Ward Bulletin
The ability for ward leaders to communicate with the ward.
Example: share lesson notes, meeting minutes, Come Follow Me assignments and followups, activity times & locations, announcements, etc.
This feature might seem difficult to implement, but it is actually rather simple. Add a section on the Library home screen called, "Ward & Stake," similar to the "Personal" section that exists, currently. Subsections could be Elder's Quorum, Relief Society, Youth, Ward Mission, etc. Now, instead of syncing only with one's own account, query the LDS member directory database for a list of all members of the Ward or Stake and their callings, then sync it with all of their accounts, respective of their calling and various groups. Done, implemented.
I've attempted to request this feature in Tools, but the fact is that Tools doesn't sync regularly enough to make this effective. I'd imagine the backend isn't as robust, either. Add to that that members simply don't check Tools as often, and that all the resources you could ever wish for are included in Gospel Library, and it makes it the ideal candidate.
This solves the age old question: how do ward leaders communicate with ward members in mass? Do they send out an email? What about the increasing number of people that don't use email, especially youth? Do they create a ward Facebook page? Do they send out annoying group messages that members end up blocking? Do they ask members to join apps like GroupMe, Marco Polo, or others?
Or, do they just post to Gospel Library, which all members already have? This is the clear choice.
Thank you for your consideration.
Church Headquarters is planning to give us the access needed to accomplish this.
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Jeff D commented
This could be cool. Let me just say that not every member uses the Gospel Library app regularly, or even has it installed. So, it's not universal. But, that doesn't make it a bad idea... just another one of many communication options. As consistent communication is a continuing challenge (spoken from experience as a member of a bishopric), I welcome additional options.
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Benny Yamagata commented
I am going to be the (apparently) unpopular voice here.
For demographics, I am a 28 year old in Utah in a YSA ward.The YSA's would not do well with this. The poster makes some bold assumptions about the population of the church (which may be true in their experience, but is not necessarily true overall)
First, to think that this is "rather simple" is an understatement. Unless you are a software engineer yourself that also has experience with development on this particular app, you have no say in whether or not something is simple or easy.
Second, you assume that Ward Leaders regularly update their information and such at the current time. I can tell you that my bishop does not even know how to update the ward calendar. We don't even use the ward calendar or even the stake calendar. They do, however, use facebook and instagram often, and they are active on our ward facebook and instagram pages.
Third, I would not say that I spend more time in tools over gospel library, but I will say that I do not expect an app that is called a "Library" to try and give me notifications about events going on in my ward. I strongly feel that functionality belongs in "Tools" because that is what it is, a tool.
Finally, this does not solve the age-old question. This simply adds another route to make things even more confusing, or to make older men in the bishoprics think they have solved it, when they are in fact possibly reaching even less people than before. Your answer to this question assumes that everyone has Gospel Library, when I know many members that dont and just use the scriptures on churchofjesuschrist.org. Your question assumes that everyone Wants to receive notifications from the Church, when many members dont. They just want to come and participate and then go home. And what of the less actives? The inactives? Investigators? People starting to return to activity, but are not quite there yet?
I'm not trying to beat this idea into the ground. Only saying that there are some serious considerations to make when doing stuff like this. We have already seen the Church of Jesus Christ in other areas throughout this pandemic start to abandon creating their own technology in favor of using existing technology that is simply better for this. (eg: The EOL for the church webcast system in favor of zoom). Couple that with some serious holes in logic in this suggestion and I would say this is just going to pour resources into yet another thing that members will not use.
I think that if you want to communicate with members of your ward, then go ask them how they would like to be communicated with. If they want email, text, and marco polo, then why would you ever give them this app feature? It makes no sense.
Anyways, sorry for the long post. I would just like to see volunteer development resources put to good use in developing features that would be great for everyone.
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Cesar Diaz commented
This is what we need, maybe share by message or QR to sync with lesson tabs, also integration with Gospel Living will work to power up this App
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Steven Darling commented
I love this idea, the Church has needed this for many years. I disagree that Gospel Library is the right app for it, though. I think LDS Tools should be used. Not sure if the developers are the same for both apps.
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Landon Kelson commented
Haha @Colin Clark no YOU'RE a real G! 😜
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Colin Clark commented
Yo Landon is a real G you should listen to him
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Alicia Golden commented
Oooo yes PLEASE! This would make organizing YSA activities so much easier!
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Stepan Altuhov commented
I agree with this! Long time we need this in Peru. Our bishop use What's app now.