Area Family History Adviser Binder Please Help Us We are always trying to improve our materials and we would appreciate your feedback and suggestions. After you have had a chance to review the binder, please click the following link to participate in a quick survey. (If the link does not work, copy it into your browser.) https://lds.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_6x6KnH1EoR5iVwM Photocopying Policy The binder materials on the following pages may be copied and downloaded for incidental, noncommercial Church or your own personal use. This is not a page in the binder. Discard this page after printing the PDF. Area Family History Adviser kit 9_11_2012.pub USING FAMILY HISTORY AS A RESOURCE Area Family History Adviser ©2012 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by FamilySearch International, Salt Lake City, Utah. This document may be copied and downloaded for incidental, noncommercial Church or your own personal use. Introduction H o w Your goal as an area family history adviser is to build relationships with stake presidents and other priesthood leaders, understand the needs and objectives of their stakes, and advise leaders on how t o temple and family history work can be used as a resource to bless the lives of Church members. U This binder is a tool to help you plan and conduct visits with priesthood leaders. It contains s resources to help you: e  Discover the needs and concerns of priesthood leaders.  Share the principle of family history as a resource in the work of salvation. T  Enable priesthood leaders to organize the work. h i s The binder is organized into sections that address the most common needs and concerns of priesthood leaders. These sections include: B Temple Worthiness i n Strengthening Youth d Strengthening Families e Missionary Work r Convert Retention Activation Member Involvement Each section includes the following elements: 1. A planning page. Use this page to help plan your visits with priesthood leaders. It describes what you should listen for in order to identify the needs of priesthood leaders, a suggested video that relates to their particular area of interest, and principles to keep in mind before, during, and after your visits. 2. A resource page. Leave a copy of this page with priesthood leaders at the conclusion of your visit. It contains a summary of blessings that can occur when members engage in temple and family history work and a list of additional resources that can be used to facilitate teaching, testifying, and organizing the work. 3. An implementation page. Leave a copy of this page with priesthood leaders at the conclusion of your visit. It contains ideas for next steps, a list of best practices, and suggestions on how to measure success. Take the time to prayerfully study each section of the binder so that you are familiar with the specific family history resources that can be used to address the most common needs and concerns of priesthood leaders. As you meet with priesthood leaders, cultivate the capacity of being “quick to observe” (see Mormon 1:1-5), so that you can understand their needs and connect them to the appropriate resources. ©2012 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by FamilySearch International, Salt Lake City, Utah. This document may be copied and downloaded for incidental, noncommercial Church or your own personal use. Interview Planner H o w Discover t Your first goal when meeting with priesthood leaders o is to identify their needs and concerns. Listen and U observe so that you understand what is important to s them. Consider these guidelines: e  Resist the urge to work from your own agenda. You are there to listen. T  Invite the priesthood leader to share his h needs and concerns. Ask about goals and i s objectives. B  Use a notebook to record your thoughts and impressions.  Ask clarifying questions to make sure that you understand the leader’s priorities. i n  Paraphrase the top 1 or 2 objectives and restate them back to the leader for confirmation. d e Share r When you clearly understand a priesthood leader’s needs and objectives, you will be able to guide him to the appropriate family history resources. Consider these guidelines:  Turn to the binder section that most closely matches the leader’s needs and objectives.  Share the case study, and find out if the leader has similar goals.  Share a brief video from the To Turn the Hearts DVD that pertains to the local need. Invite priesthood leaders to consider the impact on a ward or stake when members have spiritual experiences like those shown in the video. Enable Once a priesthood leader has a vision of how family history can be used as a resource to help accomplish ward or stake objectives, he may be ready to discuss the next steps. Since the specific steps may vary based on local needs and objectives, you should counsel with the priesthood leader about how he would like to proceed. Be respectful of his time. You may need to schedule additional visits. You could arrange time to:  Share the “Featured Version” of the To Turn the Hearts DVD.  Provide additional instruction to stake and ward leaders.  Further discuss family history resources and answer questions. Provide copies You may want to provide the priesthood leader with copies of the following items:  The Resource pages from the binder section you have been discussing.  The Implementation page from that section.  The conference talk or handout from that section.  