Ham in a Day

Some stakes, districts, wards and branches are using an approach called "Ham in a Day" to train ham (amateur) radio operators for emergency preparedness. The Church recommends that "A reliable emergency communication system should be in place [in wards and stakes] if regular telephone or cell phone service fails." Ham radio is such a system. The tag line for "Ham in a Day " is "Join us for a day of instruction, take the test [which costs $14], and leave a HAM!" Actually, some advanced preparation is also required, in addition to a qualified ham instructor to teach the course and three hams who can serve as FAA examiners for the test—but many Church congregations count hams or know or can recruit hams in the community. Perhaps there are stakes, the district, wards or branches out there in our region that would be interested in taking this approach to establish a communication system for emergencies.

"Skilled Trades Seek Workers"

A story by Anton Troianovski in The Wall Street Journal of August 19 (B1, 4) reported on the shortage of welders, pipe fitters, electricians and similar workers needed in the energy and manufacturing industries. Also in demand are project managers, construction managers and schedulers for heavy industrial jobs. "Such shortfalls are forcing some employers to delay projects and others to pay their workers higher wages or offer more overtime. . . . Skilled-labor shortages are likely to intensify in coming years as more workers retire and the economy picks up again." One construction-industry consulting firm projects that demand for electricians, masons and pipe fitters will exceed supply by 5% nationwide four years from now. A number of unions, community colleges and other schools are developing training and apprenticeship programs to meet the growing need. See, for example, YouTube videos Aaron, Brian Couch, and West_Side_3, created for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the National Electrical Contractors Association.

Success Stories from the Addiction Recovery Program

I asked Elder Mark Geherin, who recently completed two years of service as Addiction Recovery Program coordinator in our region, to compile a report of those who have benefitted from participating in the program in the Pittsburgh PA and Pittsburgh PA North Stakes since the program first began here two years ago. Following is his report:


Here is the list people and their progress that happened in conjunction with the Addiction Recovery Program. These include people I've personally dealt with in the Oakland and McKeesport meetings. Others are from various wards throughout the Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh North Stakes:

• brother, smoking and drinking issues, baptized, confirmed and progressed to Aaronic Priesthood. He also had his son baptized and confirmed. currently not attending church
  
• brother, drinking and pornography issues, progressed to Melchizedek Priesthood, endowed, and church service missionary. currently active in church
  
• brother, smoking issues, baptized, confirmed and progressed to Aaronic Priesthood. currently active in church
  
• brother, smoking and drug issues, baptized, confirmed, progressed to Aaronic Prieshood. currently not attending church
  
• brother, pornography issues, progressed to high priest. currently active in church
  
• brother, anger issues, baptized, confirmed progressed to Melchizedek Priesthood, received patriarchal blessing. preparing for endowment and sealing. currently active in church
  
• brother, smoking issues, currently serving a full-time mission. currently active in church
  
• brother, smoking and pornography issues, had temple recommend restored, sealed in DC temple. currently active in church
  
• sister, drinking issue, received temple recommend and progressed to be sealed in DC temple. currently active in church
  
• sister, smoking issue, visited DC temple and her son is preparing to leave on his mission. currently active in church
  
• sister, smoking issue, baptized and confirmed. successfully abstinent. currently active in church
  
• sister, drug issue, baptized, confirmed patriarchal blessing endowed and church service missionary. currently active in church
  
• sister, depression issue, baptized confirmed, patriarchal blessing. preparing for endowment and sealing in the DC temple. currently active in church
  
• sister, smoking issue, baptized and confirmed, visited DC temple. currently active
• sister, drug issue, baptized and confirmed, currently active in church
  
• sister, smoking issue, baptized and confirmed, currently active in church
  
• brother, sex issue, progressed to high priest, currently active in church
  
• brother, drinking and sex issue, reactivated and baptized and confirmed his son. currently active in church
  
• sister, drug issue, baptized and confirmed, currently not attending church
  
• sister, sex issue, currently working toward reinstatement.
• brother, pornography/sex issues. had his temple recommend reinstated. currently active in church
  
• sister, smoking and anxiety issues, baptized and confirmed

I hereby do testify that all these people and their stories are real and true, based on my current knowledge. Their examples do testify of Heavenly Father glorifying himself through our trials, that Jesus Christ lives and is aware of all his children, especially those gone astray. I do also testify that the Addiction Recovery Program is led by the Holy Ghost and the happenings in conjunction prove that the Addiction Recovery Program is one of the most effective tools the Church has to reach and retain some of God's most burdened children. I write these words in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Elder Mark Geherin

Addiction Recovery in the News

INDIVIDUALS WITH ADDICTIONS FIND HOPE AND HELP


Following is the first paragraph of a news article the Church put up today on www.lds.org to explain the origins, purposes and successes of the Addiction Recovery Program:

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - When Jeff (not his real name), an addiction recovery facilitator, sits down with people struggling with addictions, he doesn't tell them what to do. Instead, he shares what has helped him to recover from his own debilitating addictions and to stay sober one day at a time.

See more.