Online/electronic version of Handbook of Instructions??

As a priesthood leader (bishop), I would find it very useful to have an electronic version of the Handbook of Instructions! I know that this is a book that we don't really want in everyone's hands - but maybe it could be made available much like the data found on col.ldschurch.org - so that access is password protected, etc.

It would be nice to be able to "google" a topic and have quick answers from this great resource!

Pedroza548 wrote:As a priesthood leader (bishop), I would find it very useful to have an electronic version of the Handbook of Instructions!

The First Presidency agrees with you and more! A new General Handbook for church leaders and members replaced Handbook 1 and Handbook 2. It is titled General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and was released Wednesday, February 19. Read the Church News article here.

Since it is available to everyone, members and nonmembers alike, it is readily available in multiple locations, If you cannot remember where to find it, just do a search online for "General Handbook Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"

I am a bit puzzled by your request. Authorized church leaders (including bishops) have always had electronic access to the Handbook. As jdlessley mentioned, a month ago (February 19th) the General Handbook was made available online to anyone in the world. It is searchable in Gospel Library, and online at ChurchofJesusChrist.org and the announcement said a pdf copy also should be available if desired.

As bishop, you should have received the letter last month from the First Presidency announcing the release of the General Handbook.

I understand what this bishop is trying to ask/suggest. There needs to be an online ability to search the contents of the new handbook beyond the table of contents. It is difficult to search for specific words/topics. Handbook 2 came in a pdf version which made it very easy to do a word search, such as "sacrament" in order to see everything that the handbook specified on the topic. The Church website search capability leaves a lot to be desired. It would be very helpful if they made it possible to search just the handbook. The Church website's search feature searches the whole website. That's like killing a fly with a sledge hammer.

Valid point. The search could be much better.

Until then, you can use Google. Just add "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook" to the end of your search to limit the search it to just the Handbook.

For example to search for "video in chapel", go to Google.com and search for "video in chapel site:churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook"

The search function in Gospel Library is very good and precise.
There is supposed to be a PDF version at the Church website, but I have not been able to find it.
The method russellhltn described using Google is also very effective, if a bit cumbersome.

Does anybody know where one can download a PDF version of the new general handbook?
Many thanks in advance!

aluschin wrote:Does anybody know where one can download a PDF version of the new general handbook?

It's available on-line and in the Gospel Library. I don't know as it's available in PDF. Chapters are still being written. I wouldn't trust an off-line version to stay up to date.

The new General Handbook is still under construction. Nine chapters have been completely rewritten or added, including Ministering and one on supporting individual and families that places additional large swaths.

Chenieys wrote:The new General Handbook is still under construction. Nine chapters have been completely rewritten or added, including Ministering and one on supporting individual and families that places additional large swaths.

This was true when the new General Handbook was released in February. Three more chapters were updated in March. But the principle is the same. I do not expect to see a PDF version of the Handbook until it is completed, expected to be in 2021. There are still 26 chapters to go.

I have seen this search issue raised elsewhere on the Forum, and was informed that the current Gospel Library app has exactly this search functionality we all have wanted (and still want) for the online website.

From what I can tell, inside the Gospel Library app, any search you perform has a default search choice inside the current location. So if I'm inside "Handbooks and Callings" and type "sacrament" in the search field, the first search choice is inside "Handbooks and Callings", but then it gives me other search choices. And if I open the General Handbook and then perform the search, the default is 'Find "sacrament" in General Handbook', which if I select then provides the multitudinous places that the sacrament is referenced in the handbook!

How do we search ONLY the general handbook on-line? I do not see an option to only search the handbook. Even when the handbook is pulled up, the search function still searches the entire lds.org website. How do we modify that search to only search the handbook?

What I do is open the appropriate section and use ctrl-f (the browser's search function) to find things.