Moving Hell - Page 3 - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

MikeWaters · 09-10-2012, 04:36 AM

One thing I sometimes wonder about is how people in the "real world" move.

I assume that they either 1) move themselves with just themselves, 2) recruit friends, or 3) pay for someone to help them.

Let's say that our helping a family move saves them $400. That's nothing to sneeze at. On the other hand, there can reach a point where taking a lot of time away from members of the ward just isn't worth the cost.

I believe for our last move, one of the Bishops paid for the lady's moving truck. The moving truck was supposed to be half-filled by the other ward, driven to a storage unit, filled the rest of the way by us, and then driven to her new apartment and unloaded by us. But because too small of a truck was rented, the truck had to go to the apartment first, then to the storage unit, then back to the apartment. That one extra piece cost me a lot of time and effort. Cost a lot of us a lot of time. To save $20 getting a smaller truck.

I suppose there are guys that would kill to have the opportunity to move 20 families in 9 months. They love service, they come out every time, and they would think I am possessed of the devil (remember, I have been told that I was possessed by a member of my ward. Ok, not possessed. Under the influence or something.). I'm just wondering if this system actually works. Where the same few people do all the moves.

I think most members of my ward do not believe in this system. Because they never help. Which makes me scratch my head as to why we do this, if (almost) no one believes in it.

I don't mind giving time for service. But it would be nice to vary the kind of service that we do. Like build something for someone. Or do some yardwork. Moving over and over gets kinda boring and old.

If we could get different people out to help move, then at least we would get to know those other people better. And that would be worthwhile. But they don't come. I've actually been in a ward in the past where I came to a move just to hang out with guys I like. That's what you strive for. But how do you get there.

Archaea · 09-11-2012, 01:11 AM

I have paid for every move and $400 doesn't scratch the surface. One move cost $1500.00.

Moves in which I otherwise participated involved myself and friends.

I agree with the concept of varying the types of service.

MikeWaters · 09-26-2012, 04:36 PM

Had another move last weekend. I couldn't make it to that one. Members of the EQ showed up and the move-ee asked them "Where's the truck?"

He was expecting the ward to either bring enough vehicles to move things, or have rented a moving truck for him. Yikes. So the move didn't happen that morning, and I understand he took care of the situation on his own that evening.

Another lesson in "make sure you talk to the family and hash out all the details before the move."

MikeWaters · 11-05-2012, 03:58 AM

I'm curious what you think of an inactive member requesting moving help from the ward. He accepts hometeachers. His mother attends the ward. But he doesn't attend. He does come out for ward sports, cause he likes that. His wife is a nonmember.

Low-income family, probably living on disability/welfare.

The request is actually even more egregious than what I have spelled out. But I'm just curious about the one issue--does being inactive disqualify you from getting EQ moving assistance.

ute4ever · 11-05-2012, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I'm curious what you think of an inactive member requesting moving help from the ward. He accepts hometeachers. His mother attends the ward. But he doesn't attend. He does come out for ward sports, cause he likes that. His wife is a nonmember.

Low-income family, probably living on disability/welfare.

The request is actually even more egregious than what I have spelled out. But I'm just curious about the one issue--does being inactive disqualify you from getting EQ moving assistance.

It could have been a very difficult phone call for him to make. Hopefully he'll have a good experience.

MikeWaters · 11-05-2012, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ute4ever

It could have been a very difficult phone call for him to make. Hopefully he'll have a good experience.

In this case, I don't get that impression at all. For one, I don't think it was a phone call. I think he asked his home teacher when the home teacher came by.

He's actually requesting two moves.

The first move in December is to move some of his crap out of storage into his apartment, so he can save money on storage. He asks that we provide two trucks, and that it will take two trips.

And then a month after that he is requesting that we move him to his new place, wherever that is.

I don't recall that he has ever helped with a move.

This guy's mother, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew are active members of the ward. There's no reason he couldn't attend, if he was of a mind to.

So Ute4ever, you going to make that move happen if you are in charge?

Btw, we have already moved him at least once, and maybe three times.

MikeWaters · 11-10-2012, 02:58 AM

No, not difficult for him at all. He called my wife today and asked if I had gotten the message about his moves.

Free moves--vehicles, gas, time all provided--it's a right in this church.

Archaea · 11-10-2012, 03:16 AM

Just tell him you're out of town that weekend. Since he doesn't attend, he won't know if it's true.

ryan388 · 12-01-2013, 10:58 PM

I apologize for coming to this thread late (really late), but I chuckled as I read about Mike’s agonizing moving escapades.

