“In his book, Counseling
with Our Councils, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles gives the following three suggestions:
“First, focus on
fundamentals.” Follow the guidelines in Handbook 2: Administering the
Church, chapter 4, which can be found online in the Serving in the Church
section of LDS.org.
“Second, focus on
people, not programs.” Pursue “the integration of new members, activation
of the less active, concerns of the youth, the economic plight of individual
members, and the needs of single mothers and widows.”
“Third, councils are
for counsel and the exchange of ideas, not just reports and lectures. Establish
a climate conducive to openness, where every opinion is valuable.” Individuals
have different viewpoints and backgrounds, so each can add a helpful
perspective to understanding members’ needs.
See Elder M. Russell Ballard, Counseling with Our Councils, 106, 109, 112.
