Copyright © 2001
Dear Annette,
I have the calling of Pursuit of Excellence Advisor for the past ten months, and I have to tell you how much I love it!!!
I am pleased to tell you that my ward is the only one in my stake that has kept up the challenges in the program. I am currently getting a little more informed on the program and am learning day to day. I have been copying the handbook word for word for every month and I hand it out as an incentive to get the sisters to challenge themselves with the various topics, Spiritual, intellectual, Physical, Service and Character.
But, as months go by, it is harder to not hear the phone ringing with members progress reports. I have some wonderful sisters in my ward and I love them all dearly. I know they are trying to live their lives to the fullest that Heavenly Father would want them. They just have to email me or pick up the phone, and they don't!!! It's frustrating, you know?!?
I have gone through your web site and collected some new things that I'm going to try next year, since I haven't found any more information on the web sites other than yours.
I am tempted to write an article about the importance of this very worthy program in "The Ensign". Should I??? I have grown so much in the past months, it's unbelievable. I know more sisters would do it if there was more out there about it.
I will let you go now but I just wanted to introduce myself to you. I hope that you will reply, as I would love to have a correspondence with a person who knows more about Pursuit of Excellence than I do. I would love to use you as a sounding board if I may, thanks!!!!
A Member Friend
Dear Member Friend,
Here is what I tried to get the sisters to report to me their monthly Pursuit of Excellence progress...
1. I put out a yearly supply of hand-in sheets with each month on a half sheet to be handed in to me at the end of each month in a note book with the Pursuit of Excellence. This did not work.
2. I talked the Relief Society President into letting me cover the different topic for each month for personal progress for few minutes each Fast Sunday and passed out the reporting sheets in Relief Society to be handed back into me at the end of class for last months achieved goals. This brought in about three sheets each month. This did not work.
3. I called each active sister and interviewed them just before graduation to see what she had been doing. We went over each area of pursuit to see if she had accomplished something that year. This turned out to be a far more in-depth interview than any bishop would have gotten out of any sister in the ward. I really knew these sisters by the time we finished the hour and a half call! This helped me get the low down on what the sisters had done for the year, but this didn't really help them set goals and have a nudge and a cheering team to help them succeed.
4. So I came upon this concept that works!
· Take the number of active sisters and divide this number by 4 for the number of weeks in the month.
· Divide this number by 7 for the days in the week.
This should give you the number of sisters you need to contact for that day to see how they have done for last month.
Example: There are 60 active sisters.
60 divided by 4 = 15
15 divided by 7= 2.145
This means call 2 to 3 sisters each day
§ Keep a binder of the sisters in Surname alphabetical order. Each sister should have a section with her name.
§ Each month discuss with each sister her...
1. Past goals for the past month.
2. If they were not succeeded what went wrong.
3. Discuss how they could be manipulated to be a success.
4. Her choice of goals for the present month.
5. How they are coming along.
6. Discuss the steps of how to make them happen if they are having trouble.
Also send a letter to all Visiting Teachers in Relief Society/Primary/Young Women's asking them to discuss with the sisters they visit teach their Pursuit of Excellence Goals and help them to attain them through support and helping the sister to take advantage of resources available to her.
As you realize the needs of assistance and support each sister needs, call the visiting teachers of that sister to ask for their aid.
Make Relief Society President aware of the special needs of sisters as they arise.
Use the article: How to Set Goals and Attain Them to help the sisters!
Click here: http://www.annettenay.com/Goals.htm
So what do you think about a stewardship that has you mingling with each sister in depth on a monthly basis?
You have the best job in the whole church, I think. You can really make a difference in these sisters lives. You can be the center of all these sister's lives and truly loved for your service to them. You are someone special!
God bless you in your righteous endeavors!
Love,
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