High Council members engaged in a live discussion focused on sharing ideas and experiences to strengthen how councils serve their wards and stakes. This podcast is a portion of the livestream discussion. Watch the video and share your thoughts in the Zion Lab community Links The entire conversation and transcript are available in the Zion Lab community Highlights Overview This episode of the Zion Lab live stream from Leading Saints featured a discussion among several current and former Stake High Councilors, focusing on the practical challenges and opportunities of their calling. The participants shared their experiences, best practices, and innovative ideas for magnifying their assignments, effectively bridging communication between the stake and ward levels, and overcoming feelings of inadequacy. Key Insights The Need for Proactivity: The High Council calling can often feel “open-ended,” allowing a High Councilor to “do as much as you want” or very little. Leaders are encouraged to be proactive—actively engaging with assigned elders quorum presidencies and ward organizations rather than just attending mandatory meetings. Equality and Insecurity in Calling: New High Councilors frequently feel overwhelmed or insecure when working alongside more seasoned leaders. Counsel was given to overcome this by recognizing that all callings are equal in the sight of the Lord and that the High Councilor’s voice and spiritual insights are vital to the council’s deliberations. Role as a Spiritual Messenger: High Councilors should see themselves as direct representatives of the Stake Presidency, similar to a General Authority visiting a stake. They are encouraged to be visible, bring spiritual knowledge and instruction, and share a spiritual thought when addressing wards, not merely delivering routine announcements. Mandate to Testify of Christ: Some stakes guide speaking assignments with a General Conference talk, but emphasize that the talk, whether prepared or spontaneous, must be interwoven with a powerful personal testimony of Christ to ensure the Spirit is present. Training and Dissemination of Principles: A core function of the High Council is to receive leadership principles and instruction in the Stake Council. High Councilors are then responsible for taking that training and counsel out to their assigned ward bishoprics and organization presidencies. Leadership Applications Foster Cross-Ward Learning: Stake Presidencies can gain valuable insights and enrich their High Councilors by encouraging them to attend the leadership meetings of the wards where they speak, even if it is not their assigned ward. This exposes High Councilors to diverse operational models among ward councils, creating a cross-training effect. Centralize Administrative Resources: High Councilors should utilize group communication methods, such as shared text threads or digital notes, to quickly share tactical administrative advice, official wording for callings and releases, and handbook references, streamlining the logistical aspects of the calling. Elevate the Message of Love: High Councilors should consistently make a concerted effort to express the genuine love, thoughts, and prayers of the Stake Presidency to the ward members, ensuring the members feel validated, “seen, and prayed for” by their stake leadership. 00:01:36 – Kicking Off: The “Open-Ended” Nature of the High Councilor Calling 00:04:04 – Overcoming Insecurity and Magnifying the Calling 00:06:06 – Advice on Equality and Being a Visible Representative 00:09:38 – The Role of the Spirit vs. Experience in Calling 00:11:23 – Key Role: Training and Teaching Ward Leaders 00:13:07 – Strategies for Stake Engagement: Ward Reporting and Training 00:14:44 – Unique Assignment: Attending Cross-Ward Leadership Meetings 00:16:37 – Close Relationship with Stake Presidency and Financial Duties 00:18:38 – Tactical Tip: Using a High Councilor Text Group for Logistics 00:20:32 – Speaking Assignments: Including Youth and Missionaries as Companions 00:22:31 – Reiterating the High Councilor’s Role as Spiritual Guide 00:24:52 – Speaking Mandate: Testify of Christ and Use GA Talks 00:25:50 – The “Awkward” but Necessary Expression of Stake Presidency Love The award-winning Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Find Leadership Tools, Courses, and Community for Latter-day Saint leaders in the Zion Lab community . Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org . Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman , David Butler , Hank Smith , John Bytheway , Reyna and Elena Aburto , Liz Wiseman , Stephen M. R. Covey , Benjamin Hardy , Elder Alvin F. Meredith III , Julie Beck , Brad Wilcox ,
