Let Every Man Learn His Duty
99 Wherefore, now let every man learn
his duty, and to act in the office in
which he is appointed, in all diligence.
Doctrine and Covenants
Section 107:99
Duties of High Priests Group Leaders
for Family History Work
The HPGL stands between the stake/ward leadership
and the consultants. He is the central or pivotal
figure. He must provide the direction, motivation and
encouragement that will enable the consultants to
perform their duties of assisting families in redeeming
their dead.
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Without his leadership and guidance the system will
not function at maximum efficiency and will most likely
fail in its purpose of redeeming the dead. Many will
remain in spirit prison because their work is not done
Registers as a priesthood leader at:
https://consultant.familysearch.org/consultant/home.do
HPGLs are called as Supervisors
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HPGLs are key priesthood leaders who help to
oversee and coordinate family history efforts in the
ward.
They need to understand The Basic Program where
consultants assist ward members in their family history
work and that over time all members can receive help
from a family history consultant.
HPGLs are not called to be consultants. They are
not expected to learn all the things that a consultant
must learn to be able to assist the members.
They are called to make The Basic Program function
by follow up meetings, checking on progress and
encouraging the consultants in their labors.
Resources you will need
Church Handbook 2: 5.4 Temple and Family History Work
http://lds.org/handbook/handbook-2-administering-thechurch/the-work-of-salvation-in-the-ward-andstake?lang=eng#54
Administrative Guide for Family History
http://lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,7778-1,00.html
Family History Consultant's Guide to Temple & FH Work
http://lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,8562-1,00.html
(Download this one as it's not available in printed form)
Member's Guide to Temple and FH Work
http://lds.org
* Clicking on the address link will take you to the websites
To Turn The Hearts
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Leaders Guide to Temple and Family
History Work: To Turn the Hearts
http://classic.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,66841,00.html
Divide the list!
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Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers are
assigned specific families and so should Family
History Consultants.
The ward list of families should be divided
between the consultants so that each knows
which families they are responsible for.
Otherwise they will never focus on which
families to contact during the month.
The list could be divided by the HPGL or the
consultants could get together and do it.
It is critical that it be done!
How to get the ward List
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Where do you get the list? Ask the ward clerk or
go to: https://lds.org/SSOSignIn/
If you don't have an lds account, you can register
on this page.
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After signing in it should take you to your ward
directory (if not, click on Tools and Directory)
where you can click on Export Households
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Save the file as Excel.csv
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Delete the information not needed.
How to divide the list
Three possible ways, maybe more:
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Divide it by the numbers: Ex. 200 Families
and four consultants. 200/4 = 50 families each.
The first 50 go to... and so on.
Divide according to those you know:
Each consultant picks out names of those they
would like to work with and keeps adding until
they have the required number as determined
above.
Assign a block of so many names to each
consultant. If not enough consultants, leave the
rest unassigned and then assign from this block
as more consultants are called.
Recommends members to serve as
family history consultants
Each consultant can be expected to help about ten families
each year according to Elder D. Todd Christofferson.
Divide the number of ward families by the number of
consultants and you can see how many families each
consultant is expected to help.
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For example:
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200 families divided by 4 consultants = 50 families.
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10 families x 4 consultants = 40 families per year.
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200 families divided by 40 per year = 5 years.
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If there is only one consultant, 200 families divided by 10
per year = 20 years!
Consultants, Indexers & Committee
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Ensures that enough consultants are called to
meet the needs of the ward, including those
needed to support the Family History Center.
Recommends members to serve as Indexers.
May organize a temple and family history
committee in the group to promote this work.
Sets an example in doing temple & FH work.
Qualities of Successful FH
consultants
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Do not need to be an expert in FH research
Are good teachers who can work patiently
and communicate well with members.
Comfortable using computers and the
internet
Able to exercise good judgment and
discretion when dealing with sensitive
family matters.
Are willing to reach out to members of the
ward to help them with their family history.
How long to become effective?
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It can take from six months to a year for a
consultant to become fully trained in their
calling.
Consultants have several manuals and
constantly changing family history programs
to learn.
Callings should be for an extended period of
time, preferably three to four years.
Consultants need regular contact and
encouragement from their HPGL.
This is a major calling requiring many hours.
Ensures Consultants are Trained
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HPGL not expected to train consultants himself.
