Summary: Toby Eborn was called as an Elder’s Quorum President in July 2016 in his Midvale, Utah-area ward. He was born and raised in Montpelier, Idaho, and was called to serve in the Minnesota Minneapolis Mission. Upon his return, he attended Utah State University for a time as well as culinary school before heading east and meeting his future-wife while living in Ohio. He has served as a primary and Sunday school teacher, a counselor in the Young Men’s presidency, ward executive secretary, co-ward mission leader, and most recently as a counselor in the Elders Quorum presidency.<br> <br> His approach as an Elders Quorum President is centered on helping people to get to know one another better (32:00). He looks for ways to get people together in a fun and relaxing atmosphere and has seen success in his quorum growing in their relationships with one another through these activities (46:00).<br> <br> In this podcast, he discusses five principles of leadership that he follows in his callings, as well as his approach to home teaching and quorum lessons.<br> Principles of Leadership:<br> 1. Love (35:00)<br> <br> * It is easier to do things for people you love. By cultivating that type of brotherhood in the quorum, brethren understand that they are not alone in their struggles.<br> * President Eborn tries to have personal contact with each member of his quorum prior to the quorum meeting in the third hour block by greeting them with a handshake as they arrive for sacrament meeting.<br> <br> 2. Stewardship (37:30)<br> <br> * Everyone has a stewardship, even if it is in our own family or even our own life. We can’t neglect the responsibility we’ve taken upon ourselves as priesthood holders to be the Savior’s representatives.<br> * We must make ourselves available to our stewardship and build that relationship with them.<br> * If we are good stewards it strengthens our priesthood power.<br> <br> 3. Faith (38:45)<br> <br> * Are we remembering to encourage those experiencing a crisis of faith to do the “primary answers” – studying the scriptures daily, regular personal and family prayer, attending church – as a means of watering and nourishing the seed of testimony?<br> * Are we constantly working on our own faith? If we are, and we are conscious of the struggles of those in our stewardship, we are more equipped to assist them.<br> <br> 4. Accountability (40:55)<br> <br> * We have agreed to and accepted callings to serve our stewardship and have made covenants to serve and follow through.<br> * Work to change our mindset from “it’s easier to not do the right thing” to “I really need to hold myself accountable to what I’ve committed to do.”<br> <br> 5. Discipline (42:15)<br> <br> * How many days in a week are we “on the plan?” individually and as a family?<br> * Failure to be consistent in doing these things leads to lasting results and consequences.<br> <br> Turning Lessons into conversations (51:00)<br> <br> * Improved quorum meeting attendance and participation has been a direct correlation to the brethren becoming friends and getting to know each other better.<br> <br> Approach to Home Teaching (52:00)<br> <br> * Did not intend to talk about home teaching every week, but finds himself doing so.<br> * Avoids taking the “hey everyone, it’s the last week of the month, everybody get out and do your home teaching…” approach and then not saying anything for another month.<br> * Doesn’t talk about it because of a concern for numbers, but because he knows there are individuals and families in his quorum that need to be home taught.<br> * Focuses on the individual and helping the brethren to understand that people have struggles and need to be home taught – and that the home teachers can provide that strength.<br> * Just because someone is at church every week doesn’t mean they aren’t struggli...