Years ago it fell to me to assist incoming and outgoing members. Since our elder’s quorum president was habitually unavailable, I became the go-to guy, the bishop or 2nd counselor routinely calling on me (chiefly on weekends) to move fellow members from point A to point B. My wife seldom saw me on Saturdays for months on end.

At first I relished the “helpful Elder” shtick, serving those who couldn't help themselves. But it soon became clear many of these “deprived” members were using us to duck moving costs (though they could have paid). Didn't matter that we volunteers had our own families and obligations. You needed help? No problem. Call the elders. No charge!

I remember the last member I helped. The bishop’s counselor was as frustrated as I was (since we were the only guys who showed up, and this sister had conveniently neglected to pack her belongings). So we dutifully sorted her stuff, boxed it all, and then sweated and huffed as we manhandled every stick of her furniture from the old apartment to her new one. Sister Johnson was grateful for the help, I’m sure; but Brother Tildman and I didn't share her enthusiasm.

Odd thing … following that move neither the bishop nor Brother Tildman requested the quorum’s assistance again. Receiving legitimate help was one thing; taking unjustifiable advantage of it was another.

MikeWaters · 12-02-2013, 02:08 AM

Since this thread was resurrected, I went back and read my posts. It's like a bad dream.

Now it comes across as needlessly dramatic. But when I was in the middle of all of that, it was not fun.

I compare it to childbirth. If you read posts from women in childbirth you would never want to have children. But if you read their posts a month later you would want to have quadruplets. I barely remember any of the moves.

The funny thing is that there have been very few moves ever since I was relieved of my calling. I have been to many (most?) of them to help. Part of me feels like I had my "turn" and now it's someone else's turn, but the other part of my is sympathetic to the EQ president. Because I know what it feels like to feel unsupported. Plus he was one of the ones to always help me. So I owe him.

Think of that when your poor EQ president asks for volunteers. He will always remember the men who helped. It's like the Mormon Battalion. Some went, some didn't. The ones who did were remembered. LOL.

Also, I think people who never help anyone move should be the only ones selected to be EQ presidents. As punishment.

Was talking to one of my buddies who was just called to be in the EQ presidency. I joked that he had been called to the moving committee. He told me he that was going to be hard-a about moves. I just chuckled to myself. We all say that. But at the end of the day, when the Bishop calls and says there is a move tomorrow what are you going to do? Say no?

When I think back, I can reflect that I was well supported. Not supported the way I would have liked. But I probably had unrealistic expectations. Not supported equally by all members of the quorum. But that's going to happen. The same few people jumping into the breach each time. So thanks guys. I never had a move that was just by myself.

I brought up the idea of varying the kinds of service. I actually did attempt that. I scheduled a service project for the quorum with a community non-profit. I was the only one who showed. But I enjoyed it and would do it again. It didn't encourage me however to schedule "extra" service projects.

09-11-2012, 01:11 AM	#22
Archaea Assistant to the Regional Manager Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Orgasmatron Posts: 24,338	I have paid for every move and $400 doesn't scratch the surface. One move cost $1500.00. Moves in which I otherwise participated involved myself and friends. I agree with the concept of varying the types of service. __________________ Ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδα

11-10-2012, 03:16 AM	#28
Archaea Assistant to the Regional Manager Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Orgasmatron Posts: 24,338	Just tell him you're out of town that weekend. Since he doesn't attend, he won't know if it's true. __________________ Ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδα

09-10-2012, 04:36 AM	#21
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	One thing I sometimes wonder about is how people in the "real world" move. I assume that they either 1) move themselves with just themselves, 2) recruit friends, or 3) pay for someone to help them. Let's say that our helping a family move saves them $400. That's nothing to sneeze at. On the other hand, there can reach a point where taking a lot of time away from members of the ward just isn't worth the cost. I believe for our last move, one of the Bishops paid for the lady's moving truck. The moving truck was supposed to be half-filled by the other ward, driven to a storage unit, filled the rest of the way by us, and then driven to her new apartment and unloaded by us. But because too small of a truck was rented, the truck had to go to the apartment first, then to the storage unit, then back to the apartment. That one extra piece cost me a lot of time and effort. Cost a lot of us a lot of time. To save $20 getting a smaller truck. I suppose there are guys that would kill to have the opportunity to move 20 families in 9 months. They love service, they come out every time, and they would think I am possessed of the devil (remember, I have been told that I was possessed by a member of my ward. Ok, not possessed. Under the influence or something.). I'm just wondering if this system actually works. Where the same few people do all the moves. I think most members of my ward do not believe in this system. Because they never help. Which makes me scratch my head as to why we do this, if (almost) no one believes in it. I don't mind giving time for service. But it would be nice to vary the kind of service that we do. Like build something for someone. Or do some yardwork. Moving over and over gets kinda boring and old. If we could get different people out to help move, then at least we would get to know those other people better. And that would be worthwhile. But they don't come. I've actually been in a ward in the past where I came to a move just to hang out with guys I like. That's what you strive for. But how do you get there.

