I agree that some take advantage. I have been in several EQ presidencies and helped move many, many people. I appreciate those that have expressed that they have moved with their own money hiring a moving company. I would offer that if you do not ask for help you are preventing opportunities for service and to receive blessings. Having said that those that do ask for help please, please, please have all of your belongings boxed up and disassemble furniture before the volunteers show up to move your goods. I am happy to gather volunteers and help move your things but not to stand while you are still packing. Thank you.
Angela Gray-CoutureDecember 5, 2015
I have moved 41 times in my life. I always either paid to have things moved or rented a truck and did it myself. Many years ago I bought a house and set everything up so that I had a week to move and clean. Unfortunately the moving company that the sellers hired did not show up and so they were unable to leave until late on a Saturday night. I had to turn in the keys to the old place on Monday morning. I explained to the kids that we would go to church in the morning but that we would have to spend the rest of the day moving. My older daughter headed off to her single adult ward while the rest of us went to our family ward. As I was driving home from church I saw a pickup truck drive through the intersection and thought it was a coincidence that someone else had the same bedroom set as mine. When I turned onto my street it was filled with pickups and vans and missionaries were directing traffic. My oldest daughter had told her bishop about our predicament and he announced at the beginning of sacrament meeting that after sacrament meeting they were all assigned to go home, get their familiy's pickups and vans and meet at my house. He also called the mission president who told the missionaries that if they didn't have investigators at church that they were to go to my home and help move. What was going to be a very long and hectic day for my family was transformed by a group of young single adult angels who moved everything from our four bedroom home, set up beds, unpacked the kitchen, and brought lunch for everyone.
karen fredlundDecember 5, 2015
I'm kind of shocked at this article about helping ward members move. While I agree there should be guidelines we have always been taught to help our ward members in their needs. Yes some will take advantage but most truly need the help. We have moved a few times and always received ward help and in turn we have helped others. I don't like to ask for help but this last move about killed us. We did most of it in many trips and asked for help at the end and for the last truck. We are in our 60's and couldn't have done it without the wards help. We did get rid of a ton of stuff but that is moving as well in a different aspect. Most people now days have too much stuff , us included. The scriptures teach we are to love our neighbors as ourselves . If someone truly needs help we will be there to do our part.
RebeccaJune 29, 2015
A few years ago I was in a ward that had 3-5 families move in each week. They set it up so that if you got help moving into the ward, you would help the next three families move in. This way those that were benefiting from the help were also helping others that needed help. I'm a believer in paying for your own movers if you can and using this as a service for those with especial needs (e.g. elderly, a physical limitation, financial hardship, etc.). Loved the post and all the thoughts. I know someone that stopped coming to church because they were being asked to help too many people move and didn't feel like he was being valued beyond his ability to respond to move requests. Sad.
Jack SevyJuly 21, 2013
Lift Up and Strengthen
Elder Oaks made very similar statements in both Nov 2010 and Feb 2011 WW Ldrship Training. He clearly suggested that we need to curtail helping people move in order to focus on more important Priesthood purposes.
My father-in-law and I own a pick-up truck and a tough old trailer. We and our equipment have been volunteered many times to help folks move. If I don't do this, I'd need to join a health club. I enjoy it. I have moved and will continue to move as many people as anyone in our ward.
But...
Our mandates as Priesthood holders are
1) turn hearts to the Savior, family (and, I think, friends)
2) lift up hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees
3) do all that we do in the name of Jesus Christ -- in His service, for His glory & honor, after His order.
I almost never respond to a pulpit call for volunteers to move peoples' stuff. The Church is a rich source of friendships. If my friend asks me, I generally am there to help.
My policy is to always ask, "When do the family and friends want to gather and do it? I'll be there." If a person has no family or friends who will help, then this is a wonderful opportunity for reevaluation of their lifestyle, and repentance, and downsizing. And, generally, cleaning.
Preach My Gospel mentions helping people move only once that I can find: inviting non-member friends to help us help others. I suppose that is another Priesthood Purpose for moving. It does not endorse the common procedure in our ward of making pulpit calls to move non-members who are being taught by the missionaries.
You lift up the hands that hang down by putting something in them to carry -- not by carrying it all for them. You strengthen the feeble knees by getting them up from the couch or computer to do something for themselves, not do it for them.
We certainly cannot move people who have trashed a residence to another and think we are acting in the name of Jesus Christ. We are not acting in His service, certainly not for His glory and honor.
Elder Bednar said at WWLTraining in 2010, "Everything we do should foster self-reliance." If we fail to do that, then we hurt people, and we will be held accountable. "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, my brethren [and sisters], ye have done it unto me."
Of course, this reasoning can be used to justify laziness and unkindness by the Priesthood and Relief Society. So can the Atonement. In the end, those who are exalted will be those who, like our Father in heaven and Jesus Christ, are able to be "ministering spirits to all heirs of salvation."
