Elders Quorum / Relief Society Access to Leader Resources
Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 2:13 pm
I surprisingly only found one thread touching on this topic, and it was very old, so I thought that I would again raise the issue of permissions on lds.org/leader (and MLS) as they relate specifically to Elders Quorum and Relief Society presidents. As an Elders Quorum President, I would benefit greatly from the following tools:
Membership information to include year of birth/age
List of members without callings
Unit statistics relating to home teaching
Members moved in list
Attendance rolls
Having access to that limited information--which is already distributed and discussed in PEC and Ward Council meetings--would allow me and my presidency to plan for those meetings and to pro-actively take steps to meet needs of quorum members and those they home teach between meetings. For example, having access to age information would aid in home teaching assignments for less active members; members without callings would allow me to consider individuals who I might extend callings to in the quorum; the members moved in list would be invaluable in making early contact with those who move in (and will often need help physically doing so).
I firmly believe that revelation is based upon correct information. At the same time, while I'd love to have all the information that I could access as executive secretary, I understand that much of it is not necessary and/or is more sensitive. However, the information that I've identified above doesn't seem to be that sensitive -- and both the Elders Quorum President (and High Priests Group Leader) and Relief Society have regular interviews and interaction with the bishop and/or stake leaders, and the Elders Quorum President has to be interviewed and set apart by the stake president, so there are actually more stringent restrictions on the calling of an Elders Quorum President than there are for an assistant clerk, for example, who has far greater access.
In short, more information can help and though I've tried hard to imagine why the information above couldn't be technologically shared with quorum and auxiliary heads even though it is shared in hard copy, I couldn't identify a good reason.
Is there any chance that the list of permissions could be changed? Is the barrier a technological one, one of policy, or both? Is there any way to request formal review of the current permissions?
Thank you in advance for all the work that is done and the wonderful tools that are now available. Each one makes serving in Zion so much better, and I hope that we can share the light with a few more leaders who could use it to the benefit of many.
Membership information to include year of birth/age
List of members without callings
Unit statistics relating to home teaching
Members moved in list
Attendance rolls
Having access to that limited information--which is already distributed and discussed in PEC and Ward Council meetings--would allow me and my presidency to plan for those meetings and to pro-actively take steps to meet needs of quorum members and those they home teach between meetings. For example, having access to age information would aid in home teaching assignments for less active members; members without callings would allow me to consider individuals who I might extend callings to in the quorum; the members moved in list would be invaluable in making early contact with those who move in (and will often need help physically doing so).
I firmly believe that revelation is based upon correct information. At the same time, while I'd love to have all the information that I could access as executive secretary, I understand that much of it is not necessary and/or is more sensitive. However, the information that I've identified above doesn't seem to be that sensitive -- and both the Elders Quorum President (and High Priests Group Leader) and Relief Society have regular interviews and interaction with the bishop and/or stake leaders, and the Elders Quorum President has to be interviewed and set apart by the stake president, so there are actually more stringent restrictions on the calling of an Elders Quorum President than there are for an assistant clerk, for example, who has far greater access.
In short, more information can help and though I've tried hard to imagine why the information above couldn't be technologically shared with quorum and auxiliary heads even though it is shared in hard copy, I couldn't identify a good reason.
Is there any chance that the list of permissions could be changed? Is the barrier a technological one, one of policy, or both? Is there any way to request formal review of the current permissions?
Thank you in advance for all the work that is done and the wonderful tools that are now available. Each one makes serving in Zion so much better, and I hope that we can share the light with a few more leaders who could use it to the benefit of many.