LDS Church leaders announced Friday a new program to improve the longstanding program of having members take turns cleaning local meetinghouses.

“We are excited to announce this inspired program, which we are calling “Pure Hearts, Clean Chapels,” said Elder F. Garth Christiansen of the Seventy. “The Brethren have been gratified by the enthusiastic response of members to the call to keep our chapels clean in the past, but in the spirit of President Spencer W. Kimball, we feel that, as members, we all need to ‘lengthen our strides.’”

After much prayer and fasting, middle management of the Physical Facilities department were inspired to create a system of immediate blessings for cleaning the chapel. “The Lord drew our minds to Doctrine and Covenants section 130,” said Brother Frank J. Horton, senior maintenance manager for the department:

“20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all clessings are predicated—

21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.”

In accordance with this scriptural admonition, the department has implemented a means for providing the possibility of receiving blessings for cleaning the houses of the Lord.

“We decided that every member who volunteers to clean the chapel would be entered into a drawing for a door prize. The drawing will be held each Saturday after the chapel has been cleaned to the stake physical facilities director’s satisfaction,” said Brother Horton.

“At first, we decided that the prize would be a month’s exemption from paying tithing, but some leaders were hesitant, feeling that such would not be a wise use of the Lord’s finances. But, after we explained that it was far less expensive than paying for custodians and other maintenance personnel, the Brethren had a mighty change of heart.”

However, leaders were inspired to offer an alternative blessing: Exemption from church attendance for one month. Response has been extremely gratifying, says Elder Christiansen. “In our pilot programs, the chapels have been busy on Saturday mornings, and they have never been cleaner.”

Members have even been cleaning on days when they are not assigned, and local wards and branches report that no longer are sign-up sheets and phone calls needed.

Primary instructor Todd Nelson, speaking as he scrubbed the baseboards in the foyer, said, “These haven’t cleaned in a long time, but just look at them now.” He explained that he has been motivated to come each week, along with his family. “Are you kidding? It’s a great opportunity to serve, and the blessings are wonderful.”

Elder Christiansen noted that, so far, no one has taken the tithing exemption, which has been a pleasant surprise for the Brethren. “We expect that those who have won the exemptions are spending more time in personal and family scripture study and prayer.”

Relief Society counselor Ruth Harward expressed gratitude for the program. “An hour a week cleaning is well worth it if there’s a month’s worth of meetings I can skip. Those are twelve hours of my life I can’t get back. And besides, it’s really nice to see the chapel so shiny and clean. I’m sure Jesus is looking down and smiling. Of course, I’m getting tired of not winning.”

What do you think Monson would do if he got a phone call saying it was his turn to clean the chapel?

Hey, as long as these people are willing to be exploited and used the Church will be fine.

Ugh, chapel cleanup. Up until very recently (I'm an ex-mo waiting for records removal), I was a member of a small singles' branch that never seemed to catch onto the "it's your responsibility to clean" wagon. Every three months was the same struggle all over again. In the past year, it has gone from petitioning only the priesthood to sign up, to "suggesting additional help" from sisters, to demanding volunteers at the time the announcement is made (rather than letting them sign up later), to having the BP come in and speak at the beginning of RS and EQ about our "lack of initiative" -- and they STILL usually only corral about 2 to 5 people each time.

At one time I was engaged to the EQ pres, who was quite vocal in expressing to me that he hated thinking of ways to guilt the men into volunteering, dreaded being reprimanded in PEC meetings about not being able to "mobilize" the priesthood, and felt like a jerk telling off the men for not "fulfilling their potential." The branch presidency became increasingly more agitated over time, and the members felt coercion (for once). Sounds like a pretty crappy situation for all involved -- seriously, was there ANYONE genuinely advocating any real change here? Ah, to no longer be a parrot... :)

(Sadly, the promises of no attendance and no tithing might be next... [not that I have any investment in it, but you have to marvel at such an ineffectual system].)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2012 12:08PM by lyricalsage.

"At one time I was engaged to the EQ pres, who was quite vocal in expressing to me that he hated thinking of ways to guilt the men into volunteering, dreaded being reprimanded in PEC meetings about not being able to "mobilize" the priesthood, and felt like a jerk telling off the men for not "fulfilling their potential." "

you just described 95% of the active mormon males

(the other 5% relish the chance to do some righteous reprimanding)

I kind of wondered if he/the BP would ever barge into meetings and threaten the brethren with some particularly fear-inducing cleaning products to whip everyone into shape -- just to throw in some diversity, ya know, on that occasion when they realize how alike they are. But alas, nothing yet...

Was I just reading 'The Onion'? 'Cause I feel like I was...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2012 12:56PM by lyricalsage.

No "The Mornion' LOL

One lady on MMb asked julie beck a question about the church cleaning situation. She wanted to know if the committee that made that decision asked the opinion of any members. she didn't think it was inspired.

She said when she got the news she cried for a night and a day. She can't keep up with her own house. They tried taking their little kids with them, but they just made more messes. They got a sitter so they can go clean the church.

So much for date night! I felt sorry for her. This one issue may bring some people out of the church. She couldn't put together how spending time away from her family, and her own home, would be helping them in any way. She's going to think her way out of the front door.