Missionary Access

Are there any guidelines as to what reports, if any, full-time missionaries should have access to?

They have access to the ward directory through Tools and their Mission Office System. "Full-time missionaries" have no entry in the LCR Access table.

From time to time, they have requested various printed reports, such as:

Custom created Part Member list (Households where Member Status = Spouse Not a Member)
Custom created Child of Record list (Member Status = Unconfirmed AND Age => 9 AND AGE <=18
Member List - Household. The information is available in the directory, but the printed Household list is in a much better format and provides quicker reference. The default Member list includes ages, while the printed Directory does not. Also, the printed Directory complies with Member's requests regarding restricted access to contact information.

Handbook 38.8.13 suggests that printed directories are usually not needed, and that leaders have access to other lists to help them in their callings. Are missionaries limited to just the member directory access?

When I served as clerk, I typically provided these reports to the missionaries as requested. I think the church is suggesting getting away from printing lots of ward directories for members who have regular access to the information. Probably to help lower printing cost from ward budgets. I don't know what they have access to, but if it helps them in their work, I was happy to assist.

I know I printed similar reports for the missionaries. I wonder if a couple of those 'standard' missionary ones should be added into the Tools reports that missionaries get. It might be worth submitting feedback.

jonesrk wrote: Thu Mar 09, 2023 3:55 pm It might be worth submitting feedback.

I'd think the request would have more weight if the mission president submitted it.

Another consideration is what is being discussed in the Missionary Coordination meetings that the Stake President and Mission President regularly have together. There's all sorts of fluctuations on how missionaries are utilized in ward/branch efforts. At times the Church requests things be done certain ways with missionaries and local leaders. Other times individual Mission Presidents or Stake Presidents request that the missionaries be involved (or not involved) in various efforts. You could have your Bishop ask the Stake President what reports or lists the local missionaries can be given, and if he has questions he can bring that up in his meetings with the Mission President. This would have the benefit of bringing awareness of what's going on at the local level, up to the Stake/Mission level. And as russellhltn suggests, this might be a way for the Mission President to see a need that he then makes a request about.

30 years ago as a missionary, we routinely got these reports because we had no other access to who was in the ward. 30 years ago, ward directories were also routinely printed up, prettified, and distributed freely. It seems the Church has put a lot of effort into locking down access and providing those who "need to know" with the tools to access it, while those who don't need it, are much more limited. Members in one ward can see all the adult members of the stake, but not other ward's youth or children. Members of a ward can't see the ages of adults or children unless there is a specific reason to.

That said, I thought to check what reports the Ward Mission Leader has access to in LCR. Member lists and birthday lists are there. I think it would stand to reason that if the WML can access it, it's information that can be shared with the full-time missionaries.

allenjpl wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 11:05 am That said, I thought to check what reports the Ward Mission Leader has access to in LCR. Member lists and birthday lists are there. I think it would stand to reason that if the WML can access it, it's information that can be shared with the full-time missionaries.

The mention of birthday list makes me wonder. The WML is an optional member of the ward council. That may give him "leadership" access to things that other callings would not. I'd be cautious about how much personal information he shares with the missionaries.

russellhltn wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 12:26 pm The mention of birthday list makes me wonder. The WML is an optional member of the ward council. That may give him "leadership" access to things that other callings would not. I'd be cautious about how much personal information he shares with the missionaries.

The default member list displays Name, address, household members, household phone number, household email address, and ages of minor members of the household. Most of that can be excludable. The printable directory shows the name & contact information of the adult members and excludes anyone marked "private." Children under 18 are not listed. With the same information, the ward directory is about twice as long because of formatting. I don't know what part of the birthday list the WML has access to. It would make sense that it would be limited in some way, just as the list for the RS Presidency and the EQ Presidency would be different. I'm just not sure how it would be culled down.

Which leads me back to my original question: what is shareable with the missionaries? Should I check to see what the WML's version of the Member list looks like, and, if it's different from the Clerk's full access, refer their requests to him? I want to support the missionaries, but it's kind of like the Army answer: If the Army wanted you to have that, they would have issued it to you. "Church record systems authorize access to membership information based on callings. Only those who are authorized should be given access."

Which leads me back to my original question: what is shareable with the missionaries?

GHB 0.4 discusses what to do when members or leaders have questions that the Handbook (and I'd add other official church policy documents) does not address. In these cases, we should counsel with our immediate presiding authority, and of course we should share with him what we've found (or not found) in the Handbook regarding our question. So whenever there's a lack of clarity (like we have here), I'd ask my Bishop for counsel. If he feels the need he can continue up the chain of authority, or he may be able to provide appropriate guidance himself.

Personally, I wouldn't object to information that's the same as what the general ward membership gets, but just filtered by the criteria in your first post. But the mention of ages made me cringe as that's something the general membership doesn't see.