Ministering assignments

Discussions about the Leader and Clerk Resources on lds.org.
dozieral
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Re: Ministering assignments

#11

Post by dozieral »

Can ministering assingments be edited in the LDS tools app or from a smart phone?
russellhltn
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Re: Ministering assignments

#12

Post by russellhltn »

I don't think they can be edited from LDS Tools. You can probably do it from a phone via the LCR web page.
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lelarso
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Re: Ministering assignments

#13

Post by lelarso »

lajackson wrote:
msd360 wrote:I cannot find a way to get this information from lds.org.
That would be because it is not there to be gotten by individual members. I do not know if this is on the radar as a future feature or not.
msd360 wrote:I have been approached by a representative of the relief society , , , who is , , , aware of the admonishment from the pulpit that there will be no more "little strips of white paper".
Just as with the former home and visiting teaching system, you can make assignments without "little strips of white paper". The expected way is that a member of the presidency will visit with each ministering companionship and the companionship will take notes (unless they have excellent memories).

Incidentally, you shouldn't need to be getting information for the Relief Society. The presidency has access to all the information they need to conduct ministering interviews and to make ministering assignments.

"Little strips of white paper" have never been needed in the process of these assignments. I have been at this for over 45 years and have never been given such a thing.
Thanks for clarifying the matter.

My takeaway from all this discussion is that it seems that ministering assignments are not accessible to non-presidency members of elders quorums and relief societies.

BTW, your 45 years without little strips of white paper (LSOWP) must surely be anecdotal. In my years as a Church member since MLS then LCR were fielded, I've only ever been given LSOWP during interviews with my quorum/group leaders.
davesudweeks
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Re: Ministering assignments

#14

Post by davesudweeks »

lelarso wrote: My takeaway from all this discussion is that it seems that ministering assignments are not accessible to non-presidency members of elders quorums and relief societies.
Individual members can see their own assignments as well as the Ministering Elders and Ministering Sisters assigned to them in the LDSTools app.
russellhltn
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Re: Ministering assignments

#15

Post by russellhltn »

lelarso wrote:My takeaway from all this discussion is that it seems that ministering assignments are not accessible to non-presidency members of elders quorums and relief societies.
Things do change. Ministering assignments are now available in LDS Tools. Perhaps at some point the assignments will be available on lds.org. We know there are changes to lds.org (at least LCR) that are to come.

However, that should not be the primary way of communicating assignemnts. From the Frequently Asked Questions:
16. How do members receive their ministering assignment?

Leaders meet with ministering brothers and sisters—preferably as companionships—to share their assignments with them and to counsel about the strengths, needs, and challenges of those to whom they minister. This conversation could take place in a ministering interview (see question 20, below) or whenever needed.
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lajackson
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Re: Ministering assignments

#16

Post by lajackson »

lelarso wrote:BTW, your 45 years without little strips of white paper (LSOWP) must surely be anecdotal. In my years as a Church member since MLS then LCR were fielded, I've only ever been given LSOWP during interviews with my quorum/group leaders.
I have seen plenty of LSOWP, just never received any. I always preferred to take my own notes as I visited with my quorum and group leaders. It was my subtle reminder to those leaders that the stewardship (now ministering) interview was the key to successfully taking care of the members for whom we were responsible.

And for the record, as long as there is an interview along with it, I am okay with the LSOWP.
russellhltn
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Re: Ministering assignments

#17

Post by russellhltn »

lajackson wrote:And for the record, as long as there is an interview along with it, I am okay with the LSOWP.
+1

It's when the slips of paper becomes a replacement for a proper interview that issues arise.

Attempts to replace the interview by electronic means is NOT recommended for privacy/legal reasons.
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wynnrichards
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Re: Ministering assignments

#18

Post by wynnrichards »

I mean this with the utmost respect, why are there ministering assignments in the first place? I am a faithful and active member and I am not very excited about being someone's project. Perhaps it is because I am a convert and did not grow up in the church, but I find showing up at someone's house unannounced and having someone assigned to "minister" me without my input to be rude and invasive,
lajackson
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Re: Ministering assignments

#19

Post by lajackson »

wynnrichards wrote:I mean this with the utmost respect, why are there ministering assignments in the first place?
The scriptural basis for ministering (and its predecessors) comes from section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants, where in verse 47 we are instructed to "visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties." The bishop also has a scriptural mandate to seek out those in need, not just to wait for them to ask for help (see Doctrine and Covenants 44:6 and 52:40, for example). To do that, he needs to have some way of knowing how his members are doing, and the elders quorum and Relief Society help him with that responsibility.

I agree with you, however, that showing up at someone's house unannounced is more often than not inconsiderate and is not usually a successful way to minister. The example of the Savior to show love and caring suggests that there are better ways.

The instructions on ministering seem clear to me that inspiration and love will be the biggest factor in enabling members to show that they care for each other as the Savior cares for each of us. And the Savior is who we represent as we minister.

The difference between theory and practice provides the workshop in which we live to learn to become as our Heavenly Father and his son, as we prepare to return to them.
wynnrichards
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Re: Ministering assignments

#20

Post by wynnrichards »

Thanks for the clarification, just concern on my part. I was excited about the "ministering" program because it seemed like a departure from following the same script/process and made allowances for nuances among all of us. But, in application I am starting to get concerned that this is going to become a ticket punch exercise where people will be projects, home visits will become "ministering" visits, metrics will be captured and reported up the chain. I realize it is up to all of us to do the work to prevent this from becoming just something we "have to do". This could be a great program; however, less process/metrics and more allowances for things to develop organically and in accordance with the differences among the membership.
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