Missionary Online Recommendation System

1
Missionary Online Recommendation System

• Priesthood Leadership Meeting
• Breakout Session - Bishops
• Sunday, May 7th, 2006

2
Recommend Submission Process
Bishop
Bishop
Candidate
Stake President
Bishop Reviews all online submissions corrects
and edits as necessary Bishop reviews all Dr. and
Dent. papers 1. May have to send candidate back
if problems. Bishop Conducts Final Interview w/
Candidate Bishop Completes Priesthood Ldr.
Comments Bishop Submits online recommend to Stake
President Bishop delivers Dental and Medical
forms to Stk. Pr.
Stk. Pr. conducts a searching, thorough interview
w/ candidate Stk. Pr. reviews all online
submissions corrects and edits as necessary Stk.
Pr. enters All Dental and Medical Information
into online forms. Stk. Pr. completes Priesthood
Ldr. Comments Stk. Pr. submits to Missionary
Dept.
Candidate Completes Recommend Forms Online Visit
Doctor and have all work done 1. Take stamped
envelope addressed to Bishop. 2. May need to
get immunization records for doctor 3 Request
that doctor complete all questions and mail to
Bishop Visit Dentist and have all work done 1.
Request that dentist complete all questions and
mail to Bishop
Bishop Initiates New Recommend Bishop Interviews
Candidate 1. Provides record number and
instructs on how to fill out forms 2. Conduct a
searching , thorough interview 3. Instruct
candidate on entire process
Dentist
Doctor
Bold Online work or documents Italic
In Person visit or Paper documents
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Bishops Preparation

• Obtain internet access and e-mail address
• Candidate should also have
• Data not stored on hard drive can be submitted
  on a home teachers, leaders, etc.
• Create a login for Online Recommend Site
• Obtain record number and confirmation date from
  MLS
• http//lds.org/mss - follow instructions see next
  slide
• Review the following Materials
• Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1 Stake
  Presidencies and Bishoprics
• First Presidency letters of 12 December 2000 and
  11 December 2002 for information on
  qualifications, terms of service, requirements
  for special clearance, and other instructions on
  calling missionaries

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Bishop

• Bishop Initiates New Recommend
• Can be done before interview (see next slide)
• Missionary cannot start until bishop initiates
  the recommend process
• Bishop Interviews Candidate
• Provides record number and instructs on how to
  fill out forms
• Conduct a thorough, searching interview with the
  candidate to determine worthiness,
  qualifications, and the individual's physical and
  emotional capability to serve. Confirm that the
  candidate has an understanding and testimony of
  the Savior and His Atonement, the Restoration and
  Joseph Smith' role in it, the Book of Mormon
  (having read it), and the singular privilege of
  serving the Savior as a missionary.
• The missionary recommendation packet for young
  missionaries should be submitted to the
  Missionary Department not more than 90 days
  before the candidate's availability date.
  Couples' packets may be submitted up to five
  months in advance. The date given in the Date
  available to serve field should not be earlier
  than the birthday when the missionary reaches the
  minimum age for service. Normally about two to
  four months are allowed between the issuing of
  the call and the beginning of the mission.
• If the candidate has been living away from home,
  the home bishop or branch president and the
  away-from-home bishop or branch president must
  confer regarding worthiness and the procedures
  for submitting the recommendation forms (see the
  Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1).
• Instruct candidate on entire process
• Stress importance of filling out every field on
  paper forms
• Set expectation that candidate will be
  responsible to return to Dr. or Dentist to
  reconcile problems.

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Candidate

• Candidate Completes Recommend Forms Online
• Create a login. Will need record and
  confirmation date
• Follow guidelines for submitting photo.
• Proper dress, grooming, size, and format.
• Forms will be different depending on answers.
• Visit Doctor and have all work done
• Take stamped envelope addressed to Bishop.
• May need to get immunization records for doctor
• Request that doctor complete all questions and
  mail to Bishop
• Visit Dentist and have all work done
• Request that dentist complete all questions and
  mail to Bishop

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Doctor / Dentist Forms

• Missionary will download medical forms from the
  website
• Missionary will visit Doctor and Dentist and have
  them complete the forms
• Any necessary medical or dental procedures should
  be completed before forms completed
• Any additional forms should be returned with the
  medical forms to the Bishop
• Example results of therapy, extra tests, etc.
• Bishop can attach to online recommend
• Doctor and Dentist return forms, via mail to the
  Bishop.
• Should not hand the forms back to the candidate.
• Next slide shows some commonly missed fields by
  the doctor
• Immunization doctors often dont have the info
• Tuberculosis both the size of the test and the
  diagnosis

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Doctor / Dentist Forms
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Bishop

• Receives all Dental / Medical paperwork
• Reviews for completeness, sends missionary back
  to resolve any issues
• Compiles, delivers to Stk. President
• Reviews all other online submissions
• Review these forms after the candidate completes
  them. Ensure that any serious concerns are
  resolved, including completion of recommended
  tests or treatment, before the forms are
  submitted. Give special attention to emotional,
  behavioral, and learning problems. If the
  candidate is on medication for a chronic
  condition, encourage him or her to continue the
  medication throughout the mission
• Can edit online as necessary
• Conduct a final interview with the candidate
  before submitting the forms.
• Discuss with the candidate important information
  requested on the forms, such as visa or
  citizenship documentation and information about
  special medical problems, diets, or medications.
• Ensure that after the contribution from the
  missionary and family, the ward or branch
  missionary fund can meet the financial obligation
  for the missionary.
• All donations to the Church's missionary funds
  become the property of the Church to be used at
  the Church's sole discretion in its missionary
  programs. Contributions are not refundable,
  including any advance contributions, if the
  missionary is unable to complete the full term of
  his or her mission.
• Determine breakdown of payment so Bishop can
  enter on forms (for example Missionary - 100,
  Family 200, Ward 100)
• Ensure missionary is willing to serve wherever
  and however called. Set expectations.
• Completes Priesthood Leader Comments
• Dont put anything in Confidential Comments
  unless they are needed, otherwise call will be
  delayed.
• (e.g. None, N/A, Hes a great kid, overflow
  from other comments, etc.)
• Submits to Stake President

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Stake President

• Interviews candidate
• Enters online data
• Required to enter all Dental and Medical forms
  online
• Reviews all submitted forms
• Completes his own comments
• Again, dont put anything unnecessary in conf.
  comments
• Submits to Missionary Dept. at Church
  Headquarters

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Conclusion

• When we have increased the missionaries from the
  organized areas of the Church to a number close
  to their potential, that is, every able and
  worthy boy in the Church on a mission when we
  have used the satellite and related discoveries
  to their greatest potential and all of the
  mediathe papers, magazines, television,
  radioall in their greatest power when we have
  organized numerous other stakes which will be
  springboards when we have recovered from
  inactivity the numerous young men who are now
  unordained and unmissioned and unmarried then,
  and not until then, shall we approach the
  insistence of our Lord and Master to go into all
  the world and preach the gospel to every
  creature.
• --President Spencer W. Kimball, April 4, 1974