Are most ward consultants doing one on one or classes

Taylor, Carol Ann

Are most Ward Consultants doing one on member or family experiences or conducting group classes? I do have a reason to ask. If some are doing both I would love some discussion about which they feel is most sucessful.

Charmiller2

I personally think one on one is the most effective, but if you don’t have too big a class for a group you can teach quite effectively, being able to help each person individually.

I haven’t had experience with family group experiences.

Char Miller.

Taylor, Carol Ann

Thanks for input! Anyone Else?

SerraNola

A class can be very effective if all are at or near the same level.

Chris Schmink

As noted below, my wife and I enthusiastically teach classes (currently focusing on FamilySearch). However, I don't personally see classes as the intended focus of consultants. Consultants, according to the Handbook (Chapter 25), have the following responsibilities, and there is no mention of groups of people - just individuals and families, and their own personal ancestors, as follows:

• Help members experience the blessings of discovering their ancestors and performing temple ordinances on their behalf. These experiences are especially important for those learning the gospel, new and returning members, and those preparing to receive a recommend for proxy baptisms and confirmations.
• Help members prepare to receive temple ordinances and make temple covenants.
• Participate in temple and family history coordination meetings (see 25.2.7).
• Serve in a local FamilySearch center when assigned (see 25.3.6).

And in the "Getting Started" instructions for ward T&FH consultants it lists the following guidelines:

• Proactively help members experience the blessings of discovering their ancestors and performing temple ordinances on their behalf.
• Meet with individuals and families and adapt the experience to the interests and skills of those you are helping. Encourage the members to seek and prepare to receive temple ordinances and make temple covenants. Have these meetings in person when possible.

In both of the above publications, the emphasis appears very clearly to be on "individuals and families," and their own ancestors. That assistance will be provided with those individuals and families about specifically names ancestors, and the ordinances will be accomplished for those same ancestors. In a class, there are many people with their own ancestors separate from each other, and therefore discussion of individuals and specific families' relationships with their own ancestors is not particularly feasible. Instead, classes can teach either research helps and techniques, or general principles that can be applied to personal research toward getting to know our ancestors.

I happen to be both a FamilySearch Center director and a stake T&FH consultant (mostly for training stake leaders as outlined in the guidelines for that calling), as well as a ward T&FH leader. As the ward T&FH leader, my emphasis is on helping consultants to work with individuals and families as recommended by the ward council or in the T&FH coordinating meeting. That's one-on-one work.

In my calling as FSC director, my wife and I often teach a 5-week FamilySearch class (once per week for five weeks) that was developed by some FamilySearch missionaries while we were serving for two years as FS missionaries ourselves, and occasionally other classes on various related subjects. But those can be provided to the community through classes at the local library, via weekly zoom meetings, or even classes in or broadcast (via Zoom) from the FSC, as well as to Church members - as groups.

So I see the use of classes vs. individual/family meetings as quite separate. Though the classes will potentially be resources to help individuals and families in coming to know their ancestors, that part of the work (coming to know their ancestors) is what the consultants can help with best - working one-on-one with those individuals and families, often within their own homes.

Just my 2¢. 😉

--Chris

Taylor, Carol Ann

A Good 2cents. Thank you. That is my understanding also. I am just gathering info on what is taking place in other places. I know some do classes but for me it is very clear where the focus is meant to be. I do not see much need for most of us to conduct classes with the wealth of online classes, and webinars out there to use to learn. Finding best most up to date instruction to refer people to can be a challenge since things get changed so quickly though. Thank you for your response.