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Several articles quote Elder Jensen describing a novel effort to pull inactive members back into the fold: The Rescue. The Reuters article describes the basic gist of The Rescue:
One person via a private Mormon Facebook group claimed that he learned per his stake being part of the pilot for this program that The Rescue would involve the following steps:
With defections rising, the church has launched a program to stanch its losses. The head of the church, President Thomas Monson, who is considered a living prophet, has called the campaign "The Rescue" and made it his signature initiative, according to Jensen. The effort includes a new package of materials for pastors and for teaching Mormon youth that address some of the more sensitive aspects of church doctrine. "If they are not revolutionary, they are at least going to be a breath of fresh air across the church," Jensen told the Utah class.What will The Rescue entail?
One person via a private Mormon Facebook group claimed that he learned per his stake being part of the pilot for this program that The Rescue would involve the following steps:
1. The Ward Council nominates 15 names of less-active/inactive members. These names come from the various quorums and auxiliaries
2. Those 15 names go onto a Rescue list
3. Each of those 15 people are assigned an active member, usually from the Ward Council, but not necessarily
4. The assigned member contacts the inactive member and asks if they are open to a visit
5. The assigned member visits the inactive member.
6. Depending on how the mood is, the assigned member will either a) just have a pleasant visit and ask to return or b) invite the inactive member to meet with the missionaries to re-take the discussions.
7. The assigned member returns and reports to the Ward Council. If everything went swimmingly (that is, the inactive member has agreed to take the discussions or has invited the active member for another visit) then that inactive member will stay on the Rescue list
8. If things did not go swimmingly, that is, the inactive member said get lost or said they would not take the missionary discussions, they are dropped from the Rescue list and replaced with a fresh inactive member.
If the inactive member progresses to the missionary discussions, the missionaries visit and challenge the member to do all the stuff they'd normally challenge investigators to do, minus baptism.
In some cases, the bishop may visit the inactive member instead of the missionaries and challenge the inactive member to live their covenants and return to the temple.
If the inactive says no, they are taken off the Rescue list, but they are not free and clear. Eventually, they will end up back on the Rescue list, and the cycle will continue.
