Teaching the Savior's Way: Priesthood and Relief Society Councils​. Preventing Drift

God’s Purpose

The Purpose of the Godhead We believe in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. We believe that They are separate beings but share the same purpose. We believe that we are all God’s spirit children. The purpose and desire of each member of the Godhead is to follow the Father’s plan in helping us all become like Them and enjoy eternal life.  (https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/godhead)

Purpose of Families Families are central to God’s plan, which provides a way for family relationships to extend beyond the grave. Sacred temple ordinances and covenants, faithfully kept, help us return to the presence of God, united eternally with our families. (Church Handbook of Instruction 1.3; emphasis added)

United Purpose of Church and Home God has revealed a pattern of spiritual progress for individuals and families through ordinances, teaching, programs, and activities that are home centered and Church supported. Church organizations and programs exist to bless individuals and families and are not ends in themselves. Priesthood and auxiliary leaders and teachers seek to assist parents, not to supersede or replace them. Priesthood and auxiliary leaders must endeavor to strengthen the sacredness of the home by ensuring that all Church activities support the lives of individuals and families. Church leaders need to be careful not to overwhelm families with too many Church responsibilities. Parents and Church leaders work together to help individuals and families return to our Father in Heaven by following Jesus Christ. (Church Handbook of Instruction 1.4; emphasis added)

So the purpose of the 3rd Hour Curriculum? Teach lessons? Implement a program? Get perfect attendance (i.e., numbers)? Hold a discussion? NO! The purpose remains absolutely the same – to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of all of Heavenly Father’s children!

Why Do We Have Quorum and Relief Society Meetings? In these latter days, God has restored the priesthood and organized priesthood quorums and the Relief Society to help accomplish His work of salvation. Because of this, each Sunday when we gather in elders quorum and Relief Society meetings, we discuss and plan what we will do to help accomplish God’s work. To be effective, these meetings need to be more than classes. They are opportunities to counsel about the work of salvation, learn together about that work from the teachings of Church leaders, and plan and organize ourselves to accomplish it. (https://www.lds.org/languages/eng/content/manual/come-follow-me-for-elders-quorum-and-relief-society-april-2018/why-do-we-have-quorum-and-relief-society-meetings)

First-Sunday Council Meetings On the first Sunday of each month, elders quorum and Relief Society meetings do not include a lesson taught by a teacher. Instead, elders quorum and Relief Society presidencies lead council meetings. In these first-Sunday council meetings, each elders quorum and Relief Society counsels together about local responsibilities, opportunities, and challenges; learns from each other’s insights and experiences; and plans ways to act on impressions received from the Spirit. These discussions should draw upon relevant scriptures and the teachings of living prophets. (https://www.lds.org/languages/eng/content/manual/come-follow-me-for-elders-quorum-and-relief-society-april-2018/first-sunday-council-meetings)

It has only been a few months but we are already seeing significant “drift” related to 1st-Sunday Councils.

Problem #1 Problem: We are seeing less and less connection between first-Sunday councils and the ward council. Correct: Ward council needs to be a place where the representatives of every member of the ward (children, youth, men, women) are able to discuss the needs of those for whom they have stewardship. “Ideas for council meeting discussion topics may come from presidency meetings, ward council meetings, the area plan, impressions leaders receive as they minister to members, and promptings from the Holy Ghost.” “Members of the ward council strive to help individuals build testimonies, receive saving ordinances, keep covenants, and become consecrated followers of Jesus Christ (see Moroni 6:4–5). All members of the ward council have a general responsibility for the well-being of ward members. Priesthood and auxiliary leaders also have a specific responsibility to watch over and strengthen each member in their organization. Ward council members strive to stay informed about the needs, well-being, and spiritual progress of members in their organizations.” (Church Handbook of Instruction 4.4-5)

Problem #2 Problem: Lessons are being taught (by teachers). Correct: These councils should be councils led by priesthood and Relief Society presidencies. “On the first Sunday of each month, Elders quorum and Relief Society meetings do not include a lesson taught by a teacher. Instead, Elders quorum and Relief Society presidencies lead council meetings.” “All of us at some time have said or heard the phrase: “Next Sunday I am teaching a lesson about repentance” – or about some other gospel principle or topic. However, we do not teach lessons; we teach people. Excessively emphasizing lesson content and delivery can lead to deemphasizing the needs of individuals in a class and to altogether missing divinely orchestrated opportunities to lift, strengthen, and clarify one by one. Thirty individuals do not constitute a class; rather, a class is comprised of thirty individual ones.” -Elder David A. Bednar)

