New York New York Stake

1. New York New York Stake

2. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter, “Helping New Members,” 15 May 1997 Implementation of remarks by President Hinckley at April 1997 General Conference concerning the three things every new convert needs: a friend, a responsibility, and nurturing with “the good word of God”. “Stake presidencies and bishoprics are responsible for all stake and ward efforts to help new members and ‘keep them in the right way’ (Moroni 6:4).”

3. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter, “Member-Missionary Coordinating Council,” 13 Jun 1997 (with follow-up letters from President Packer, dated 14 Aug 1997 and 1 Jun 1998) Creation of a “coordination meeting” where stake presidents and mission presidents can jointly resolve missionary matters.

4. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter, “Confirming, Teaching and Fellowshipping of Converts,” 23 Jan 1998 “[T]he confirmation of new convert members will no longer occur at the time of baptism but will be performed in a subsequent sacrament meeting of the ward or branch in which the new member resides.” (Implements instructions from D&C 20:68.)

5. Recent Statements on Missionary Work President Boyd K. Packer Letter, “Confirming, Teaching and Fellowshipping of Converts,” 5 Mar 1998 “[P]rovides additional information for the implementation of the policy regarding baptism and confirmation” communicated on 23 Jan 1998. “The bishop is responsible to see that confirmation occurs in sacrament meeting as soon as reasonable after baptism.”

6. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter, “Proclaiming the Gospel and Establishing the Church,” 19 Jun 1998 “[T]he foundation for a continuing Church-wide balanced emphasis on conversion, retention and activation.” (Replaces 17 Jun 1991 letter on the same subject.)

7. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter, “Full-time Missionary Servce,” 19 Jun 1998 “Full-time missionary service is a privilege, not a right.” Reemphasizes and clarifies long-established principles to assist priesthood leaders in their responsibility “to recommend worthy and qualified individuals for full-time missionary service.”

8. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter, “Watching Over and Strengthening Members,” 10 Dec 2001 “Bishops, assisted by quorum leaders and home teachers, have the responsibility to help members of the ward strengthen their faith, prepare to receive temple ordinances, and live worthy of the blessings of the gospel.” Offers guidelines on “perfecting” home teaching.

9. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter, “The Bishop’s Responsibility for Ward Missionary Work,” 28 Feb 2002 “As the presiding high priest, the bishop is responsible for the work of sharing the gospel, retention, and reactivation within the ward.” Stake mission presidencies released; stake members renamed “ward missionaries”; ward mission leaders called under the direction of the bishop.

10. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter, “Implementing the Bishop’s Responsibility for Ward Missionary Work,” 28 Mar 2002 Provides detailed instructions in attachment entitled, “Centering Missionary Work in the Ward—Implementation”. “Efforts to share the gospel are most effective when they are ward-centered and ward-directed.”

11. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter, “Baptismal Interview Questions,” 30 Apr 2002 Provides revised baptismal interview questions that apply to “all baptismal candidates but should be adapted to the age and maturity of the person being interviewed.”

12. Recent Statements on Missionary Work Elder M. Russell Ballard, “The Greatest Generation of Missionaries,” General Conference, Oct 2002 Landmark address: “What we need now is the greatest generation of missionaries in the history of the Church. . . . [T]he bar that is the standard for missionary service is being raised.”

13. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter and Quorum of the Twelve Letter, “Statement on Missionary Work,” 11 Dec 2002 Statement of principles on “eligibility for full-time missionary service; on finding, teaching and baptizing worthy investigators; and on strengthening new and less-active members.”

14. Recent Statements on Missionary Work Human Resources Department, “Recommendation for Part-Time Church-Service Missionary Form,” 1 Sep 2003 New form for “prospective Church-service missionary couples and individuals who want to serve fewer than 32 hours per week in local assignments and live at home.”

15. Recent Statements on Missionary Work Missionary Department, “Weight Guidelines for Prospective Missionaries,” 15 Dec 2003 “Young missionaries who are significantly overweight experience difficulties dealing with the rigorous physical demands of a full-time mission.” Provides maximum weight guidelines.

16. Recent Statements on Missionary Work Missionary Department, “Missionaries Recommended from Away-from-Home Wards,” 21 Jan 2004 Requires obtaining permission from the bishop of the home ward and a letter from the home ward bishop endorsing the recommendation.

17. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter, “Individuals Not Able to Serve Full-Time Missions,” 30 Jan 2004 Guidance regarding individuals who do not meet the physical, mental or emotional challenges of a mission. Offers suggestions for alternative Church or community service opportunities.

18. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter, “Preach My Gospel,” 1 Nov 2004 New materials to assist in missionary training, planning, and proselyting efforts. “Stake presidents should ensure that bishops, ward mission leaders, and ward missionaries receive copies of these materials and become familiar with them.” Most effective “where there is close cooperation between full-time missionaries and Church leaders and members.”

19. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter, “High Priests’ Responsibility for Prospective Elders,” 3 Nov 2004 Transfers responsibility for the progress of prospective elders to the high priests. Purpose: “ensure that each prospective elder has a friend to fellowship him into the brotherhood of the priesthood” and “balance workloads better between elders quorums and high priest groups.”

20. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter, “Helping New Members,” 22 Dec 2004 “Fellowship should be extended by all in the ward. The bishop and his counselors should prayerfully consider ways to help a new member feel welcome. Home teachers . . . can play a valuable role in providing fellowshipping contacts.”

21. Recent Statements on Missionary Work Missionary Department, “Pass-Along Card Displays,” 9 Feb 2005 Approval of holders and displays for pass-along cards to be placed in meetinghouses.

22. Recent Statements on Missionary Work Missionary Department, “Missionaries Sitting on the Stand in Meetings,” 9 Feb 2005 “[F]ull-time missionaries should sit in the congregation with members and investigators. They should get to know the members and build friendships between investigators and members. They normally do not sit on the stand unless they are participating in the program.”

23. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency Letter, “Progress of New Members,” 11 Feb 2005 In reminding priesthood leaders of their responsibility to strengthen and support new members in the Church, identifies selected items on the Member Progress Report “to track short- and long-term progress of new members.”

24. Recent Statements on Missionary Work First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Instructions, “Missionary Work in the Ward,” Feb 2005 Replaces portions of the “Stake and Member Missionary Work” section in the Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2. Requires a “ward mission plan” to “encourage and organize missionary activities and to strengthen members in their missionary efforts” on inviting people to be taught; teaching, baptizing, and confirming investigators; befriending and strengthening new members; and supporting priesthood leaders in the activation of less-active members.

25. Recent Statements on Missionary Work Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1, Aug 2006 “Extensive revision” to Section 9 of CHI, Book 1, regarding “Missionary Service.” Previous statements retained: First Presidency Letter, “Watching Over and Strengthening Members,” 10 Dec 2001 First Presidency Letter, “The Bishop’s Responsibility for Ward Missionary Work,” 28 Feb 2002 First Presidency Letter, “Implementing the Bishop’s Responsibility for Ward Missionary Work,” 28 Mar 2002 First Presidency Letter and Quorum of the Twelve Letter, “Statement on Missionary Work,” 11 Dec 2002 First Presidency Letter, “Preach My Gospel,” 1 Nov 2004 First Presidency Letter, “High Priests’ Responsibility for Prospective Elders,” 3 Nov 2004 First Presidency Letter, “Helping New Members,” 22 Dec 2004 First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Instructions, “Missionary Work in the Ward,” Feb 2005