Online library: Leading in the Savior's way
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A powerful new resource helps improve learning and teaching.
A valuable training resource for leaders in the Church across the world is now available on the Internet at lds.org/service/leadership. The new Leadership Training Library works hand in glove with Handbook 2: Administering the Church to illustrate specific sections with interactive video examples. The site exists to help leaders of the Church learn and apply leadership principles. In the overview video for the leadership library, President Thomas S. Monson encourages leaders to follow the Savior, saying, "Jesus loved. Jesus labored. Jesus served. Jesus testified. What finer example could we strive to emulate."
In February 2011, during the worldwide leadership training, Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve and Elder Craig C. Christensen of the Seventy used videos that are now part of the Leadership Training Library. For example, Elder Andersen showed how a Relief Society President in South Korea prepared spiritually to conduct the work of the Lord. "This is a spiritual work. It can only be done in the Lord's way. And to do that, we have to believe in Him," said Elder Andersen. "I love those words of the Savior, 'Be not afraid, only believe.' Have confidence that you can be part of the solutions to your little branch or your ward no matter what your calling is. Revelation is scattered among us, and I know that the Lord answers prayers that He lives and that this is His holy work."
"This is the first Church-wide effort to deliver content that accompanies the Church Handbook," said Ray Robinson, a director for the Priesthood Department. "The library will be extremely helpful for local leaders."
Sections of the library contain specific videos associated with leadership callings. The sections include: bishopric, high priests, elders, Aaronic priesthood, Young Women, Primary, Sunday School, mission leader and young single adults. There are also videos based on leadership principles set forth by the Savior: Prepare spiritually, participate in councils, minister to others and teach the gospel.
Containing more than 78 instructional videos, the library consists of previous worldwide leadership training messages as well as new content depicting real leaders recorded in four countries: Guatemala, South Korea, England and Brazil. The people shown in the new videos are not actors. Visitors to the site see real leaders applying principles from the handbook in their everyday lives. "As you watch the videos you see the gospel in action. You see a bishop receiving revelation as he studies the scriptures over breakfast. You see a Primary president receiving revelation in the midst of her daily responsibilities," said Brother Robinson.
For each handbook principle covered by a video, there is pop-up text that can be clicked on that contains the actual text from the Church Handbook. Most videos begin and end with learning helps including a simple introduction, questions and summaries, including special instruction on important leadership topics. The videos are for personal instruction or facilitated training in ward councils or priesthood executive committees.
The videos can be downloaded onto a computer for easy playback or streamed over the Internet. Two options are available for downloading videos, one with learning helps and one without. Currently, the library is in English; early in 2012, portions of the library will be available in Cantonese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.
The site will be updated with additional content. There is an "upcoming training" tab at the bottom of every page that highlights when new training will be available. There is new training scheduled for the next three months.
"The intent really is to have a library that is agile, changeable and with capacity to be updated," said Brother Robinson. "For example, general leaders of the Church looked at the site and wanted to implement some training after general conference. With proper approval, the training was posted within 15 minutes."
