Below you will find Prince’s research excerpts titled, “LDS General Handbooks: Messages, 1976-80.” You can view other topics here.
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MESSAGES from the Offices of the First Presidency, Council of the Twelve, First Council of the Seventy, Presiding Bishopric, and General Departments of the Church. 16 Apr., 1976-20 Jun., 1980.
1976: 23 Apr.: Expanded role for Regional Representatives.
“To provide improved leadership to stakes, Regional Representatives of the Twelve have been given limited line authority in the Church. They will not call nor release local leaders, but in all areas of the world the following relationships will exist under the direction of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve.
a. Under the direction of the Area Advisor (who is a member of the Council of the Twelve), the Regional Representative will be accountable to an Area Supervisor who will work with him on the stakes assigned.
b. The Regional Representative will submit progress reports to the Area Supervisor (a General Authority) and through the Area Advisor to the Council of the Twelve on the stakes assigned.
c. The Regional Representative will hold personal priesthood interviews with stake presidencies.
d. The Regional Representative will have responsibility for the training of stake presidencies in priesthood work, Church programs, and leadership skills.
e. The Regional Representative will preside at all stake conferences where he is assigned by the President of the Council of the Twelve.
f. The Regional Representative will have the responsibility to review stake, ward, and branch boundary changes and divisions and to submit them to the Area Supervisor with his recommendations.
g. The Regional Representative will continue to conduct the annual regional meeting and other meetings necessary to give special leadership assistance where required.
h. The Regional Representative is responsible for the progress of the stakes in his region.
i. The Regional Representative is free to communicate with General Authorities assigned to conferences in his regions.
j. The Regional Representative, under the direction of the Area Supervisor, may assist the mission president to give leadership training in member districts.”
(“Messages . . .” No. 2, 23 Apr., 1976)
1978: 26 May: Counseling RMs on marriage.
“It is entirely appropriate and desirable that priesthood leaders counsel returning missionaries on the importance of continuing to live standards that will lead to celestial marriage. It is considered unwise, however, to recommend or imply that the missionary should be married within a specified time period following his release. Although the returned missionary should keep himself worthy and pointed toward marraige, the decision to marry is of such importance that it should be approcahed only after the most prayerful and careful consideration. During the post-mission period of social, emotional, and physical readjustment, and the differing individual demands of employment and education, the returned missionary should not feel pressured by specific time constraints in approaching this very personal, sacred, and significant decision.” (“Messages . . .” No. 26, 26 May, 1978)