He directs them to on-line sites and provides
contact information for local help.
After consultant is called and set apart, HPGL
provides orientation by outlining a
“Personal Training Plan”, p.21 FH Consultant's
Guide, and how to register as a consultant at
consultant.familysearch.org
Also provides a Checklist of Training items,
p.22 FH Consultant's Guide, and contact
information for trainers and the FH Center
Where Can Consultants Get Help
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Other consultants in your ward or stake
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Other consultants at the Family History Center
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Help Center in New FamilySearch
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Training and Resources section in New FS
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E-mail support at support@familysearch.org
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Call Support toll-free at this number:
1-866-406-1830
(date the church was organized)
April 6, 1830
Assign Families to the Consultant
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The ward list of families should have been
previously divided between the consultants.
Depending on how that list was divided, either
on your own authority or in consultation with the
other consultants, assign a number of families
to the consultant so they will know who to
contact and work with. This number will depend
on how many consultants and families there are
in the ward.
The consultant should work with ten of these
families each year.
Reports and Notification
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Show consultant the Progress Record form on
p. 23 & 24 of Consultant's Guide to Family
History so they understand the need to record
and also report their activities each month.
Notify High Council Adviser, Stake FH Trainer
and Family History Center of their calling as a
consultant in your ward by supplying name,
phone number and email address.
This will ensure that they receive both training
and help in their calling
HPGL Duties - Meetings
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Leads discussions in PEC and Ward Council
meetings to suggest individuals and families
that consultants could contact.
Meets regularly with consultants to provide
counsel (and encouragement) and help. He
assigns them to contact members suggested by
the PEC and Ward Council. He reviews the
consultants' success in helping members do
family history.
Ref: Admin Guide for FH, page 2
High Priests Group Leader
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Meets with or contacts monthly or as regularly
as possible the workers for whom they are
responsible. ...consult by telephone or other
media such as e-mail.
In these meetings or contacts, family history
workers can report on their activities and
receive counsel (and encouragement) from their
leaders.
Ref: Admin Guide for FH, page 3
High Priests Group Leader - Reports
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Gives regular reports in priesthood
interviews, PEC and ward council
meetings. He reports on the help
consultants have provided to specific
individuals and families.
Ref: Admin Guide for FH, page 2
Regular Reports
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Request a regular report from family history
workers on how they are fulfilling their callings
and any specific assignments.
High Priests Group Leaders can then provide
a report to the to the bishop and the High
Council Adviser.
Regular reporting provides priesthood leaders
and family history workers opportunities to
counsel together and focus on progress in
family history efforts.
Ref Admin Guide for FH, page 3
How Important are Reports?
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FH consultants are like missionaries who sometime labor
in a hard area and day after day, as they knock on doors,
they are met with rejection.
“I'm too busy right now”, “I'm not interested”, “It's already
been done” (when in reality it hasn't) are some of the
common excuses heard.
If this is compounded by a lack of interest or support by
the HPGL, then they become discouraged and may simply
stop reaching out to the ward members.
HPGLs can show interest by inquiring about their
Progress Records and requesting a report. Sometimes
they are making progress but because they never see it in
print they fail to recognize that. They can also be
motivated by seeing the success of other consultants.
If mission leaders never meet with their missionaries, how
much progress will be made?
Will this describe your stewardship?
“I haven't heard anything from my High Priests Group Leader.
I don't think he even knows we exist or cares.”
“ There's basically no leadership by the High Priests Group
Leaders and no structure for the ward consultants--to each
his own.”
“It seems that we fall down in the communication between
the HPGL and the consultants.”
“A new consultant was called. In conversation she said that
no one in her ward had talked to her about her duties or
training. We had given her a start but not sure what she
was to do in the ward. Consultants are going along with no
direction, accountability or support... Let the individual be
motivated on their own seems to be the rule.”
“It would seem that the lack of priesthood support is
worldwide. We have the same problem here in Australia.”
Return and Report
“Where performance is measured, performance improves.
Where performance is measured and reported,
The rate of improvement accelerates.”
Where to obtain FREE copies
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Of this program
plus
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Bob's Ward Family History Progress Chart with
a Quarterly Report
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Bob's Overview of Family History
Bob's Duties of Family History Consultants
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Indexing Flyer
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And more!
res@ida.net
Please share freely with others