Will the new ministering program change your level of engagement with "ministering"?

[Anonymous]

According to the FAQ, it looks a bit like this is HT/VT with a new coat of paint and different expectations. Priesthood holders still are responsible for each household and sisters are responsible for other sisters. I was kinda hoping it would be something where men and women ministered as equals, though I do respect the need for having priesthood holders available to every family. This does still open the door to husband/wife companionships, which is a welcome change. (technically you could do it before, but that tended to be reserved for unusual circumstances.)

[Anonymous]

Another change is that husbands and wives can go ministering together. We got rebuked over that by TSM when he came to Toronto a few years ago. He punctuated his rebuke with “don’t leave those prospective elders at home”. But I guess we were ahead of the curve….Also, these ministering interviews occur “preferably” with both members of the companionship present, but you count your interview as complete if only one member of the companionship is there. Plus, these interviews can happen over the phone!!!!

Another thing is that the ministering companionship determines how to best meet the needs of the family by counseling with the “family” or members being ministered to.

You don’t have to give a message if you don’t want — and ministering can mean attending the person’s soccer game — not a formal meeting. All very practical meaningful ways of connecting with people other than this silliness we’ve been trying to manage all these years.

Makes me want to step up and be a leader again — almost 😆

[Anonymous]

mom3 wrote:

Not mine. I have been giving and receiving like this for 3 or 4 years. I am ahead of the curve.

It took my visiting teachers a bit to get used to it, but now we are pros.

I also announced a million times over that I preferred visiting friending to visiting teaching. I get taught all the time. I could read the message myself. I wanted friends or carer’s, not tutors.

I am happy to hear the entire church is joining me.

I have been trying to minister like this for the past year and a half or so. I usually disregard the lesson entirely, and come prepared with a spiritual thought that a) would probably work for them in their situation (from what I knew of it), b) had meaning for me.

Last fall I had my assigned VT tell me to my face that she did not like me for some of the choices I had made and felt that being assigned to me was a learning opportunity for her. To give her credit, she made it clear it was all her and her problem. I was not mad (am still am not mad at her) – I was horrified because I missed all the non-verbal communications regarding how she felt about me and felt stupid and out of the loop. After counseling with my mother (who serves in a R.S. Presidency), I requested a different sister be assigned as my Visiting Teacher when I mentioned the story to my Relief Society President – who was my friend and could minister to me the way I needed. The paperwork never got updated, but I considered the 2nd sister my Visiting Teacher and invited her into my life to minister to me. The actually assigned VT was not that interested in being involved in my life after that 1 visit.

I enjoyed shocking our Home Teachers by tracking them down, and then pretty much telling them 1-2x in a month that they could come over if it worked for them.

[Anonymous]

Quote:

Will the new ministering program change your level of engagement with “ministering”?

I believe that feeling included and wanted would help me and my family. To be honest the best way to minister to my family is through my children. If my children are befriended and fellowshipped DW and I will come along for the ride. We will even serve as much as we can in the youth organization.

[Anonymous]

Will the new ministering program change your level of engagement with “ministering”?

I don’t think so. I have not given a “lesson” to a home teaching family in probably a decade. But I have pushed for and have 3 divorced much older women assigned (2 of which are now unemployed) and I spend a few hours every week helping them keep their house in working order. I LOVE doing that. I HATE giving a lesson while kids are squirming and wishing I would just leave.

[Anonymous]

So, as I interpret the new program, if you “Like” somebodies Facebook post, that can count as “Ministering” Same with a “Heart” on Instagram. I love this! 😆

[Anonymous]

Sheldon. I “Heart” your post!

[Anonymous]

No, since that is what I have been doing and suggesting for a long time.

[Anonymous]

One of my friends said he was sad they took away the honking option.

[Anonymous]

I haven’t read all the comments, I’m trying to play catch up.

Will the new ministering program change your level of engagement with “ministering”?

No, probably not.

I’ve seen how other churches come together to help people when they need something. Our church does a good job of this as well. When someone is going through a rough patch the church comes together to fix meals, give rides, etc. I think the old HT program created this expectation where we created busywork in the form of lots and lots of visits. Maybe the new program moves us more towards what other churches do? Mobilizing when needed as opposed to tiring because we’re always being mobile.

Time will tell.

Here’s the deal though. There are a few things I didn’t like about HT that remain.

1) Assignments: I’m an introvert. Assigned friends don’t work. Assigning me to be someone’s friend isn’t going to work and assigning someone to be my friend isn’t going to work. Assigning me to be someone’s companion to go fulfill an assignment doesn’t work either. Everything about assignments is a a hurdle for me and it’s assignment all the way down.

I get why they do assignments, so no one falls through the cracks. It’s just that as an extreme introvert it violates what’s at the core of how I form and maintain friendships. That’s me. That’s okay. If you want to minister to me don’t obligate me to participate in this new program.

2) Reporting: Again, I get why they do this. To ensure no one’s needs slip through the cracks. I’m a little uncomfortable with reporting on things my friends tell me and I’m uncomfortable with my ‘ministering angels’ giving a report on my family. IMO that’s not what friendships are about. Sharing intimate things with people that get blabbed up some chain. Nope.

It probably won’t work that way, it will probably only be a mechanism for relating needs, but who knows? I need intimate friends and I don’t know that I can be intimate with a person that is expected to report on how I’m doing.

And interviews now? That feels like more work for the leaders and an opportunity for even more coercion to be applied.

– – –

And what of this? I minister to people. Some are not members of my ward, some aren’t even members of the church. They have needs, I’m there for them in a true ministry. But that doesn’t “count” and when I say “count” in this context I don’t mean get the peer kudos for being a good participant in a church program, I mean if I wear myself out ministering to people outside my assignments I’m considered derelict in my official duties and I’m admonished to complete my assignments in the future.

I guess what I’m saying is that I like my ministering to be more organic and less rule bound. Where artificial boundaries of wards and membership are set up.

Don’t get the wrong impression, I love that they’re at least trying something new. Props where props are due. It’s just that for me, I’m going to continue to minister in my way. Maybe ignore the reporting and just try to be there for people, regardless of assignment.

I may give this the old college try but there’s a reason I am the way I am. My ward is already treating the new program like a more laborious flavor of home teaching. There was a real:

Home teaching is dead! Long live home teaching! moment in my ward. I hope this is more than a name change, time will tell.

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