Temple and Family History Organization in a Ward and Stake

Problem
    Volunteering and serving as a consultant at a FamilySearch Center and serving as a ward family history consultant for a number of years has given me a perspective from which I have determined that some major difficulties exist in many wards and stakes in our response to the mandate to perform temple and family history work.  While the sample of my experience may be somewhat limited, yet as I interact with a number of individuals who have ward and stake callings in regard to this work, and I hear of their struggles and see recurring patterns that seem to be problematic.
    It appears that general membership of the Church may not fully understand the new and greater responsibilities placed upon Elders Quorum and Relief Society presidencies by the Church, to provide the primary ward leadership for temple and family history work (Handbook 25.2.2).  There may be a tendency to continue to look instead to the ward Bishopric for leadership and specific direction for temple and family history efforts in the ward.  Secondly, individuals who occupy Elders and Relief Society functions that affect temple and history work may not fully understand the importance of their roles and responsibility to provide leadership for temple and family history matters.  While in some respects, we all are responsible for every facet and feature of the work of the Lord, there have been recent changes in the degree of responsibility in the ward organization.  One change is that the direct responsibility and supervision by the ward Bishop and Bishopric for certain Melchizedek Priesthood functions has been reduced, for matters relating to temple and family history work (and similarly missionary work).  With the creation of a single Melchizedek Priesthood organization at the ward level, the Elders Quorum, this quorum leadership now has been given a primary responsibility in the ward for leading in these specific higher priesthood efforts (see D & C 84:19-20).  We see in this move by the Church to create important Melchizedek priesthood function councils at the ward level (and perhaps also the stake and area levels) a replication of the apostolic Executive Committees for such things as Temple and Family History and for Missionary Work at the general church level.  And perhaps the most major change of all is the elevation of the Relief Society Presidency to near equal responsibility and joint leadership status with the Elders Presidency for these ward level efforts.  The risk in the lack of these new understandings may well be fragmentation of ward efforts in these areas, or failure to give sufficient attention or emphasis to this work, both of which would seem to weaken the effort of the ward in these areas.  There is an interconnectedness of responsibilities that seems to require a broad consensus in order for members to successfully carry out goals, policies, and procedures in the local levels of the Church.
    To optimize the temple and family history work in a ward, it would seem helpful for the following to be on the same page:
    –The Elders President and his designated Counselor
    –The Relief Society President and her designated Counselor
    –The Ward Temple and Family History Leader
    And to a lesser degree (but still vital):
    –Family History Consultants and members of the ward temple and family history committee
    –Members of the Ward Council, including the bishopric and also youth leaders.
    Another challenge to consider is how a ward temple and family history leader should operate in this context.  The Handbook of Instructions identifies an individual ward calling of a Temple and Family History Leader.  This assignment  may be filled by a counselor in the Elders Quorum Presidency or another Melchizedek Priesthood holder.  Four persons are involved in the decision as to whom to call to that position.  According to the Church Handbook of Instructions, the Bishop and Stake President determine which option to follow (Elders counselor or other person), and also the Elders and Relief Society Presidents are to give input as the individual to be called.  The call is to be issued by a member of the bishopric and sustained in Sacrament meeting, and the setting apart performed by a member of the Bishopric.  Even though this is a ward leadership calling, the immediate supervision of this Temple and Family History Leader is by the Elders Quorum and Relief Society presidencies and particularly the Elders Counselor assigned to “help lead temple and family history in the ward” (Handbook 8.2.2, 8.2.4, 9.2.4).  I might suggest that a reason for the call of this person by the Bishopric rather than it being a call within the Elders Quorum is that the work cuts across the major responsibilities of two ward organizations, Elders and Relief Society.  
    When this calling is made, it seems critical that the individual must be clearly informed and understand the requirement for him to accept his primary supervision to be from the Elders and Relief Society Presidencies and to promote his directing of the work through them.  If he or others assume that he answers organizationally to the person issuing the call or any other individual who is not a part of the Elders or Relief Society presidencies, the needed unity and cooperation for this work within the ward will likely suffer.  Also, as holding a significant Melchizedek Priesthhood calling, it goes without saying that the ward temple and family history leader should not carry other assignments that interfere with his being present in Elders Quorum meetings regularly to teach and promote his special mission.  Also the efforts of a ward temple and family history leader will probably work best and reflect the leadership of the Relief Society and Elders Quorum if he is included regularly in correlation meetings of these two presidencies, especially prior to his scheduled appearances with the Ward Council, in order to be able to present a well-considered and united position to the rest of the ward leaders.   
    We are seeing a number of persons with temple and family history leader callings functioning largely in isolation.  Sometimes these persons may make the choice to operate in isolation or unilaterally.  Unilateral actions by a person who is in such a directing role is inconsistent with the order of the Church, and in the long run will not get the job done because success requires the commitment of many persons acting unitedly.  This is particularly the case if the temple and family history leader in a ward does not want to take direction from or seek intense involvement of the Elders Quorum and Relief Society leadership as being his supervising authorities.
    A second reason for this isolation of the temple and family history leader may result from a lack of understanding or training of either the temple and family history leader and/or of the leaders of the Elders Quorum or Relief Society, so that they do not understand or are indifferent to their important shared responsibilities in the ward for providing leadership for temple and family history work or are holding on to “the old way of doing things”.
    Here are some added suggestions that might help in overcoming these problems.


