will have youth, either Young Men or Young Women, ask if they can put a collection box in the foyer of our meetinghouses as part of an Eagle or service project.

Will you please teach families and especially youth leaders that this is not approved or appropriate for two reasons:

1. It creates a messy or cluttered look in our foyers where we're trying to make our meetinghouses warm and inviting for members and visitors;

2. It undermines the leadership purpose of the service project. For instance, Eagle candidates will learn leadership skills more effectively by organizing and following through with fellow troop members in a community or ward outreach effort, instead of setting out a collection box and waiting for members to donate.

Will you please help teach this to families so we don't offend youth or their parents when we ask them to remove their collection box from the foyer?

Thanks,

Stake Presidency