Ministering - Assignments cannot add certain members

When assigning households and members to the Ministering Brothers, there are certain members that we are not able to add. The members are not on any membership hold or restrictions that I can see. I can see their names when I go under the directory but I cannot add them. Any other reasons why these members are not allowed to be added to the ministering brother's list? This happens to both brothers and sisters when we try adding and searching ALL in the options but I cannot think of any other reasons since I am able to add other single sisters and brothers.

cchang wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 2:29 pm When assigning households and members to the Ministering Brothers, there are certain members that we are not able to add. The members are not on any membership hold or restrictions that I can see. I can see their names when I go under the directory but I cannot add them. Any other reasons why these members are not allowed to be added to the ministering brother's list? This happens to both brothers and sisters when we try adding and searching ALL in the options but I cannot think of any other reasons since I am able to add other single sisters and brothers.

Certainly sounds like a software issue. There was another thread this week about the same thing. The software must be broken.

Suggest you report it on the page you are working on using the contact us tab.

There are a few reasons. The big one is if they're a out-of-unit member, such as the bishop of a YSA ward.

There are times they won't appear in the list, but you have to start entering their names. That would be for adding a spouse to the companionship.

russellhltn wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 6:48 pm There are a few reasons. The big one is if they're a out-of-unit member, such as the bishop of a YSA ward.

There are times they won't appear in the list, but you have to start entering their names. That would be for adding a spouse to the companionship.

Actually spouses of the ministering person automatically appear in the available list.

garystroble wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 9:15 pm Actually spouses of the ministering person automatically appear in the available list.

Sounds like a change. I'm pretty sure I saw comments that it had to be typed in to get it.

russellhltn wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 10:13 pm

garystroble wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 9:15 pm Actually spouses of the ministering person automatically appear in the available list.

Sounds like a change. I'm pretty sure I saw comments that it had to be typed in to get it.

I think it is a change. When the ability first came out I was ward clerk and one did have to begin typing the spouse name to get it to show for selection (I helped our EQ and RS presidents understand the process). I always assumed it was coded that way to help ensure a man and woman who were not married were not accidentally assigned to minister together (but that was just a guess on my part). We have cases where married brothers live in our ward so a mix-up would be possible if someone wasn't careful to select the correct spouse (unless there is code in the software to prevent that)

cchang wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 2:29 pm When assigning households and members to the Ministering Brothers, there are certain members that we are not able to add. The members are not on any membership hold or restrictions that I can see. I can see their names when I go under the directory but I cannot add them. Any other reasons why these members are not allowed to be added to the ministering brother's list? This happens to both brothers and sisters when we try adding and searching ALL in the options but I cannot think of any other reasons since I am able to add other single sisters and brothers.

Are the brothers ordained as teachers, priests, or to a Melchizedek priesthood office? Deacons and unordained brothers can't be given a ministering assignment, even if they're adult age and members of the elders quorum. Also, I'm not positive, but I think the system may require the first companion you enter in the companionship to have a Melchizedek priesthood office (so you couldn't assign two teachers to be companions, for example).

sbradshaw wrote: Thu Oct 06, 2022 1:04 pm

cchang wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 2:29 pm When assigning households and members to the Ministering Brothers, there are certain members that we are not able to add. The members are not on any membership hold or restrictions that I can see. I can see their names when I go under the directory but I cannot add them. Any other reasons why these members are not allowed to be added to the ministering brother's list? This happens to both brothers and sisters when we try adding and searching ALL in the options but I cannot think of any other reasons since I am able to add other single sisters and brothers.

Are the brothers ordained as teachers, priests, or to a Melchizedek priesthood office? Deacons and unordained brothers can't be given a ministering assignment, even if they're adult age and members of the elders quorum. Also, I'm not positive, but I think the system may require the first companion you enter in the companionship to have a Melchizedek priesthood office (so you couldn't assign two teachers to be companions, for example).

Actually, yes you can. I just did as a test. Whether that is correct doctrinally or not I am not sure, but the system does allow it.

garystroble wrote: Thu Oct 06, 2022 1:37 pm Actually, yes you can. I just did as a test. Whether that is correct doctrinally or not I am not sure, but the system does allow it.

According to 21.2.2, youth must be a teacher or priest. I'm not sure if that applies to adults who are unordained. But I'd expect any adult halfway active would be at least a priest.

russellhltn wrote: Thu Oct 06, 2022 3:24 pm

garystroble wrote: Thu Oct 06, 2022 1:37 pm Actually, yes you can. I just did as a test. Whether that is correct doctrinally or not I am not sure, but the system does allow it.

According to 21.2.2, youth must be a teacher or priest. I'm not sure if that applies to adults who are unordained. But I'd expect any adult halfway active would be at least a priest.

Unordained adult men may not be assigned as ministering brothers, nor does the system allow you to.

There is nothing in the handbook about one member of a male companionship having to hold the Melchizedek priesthood. It merely states two adult brothers. The system will only allow adult males who are teachers, priests or Melchizedek priesthood holders to be assigned so that appears to be part of the answer as well.

Young Women may be assigned once they enter the year they turn 14.

garystroble wrote: Thu Oct 06, 2022 6:19 pm There is nothing in the handbook about one member of a male companionship having to hold the Melchizedek priesthood.

Not for two adults, but It does require it for having a YM as a companion.

Interestingly, it also says a YM can be assigned as a third minister in a companionship. I'm not sure if LCR allows that.

russellhltn wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 11:32 am

garystroble wrote: Thu Oct 06, 2022 6:19 pm There is nothing in the handbook about one member of a male companionship having to hold the Melchizedek priesthood.

Not for two adults, but It does require it for having a YM as a companion.

Interestingly, it also says a YM can be assigned as a third minister in a companionship. I'm not sure if LCR allows that.

The ministering software allows an adult Aaronic Priesthood Priest and a young man Teacher companionship. Just tried it. The software also allows 3 people to be assigned. Can you quote the general handbook section number where is says a young man must have a Melchizedek priesthood companion?

Well, I just found it, 21.2.2, apparently nobody told the developers as it allows a young man teacher or priest to be assigned to an adult teacher or priest as a companion.

There seems to be an odd disconnect between what is actually enforced and what one would expect the business rules to be. First the approvals on the financial side and now this.

russellhltn wrote: Fri Oct 07, 2022 1:28 pm There seems to be an odd disconnect between what is actually enforced and what one would expect the business rules to be. First the approvals on the financial side and now this.

Sometimes the handbook gets updated and us lowly developers first hear about it from the forums

And sometimes whoever writes the business rules messes up. The youth ministering requiring a Melchizedek priesthood companion is not something new to my recollection.