tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post114481356628402598..comments2023-11-02T07:25:45.884-05:00Comments on Mormanity - a blog for those interested in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Starting Up a New Ward: Traumatic But ExcitingJeff Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08776493593387402607noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1145279289940737502006-04-17T08:08:00.000-05:002006-04-17T08:08:00.000-05:00It's potluck time!It's potluck time!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1145049789772072292006-04-14T16:23:00.000-05:002006-04-14T16:23:00.000-05:00Chris, Thanks for the tip about the web site. Bu...Chris,<BR/> Thanks for the tip about the web site.<BR/><BR/> But is there a privacy flag on a member's record that indicates that his/her address/phone/b-day should only appear on bishop-level or higher _printouts_?<BR/><BR/> What I've seen is that every rank and file member gets a ward-roster that lists b-day (without the birth-year), home address, and phone #.<BR/><BR/> I suppose I could turn in my PO Box as my address to the ward clerk, and merely refuse to give out my phone #, or have them remove my phone # from the record. The church record having a phone # is not an absolute requirement. And I could still give my phone # to the bishopric, EQ presidency, and home teachers.<BR/><BR/> But we have to have our accurate b-day on file with the church. And it upsets me that rank-and-file members have access to that (in the hard copy roster) in this day of identify theft. Not only are there a small number of unscrupulous members, but even some good members have hacker children who would pick up mom-and-dad's hardcopy printout of the membership roster, Google the names, and see what kind of havoc they could cause. <BR/><BR/>So it's not just the stake/ward web site, it's the hard copies of ward rosters too that concern me.<BR/><BR/>There's a dear sweet elderly woman in our ward who joined the church a a decade or so ago. She is loved dearly and is a strong member. But she has some children and grandchildren who have been in and out of jail, and not all of them are friendly to the church. It worries me that stuff I consider to be my private information is in her house and is accessible to the others who live with her. Similar scenarios are played out in maybe 4 or 5 households in this ward.<BR/><BR/>One of the main rules of preventing identify theft is to reduce exposure, and only give out your address and birthdate to those who absolutely need it. For instance, I used my PO Box on my checks and credit card. The mailbox on my apartment is not the lockable kind, people could steal from it before I got home, so having important stuff go to the PO box is a good idea anyway.Bookslingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15077778974473538408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1145045638301008472006-04-14T15:13:00.000-05:002006-04-14T15:13:00.000-05:00Your ward website administrator can make sure that...Your ward website administrator can make sure that your info. does not show up. They have a duty to take care of it, as soon as the member requests it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1144988116602607262006-04-13T23:15:00.000-05:002006-04-13T23:15:00.000-05:00As someone who once requested name-removal, I advi...As someone who once requested name-removal, I advise against telling people they have to do that to guarantee no contact. Let people request it on their own, but please never suggest it.<BR/><BR/>Church leadership in Salt Lake City is more than willing to leave lost members, disaffected members, and apostatized members on the official membership rolls. The church does not excommunicate for private apostasy, you have to publicly deny the church to get ex-ed.<BR/><BR/>Personally, I believe people should never be told they "ought" to request name-removal in order to not be pestered. There should be less drastic ways of leaving people alone.<BR/><BR/>However, I do believe their membership record should be annotated with "DNC" (Do Not Contact) if that is their request, along with the priesthood holder who reported the fact to the bishopric, and then the bishopric tells the clerk to so note it on the record. Maybe there could be a time limit like 4 or 5 years associated, and then a letter or something is generated, as long as people knew up front that their DNC request would expire eventually.<BR/><BR/>I am also concerned with privacy of membership records. I'm appalled that lists of people's birthdays for the month are posted on the bulletin boards in chapels. That kind of stuff invites identify theft. I realize they don't put up the year on the bulletin board, but the year is guessable through online means. If you know someone's name, address, birthdate, you can steal their identity. It's not just a few members, but the hacker children and grandchildren of members that I worry about getting that info.<BR/><BR/>I would also like to see a flag for withholding the home-address from everyone except the bishopric and higher. I don't want my name/address/phone# available through the stake web site to anyone except my bishopric and the stake presidency. And I don't want my address and phone# circulated on 150 copies of the ward roster to everyone in the ward who asks for one. Our clerk tells me my request can't be accomodated. Does anyone else know a way? I suppose he could use White-Out(tm) on my b-day/address/phone# before photocopying it for everyone.Bookslingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15077778974473538408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1144969953185241522006-04-13T18:12:00.000-05:002006-04-13T18:12:00.000-05:00Jeff, A single issue (March 2006) of the Thai la...Jeff,<BR/> A single issue (March 2006) of the Thai language Liahona magazine is on its way to you via snail-mail.<BR/> I hope your wife sees it as a good excuse to go out to eat at Taste of Thai.Bookslingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15077778974473538408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1144946520038576342006-04-13T11:42:00.000-05:002006-04-13T11:42:00.000-05:00Is there a "do not contact" flag on a member's rec...Is there a "do not contact" flag on a member's record in the computer database? Or is that a list that the Bishop keeps apart from the computer system?Bookslingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15077778974473538408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1144866100142892272006-04-12T13:21:00.000-05:002006-04-12T13:21:00.000-05:00Consult the manuals relevant to each calling exten...Consult the manuals relevant to each calling extended and make sure the true duties of the calling are explained when each person is called. <BR/><BR/>When I was called as ward chorister in a new ward, I read the instructions, and did my calling in the way it's supposed to be done (as opposed to the way it's usually done).<BR/><BR/>A new start can be a tremendous opportunity to get rid of old assumptions about the way things "have always been done," and start doing them the way they ought to be done.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1144864817116819592006-04-12T13:00:00.000-05:002006-04-12T13:00:00.000-05:00Not to sound like a High Priest group leader or an...Not to sound like a High Priest group leader or anything, but home teaching is huge. There was actually a Spanish branch on my mission that should have been a ward, but they could not get their act together on home teaching. The lack of unity and support for ward members was painful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1144857918012522882006-04-12T11:05:00.000-05:002006-04-12T11:05:00.000-05:00Activities, Strong leadership, be committed to the...Activities, Strong leadership, be committed to the Gospel of Jesus ChristAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1144845066646306792006-04-12T07:31:00.000-05:002006-04-12T07:31:00.000-05:00I am serving as Elder's Quorum President in a smal...I am serving as Elder's Quorum President in a small branch, which I imagine is a similar situation. I'm finding that the number one priority is keeping the small core group of saints close and strong. It is the only way we can continue to sustain any growth. I'd say temple trips and other activities to build relationships among the new ward members would be a top proiority. I'm new to my branch and calling though, so I'm very interested in what others have to say.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1144838667808884622006-04-12T05:44:00.000-05:002006-04-12T05:44:00.000-05:00My favorite way to find ethnic restaurants in town...My favorite way to find ethnic restaurants in town, or when I travel is to go to www.anywho.com.<BR/><BR/>Type in "chinese" as the business category, click the "category" radio button, fill in the city/state, and search.<BR/><BR/>Since many restaurants are not categorized correctly, but still have the word "Chinese" "China" or "Thai" in their name, click the "name" radio button, and search on those three words.Bookslingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15077778974473538408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1144838370082005832006-04-12T05:39:00.000-05:002006-04-12T05:39:00.000-05:00I recommend celebrating your calling by eating at ...I recommend celebrating your calling by eating at the following restaurant:<BR/><BR/>Taste of Thai<BR/>321 East College Avenue<BR/>Appleton, WI 54911 <BR/><BR/>But first, call 1-800-537-5971, or go to www.ldscatalog.com and order # 33572425, a Thai Book of Mormon.<BR/><BR/>Actually, order a few, in case people from more than one household or family work at the restaurant.<BR/><BR/>Oh, and I've found that people from Indonesia and China sometimes work at Thai restaurants, so take those books too. :-)Bookslingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15077778974473538408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1144820463271760582006-04-12T00:41:00.000-05:002006-04-12T00:41:00.000-05:00Jeff Lindsay, 21st-century Mormon pioneer. If the...Jeff Lindsay, 21st-century Mormon pioneer. If the Saints had gone north instead of west in 1846, Wisconsin would have been Zion central. Best of luck with the new ward.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16545582642775796073noreply@blogger.com