Priests

The office of a Priest is one of the priesthood offices of authority in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints], each of which holds different rights and responsibilities of service.

Worthy young men in the Church of Jesus Christ may be ordained priests the year they turn 16 years old. A priest has all the responsibilities of a deacon and a teacher. Some of their additional responsibilities include following counsel, and setting a good example. A priest may "preach, teach, expound, exhort, . . . and visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties" (Doctrine and Covenants 20:46-47); "administer the sacrament" (Doctrine and Covenants 20:46) by worthily officiating at the sacrament table and offering the sacrament prayers when authorized (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79); baptize when authorized by the bishop (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:46); confer the Aaronic Priesthood and ordain deacons, teachers, and priests when authorized by the bishop (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:48); and assist the bishop. One of the most visible and commonly-performed duties for priests is to bless the sacrament, a holy service for Mormons.

The priest quorum is presided over by the bishop of a ward. Keith B. McMullin who served in the Presiding Bishopric said, “Without the bishop present, a priests quorum meeting is just a class for young men of a certain age. Through the keys that he bears and the impressions of the Holy Spirit, the bishop will have a sense of the work that needs to be done. When you see a bishop who is really engaged in the quorum, you see a different quorum. You see a different group of priests" ("The Priests Quorum," Ensign, March 2005).

In addition to these religious duties, priest quorums also provide socializing and service opportunities for young men.