Tech Forum

russellhltn wrote:

johnshaw wrote:I just don't think that Bishops who want to do something will ever ask the stake again, they'll just 'direct' their Ward TS to do it, that's a lot of pressure, not many of us are good and pushing back on something wrong.

Well, when I was a ward clerk and was asked to do something that didn't sound right, I talked to my trainer, the stake clerk, who of course had the ear of the stake president.

The trainer for the WTS is the STS, who also manages resources (like the ward computer and network). As such, I see a very similar "feedback loop".

In the 4 times I've been a ward clerk, only one time would I have considered asking the stake clerk about something (because they didn't know jack about jack) and in 2 of those instances, the stake clerk would get questions from ward clerks and he'd tell them to call me... but that's just me. But regardless... ward clerks who hear things that 'don't sound right' from their Bishop - I'm sorry, we just don't raise men (in my observation) that will question it... see below...

It's my observation that most men in the church do the least they can to spend the least amount of time in their callings (many times this is because their wife is at home being angry they are spending time away from the family - and other times because they've been treated like a widget for so long they've given up on church being a place their voice is wanted/needed - they frankly don't care anymore that the same 10 people are doing everything, it's not like any of those 10 people ever find anyone else to serve...). They care very little about doing the 'right' thing because the easiest thing is to just do what they are told and then be done. Also, most members I observe don't really understand that the Bishop or Stake President often has little to no information with which they are basing their assignments, they continue a tradition vs use the handbook to figure things out (see how stakes handle the responsibilities of the ExecSec and HC)

I don't have your faith that Ward Technology Specialists won't just think they aren't in charge of their computers, they are only replaced every 5 years, you can turn over 3 different clerks in the time between computer replacements, who's to say they won't just go buy a better one from the budget, or whatever else they decide... We can't even get rid of private WLAN's in our bishop's offices because that one time 7 years ago they lost wifi for 7 minutes during ward council. If they have problems with the network, they'll just head on up to the attic and doink around with the equipment, I'm telling you, the stake TS are no better than the Stake Conference webcast person that hooks up a computer and a project once-in-a-while for a fireside (likely someone that has done a hundred firesides and knows what to do themselves anyway)

There is just a very large variance in operations. IF the functional operations remained at the stake, at the very least the approach to tech (playing the percentages) is consistent among all the wards in that stake. When you move responsibility down to the ward level, I fear, like I said, ward-by-ward decisions.

Does the (Stake) Technology Specialist have to be approved(sustained) by the High Council? I am not finding any info on that. Before when it was Stake Assistant Clerk - Technology, it was approved. Just seeing when the proper steps are in the calling process.
Thanks for any insight or links to the handbook

lancer wrote: ↑Mon Sep 20, 2021 4:31 pm Does the (Stake) Technology Specialist have to be approved(sustained) by the High Council? I am not finding any info on that. Before when it was Stake Assistant Clerk - Technology, it was approved. Just seeing when the proper steps are in the calling process.
Thanks for any insight or links to the handbook

Since the STS is no longer listed as "assistant clerk", and I can't find them listed in the "Chart of Callings" (30.8.3) I'd assume they'd fall under "Other Stake Callings".

Since the STS are no long Stake Clerk - Technology Specialist as part of the stake presidency, instead they fall under Stake Callings --> Other --> Technology when I look at the stake callings under organizations (both my cell phone tools app and on-line) , I have to assume as well that they are now under Other Stake Callings. Looking at the on-line version I do not see the * indicating that it is a custom calling. So if I understand it is Other Stake Calling, recommended by the stake president, and approved by the stake presidency and HC, with a stake president, stake president councilor as may be assigned, or a HC member is able to set them apart.

Looks like December's update brought more updates here- I need to start keeping snapshots of the handbook so I can actually diff the changes... The biggest change I noticed to 33.10 was that bishops can now decide if the Ward Technology Specialists report to the ward clerk or executive secretary (where previously it was just the latter, which took a lot of folks by surprise). I *think* the section at the bottom is also new: "As needed, stake technology specialists coordinate the work of ward technology specialists. They also provide instruction."- that'll hopefully restore some checks and balances for those that were worried about ward TSs "going rogue".

One other big change is that Technology Specialists no longer has access to FIR. This means that units can create work orders with the FMG related to technology and the TS (Stake) will have no visibility that such a request was even created. The Stake Assistant Clerk Technology Specialist did have FIR access. I has been so useful to have this access to head off unnecessary work orders and to know what's going on to better help the units.

dave.swartz wrote: ↑Tue Jul 18, 2023 2:11 pm One other big change is that Technology Specialists no longer has access to FIR. This means that units can create work orders with the FMG related to technology and the TS (Stake) will have no visibility that such a request was even created. The Stake Assistant Clerk Technology Specialist did have FIR access. I has been so useful to have this access to head off unnecessary work orders and to know what's going on to better help the units.

As a Stake Technology Specialist, I still have access to FIR. In fact I filed one this past Sunday.

I have no idea about the status of Ward Specialists.

Thanks Russell,

I uninstalled and reinstalled the app and it now works.

Must have been a hickup on my end. Thanks for watching these forums.

Dave

je suis reconnaissance envers notre frère qui était aussi spécialiste en technologie, c'est que je peut dire là bas et que un spécialiste en technologie ils peut aide le greffier à bien travailler dans leur appel et à bien grandée le chose de l'église