Church Position(callings) histories

Discussions around using and interfacing with the Church MLS program.
allenjpl
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#11

Post by allenjpl »

elguapo4538 wrote:I vote for this as well. I think they should have a special marker for primary pianists as they are in high demand and this way they could not hide.

Although I hope you posted this with tongue in cheek, this brings up the single biggest problem with tracking callings. Members with multiple talents get pigeon holed into doing just a single thing. Pianists don't like playing just a single key, over and over.
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johnshaw
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#12

Post by johnshaw »

I don't blame piano players that hide, it's not like they'll get called to anything else if they are known...I start to really feel for them now that technology is becoming a similar trend... one thing tracking would do is help rotate piano players so that they aren't pigeon-holed for years on end.
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dbollard99
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Re:

#13

Post by dbollard99 »

russellhltn wrote:What you need is an advisor with some "institutional memory ".
Sorry, but this is the worst advice ever.... Maybe it was okay when this comment was made, but with the church advances in technology, it seems it would be very easy now to add a calling history to LCR. If it could make the Bishop's life easier, then why not do it?
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dbollard99
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#14

Post by dbollard99 »

rpyne wrote:I definitely vote for this need. One of the big challenges I faced when I was a stake clerk was finding out the calling history of those being recommended as a new bishop. The information is asked for on the bishop recommendation and more often than not the only way to get it is to ask the candidate, making it obvious that they are being considered when it is supposed to be confidential.
I had no idea of this. A comment made by a moderator in another similar thread to the ("Calling Histories") said that one reason they don't track callings is because leaders should "rely on inspiration", and not on a calling history to influence their decision.

If Stakes seek calling histories of potential bishops to influence their decision at all, then why can't Bishops do the same thing? It seems obvious that the church/LCR/CDOL should track a calling history for individuals,
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dbollard99
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#15

Post by dbollard99 »

rpyne wrote:All of these suggestions are good, but pretty much useless in a Ward/Stake that has a 30+% annual turnover.
I would think that in your case, it might be even more relevant. If 30% of your ward has new members each year, you would be able to see what callings they had in the past, and that information could serve you in some aspect.

I also agree though that it would be helpful to less transient wards, so bishops don't accidentally duplicate callings that individuals have already served in during their duration in that unit.
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dbollard99
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#16

Post by dbollard99 »

elguapo4538 wrote:I vote for this as well. I think they should have a special marker for primary pianists as they are in high demand and this way they could not hide.
Love this comment about primary pianists... Inspiration generally does not reveal which quiet members in the ward have a hidden talent of tickling the ivories. However, a calling history that shows they previously were called as an organist or pianist would show this. Thanks for the comment!
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dbollard99
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#17

Post by dbollard99 »

nutterb wrote:I just managed to reduce the size of this to make it a little more manageable. I can attach it now. Yay me!

If you import your Membership.csv into the database, this will be ready to go. You should also password protect the database since you're using the Membership file. I've disabled the password in the attached version.
Thank you so much for this, but this only proves that a calling history should be built into LCR or CDOL. The data is already there! Just track it!
russellhltn
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Re: Re:

#18

Post by russellhltn »

dbollard99 wrote:
russellhltn wrote:What you need is an advisor with some "institutional memory ".
Sorry, but this is the worst advice ever....
My advise still stands. It's based on what members and units have control over. They have zero control over what MLS/LCR remembers.

Yes, LCR could remember callings - if that's what the Priesthood Department (not the developers!) decides that's what they want. But until that happens (if it ever happens), people are stuck with what they can control.

If you feel that strongly, I'd suggest you ask your stake president to take the matter up with the area authority. You could also submit feedback in LCR, but I suspect that suggestion has been already made.
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lajackson
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Re: Calling Histories

#19

Post by lajackson »

dbollard99 wrote:If Stakes seek calling histories of potential bishops to influence their decision at all, . . .
I am glad you said "if". I have never seen it done this way in my years of leadership experience dating back to before the days when we checked our email by candlelight.

Not that others don't do it, but there are much better ways of finding the next bishop, at least in my experience.
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