A copy of To Turn the Hearts: Leader’s Guide to Temple and Family History Work with relevant pages marked or annotated. ©2012 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by FamilySearch International, Salt Lake City, Utah. This document may be copied and downloaded for incidental, noncommercial Church or your own personal use. Planning T e m Discover p Listen carefully in order to match a priesthood l e leader’s goals and objectives with the appropriate family history resources. You will recognize temple- W related needs when leaders express a desire to: o  Help more individuals and families receive r their own temple ordinances. t h  Increase the number of endowed members with current temple recommends. i  Encourage active members to worship in the temple more frequently. n e  Inspire youth to make the temple an important part of their lives. s s When priesthood leaders express concerns about temple worthiness and temple attendance, you might suggest that involvement in family history work often motivates members to obtain a temple recommend and to use it more frequently. Case Study: The Springfield, Illinois, stake’s emphasis on family history work resulted in a 10 perecent increase in endowed members holding current temple recommends. Share To help priesthood leaders discover how family history can inspire members to make the temple an important part of their lives, you might share the “Focus on the Temple” segment from the To Turn the Hearts DVD. Invite priesthood leaders to consider the following questions:  What would be the impact on your ward or stake if more members were worthy to hold temple recommends?  What did you see that might be helpful to your own stake?  What do you feel would be some appropriate next steps?” Enable Here are some things you can do before, during, and after your visits with priesthood leaders:  Prepare spiritually for your meetings with priesthood leaders by prayerfully studying the resources available in the leader’s guide and DVD.  Listen and observe during your interviews so that you can discern what resources to share (see D&C 84:85).  At the invitation of priesthood leaders, arrange a time to conduct follow-up discussions, provide additional instruction, and help leaders organize their efforts for success.  Leave copies of the Resources and Implementation pages with leaders.  Take time to reflect on each meeting. Consider what went well and how to improve next time. ©2012 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by FamilySearch International, Salt Lake City, Utah. This document may be copied and downloaded for incidental, noncommercial Church or your own personal use. Resources T e m Temple and family history work is an essential resource to the work of salvation in the Church. p “Members who engage in this work are inspired to live gospel-centered lives and are more likely to l e participate in personal and family prayer, personal and family scripture study, and regular family home evening. Typically, when members participate in temple and family history work, they are more likely W to participate in all other Church meetings.” (To Turn the Hearts, page 1). o r Case Study: The Springfield Illinois, Stake’s emphasis on family history work resulted in a 10 percent t increase in endowed members holding current temple recommends. h i n Below are some resources for priesthood leaders that may help motivate members to make the temple e an important part of their lives. s s Videos  The “Featured Version” segment from the To Turn the Hearts DVD. From the main menu, select Featured Version.  “Focus on the Temple” segment from the To Turn the Hearts DVD. From the main menu, select Bonus Video Features and then Individual Stories and Topics. Note: You can also find these videos online. Go to LDS.org and click Menu, then Serving in the Church, then Temple and Family History, and then Leader Resources.  “Blessings of Temple and Family History Work” from the Temple and Family History Course DVD. From the main menu, select Providing Temple Ordinances. Conference Talks  Thomas S. Monson, “The Holy Temple—a Beacon to the World,” Ensign, May 2011, pages 90- 93.  Russell M. Nelson, “Generations Linked in Love,” Ensign, May 2010, pages 91-94.  David A. Bednar, “Honorably Hold a Name and Standing,” Ensign, May 2009, pages 97-100.  Elaine S. Dalton, “Guardians of Virtue,” Ensign, May 2011, pages 121-124 . Websites  Temple and Family History website. Go to LDS.org and click Menu, then Family History, and then Getting Started. This site provides tutorials to help members prepare names for temple ordinances.  FamilySearch Serve Portal. Go to FamilySearch.org/serve and sign in with your LDS Account. This portal provides instruction and resources for priesthood leaders and members with family history callings. Guides  To Turn the Hearts: Leader’s Guide to Temple and Family History Work provides suggestions on how to encourage participation in temple and family history work. See To Turn the Hearts, page 16.  Member’s Guide to Temple and Family History Work provides guidelines on preparing names for temple work, policies on temple work, and teachings about the blessings of temple work. ©2012 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by FamilySearch International, Salt Lake City, Utah. This document may be copied and downloaded for incidental, noncommercial Church or your own personal use. Implementation T e m Below are some suggestions for priesthood leaders on how to use family history to help members p focus on the temple. l e Ideas for Next Steps W  View the “Springfield Leaders’ Secrets of Success” video segment from the To Turn the Hearts o DVD. From the main menu, select Bonus Video Features and then Springfield Leaders’ Secrets r of Success. t h  Review o Turn the Hearts, pages 16-17. i  Schedule time on upcoming council meeting agendas to discuss temple and family history n work. See Handbook 2: Administering the Church, 2010, section 4.6.2. e s  Share your plans with your priesthood leaders, and receive counsel and direction from them. s  Follow up with the area family history adviser to plan the next steps and arrange additional instruction. Best Practices  The high councilor assigned to oversee family history instructs high priests group leaders in their responsibilities.  The high councilor coordinates with the area family history adviser and reports regularly to the stake presidency.  Family history work is included as an agenda item in stake and ward councils.  