“Summary of Recent Updates,” General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (2023).
“Summary of Recent Updates,” General Handbook.
Summary of Recent Updates
August 2023
Throughout the handbook, the phrases “the work of salvation and exaltation” and “the Lord’s work of salvation and exaltation” have been changed to “God’s work of salvation and exaltation” to emphasize that we are invited to participate in God’s work.
Revised language throughout the handbook to reflect that family history centers are now called FamilySearch centers and the Family History Library is now called the FamilySearch Library.
Chapter 1: God’s Plan and Your Role in His Work of Salvation and Exaltation
Chapter 2: Supporting Individuals and Families in God’s Work of Salvation and Exaltation
Chapter 3: Priesthood Principles
Chapter 4: Leadership and Councils in the Church of Jesus Christ
Chapter 5: General and Area Leadership
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Chapter 5 has been revised to reduce the size of the chapter.
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5.1.3. General Church Councils and Committees (deleted)
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5.2.4. Coordinating Council (some information moved to 29.4)
Chapter 6: Stake Leadership
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6.5.2. Serve on Stake Councils and Committees (revised to align with changes to 29.3.10)
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6.7.1.1. Additional Stake Relief Society Presidency Responsibilities
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6.7.1.4. Additional Stake Sunday School Presidency Responsibilities (revised to align with changes to 29.3.10)
Chapter 7: The Bishopric
Chapter 8: Elders Quorum
Chapter 9: Relief Society
Chapter 10: Aaronic Priesthood Quorums
Chapter 11: Young Women
Chapter 12: Primary
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12.4. Stake Primary Leaders (revised to align with changes to 29.3.10)
Chapter 13: Sunday School
Chapter 18: Performing Priesthood Ordinances and Blessings
Chapter 20: Activities
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20.6.5. Fundraising Events (added cross-reference)
Chapter 22: Providing for Temporal Needs and Building Self-Reliance
Chapter 23: Sharing the Gospel and Strengthening New and Returning Members
Chapter 25: Temple and Family History Work in the Ward and Stake
Chapter 26: Temple Recommends
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26.2.2. Disposal of Expired Recommends (deleted; subsequent sections in 26.2 have been renumbered)
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26.2.2. Lost or Stolen Recommends (new section number is shown)
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26.3. General Guidelines for Issuing Temple Recommends (information moved to 26.3.3)
Chapter 27: Temple Ordinances for the Living
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27.3.2.6. Appropriate Clothing for a Temple Marriage or Sealing
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27.4.4. Who May Attend a Sealing of Living Children to Parents
Chapter 28: Temple Ordinances for the Deceased
Chapter 29: Meetings in the Church
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29.3.10. Stake Youth Leadership Committee Meeting (revised information about purpose and participants)
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29.3.11. Stake Bishops’ Council Meeting (revised information about purpose and who leads the meeting)
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29.4. Coordinating Council Meeting (added information moved from 5.2.4)
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29.8. Photographs and Video Recordings of Meetings (new; adapted from the former 35.5.10)
Chapter 30: Callings in the Church
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30.8. Chart of Callings (notes added to emphasize that active sealers should not be called to serve in bishoprics or in branch, district, stake, or mission presidencies)
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30.8.1. Ward Callings (changes to sustaining for Relief Society callings)
Chapter 31: Interviews and Other Meetings
Chapter 32: Repentance and Church Membership Councils
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32.6.2.3. Fraudulent Acts (some sentences reordered)
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32.8.2. Helping People Address Addictions and Pornography Use (title and section have been revised)
Chapter 33: Records and Reports
Chapter 34: Finances and Audits
Chapter 35: Care and Use of Meetinghouses
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35.5. Policies on Using Church Meetinghouses
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This section has been renamed and almost completely revised.
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Chapter 38: Church Policies and Guidelines
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38.2.1. Interpreting Ordinances and Blessings into Another Language
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38.2.7.2. Children Whose Parents Are Not Married (Including Divorced) (new; subsequent sections in 38.2.7 have been renumbered)
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38.2.7.3. Children Whose Parents Are Not Members of the Church (new section number is shown; title and section have been revised)
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38.2.8.2. Minors (added information moved from the former 38.2.8.3)
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38.2.8.3. Children Whose Parents Are Divorced (deleted; subsequent sections in 38.2.8 have been renumbered)
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38.2.8.6. Situations That Require Authorization from the Mission President or First Presidency
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38.2.9.2. Young Men Whose Parents Are Not Married (Including Divorced)
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38.8.27.6. Interpreters for Members Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing