A Funny Thing Happend to me on Sunday

[kmalone-p40]

Thought i would liven the fourm a bit with a fun thread, everyone is way to serious lately.

Last Sunday we were discussing the fact that alot of oridinations and setting aparts were not being entered into MLS.

Jokingly one fo the counselors said that it was the ward the ward clerks fault for not entering them in . I stated that I could only enter in what I have been told and if that was the issue (not being told) I would gladly generate a form a that they could fill out and return to me with the information.

I think I got their attention.

PS keep it kind and nothing you wouldn't be embarassed about if someone else read it. Remeber clerks are not the only looking at these forums.

[1historian-p40]

We have a simmilar problem in our ward but my bishop came up with a paperless solution.
Have the clerk stick around after church and notate for himself who got set apart. It makes for much more acurate records.

[aebrown]

Jokingly one of the counselors said that it was the ward clerk's fault for not entering them in.

He may have been joking, but the counselor was actually right. The ward clerk should be at the ordinance, not waiting for someone to give him paperwork. From the Record Keeping FAQ (on page 10):

On March 25, 2003, a notice from the Presiding Bishopric was sent regarding the importance of ensuring that ordinances are recorded promptly on the membership record.

The notice stated, “When saving ordinances or priesthood ordinations are performed, the appropriate Church representative should attend and ensure that the ordinance or ordination is recorded. In the case of civil marriage or other civil events, the ward clerk is responsible to obtain the necessary information to record these significant events if he or the bishop is not in attendance.”
In addition, instruction was given about who should attend the ordinance and ensure it is recorded. This is outlined below:
1. Baptism of convert: Missionary
2. Confirmation of convert: Ward clerk (provides a copy of the Baptism and Confirmation Record to the missionary, who ensures both ordinances are recorded)
3. Blessing of an infant: Ward clerk or assistant
4. Baptism and confirmation of members of record: Ward clerk or assistant
5. Aaronic Priesthood ordination: Ward clerk or assistant
6. Melchizedek Priesthood ordination: Stake clerk or a designee (ensures the ward clerk records the ordination on the membership record)
Please ensure that the appropriate individual attends each ordinance or ordination so it can be recorded in a timely manner.

[russellhltn]

"Please ensure that the appropriate individual attends each ordinance or
ordination so it can be recorded in a timely manner."

Of course that only happens if someone tells said individual that something's going to happen.

That would be especially true of Aaronic Priesthood ordination since a clerk is unlikely to be attending the quorum otherwise.

[cottrells]

Hopefully prospective ordinations/ordinances are covered in a Bishopric meeting before they happen. The Bishopric Action & Interview List will bring advance notice to potential ordinations/child baptisms before they are due. The clerk can then ensure that he or an assistant is assigned to follow-up on each and ensure that it is recorded.

For callings/setting-aparts, it helps when the assigned member of the Bishopric reports back at the next meeting, or it can be dealt with in an email between meetings.

[SheffieldTR]

Also, with Aaronic Priesthood Ordinations, they need to be presented in Sacrament Meeting first. I would hope that the Ward Clerk is there:) and hears when that will take place, like in the quorum meetings, or after the block.

[kmalone-p40]

Wow, it was suppose to be funny.

Let me shed some light on my situation. I am not only the Ward Clerk, I am the finance clerk, membership clerk and the website administrator.

So while I am enter donations, issuing checks I am suppose to be at oridinations to ensure they get done? Right :p

Don't ask and please don't tell me how it is suppose to be. I know how it is suppose to be, my current purpose is to server the lord by assisting the bishop and magnify that calling anyway I can.

[kennethjorgensen]

A funny thing happened to me on a Sunday. We had a friend visiting and he said "I am not sure if I could pass a driving test again if I had to" (much stricter these days). My son who had recently been baptised was listening and asked what you had to do in a test. After that he was obviously trying to relate it to his own experience of having to "pass" his baptism interview.

He said "The Branch President asked me if I knew any of the Articles of Faith and so I told him them all and then he said I could be baptised. Dad, if you had to be baptised again could you pass the test?"

Gosh if what he did really was the criteria then I couldn't.

Isnt it great when your kids really do show you up.

[baxdrum-p40]

Fortunately, both me and the membership clerk are really picky about this thing and we both race to see who gets the information in first. I inherited a lot of problems in my ward, but have been able to get things updated.