So, what did I do last year after publishing the following two posts?
Answer: Nothing, I didn't do squat. I went the whole year without a manual. Isn't that radical! Of course, I barely made it to church at all, with my husband's serious health challenges.
The whole thing had not been resolved when we adopted the new manual this year. I fully intended to get a manual this year. I figured that with a new Relief Society president, she may not require people to sign for it which I found highly offensive.
However, I learned something else that put a crimp in my plans. Apparently, local leaders have interpreted curriculum guidance with a new twist. From the Church website:
The following materials for use in Sunday quorums and classes are available online and in the Gospel Library mobile app. Where possible, encourage members to use digital versions of these materials.My local unit has decided that this means not to give any out. In fact, they only ordered a handful and ran out before the second Sunday in January. There are no books to be had. We are supposed to access them online.
I still don't have any mobile media. I rely on hard copy stuff while at church. What I don't understand is the seemingly conflicting positions my ward is taking.
- Conflicting position 1: Not everybody has digital tools, so we aren't going to use LDS.org tools for stakes and wards.
- Conflicting position 2: Even though not everybody has digital tools, they should use the digital Ezra Taft Benson manual.
- Conflicting position 3: Of course, we must use the wonderful digital tools on Family Search and do work for our dead. We just shouldn't use the tools the Church has designed for the living.
What's next? Are they going to decide to make up their own email list, even though the Church already provides wonderful leadership email tools?
Wait, they did this already. In fact, they did it the same Sunday (December 1, 2014) they encouraged everyone to sign up for the emails sent out by the First Presidency. Doesn't that make sense!
Gee, maybe somebody should tell them how nutty this is. Wait, I think I did that soon after I moved in. Let's see, I told them in 2013 and then in 2014 and then in 2015...
I give up. I GIVE UP!
My husband and I bought our own manuals for this year and last year from the Church ourselves.
There is one thing I won't do this year -- share my manual with anybody else, so we have enough in church. They better not even ask...
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