We have several new Bishops in our stake. One Bishop just as some great questions for which I have m
Respostas
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Hi, Suzanne. Thank you for your concern to see that these new Bishops get the very best information. A good place to start is by going to ChurchofJesusChrist.org, clicking on Serve and select Family History. A lot of information can also be found by going to the FamilySearch Help Center and clicking on the picture of the Temple https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/en/temple-and-family-history-consultant. The Stake President might also contact the Area Family History Advisors to provide additional training.
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I answered his questions and provided links to the church handbook and some of the most recent RootsTech Connect 2021 T&FH recordings. The reason this Bishop reached out was that a member of our stake presidency told him to contact me. So that's why I was wondering if there was something that someone may have already put together.
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@suzannemariestone1 suzannemariestone1
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Suzanne
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As an aside ...
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Just a thought ...
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Be bold, take the initiative ... TRAIN the 'Bishops' ... help them learn.
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Do not be shy, be proactive ... one on one is the best (or, small groups)
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IF, not you; THEN, have the "Ward, Temple and Family History, Consultants", in their respective Wards do the TRAINING ...
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This is a great opportunity, much better that 'On-Line' training/reading ...
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I have been doing this for Years ...
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And ...
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It has never been turned down ...
Always been appreciated ...
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Now ...
That said ...
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In 'FamilySearch', they (the Bishops) WILL have access to ...
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Helper Resources
https://www.familysearch.org/help/helper
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Which contains links to ...
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Calling Information
▬ Temple and Family History Callings
▬ Temple and Family History Leadership Session
▬ Temple and Family History Network
▬ Personalized Family History Experiences
Training
▬ How to Use FamilySearch.org
▬ Indexing
▬ Family History Basics
▬ Church Policies
Quick Links
▬ Gospel Media
▬ Family History Activities
▬ Guided Research
▬ Search Genealogies
▬ Family History Center Operations Guide
▬ Find Family History Center
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Teach them WHERE it is in 'FamilySearch'.
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Plus ...
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And, of course; as, 'Bishops', they will have access to ...
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General Handbook:
Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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Particularly ...
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Section 25
Temple and Family History Work in the Ward and Stake
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And, much, much, MORE, with their "Level" of access .
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Give it a go ...
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Nothing ventured, nothing gained ...
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Good Luck.
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Brett
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@suzannemariestone1 suzannemariestone1 There are some great resources for T&FH callings such as you're asking about. First, I would strongly recommend two things:
(1) Suggest to the bishops that they spend considerable time getting very familiar with Chapter 25 of the General Handbook. There they will find the exact nature of not only their responsibilities in bishoprics with respect to T&FH work, but also how the various other positions in the ward interact to support the work:
There are sub-sections specifically relating to the various T&FH callings in the ward and what those responsibilities are and how they relate to the other involved callings. The section on the bishopric is 25.2.1 . But as a summary here, it says:
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The bishopric supports elders quorum and Relief Society presidencies as they lead ward temple and family history efforts. These leaders counsel together regularly about these efforts.
The bishopric also has the following responsibilities for temple and family history work in the ward:
- Encourage individuals and families to learn the doctrine and blessings of temple and family history work.
- Ensure that the doctrine and blessings of temple and family history work are taught at church.
- Ensure that temple and family history work is coordinated in ward council and ward youth council meetings.
- Review and approve the ward temple and family history plan.
- Oversee the organization of temple preparation courses.
- Issue temple recommends (see chapter 26).
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The bishops will also want to get highly familiar with chapters 8 and 9 (elders quorum and Relief Society), and also understand how the ward mission leader's and the ward T&FH leader's work is so closely related (they are each in charge of supporting their respective halves of the same work on both sides of the veil in the overall gathering). Note that there are large sections of identical wording in both chapters 8 & 9 - for a good reason. They both work strongly together in this work.
(2) It is also highly recommended that all involved in T&FH work first view the 2020 Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction broadcast, followed by this year's just-concluded training (last week) as follows (several years' broadcasts are contained at this link):
What was truly amazing about last week's unique instruction meeting is that by demonstration, all of the pieces of that 1-hour broadcast actually explained how each of the various "pieces" of the work fit together, and essentially that single hour actually taught much of Chapter 25 of the General Handbook (T&FH) as well as the chapters on the ward council and the organizational chapters (including the ward mission leader).
The bishop might also want to review the 2019 leadership instruction as well (available on the above page). It also had some very specific and even crucial information for wards especially in North America (basically, that a normal North American ward should not choose the option to make an EQ counselor do double duty as the ward T&FH leader - Elder Renlund could not have been more direct, specific, and emphatic on that point).
(3) Finally, it would help him to know where to direct the people he and his counselors call to their positions within T&FH leadership. The first two of four links in the following page go directly to the ward temple and family history leader page, and the temple and family history consultant page:
Hopefully that will all help not only the bishops, but also for their counselors, so they can properly instruct the people they call to the various positions in T&FH work within the ward. With respect to the RS presidency, chapter 9 of the General Handbook as well as 25 are where the bishopric would need to direct them in their callings. The stake is responsible for the EQ presidency, of course, but for reference that's in chapter 8. People will function far better in their callings if they are given instruction by the bishopric member that meets with them to present the new calling, so the bishopric really needs to understand that today's T&FH work is not how it was done just a short time ago, and sometimes vast previous experience in the Church can be a temporary hindrance if we rely on what we already (think we) "know."
Hope this helps. (Added: after I sent this, I see you also got some other good responses from others. Hope this helps as well, though there is some duplication in it.)
--Chris
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Thank you! Last night, one of the members of our stake presidency said to the Bishops and other leaders in a T&FH Leadership meeting that they should invite me to their ward council meetings. And, to honest, I started feeling overwhelmed. Thank you again!
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