HT & VT accounting

I have tried to locate an answer to this but have been unable to so far. When speaking with one of our Stake High Councelors concerning members who are being focused on as a Ward Council, he commented that none of the families we are focusing on are being Home Taught. The answer is, these members are not allowing HT and VT into their home however, they are allowing the Full time Missionaries as well as some Ward Missionaries.

He also mentioned how our Stake looks for trends in HT companionships; are they teaching consistently or are they not?

So is my question, do we enter into MLS the information obtained from the HT and VT companionship? (which will most likely not include a vist from the Ward Missionary) Or do we enter showing that member has had SOMEONE from our Ward visit, call or write a letter to them and relay a spiritual message?

I have my opinions on this however, will reserve for now.

Thanks

CMiller wrote:So is my question, do we enter into MLS the information obtained from the HT and VT companionship? (which will most likely not include a vist from the Ward Missionary) Or do we enter showing that member has had SOMEONE from our Ward visit, call or write a letter to them and relay a spiritual message?

For the Quarterly Report, we are asked simply to: "Record the number of families who were visited by home teachers during the last month of the quarter."

It says to record visits by home teachers, so I would say that's what you should record. Other visits may well be wonderful, and those who care for the welfare of the family will provide visits in whatever way is most helpful. But I don't see what those other visits have to do with reporting home teaching, since they are not home teaching.

If a ward missionary makes the best connection with a family, it may well be beneficial for the Elders Quorum President or the High Priest Group Leader to assign that ward missionary to be the home teacher. Such options could be discussed in Ward Council and/or with the bishop.

Thanks again for your quick response.

CMiller wrote:So my question, do we enter into MLS the information obtained from the HT and VT companionship? (which will most likely not include a vist from the Ward Missionary) Or do we enter showing that member has had SOMEONE from our Ward visit, call or write a letter to them and relay a spiritual message?

I agree with Alan_Brown, in both of the following, and his answers are quite concise, as my opinions never seem to be.

Alan_Brown wrote: It says to record visits by home teachers, so I would say that's what you should record.

Alan_Brown wrote:it may well be beneficial for the Elders Quorum President or the High Priest Group Leader to assign that ward missionary to be the home teacher.

And I'm sure you know and agree with everything written below, but home and visiting teaching reports are far more then numbers. President Benson said that we should accept a home teaching call as if it were delivered by the Lord. Who will accept a personal responsibility for these families, and then return and report their stewardship to their leader, as in the parable of the talents? That's a far more solemn "stat" then asking for a show of hands in ward council so you can mark a visit.

It's also about the relationship: There is a reason why those home teaching activation stories say that for the first five years I stood at the doorstep, and for the next five years we sat and talked football, and then one day....

Perhaps the real question...Why do they let in missionaries, perhaps ward missionaries, but not a carefully called home or visiting teacher?

So, this is a forum for opinions and now I've said mine...how about telling us what you think?

CMiller wrote: I have my opinions on this however, will reserve for now.

To me, this is something that is best answered by your local leadership.

Alan_Brown wrote:... options could be discussed in Ward Council and/or with the bishop.

Agreed. You should really get clarification from the PEC and ultimately the bishop on what counts for home teaching numbers (or maybe there is direction from the stake president).

In a past ward, we counted as a "visit" up to what the "family" allowed. For example, if someone requested not to be visited, but allowed a phone call - a phone call was counted as a "visit."
Also, when a family had a special visit by the bishopric or other PH leaders, but not by their assigned home teachers - it was counted.
Also, we had a suggestion from the mission president to assign the FT missionaries as home teachers to less active members under the bishop's direction - these, of course, were also counted.

While local leaders have a lot of desecration as to how to handle individual situations, I believe their hands are bound by the guidelines when it comes to what counts as a "visit" on the reports submitted to CHQ. For internal reporting, they can use any criteria they wish.

Can i update HT companionship here in lds.org? without using the MLS

kevingalanzabueno wrote:Can i update HT companionship here in lds.org? without using the MLS

In the future you will probably be able to, but for now you can only edit Home Teaching companionships in MLS.

russellhltn wrote:While local leaders have a lot of desecration...

I hope there isn't a lot of desecration out there among our local leaders. Auto-correct is a pain, eh?