Related articles from the worldwide training broadcast:
New Church handbook introduced
Pres. Packer teaches 'spiritual work must be guided by the Spirit'
Elder Oaks explains 'inspired effort' in handbook preparation
Elder Cook discusses selected principles from new Church handbooks
Panel discusses how ward councils meet member needs
It would be nearly impossible to maintain the integrity of the policies, procedures, and programs of the Church without handbooks, which are available to Church leaders everywhere in every language they represent, said President Thomas S. Monson.
“In July this year, 2010, the membership of the Church passed 14 million,” he said. “Our membership has been increasing since the Church was organized in 1830. And it will continue to grow with thousands of units throughout the world.”
President Monson spoke during the Church's 2010 Worldwide Leadership Training meeting, broadcast Nov. 13 to 95 different countries in 22 languages.
The training was held in conjunction with the release of a newly revised Church handbook.
“They will be an invaluable resource to you,” President Monson told to the leaders. “They’ve been read and reread, corrected and reread.”
President Monson said whenever the subject of the handbooks comes up, he recalls an experience he had in the 1970s when he was responsible for the work of the Church in what was then East Germany, or the German Democratic Republic.
“The government of East Germany would not allow Church materials to be taken into the country,” he recalled. “So I was asked by President Spencer W. Kimball to memorize the new edition of what we then called the General Church Handbook of Instructions, to cross the border into East Germany, and then to type the handbook for the faithful Church leaders there. Although it would have been impossible for anyone to actually memorize the entire book, I did study it thoroughly and learned the concepts from cover to cover. I traveled to East Germany, asked the Church leaders there for an office, a typewriter and a ream of paper. I commenced typing.”
However, an hour or two later, President Monson stood up to stretch, glanced around the room and noticed a bookshelf behind him. On the shelf was a copy of the new edition of the General Handbook of Instructions in the German language.
“Someone had obviously smuggled it across the border,” he said. “Since that time, I’ve been rather knowledgeable concerning the contents of that book.”
President Monson told the worldwide congregation to read the handbooks.
“Understand their contents,” he said. “Follow them.”
President Monson said as the First Presidency meets together each work day, they must, out of necessity, “deal with and correct errors which are made by Church leaders in administering the affairs of the Church. Most of these errors could be avoided if such leaders were familiar with the handbook and followed the policies and procedures outlined therein.”
During the past several years, the Office of the First Presidency has received hundreds of requests for ratification of improper actions, he continued. “Requests for nullification of ordinances that have been improperly performed, though fewer, also number in the hundreds.”
President Monson said if local Church leaders are not familiar with policies and procedures, aberrations can creep into programs of the Church. He recalled an experience he had many years ago while serving as a bishop.
“During the opening exercises of our priesthood meeting one Sunday morning, we were preparing to ordain a young man to the office of priest. Visiting our ward that day was a high councilor who also served as a temple worker. As I prepared to have the young man sit down to face the congregation so that we could proceed with the ordination, the high councilor stopped me and said, 'Bishop, I always have those being ordained turned to face the temple.' He repositioned the chair so that the young man would be facing in the direction of the temple. I immediately recognized an unauthorized practice.
“I could see the potential for it to become more widespread in practice. Although much younger than the high councilor, I knew what needed to be done. I turned the chair back so that it was again facing the congregation and said to him, 'In our ward, we face the congregation.' “
President Monson said over the years, the First Presidency has had had “to correct many attempts by well-meaning leaders to change some of the programs of the Church.”
They have dealt with lighted candles on sacrament tables, with locally determined changes in the length of Church meetings, with elimination of Sunday School from the Sunday block meetings and with methods for providing visiting teaching for women gathered in large groups.
“The list goes on and is fairly long,” he said. “I would not try to mention all the many changes, errors and problems which can occur.
“The point, however, is that in almost all cases, if the leaders would only read, understand and follow the handbook, such problems would not occur.”
Whether you’ve been a lifelong member of the Church or are a relatively new member, consult the handbook when you are uncertain about a policy or procedure, he told the leaders. “You may think you know how to handle the situation when, in fact, you may be on the wrong track. There’s safety in the handbooks.”
Closing, President Monson said called the handbooks a treasure. “They will be a blessing to you and to those you serve as you read them, understand them, and follow them.”
