Tech Forum

I get uncomfortable when we label using local unit budget to purchase TV's as "misuse of funds". Stake Presidents certainly have some limits, but generally pretty broad ability to direct funds as they see is best to move the work forward in the stake. Elder Packer has taught more than once that one concern of putting too much detail in the handbooks is that leaders don't feel they have flexibility to act as prompted by the spirit (See D&C 46:2 which refers to conducting meetings, but which was quoted in reference to handbooks in a leadership broadcast for Stake Presidents about 10 years ago.)

There are checks and balances in the system and ways both the FM group and the Stake President can appeal to another level of leadership if something really gets out of control.

Fascinating conversation so far, I wanted to add some things that may help clear up some of the controversy, and others, I'm not going to touch with a 100 ft pole.

In regards to the TV's: Each Area (DTA Area) may set it's own policies, as to what equipment is necessary and useful in the meetinghouse. In the US/Canada Current policy provides for:
1 28" TV per ward/branch in meetinghouse, additionally in larger meetinghouses 130, and 170 sizes respectively a 32", and 47" may be provided for the building, and not because of the units in the building.

In respect to the videos and the "Come Follow Me" program, I've had direct conversations with the Curriculum department about the issue, their response is that their is absolute no requirement to use the videos, they are provided as a resource that the teacher can use if they feel so inspired.

The guidebook for the come follow me program https://www.lds.org/youth/learn/guidebook?lang=eng also available form the front page of Come Follow Me. only mentions the videos in the context of the teachers using them in their personal study.

Increasing Your Effectiveness
Learning outlines also include links to brief videos about helping youth become converted. Also, training videos for the Aaronic Priesthood, Young Women, and Sunday School are available in the Leadership Training Library.

All of these videos feature real-life examples of leaders and teachers who are helping youth become converted to the gospel. You can study them individually or with other teachers to better understand the interactive nature of learning and teaching with youth.

All of that is to say, It seems the TV issue with come follow me has been misunderstood.

While I agree the gospel can be taught without videos (the Savior did), let me quote a typical lesson (Aaronic Priesthood, January, first lesson):

"Show the video “Fulfilling Your Duty to God,” and have the young men look for how the experiences depicted in the video helped the young men and others come to know Heavenly Father better."

It seems like

StevePoulsen wrote:"only mentions the videos in the context of the teachers using them in their personal study."

might apply to certain training videos more than those referenced in the lessons for showing in class.

Gary_Miller wrote:

eblood66 wrote:This seems to indicate (to me at least) that purchasing AV equipment with local budget funds is not prohibited and that the FM group should only worry about the equipment they provide and that local units are (completely) responsible (including for repair or replacement) for equipment they purchase.

Except if you look at the document as a whole you will see that, Local Unit Provided Equipment, was addressed in 4.1 and 7.3. However it was not addressed in 6.2, which would seem there is a mistake in ether 6.2 or 6.3.

I don't see a prohibition in any of the sections noted that says local unit funds can't be used for addition A/V Equipment. Quite the contrary actually if you look at 7.1 and 7.3.3.

bballrob wrote:

Gary_Miller wrote:

eblood66 wrote:This seems to indicate (to me at least) that purchasing AV equipment with local budget funds is not prohibited and that the FM group should only worry about the equipment they provide and that local units are (completely) responsible (including for repair or replacement) for equipment they purchase.

Except if you look at the document as a whole you will see that, Local Unit Provided Equipment, was addressed in 4.1 and 7.3. However it was not addressed in 6.2, which would seem there is a mistake in ether 6.2 or 6.3.

I don't see a prohibition in any of the sections noted that says local unit funds can't be used for addition A/V Equipment.Except that it is not addressed under funding in section 6.2 like it is in the other sections.

This leads me to believe that 6.3.2 is a cut and past typo in the document. 6.2 specifically only states that FM is the funding source for AV equipment.

bballrob wrote:Quite the contrary actually if you look at 7.1 and 7.3.3.

Section 7.1 addresses the tyoe of equipment used web casting. Section 7.3.3 states that LUBA may be used to purchase equipment for web casting (which AV equipment could be a part of, which does not include AV equipment placed in the meeting house media center.

rknelson wrote:(See D&C 46:2 which refers to conducting meetings, but which was quoted in reference to handbooks in a leadership broadcast for Stake Presidents about 10 years ago.)

I think using D&C 46:2 is a stretch for this discussing as it talks specifically about meetings. Interesting how we all get a different prospective from the provided training. I will be going back and review the training as this is not what I got from it at all.

rknelson wrote:While I agree the gospel can be taught without videos (the Savior did), let me quote a typical lesson (Aaronic Priesthood, January, first lesson):

"Show the video “Fulfilling Your Duty to God,” and have the young men look for how the experiences depicted in the video helped the young men and others come to know Heavenly Father better."

It seems like

StevePoulsen wrote:"only mentions the videos in the context of the teachers using them in their personal study."

might apply to certain training videos more than those referenced in the lessons for showing in class.

I would contend that showing video is an option, though probably a very popular option.

StevePoulsen wrote:The guidebook for the come follow me program https://www.lds.org/youth/learn/guidebook?lang=eng also available form the front page of Come Follow Me. only mentions the videos in the context of the teachers using them in their personal study.

Increasing Your Effectiveness
Learning outlines also include links to brief videos about helping youth become converted. Also, training videos for the Aaronic Priesthood, Young Women, and Sunday School are available in the Leadership Training Library.

All of these videos feature real-life examples of leaders and teachers who are helping youth become converted to the gospel. You can study them individually or with other teachers to better understand the interactive nature of learning and teaching with youth.

All of that is to say, It seems the TV issue with come follow me has been misunderstood.

Steve, this quote has NO reference to showing the videos in a classroom setting, this is a reference to the videos produced for teachers to get them used to the new curriculum. That is why it refers to Personal Study. The videos referenced in the curriculum are different than the videos meant for parents and teachers.

The debate about showing the videos ALL comes from the disaster that was the implementation of the curriculum without knowing the real circumstances that wards and stakes had been left in by many FM groups (mostly because the previous curriculum was very old and nobody showed the media along side them anymore).

It is, frankly, burying your head in the sand to think that the videos are not meant to be played as part of the curriculum. You can debate whether they are required or not, but the power behind many of those videos is incredible and when teaching this generation (whether we like it or not) we are responsible to teaching them in their mindset, culture, etc.., not making them learn the way we want them to - or the way that YOU are most comfortable with.

We have been losing 75% of our youth for years, let's get them back on track.

Perhaps my perceptions are off, but we seem to be getting highly emotional, so I'd like to apologize, as it was not my intention. rather I wanted to bring up the possibility that perhaps TV's and videos are not required for teachers to be effective. That it seems (to me) is more dependent upon the teacher and how much effort they put into their personal preparation for the lesson.

I do think it's a legitimate question if showing the video is a requirement of the curriculum, or if it's a local desire to use an optional resource. If there's a requirement, then there's a disconnect. If it's optional, then it becomes a "you can if you have" and we just have to be patient until things get replaced.

This isn't the first time I've see new church programs jump ahead of the funds to implement them.