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Bishopric 2nd CounselorJuly 11, 2017
I agree that some take advantage. I have been in several EQ presidencies and helped move many, many people. I appreciate those that have expressed that they have moved with their own money hiring a moving company. I would offer that if you do not ask for help you are preventing opportunities for service and to receive blessings. Having said that those that do ask for help please, please, please have all of your belongings boxed up and disassemble furniture before the volunteers show up to move your goods. I am happy to gather volunteers and help move your things but not to stand while you are still packing. Thank you.
Angela Gray-CoutureDecember 5, 2015
I have moved 41 times in my life. I always either paid to have things moved or rented a truck and did it myself. Many years ago I bought a house and set everything up so that I had a week to move and clean. Unfortunately the moving company that the sellers hired did not show up and so they were unable to leave until late on a Saturday night. I had to turn in the keys to the old place on Monday morning. I explained to the kids that we would go to church in the morning but that we would have to spend the rest of the day moving. My older daughter headed off to her single adult ward while the rest of us went to our family ward. As I was driving home from church I saw a pickup truck drive through the intersection and thought it was a coincidence that someone else had the same bedroom set as mine. When I turned onto my street it was filled with pickups and vans and missionaries were directing traffic. My oldest daughter had told her bishop about our predicament and he announced at the beginning of sacrament meeting that after sacrament meeting they were all assigned to go home, get their familiy's pickups and vans and meet at my house. He also called the mission president who told the missionaries that if they didn't have investigators at church that they were to go to my home and help move. What was going to be a very long and hectic day for my family was transformed by a group of young single adult angels who moved everything from our four bedroom home, set up beds, unpacked the kitchen, and brought lunch for everyone.
karen fredlundDecember 5, 2015
I'm kind of shocked at this article about helping ward members move. While I agree there should be guidelines we have always been taught to help our ward members in their needs. Yes some will take advantage but most truly need the help. We have moved a few times and always received ward help and in turn we have helped others. I don't like to ask for help but this last move about killed us. We did most of it in many trips and asked for help at the end and for the last truck. We are in our 60's and couldn't have done it without the wards help. We did get rid of a ton of stuff but that is moving as well in a different aspect. Most people now days have too much stuff , us included. The scriptures teach we are to love our neighbors as ourselves . If someone truly needs help we will be there to do our part.
RebeccaJune 29, 2015
A few years ago I was in a ward that had 3-5 families move in each week. They set it up so that if you got help moving into the ward, you would help the next three families move in. This way those that were benefiting from the help were also helping others that needed help. I'm a believer in paying for your own movers if you can and using this as a service for those with especial needs (e.g. elderly, a physical limitation, financial hardship, etc.). Loved the post and all the thoughts. I know someone that stopped coming to church because they were being asked to help too many people move and didn't feel like he was being valued beyond his ability to respond to move requests. Sad.
Jack SevyJuly 21, 2013
Lift Up and Strengthen Elder Oaks made very similar statements in both Nov 2010 and Feb 2011 WW Ldrship Training. He clearly suggested that we need to curtail helping people move in order to focus on more important Priesthood purposes. My father-in-law and I own a pick-up truck and a tough old trailer. We and our equipment have been volunteered many times to help folks move. If I don't do this, I'd need to join a health club. I enjoy it. I have moved and will continue to move as many people as anyone in our ward. But... Our mandates as Priesthood holders are 1) turn hearts to the Savior, family (and, I think, friends) 2) lift up hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees 3) do all that we do in the name of Jesus Christ -- in His service, for His glory & honor, after His order. I almost never respond to a pulpit call for volunteers to move peoples' stuff. The Church is a rich source of friendships. If my friend asks me, I generally am there to help. My policy is to always ask, "When do the family and friends want to gather and do it? I'll be there." If a person has no family or friends who will help, then this is a wonderful opportunity for reevaluation of their lifestyle, and repentance, and downsizing. And, generally, cleaning. Preach My Gospel mentions helping people move only once that I can find: inviting non-member friends to help us help others. I suppose that is another Priesthood Purpose for moving. It does not endorse the common procedure in our ward of making pulpit calls to move non-members who are being taught by the missionaries. You lift up the hands that hang down by putting something in them to carry -- not by carrying it all for them. You strengthen the feeble knees by getting them up from the couch or computer to do something for themselves, not do it for them. We certainly cannot move people who have trashed a residence to another and think we are acting in the name of Jesus Christ. We are not acting in His service, certainly not for His glory and honor. Elder Bednar said at WWLTraining in 2010, "Everything we do should foster self-reliance." If we fail to do that, then we hurt people, and we will be held accountable. "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, my brethren [and sisters], ye have done it unto me." Of course, this reasoning can be used to justify laziness and unkindness by the Priesthood and Relief Society. So can the Atonement. In the end, those who are exalted will be those who, like our Father in heaven and Jesus Christ, are able to be "ministering spirits to all heirs of salvation."
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