Leadership Tips and Suggestions Shared:



Leadership Tip:    At an Adult Religion Class, the teacher said something so profound that I have remembered it and strived to do it for over 25 years.  He said something like this:

 "Every time I teach or speak, I pray that I will never say anything that is wrong or teach incorrect doctrine.  I pray that my listeners will not "hear me wrong" or misinterpret or misunderstand what I say.  And that if they do misunderstand, or I do teach anything incorrect, that they will immediately forget what I said."



Invite the Spirit into Your Calling: 

Pray Daily for the Lord's help in your calling-----I believe you will truly be amazed at the ideas and impressions you receive.  I have a strong personal testimony of the power of doing this. 

"You can have the utmost assurance that your power will be multiplied many times by the Lord. All He asks is that you give your best effort and your whole heart."

Elder Henry B. Eyring, "Rise to Your Call"  - Ensign, Nov. 2002, 78    (Excellent talk on Callings)

More on Magnifying Callings.....



At this Christmas time, as our thoughts turn to Gifts:

"Be determined to pray with all the energy of your heart that you might have every gift a loving Heavenly Father knows you must have to serve His Son and to endure against the powers of darkness."
Elder Henry B. Eyring  -  Ensign, Oct. 1999, 11
Learn more about Gifts of the Spirit (link):

December Challenge:    Pray daily for the Gifts of the Spirit  "that all may be profited thereby".



Plan Ahead/Set Goals:

  Much more will happen in your wards and stakes if Family History workers and Priesthood Leaders counsel together and make definite written plans and set goals for the entire year.  Even if certain plans and dates must be changed later--it is more likely that they will still take place.

Possible topics of discussion:  Classes to be held, FH Fair/Conference/Open House to be held?, staff meeting schedule, Temple trips, etc., Ward Projects (getting every family registered on FamilySearch, PAF 5.2 on each family's computer, etc.)  Group visits to the Family History Library.

Questions to discuss:  How can we serve/help busy young families?   Singles?   Older members without computer skills?   Youth?    How can we involve all the ward auxilliaries?                                


Keep Helpful Records:

Some new Directors are having trouble getting a good start because the former directors have not left helpful records and information for them--to help them learn and understand their new calling.  Since changes of leadership happen so frequently in the Church, we need to think of the person who will be called after us and do for them what we wish the former director/consultant had done for us.  So please keep all pertinent information in a looseleaf binder to pass on---and keep up-to-date records, etc.

Many years ago I learned a valuable leadership lesson while serving with a Stake Primary President.  Every year after we held the Stake Priesthood Preview dinner and meeting for the boys and their parents, she would hold an evaluation meeting.  She kept a looseleaf binder and would write down everything about the event for that year while it was fresh in our minds----how many people attended, how much food (what we had too much of or not enough of), what worked well, what could be improved upon, samples of invitations, etc.   These records were invaluable when planning the next year's event.  We always think we will remember the details and the amounts and the costs, but we don't--and the leadership might be different next year.  It would be helpful to you and to future leaders for you to do this when you hold open houses, seminars, Family History Fairs, etc.

Plan for the future in order to have smooth transitions---it will help keep this important work moving ahead in spite of the inevitable changes of leaders and workers! 



Learn, Learn, Learn! 

Remember the Parable of the Talents.  Ask yourself, "Which person in the parable am I most like?"    We owe it to the Lord to continually develop our talents in order to be more effective instruments in His hands in building the Kingdom and furthering His work.   Magnify your calling (link).

I, like many of you, often felt frustrated and that I was wasting my time when doing my FH shift each week when no patrons would come.  Then I had a shift of thinking.  Now I think of it as a welcome Gift of Time to further my learning.  Use the time for your own work; to practice, so you feel more confident helping patrons when they do come; to explore the many helpful genealogy sites and lessons that are on the internet---there are soooo many out there!!   At home, we are often too busy with family and life duties to take the time to learn.  So let's not waste our shifts when no patrons come.  Let's use that gift of time productively and  Learn, Learn, Learn!