1. Calling of a new ward temple and family history leader
    The person issuing the call should make it very clear that the new leader knows that in this calling he needs to support and represent the Elders Quorum and Relief Society Presidencies as they are asked to “lead the day to day temple and family history efforts in the ward” (Handbook 25.2.2) and that his immediate file leader is a specified Elders Quorum Counselor.  Some individuals have suggested that the Elders President (and even the Relief Society President) attend these calling interviews and be the person(s) to provide instruction on the duties and organizational relationships for the new assignment.  Or alternatively, to schedule and hold a separate meeting with the four of them and the new leader, to discuss how it works and to "hand off" the Temple and Family History leader to the EQ and RS presidents (or counselors).

2. Oversight of ward Elders Quorums and Relief Society Presidencies
    The problem of a lack of Elders Quorum leadership for temple and family history work might be cured by focused attention to this potential problem by members of the Stake High Council who are assigned to oversee and support the specific ward Elders quorum presidencies (Handbook 25.3.3)
    – Training Elders Quorum Presidencies on their roles and responsibilities for temple and family history work
    – More specific training for the Quorum counselor who is assigned to temple and family history work (especially where some other man is the temple and family history chair).
    –Specific suggestions as to how the presidency could involve a ward temple and family history leader in their discussions and planning, how to structure regular correlational meetings and contacts with the leader and how to use quorum meetings and resources to promote temple and family history work.  
    The Stake Relief Society Presidency might fill a similar oversight and training role with ward Relief Society leaders (Handbook 25.3.4)
    The High Councilors and Stake Relief Society leaders might be assisted in this by stake temple and family history consultants, who are part of a stake committee on temple and family history work (Handbook 25.3.5)
    Another approach to training that has been used successfully by some stakes is for the stake temple and family history leadership persons to schedule a monthly training time, in this case on a Sunday afternoon once a month, at the local FamilySearch Center, inviting all the ward temple and family history leaders, ward consultants, and members of ward temple and family history committees to attend.  These meetings might present a mix of formal family history research training and discussion of problems and ideas for organizing and promoting this work in the wards and stake.  This might provide an alternative (or supplement) to the correlation meeting suggested below in item 4, plus have the added benefit of familiarizing all these persons with the local Center and its resources.

3. Creation of a stake temple and family history committee with persons of specific expertise in this work
    These persons might be deployed to help with training of ward Elders Quorum and Relief Society Presidencies, Temple and Family History Leaders, and Temple and Family History Consultants.  This committee might also focus on integrating and the optimal use of family history resources of the wards, the stake and the local FamilySearch Center.

4. Stake High Councilor Over Temple and Family History Work Correlation Meeting with Ward Temple and Family History Work Leaders
    It has been suggested that coordination and commitment to temple and family history work, on the part of both ward and of stake leaders, might be facilitated by the High Councilor over temple and family history work holding a meeting periodically, perhaps every three to six months, with the ward temple and family history chairmen.  Purposes would include providing information on stake initiatives and other resources, receiving feedback and considering solutions to temple and family history issues and problems, and to train and motivate these leaders, etc.
    The High Councilor should seek specific information about:
    –What is the nature of the working relationships that exist in the wards between the temple and family history leaders and their ward Elders quorum and Relief Society leadership?
    –Are the ward temple and family history committees fully staffed and meeting regularly, probably monthly?
    –Do the wards each have a temple and family history plan that it is following conscientiously?  Do these plans include actions to be carried out by all ward functions, including the Young Men, the Young Women, Primary, and representing a broad consensus and commitment across the entire ward?
    –Are there enough consultants in the wards?  Do they need more training?  Does the ward meet its assignment for consultants serving with the local FamilySearch Center?
    –Are the formal resources for training consultants adequate and being utilized?
    –Is the ward making effective use of the local FamilySearch Center resources?

5. For all temple and family history callings, ward, stake, and FamilySearch Center workers
    The feelings of isolation reported by some workers might be partly alleviated if when called, the leader emphasizes the interrelatedness of all the family history resources, in the ward, stake and FamilySearch Center.  Ward calls might direct the recipient to stake and Center for training, and potentially to their support of Center activities and staffing needs.
    
REL: rev. May 20, 2024