Family history activities are planned that will help members stay active in the gospel. Measuring Success Take time to consider how you will measure success. You may want to counsel with your priesthood leaders about which measures are important in your area. Some information can be captured through unit statistics, while other information may need to be tracked manually. Here are some measurements to consider:  Number of endowed adults  Percentage of endowed adults with current temple recommends  Number of families who have received sealing ordinances  Attendance at ward and stake temple trips  Attendance at youth temple trips Don’t be dissuaded if your efforts don’t seem to bear immediate fruit. Continue to move forward with faith. It often takes a sustained effort over time before results become visible. ©2012 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by FamilySearch International, Salt Lake City, Utah. This document may be copied and downloaded for incidental, noncommercial Church or your own personal use. The Holy Temple—a Beacon to the World By President Thomas S. Monson April 2011, General Conference The all-important and crowning blessings of membership in the Church are those blessings which we receive in the temples of God My beloved brothers and sisters, I extend my love and greetings to each of you and pray that our Heavenly Father will guide my thoughts and inspire my words as I speak to you today. May I begin by making a comment or two concerning the fine messages we have heard this morning from Sister Allred and Bishop Burton and others pertaining to the Church’s welfare program. As indicated, this year marks the 75th anniversary of this inspired program, which has blessed the lives of so many. It was my privilege to know personally some of those who pioneered this great endeavor—men of compassion and foresight. As both Bishop Burton and Sister Allred and others mentioned, the bishop of the ward is given the responsibility to care for those in need who reside within the boundaries of his ward. Such was my privilege when I presided as a very young bishop in Salt Lake City over a ward of 1,080 members, including 84 widows. There were many who needed assistance. How grateful I was for the welfare program of the Church and for the help of the Relief Society and the priesthood quorums. I declare that the welfare program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is inspired of Almighty God. Now, my brothers and sisters, this conference marks three years since I was sustained as President of the Church. Of course they have been busy years, filled with many challenges but also with countless blessings. The opportunity I have had to dedicate and rededicate temples has been among the most enjoyable and sacred of these blessings, and it is concerning the temple that I wish to speak to you today. During the October general conference in 1902, Church President Joseph F. Smith expressed in his opening address the hope that one day we would “have temples built in the various parts of the [world] where they are needed for the convenience of the people.”1 ©2012 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by FamilySearch International, Salt Lake City, Utah. This document may be copied and downloaded for incidental, noncommercial Church or your own personal use. During the first 150 years following the organization of the Church, from 1830 to 1980, 21 temples were built, including the temples in Kirtland, Ohio, and Nauvoo, Illinois. Contrast that with the 30 years since 1980, during which 115 temples were built and dedicated. With the announcement yesterday of 3 new temples, there are additionally 26 temples either under construction or in preconstruction stages. These numbers will continue to grow. The goal President Joseph F. Smith hoped for in 1902 is becoming a reality. Our desire is to make the temple as accessible as possible to our members. One of the temples currently under construction is in Manaus, Brazil. Many years ago I read of a group of over a hundred members who left Manaus, located in the heart of the Amazon rain forest, to travel to what was then the closest temple, located in São Paulo, Brazil—nearly 2,500 miles (4,000 km) from Manaus. Those faithful Saints journeyed by boat for four days on the Amazon River and its tributaries. After completing this journey by water, they boarded buses for another three days of travel—over bumpy roads, with very little to eat, and with nowhere comfortable to sleep. After seven days and nights, they arrived at the temple in São Paulo, where ordinances eternal in nature were performed. Of course their return journey was just as difficult. However, they had received the ordinances and blessings of the temple, and although their purses were empty, they themselves were filled with the spirit of the temple and with gratitude for the blessings they had received.2 Now, many years later, our members in Manaus are rejoicing as they watch their own temple take shape on the banks of the Rio Negro. Temples bring joy to our faithful members wherever they are built. Reports of the sacrifices made in order to receive the blessings found only in temples of God never fail to touch my heart and bring to me a renewed sense of thankfulness for temples. May I share with you the account of Tihi and Tararaina Mou Tham and their 10 children. The entire family except for one daughter joined the Church in the early 1960s, when missionaries came to their island, located about 100 miles (160 km) south of Tahiti. Soon they began to desire the blessings of an eternal family sealing in the temple. At that time the nearest temple to the Mou Tham family was the Hamilton New Zealand Temple, more than 2,500 miles (4,000 km) to the southwest, accessible only by expensive airplane travel. The large Mou Tham family, which eked out a meager living on a small plantation, had no money for airplane fare, nor was there any opportunity for employment on their Pacific island. So Brother Mou Tham and his son Gérard made the difficult decision to travel 3,000 miles (4,800 km) to work in New Caledonia, where another son was already employed. The three Mou Tham men labored for four years. Brother Mou Tham alone returned home only once during that time, for the marriage of a daughter. After four years, Brother Mou Tham and his sons had saved enough money to take the family to the New Zealand Temple. All who were members went except for one daughter, who was expecting a baby. They were sealed for time and eternity, an indescribable and joyful experience. ©2012 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by FamilySearch International, Salt Lake City, Utah. This document may be copied and downloaded for incidental, noncommercial Church or your own personal use.