Divine Authority, Sublime Young Men
Steven J. Lund, Young Men General President
President Lund describes the profound impact and divine authority of the Aaronic Priesthood in young men's lives.
Open talk in Gospel LibraryIdeas for Opening the Lesson
- Begin the lesson by sharing a personal experience or story about a time when you witnessed the power of the priesthood in action. Invite class members to share their own experiences.
- Start with a brief discussion on the significance of ordination in the Church. Ask the class what it means to them to hold or witness someone being ordained to a priesthood office.
- Show a video clip of a recent ordination or a priesthood meeting and discuss the feelings and impressions that come from witnessing such events.
- Invite a member of the class who has recently been ordained or who has ordained someone else to share their feelings and insights about the experience.
- Ask the class to consider how the priesthood has influenced their lives or the lives of their families. Share a few examples to spark the conversation.
Topics
Witness the Global Spread of Priesthood Authority
President Lund described the worldwide ordination of young men into the Aaronic Priesthood, emphasizing the global impact of this authority. He highlighted the continuous connection from these ordinations back to the Restoration and to Jesus Christ.
Each January, hands are laid on the heads of about 100,000 young men, connecting them through ordinance to a bright line of authority stretching back through the Restoration epoch to Joseph and Oliver, to John the Baptist, and to Jesus Christ.
- How does the global spread of priesthood authority strengthen the Church?
- What feelings do you experience when witnessing an ordination?
- How does understanding the history of the priesthood increase your appreciation for it?
- In what ways can we support young men as they take on priesthood responsibilities?
- Why is it important for the Church to emphasize the continuity of priesthood authority?
Understand the Role of the Aaronic Priesthood
The Aaronic Priesthood is described as a preparatory priesthood with specific responsibilities including teaching, administering ordinances, and preparing young men for future service. It connects them to the Savior's Atonement and His teachings.
The Lord entrusts today’s bearers of the priesthood of Aaron to do very much the same things they did anciently: to teach and to administer ordinances—all to remind us of His Atonement.
- What are some ways the Aaronic Priesthood prepares young men for future service?
- How do the duties of the Aaronic Priesthood relate to the Savior's Atonement?
- What can we do to help young men understand the importance of their priesthood duties?
- How does serving in the Aaronic Priesthood impact a young man's spiritual growth?
- In what ways can the Aaronic Priesthood help bring others to Christ?
Experience the Power of Service and Love
President Lund shared a story about young men serving a neighbor named Alan. Their acts of service and love led to a transformation in Alan's life and eventually his desire to be baptized.
The deacons went to work, comically ignoring his insults, while they shoveled snow and took out trash. Deacons can be hard to hate, and Alan eventually began to love them.
- How can acts of service soften hearts and change lives?
- What experiences have you had where service led to unexpected outcomes?
- Why is it important to continue serving even when we face rejection or hostility?
- How can we encourage young people to see service as a vital part of their priesthood duties?
- What role does love play in effective priesthood service?
Recognize the Significance of the Sacrament
The sacrament is a key ordinance entrusted to the Aaronic Priesthood, connecting us to Christ's Atonement. President Lund shared a poignant story of a bishop who administered the sacrament in a time of personal grief, emphasizing its power and promise.
With the pathos of that occasion, he pronounced some of the most powerful words that anyone is ever allowed to say out loud in this lifetime. Words of eternal consequence. Words of ordinance. Words of covenant.
- What does the sacrament mean to you personally?
- How can we better prepare ourselves to partake of the sacrament each week?
- What role does the sacrament play in your spiritual life?
- How can understanding the sacrament's significance enhance our worship experience?
- In what ways can we teach the importance of the sacrament to our families?
Embrace the Ministering of Angels
The Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys to the ministering of angels, offering spiritual support and strength to those who serve and those they serve. This divine assistance is a vital part of the priesthood's power.
I am forever grateful that holders of the Aaronic Priesthood, with its powers, ordinances, and duties, do bless all of us through the keys of the very "ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins."
- What does it mean to have the ministering of angels in our lives?
- How can we become more aware of angelic assistance in our priesthood duties?
- What experiences have you had that might involve the ministering of angels?
- How can we teach young men about the significance of this aspect of the Aaronic Priesthood?
- In what ways does the ministering of angels strengthen our faith and resolve?
Additional Discussion Questions
- How can we help young men prepare for the responsibilities of the priesthood?
- What are some ways we can support families with young men in the Aaronic Priesthood?
- How does the priesthood help us in times of personal trial and grief?
- What role does faith play in the effective exercise of priesthood authority?
- How can the example of young men in the Church influence their peers and community?
- What are some practical ways to teach the importance of priesthood service to youth?
- How can we foster a sense of joy and excitement about priesthood service in our wards?
- In what ways do priesthood duties help young men develop Christlike attributes?
- How can understanding priesthood history enhance our appreciation for its power today?
- What can we learn from the stories shared by President Lund about the impact of priesthood service?