09-26-2012, 04:36 PM	#23
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Had another move last weekend. I couldn't make it to that one. Members of the EQ showed up and the move-ee asked them "Where's the truck?" He was expecting the ward to either bring enough vehicles to move things, or have rented a moving truck for him. Yikes. So the move didn't happen that morning, and I understand he took care of the situation on his own that evening. Another lesson in "make sure you talk to the family and hash out all the details before the move."

11-05-2012, 03:58 AM	#24
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	I'm curious what you think of an inactive member requesting moving help from the ward. He accepts hometeachers. His mother attends the ward. But he doesn't attend. He does come out for ward sports, cause he likes that. His wife is a nonmember. Low-income family, probably living on disability/welfare. The request is actually even more egregious than what I have spelled out. But I'm just curious about the one issue--does being inactive disqualify you from getting EQ moving assistance.

11-10-2012, 02:58 AM	#27
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	No, not difficult for him at all. He called my wife today and asked if I had gotten the message about his moves. Free moves--vehicles, gas, time all provided--it's a right in this church.

12-01-2013, 10:58 PM	#29
ryan388 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 1	I apologize for coming to this thread late (really late), but I chuckled as I read about Mike’s agonizing moving escapades. Years ago it fell to me to assist incoming and outgoing members. Since our elder’s quorum president was habitually unavailable, I became the go-to guy, the bishop or 2nd counselor routinely calling on me (chiefly on weekends) to move fellow members from point A to point B. My wife seldom saw me on Saturdays for months on end. At first I relished the “helpful Elder” shtick, serving those who couldn't help themselves. But it soon became clear many of these “deprived” members were using us to duck moving costs (though they could have paid). Didn't matter that we volunteers had our own families and obligations. You needed help? No problem. Call the elders. No charge! I remember the last member I helped. The bishop’s counselor was as frustrated as I was (since we were the only guys who showed up, and this sister had conveniently neglected to pack her belongings). So we dutifully sorted her stuff, boxed it all, and then sweated and huffed as we manhandled every stick of her furniture from the old apartment to her new one. Sister Johnson was grateful for the help, I’m sure; but Brother Tildman and I didn't share her enthusiasm. Odd thing … following that move neither the bishop nor Brother Tildman requested the quorum’s assistance again. Receiving legitimate help was one thing; taking unjustifiable advantage of it was another.

12-02-2013, 02:08 AM	#30
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Since this thread was resurrected, I went back and read my posts. It's like a bad dream. Now it comes across as needlessly dramatic. But when I was in the middle of all of that, it was not fun. I compare it to childbirth. If you read posts from women in childbirth you would never want to have children. But if you read their posts a month later you would want to have quadruplets. I barely remember any of the moves. The funny thing is that there have been very few moves ever since I was relieved of my calling. I have been to many (most?) of them to help. Part of me feels like I had my "turn" and now it's someone else's turn, but the other part of my is sympathetic to the EQ president. Because I know what it feels like to feel unsupported. Plus he was one of the ones to always help me. So I owe him. Think of that when your poor EQ president asks for volunteers. He will always remember the men who helped. It's like the Mormon Battalion. Some went, some didn't. The ones who did were remembered. LOL. Also, I think people who never help anyone move should be the only ones selected to be EQ presidents. As punishment. Was talking to one of my buddies who was just called to be in the EQ presidency. I joked that he had been called to the moving committee. He told me he that was going to be hard-a about moves. I just chuckled to myself. We all say that. But at the end of the day, when the Bishop calls and says there is a move tomorrow what are you going to do? Say no? When I think back, I can reflect that I was well supported. Not supported the way I would have liked. But I probably had unrealistic expectations. Not supported equally by all members of the quorum. But that's going to happen. The same few people jumping into the breach each time. So thanks guys. I never had a move that was just by myself. I brought up the idea of varying the kinds of service. I actually did attempt that. I scheduled a service project for the quorum with a community non-profit. I was the only one who showed. But I enjoyed it and would do it again. It didn't encourage me however to schedule "extra" service projects.