"If This Mission Were A Horse, I'd Shoot It." -- Jeffrey R. Holland

[Wonhyo]

One additional thought, Holland sure seems angry these days, frustrated and at a loss on how to handle disaffected members and how to correct the church's problems.

Holland is a TBM who grew into adulthood venerating leaders, like he is today. That someone would question the church, question leaders, or take a stand against how they treat missionaries and members appears to irritate him to no end.

[IHAQ]

President Kevin E. Gallacher and Sister Janine D. Gallacher have been called to lead the England Birmingham Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They succeed President David J. Hughes and Sister Lisa A. Hughes who have served devotedly for three years.

The Gallachers consider this country sacred ground as both served missions here in the UK as young adults. President Gallacher served in the England London South Mission and Sister Gallacher served in the England Birmingham Mission. Sister Gallacher’s mother, also served in the England Birmingham Mission following the death of her husband. She was blessed to meet some of the same people her daughter had known and worked with 20 years earlier. President and Sister Gallacher are thrilled to return to England and help guide the Lord’s work.

Following their arrival in England and a period of quarantine, the Gallachers began their work by holding mission conferences to introduce themselves and meet the missionaries who are serving with them. Sister Gallacher told the missionaries, “It is so wonderful to put faces and names to the missionaries for whom we’ve been praying for so long.”

President Gallacher added, “From the day we found out we were assigned to the England Birmingham Mission our hearts were filled with love for each of you. We prayed for you every day, prior to our arrival.”

In their mission meeting President Gallacher taught the missionaries the importance of correct principles: “Relying on true principles brings confidence to all we do, whether at church, school, work, in business, etc. If the principle is true, then it is universally applicable. This brings increased faith as we know blessings come from being obedient to true principles. Simply put (as the hymn states), ‘Choose the right and let the consequence follow!’”

https://news-uk.churchofjesuschrist.org ... uk-history

I wonder how these guys feel about Holland publicly shaming their performance?

[IHAQ]

Why doesn’t Jeff “shoot the horse” then? The idea of shooting a horse is because it is in pain, has no chance of recovery and putting it out of its misery is the humane thing to do. If Jeff believed in his analogy he would send those missionaries home with honourable discharges and close down the failing missionary programme. That’s the humane thing to do Jeff, by your own admission. Why allow young men and women to suffer for two years?

[drumdude]

Why doesn’t Jeff “shoot the horse” then? The idea of shooting a horse is because it is in pain, has no chance of recovery and putting it out of its misery is the humane thing to do. If Jeff believed in his analogy he would send those missionaries home with honourable discharges and close down the failing missionary programme. That’s the humane thing to do Jeff, by your own admission. Why allow young men and women to suffer for two years?

Probably because it looks bad for the church. Better to castigate the teenagers rather than own the problem.

[malkie]

President Kevin E. Gallacher and Sister Janine D. Gallacher have been called to lead the England Birmingham Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They succeed President David J. Hughes and Sister Lisa A. Hughes who have served devotedly for three years.

The Gallachers consider this country sacred ground as both served missions here in the UK as young adults. President Gallacher served in the England London South Mission and Sister Gallacher served in the England Birmingham Mission. Sister Gallacher’s mother, also served in the England Birmingham Mission following the death of her husband. She was blessed to meet some of the same people her daughter had known and worked with 20 years earlier. President and Sister Gallacher are thrilled to return to England and help guide the Lord’s work.

Following their arrival in England and a period of quarantine, the Gallachers began their work by holding mission conferences to introduce themselves and meet the missionaries who are serving with them. Sister Gallacher told the missionaries, “It is so wonderful to put faces and names to the missionaries for whom we’ve been praying for so long.”

President Gallacher added, “From the day we found out we were assigned to the England Birmingham Mission our hearts were filled with love for each of you. We prayed for you every day, prior to our arrival.”

In their mission meeting President Gallacher taught the missionaries the importance of correct principles: “Relying on true principles brings confidence to all we do, whether at church, school, work, in business, etc. If the principle is true, then it is universally applicable. This brings increased faith as we know blessings come from being obedient to true principles. Simply put (as the hymn states), ‘Choose the right and let the consequence follow!’”

https://news-uk.churchofjesuschrist.org ... uk-history

I wonder how these guys feel about Holland publicly shaming their performance?

I wonder if he told them ahead of time that he was about to deliver such a shocking insult, and if they agreed to be humiliated in this way.

[dastardly stem]

feeling more and more suspicious...if Holland was holding a gun and a non-believer (or some taffy-pulling doubter) was near him, he'd fire away. Hopefully everyone around him realizes he shouldn't have access to a gun.

[Moksha]

Sometimes hoped-for dreams come to naught when they are based on a faulty premise or deception. Elder Holland should embrace some Christ-like wisdom and tell the young missionaries to love them, coming or going.

[sock puppet]

Of three base principles of leadership--set example, reward with positive reinforcement (the carrot) and punish (the stick) with either ridicule and/or doubt--punishment is the tool of last resort, a sign of desperation by the leader. Jeffrey Holland is frustrated and angry. It permeates his countenance. If he ever knew how to be effective, he's long since lost sight of it.

[Dr Exiled]

The dodo abides:

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

I would’ve internalized that as a young missionary, and the sense of being a failure would’ve chased me for years afterward. When people talk about perfectionism in the church this is the kind of thing that gets in deep. I feel for those young missionaries who’ll now have to carry around the condemnation of an apostle no less. No bueno.

- Doc