Members without callings list in LDS tools

Discussions around using and interfacing with the Church MLS program.
joshbingham
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Posts: 41
Joined: Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:31 am

Members without callings list in LDS tools

#1

Post by joshbingham »

Brothers,

Newly called Ward Clerk here.

So, is there a way for the "Members without Callings" report that a Bishopric and clerks have access through LDS tools only show those that have a check mark in the "Potential Candidate" box in MLS?

It really makes the report rather useless since there are lots of people (Inactive and Less active) that make the list very long, when a Bishop really wants to see the list of potential candidates.

I know I can run that list in MLS, but it would be much better if instead of the Members without Callings report in LDS tools not only gave the male and female filter, but also a filter for potential candidates.

Is there some setting I don't know about that can make this happen?
Josh Bingham
Ward Clerk - Palo Alto Foothills Ward (California)
russellhltn
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Re: Members without callings list in LDS tools

#2

Post by russellhltn »

joshbingham wrote:So, is there a way for the "Members without Callings" report that a Bishopric and clerks have access through LDS tools only show those that have a check mark in the "Potential Candidate" box in MLS?
I don't think that check mark ever leaves MLS. If that's correct, then it's not possible.
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jonesrk
Church Employee
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Re: Members without callings list in LDS tools

#3

Post by jonesrk »

russellhltn wrote:
joshbingham wrote:So, is there a way for the "Members without Callings" report that a Bishopric and clerks have access through LDS tools only show those that have a check mark in the "Potential Candidate" box in MLS?
I don't think that check mark ever leaves MLS. If that's correct, then it's not possible.
Currently it does not leave MLS.
vandenberg
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Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 1:34 pm

Re: Members without callings list in LDS tools

#4

Post by vandenberg »

Is there any chance that the check mark data might eventually be converted to data that does leave MLS? I am so happy with all of the recent changes to the website and the LDS tools data that remove my need to use MLS. However, without the ability to filter by "Potential Candidates," I still am left with no option other than going to MLS to print a hard copy of this list for use in our meetings and discussions. Given the significant amount of time that we spend considering what callings to give individuals, this would really help lighten the load as we try to make decisions outside of our meetings in the ward building.
mwgrover
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Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 10:19 pm
Location: Broken Arrow, OK, USA

Re: Members without callings list in LDS tools

#5

Post by mwgrover »

Logically, I understand the reason for the "potential candidates" checkmark, but in my heart I have never liked it and we have never used it. 3.3.3 in Handbook 2 explains why.
davesudweeks
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Location: Washington, USA

Re: Members without callings list in LDS tools

#6

Post by davesudweeks »

mwgrover wrote:Logically, I understand the reason for the "potential candidates" checkmark, but in my heart I have never liked it and we have never used it. 3.3.3 in Handbook 2 explains why.
I suppose that depends on your interpretation of how to use it and why. If the Bishopric is considering for a specific calling that not just anyone can fill, it would be useful to generate a list where those who are not eligible do not show.
ltomkinson
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Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 6:50 pm

Re: Members without callings list in LDS tools

#7

Post by ltomkinson »

I REALLY hope this request will be considered.

There are 244 Members without callings in our ward.

Our Bishop has identified 95 of those (39%) as not currently eligible for consideration to hold a calling.
- Some will become eligible in the future as the ward leadership works to help them.
- Others are antagonistic and might very well never want involvement with the church.

As a clerk, I have worked to provide a current "members without a calling" list online for the bishopric and ward leaders to use when considering who to call.

Frankly, having this list seems the best way to avoid the "always the same few" trap referred to above in Handbook 2, section 3.3.3.

Unfortunately, with the constant turnover in our ward, I have spent an inordinate amount of time in the past, combing through the updated LCR list every couple of weeks to find and remove the 95 members who are ineligible from the get-go.

In recent weeks, I haven't had time to update the list. :(

As a result, the most up-to-date list -- direct from LCR -- is practically unusable because 2 of every 5 members listed, are not actually eligible to serve!

And so ... the fact is that every week, the bishopric sifts through requests to call people who already have callings because, well, they are the ones who ward leaders recognize. Here's a quote from last week's bishopric meeting. "Yes, this sister would be a great ward missionary, but she was called as a Primary teacher only three weeks ago. There are others who could serve equally well."

I think I understand the pushback about filtering the list so only "potential candidates" are listed. That sounds very much like finding people who are "qualified for certain positions," much as one would in the business world. That's not the model we follow in the Lord's church.

I want to offer an alternative viewpoint of having a filtered list, though.

I would like the ability to generate a list that includes every member who is worthy to serve -- no matter his or her "qualifications" -- a baseline of those who have the Bishop's approval to serve in whatever capacity the Spirit prompts.

I feel that, in our ward, at least, the end result would be that such an LCR list could be used reliably to identify people who can serve and need an opportunity to do so, without my needing to create an updated by hand whenever I can find the time to do it again.
rmrichesjr
Community Moderators
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Location: Dundee, Oregon, USA

Re: Members without callings list in LDS tools

#8

Post by rmrichesjr »

ltomkinson wrote:I REALLY hope this request will be considered.

...
Posting your concerns here will _not_ cause them to be considered. Please be aware this is a user-to-user mutual-support discussion forum. It is not an official help request channel or feature request channel. There are two ways for suggestions or concerns to receive official consideration: 1) Use the 'Feedback' button or link; 2) Have your bishop or stake president raise the concern/suggestion up the eccleastical chain of comand.
PhillipsCJ
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Posts: 43
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:43 pm
Location: Pleasant Grove, UT

Re: Members without callings list in LDS tools

#9

Post by PhillipsCJ »

Thanks for this discussion - I tried to create a custom report to help with this, but it would basically require being able to exclude individual members from that report (viewtopic.php?f=45&t=31805). Unfortunately, I haven't been able to figure out a way to do that yet...
chriswoodut
Member
Posts: 417
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:42 am
Location: Utah

Re: Members without callings list in LDS tools

#10

Post by chriswoodut »

If you don't have high turnover with people moving in/out, you could manage this in a Google Doc and then monitor your Move IN/OUT reports to keep a list up to date.

(Yes, I know there are guidelines about using external systems. If the data is stripped of as much personal info as possible, it seems reasonable to me to use a tool where no other church provided tool is available.)
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