Newsletter March 2010

Presidency Message:
Dear young men leaders,
Thank you for your commitment to serving young men. I’d like to take a few minutes to emphasize proper quorum leadership. Sometime this fall one of your priests may find himself in a Stake Presidency members’ office in a student stake receiving a call to be president of an elders quorum. Will he know how to preside over a quorum? Will he know how to sit in council with them? Will he know how to teach them according to the covenants (see D&C 107:89)? We all know the Aaronic Priesthood is a preparatory priesthood. Preparing for what? May I suggest they are preparing for future leadership in the church? If we review D&C 107:85-87 we see the same job description for each quorum president. A deacons quorum president has the same responsibilities as the elders quorum president. Note the only difference is the number of quorum members.

Are our Aaronic Priesthood quorums led in the same manner as our Melchizedek Priesthood quorums?

Our task is to make sure those with priesthood keys (quorum presidents only), exercise them properly and those who do not have keys do not act as if they do. We have a tremendous responsibility to help these young men understand the significance of priesthood keys and teach them how to fulfill the three items noted in the scriptures listed above—preside, sit in council, and teach. The bishop and elders quorum president are the only adult leaders in a ward with keys. The rest of us are to advise, teach and coach. We are often the ones getting in the way of these young men leading properly. We need to let the young men lead. Here is an example of how a presidency meeting should operate (see AP Handbook, p.184)

Quorum Presidency Meeting (think about how your Elders quorum presidency meetings function)
• Working from an agenda prepared by the quorum secretary (not adviser), the quorum president (or counselor – but not secretary) conducts the meeting. He doesn’t wait to be told to start – it is his meeting.
• He turns to the secretary to review the minutes of the prior meeting; especially action items.
• The quorum leader leads the meeting consistent with instructions in the Aaronic Priesthood Handbook – p.184.
• Adults should generally sit quietly until the time is given them for leadership instruction.
• Let them stumble along a bit; let them feel the weight of responsibility. They can do it.

You may have noticed that a young man (Spencer Foster) conducted the youth fireside, not me. He is the co-chairman of the stake youth council. Spencer made assignments for prayers and music. Our priest/laurel activity was planned by our stake youth council. It was their idea, not the adults. The council was involved in every aspect of the activity. We are trying to turn more and more over to the youth. They need the experience. Let’s teach our quorum leaders properly and then let them lead. I promise that as we do so, we will see significant growth in them and we will experience greater satisfaction in our callings.

Matthew Clarke

Question: Who are the four ward leaders who hold priesthood keys?

Congratulations to:

Alec Meyers and Carter Hanks, Aspen Hills, earned their Teacher’s Duty to God award.
Dan Simons, YM leader, Karalee, earned his Priest’s Duty to God award.
Dan Rudd, Sego Lily, was awarded his Varsity Letter and Varsity Denali.
Aspen Hills Teachers and Priests who took first place in stake basketball
Highland Teachers who took second place in stake basketball
Parkview Priests who took second place in stake basketball
.
Please send us info on your young men (and leaders) so that we can congratulate them. Also, notify us of Duty to God awards for Deacon, Teacher, Priest and final. We have something to give them from the stake.

Upcoming Calendar:

3/4/10 Thurs. 7 PM Stake Merit badge “Family Life” sponsored by FH at Park bldg
3/7/10 Sun. 3 PM Ward YM leader training for FH, AH, SL in Stake RS room
3/9/10 Tues. 4 PM Park View Youth Temple baptisms
3/9/10 Tues. 6 PM Aspen Hills Youth Temple baptisms
3/11/10 Thurs. 7 PM BSA Roundtable
3/18/10 Thurs. 6-10 PM BSA Basic Training at our stake center
3/27/10 Sat. 9 AM BSA Scouting for food
3/27/10 Sat. 7:30 AM Eastdell Priests stake baptism chair set up assignment
4/15/10 Thurs. 7 PM Stake Merit badge “Citizenship in the Nation” sponsored by AH
9/17-18/10 Fri.-Sat. Jamborall
Reminder: Summer activities need to be approved by your Bishop and the Stake Presidency

Scout Training status (% complete): (We will be filling this out soon with info you send us)
Ward Fast Start Youth Prot. Basic Outdoor Skills
Karalee
Parkview
Sego Lily
Ashley Park
Aspen Hills
Eastdell
Falcon Hills
Highland

We know wards are completing their training because of comments and questions we receive. We encourage all wards to report to Rob Haertel on their % completion in each area. You can start training by going to www.myscouting.com click on the training link and do the Orientation Fast Start E-Learning course that corresponds to your calling. Our goal is 100% of our YM leaders trained in Fast Start (online) by January 31, 2010, Basic training by March 18, 2010 and Outdoor Skills by June 1, 2010. BBQ dinner for the ward with the highest % by 7/1/10. Please note the basic training at our stake on 3/18/10 from 6-10 PM.

Ward YM secretaries should gather the completion information and email it to robhaertel@gmail.com on the 4th Sunday of each month.

ANSWER: Bishop, Elders, Teachers and Deacons Quorum Presidents

Important websites:
Duty to God resources: http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,4688-1,00.html
Church Aaronic Priesthood: http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,4645-1,00.html
AP Instructional Resources: http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,7588-1,00.html
Quorum Presidency training: http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,7966-1,00.html
BSA Training: www.myscouting.com and http://www.ldsbsa.org/resources.html
Stake YM information: http://GraniteSouthStakeYoungMen.blogspot.com/


THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT WORK YOU ARE DOING!!!!!