Posted by:
SEcular Priest
(
)
Date: March 05, 2018 10:17AM
One word, Failing.
Most of the HP had to teach Primary yesterday so Primary teachers could do something. So we just had a few High Priests. I thought when this directive came out about these council meetings, this was so important for all ward Church organizations to do. I guess in our ward their are higher priorities.
So we had a review of how council meetings are to work. Sat in our tight circle. Had a report on 3 Elders that are being helped by some HPs to become better Elders.
Too much personal information given out as far as I am concerned to the general body. One Elder attended a temple session this past week. Big silent shout out that "we are winning." One just needs some more tender care, his heart is right but he thinks too much. That is why he is not temple ready material yet. The third just has problems attending Church but does attend Sacrament meeting only.
After that report, discussion on what we can do to get to know members better. Seems this ward was the # one ward in the stake but is now at the bottom of the list. I think they use the "being friendly gauge" to make up that. Whatever. Discussion on having more activities, getting to know young people, etc. "The electronic age is killing how we relate to people" was a theme and why we can not relate to young priesthood members.
Discussion on why families are not attending. We are not making them feel welcomed. Bottom line, we as HPs are not doing enough to make people feel welcomed and we are not doing enough to get to know them. "Today's youth are a chosen generation" and we are letting them down by not getting to know them or relating to them. It was mentioned maybe they do not relate to us. That idea was shot down as a poor excuse not to get to know them.
Same old ideas, same people speaking, same thoughts and ideas I have heard for 50 plus years. A waste to 60 minutes of my life except at least I know nothing is changing. Observing and listening to to the older HP, they seemed confused that the Church is the way it is and they would like the olden days back but "we are guided by revelation and prophets." So in their minds they do not know what to do because they see the Church today is not like what they grew up in and until they get direction from above, things are going to stay the same. Very sad, I am sure they are thinking.
The fact that missionaries are not bringing in members was also mentioned as a reason ward members are not getting to know each other. Not sure what that means but it was tossed about. Because the ward has had no convert baptisms for three years, I got the idea from the discussion "were are really not good LDS members and that is why we are not the way we used to be." Quite twisted I would say.
It took everything not to say "Maybe we should look at the product line?" Today just confirmed to me that the soul and spirit of the Church members who are left is going or is gone.
In testimony meeting only one person mentioned that Neilson was the prophet and they knew that he was called. That says a lot right there. That is the answer these brethren in leadership positions are missing. Members are catching on that the church is not what it claims to be and they are trapped and not sure what to do especially those raised in the Church and are still active. Theyare living in a shell and have no one to talk to. I would have mentioned that in the HP meeting but I wanted to walk out of the meeting emotionally intact!!
I hope this helps others see the real direction the Church is going. You do not this get this information at General Conference. Maybe other places in the world these meetings are really working. I made a prediction when they announced this in the fall last year, that these meetings will fail. That is why I am following up each month.I made the prediction based on my secular learning and experience with group dynamics. I had been told that the top 15 (now the top 13) use this mention to run the Church. It is helping me in my recovery to understand how the church is run when all my life I was taught it was the prophet who gave direction to the church. I am starting to clearly see what is happening and what happened in the Church in my life time.