Problem #3 Problem: Councils are focusing on “topics”. Correct: The council should be focused on strengthening individuals (meeting their needs). “In these latter days, God has restored the priesthood and organized priesthood quorums and the Relief Society to help accomplish His work (see Moses 1:39). So each Sunday when we gather in Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society meetings, we gather to discuss and plan how we will accomplish His work. That is why these meetings need to be more than classes.” (Ensign, November, 2017)

Problem #4 Problem: Often discussing personal opinions about a topic. Correct: We need to be teaching each other doctrine and principles from the scriptures and words of the prophets. “These discussions should draw upon relevant scriptures and the teachings of living prophets.” “..teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom” (D&C 88: 77) “The Father’s doctrine consists of eternal truths that, when consistently applied, lead to exaltation.” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way)

Problem #5 Problem: Members walk away having (at best) discussed a topic instead of making a plan. Correct: The purpose of this council is to develop an action plan for implementing what was discussed. “In these latter days, God has restored the priesthood and organized priesthood quorums and the Relief Society to help accomplish His work of salvation. Because of this, each Sunday when we gather in elders quorum and Relief Society meetings, we discuss and plan what we will do to help accomplish God’s work. To be effective, these meetings need to be more than classes. They are opportunities to counsel about the work of salvation, learn together about that work from the teachings of Church leaders, and plan and organize ourselves to accomplish it.”

Action Plans Notice the examples given in the training materials for first-Sunday council meetings:   What can we do to minister to those around us? How can we prioritize our different responsibilities? How will we share the gospel with our friends and neighbors? How can we protect ourselves and our families from inappropriate media and pornography? What will we do to mentor and strengthen our children and the youth in our ward? How can we be more involved in family history work and temple worship?

Problem #6 Problem: By not utilizing 1st-Sunday Councils, the following weeks likewise do not reach their potential. Most notably, conference talks are being picked months in advance as opposed to specifically selected based on what emerges (i.e., needs of individuals, action plans, etc.) from the 1st-Sunday council. Correct: Conference talks selected for second and third Sundays should be carefully and prayerfully selected and usually be based on what emerges (i.e., needs of individuals, action plans, etc.) from the 1st-Sunday council. They should be the means of addressing those needs and learning how to carry out the action plan rather than being the ends of the classes (i.e., teaching a lesson). “In most cases, the quorum presidency, group leadership, or Relief Society presidency will select a conference message to study based on the needs of the members, although the bishop or stake president may give input. Leaders may choose a message related to the topic discussed in the first-Sunday council meeting, or they may choose another message based on the inspiration of the Spirit.”

Summary Before the council meeting Do: Identify local needs, opportunities, and challenges. Prayerfully select a topic to discuss. Invite quorum members or Relief Society sisters to come prepared to share their thoughts and experiences. Don’t: Prepare a lesson. Come with a specific solution or action plan in mind. During the council meeting Do: Invite members to share experiences they had acting on impressions and plans from previous meetings. Introduce the meeting topic and encourage members to counsel together about it, seeking solutions and guidance from the scriptures, the words of the prophets, and the Holy Ghost. Plan to act on what was discussed. This may include group plans or plans that individuals make on their own. Don’t: Dominate the conversation. Try to convince others of your ideas. Discuss sensitive/confidential issues. Teach a lesson. Pressure anyone to participate. After the council meeting Do: Follow up on plans and assignments made during the council meeting. Find ways to include those who could not attend the meeting because of callings or other reasons. Let them know about plans that were made. Give members opportunities to share experiences in future meetings.

Ministering Ward council discussion Hold 4th Sunday Sabbath Day lesson Presidency ponders and prays 1st Sunday council meeting Presidency selects 2nd-3rd Sunday topics Hold 2nd, 3rd Sunday discussion Hold 4th Sunday Sabbath Day lesson Church leaders work together to help individuals and families return to our Father in Heaven by following Jesus Christ. “Ministering is Christlike caring for others and helping meet their spiritual and temporal needs.” – First Presidency Letter, 4-2-18

Preventing Drift: We Need Your Help! Training in wards. Identifying needs. Utilizing Resources . - Stake Sunday School Presidency - Church resources (e.g., Ensign, Nov, 2017) - https://www.pgeastsundayschool.com/2018-adult-cirriculum.html

The Vision Brothers and sisters, may we focus on the simple ways we can serve in the kingdom of God, always striving to change lives, including our own. What is most important in our Church responsibilities is not the statistics that are reported or the meetings that are held but whether or not individual people – ministered to one at a time just as the Savior did – have been lifted and encouraged and ultimately changed. Our task is to help others find the peace and the joy that only the gospel can give them. - Elder M. Russell Ballard (“O Be Wise,” Ensign, November, 2006)