Can the leadership directory be customized beyond the MLS callings information?

Example, we'd like to encourage parents to get online and see who their children's Primary teacher is, get their contact information, etc. However I understand that the leadership directory pulls directly from MLS and in MLS the Primary teachers are all listed as Primary Workers, there is not a calling for CTR 4 teacher, Valiant 9 teacher, etc. I guess so the Primary can move teachers around as needed? But anyway, if a parent gets online and see a long list of "Primary Workers" there is no way for them to know which teacher teaches which class.

techmom2 wrote:Example, we'd like to encourage parents to get online and see who their children's Primary teacher is, get their contact information, etc. However I understand that the leadership directory pulls directly from MLS and in MLS the Primary teachers are all listed as Primary Workers, there is not a calling for CTR 4 teacher, Valiant 9 teacher, etc. I guess so the Primary can move teachers around as needed? But anyway, if a parent gets online and see a long list of "Primary Workers" there is no way for them to know which teacher teaches which class.

MLS does have the option for specifying callings for the specific classes, but it's up to the ward leadership whether they want to use the specific teacher titles, or the more generic "Primary Worker" title.

MLS allows us to enter the position as Primary Worker and then specify the class. Later we can change the class easily by selecting a different one from the dropdown list. This Class info apparently does not transfer to the online version.

MLS also allows us to enter the position to a specific class. Later if we want to change the class, we have to delete the person from the calling and re-enter them to the new calling, remembering to capture the sustain date and setting apart information. This is more difficult so we opt for the first choice, which I just noticed yesterday evening in looking at callings online.

As previous posters mentioned, your ward clerk chose one of two options, or didn't know there was any difference. I'd guess the latter. They probably did it that way before lds.org directory came about.

When ward clerk, (with a wife that was primary president) I didn't see the value in having a long list of generic "primary workers," either. We chose to change to the more specific callings, such as "primary worker - CTR 8," etc. These are still standard callings...don't make any custom callings!

As noted by davesudweeks, doing so is not without technical problems, especially around the start of each new year, as assignments change. Choosing either method doesn't really change the fact that you're "called" as a primary worker in the Primary organization, and "assigned" to teach a certain class within that organization. So, other than making the ward clerk do some extra work, you are not asking for a significant change from your ward leadership.

If you make the change: Make sure you print a listing of everyone's "sustained" dates and "set-apart" status before "releasing" and "re-calling" each worker with-in MLS, so you can use the same sustained date.

Of the two methods mentioned by davesudweeks, the first is the preferred method. This is for the reason that kisaac mentions in the next post. Primary workers are called as primary worker and then assigned to a class. That assignment can change with no change to the calling. In other words, this method better represents the proper order and is the method that our applications will expect in the future.

Using the second method can be used as a work around to provide additional information in other tools (like the new online directory). However, eventually the tools will evolve to include the information from the MLS assignment to facilitate the preferred (first) method.

kisaac wrote:As noted by davesudweeks, doing so is not without technical problems, especially around the start of each new year, as assignments change. Choosing either method doesn't really change the fact that you're "called" as a primary worker in the Primary organization, and "assigned" to teach a certain class within that organization. So, other than making the ward clerk do some extra work, you are not asking for a significant change from your ward leadership.

If you make the change: Make sure you print a listing of everyone's "sustained" dates and "set-apart" status before "releasing" and "re-calling" each worker with-in MLS, so you can use the same sustained date.

And, from this Ward Clerk's perspective, I don't mind doing it either way. I chose the first option about 5 years ago and have not seen the need to change until this thread. However, based on jdcr256's information, I will probably not change now unless someone in Primary complains about the current level of detail on lds.org.

Dave Sudweeks