Young Men General Presidency Called

The First Presidency has announced a new general presidency of the Young Men of the Church. The new Young Men president is Neil D. Schaerrer, with Graham W. Doxey as first counselor and Quinn G. McKay as second counselor, all three of Salt Lake City.

A broadening and strengthening of the Young Men and Young Women programs were announced and outlined in detail at the Churchwide regional meetings held during the month of June.

President Schaerrer, whose Church service includes three years as president of the Austria Vienna Mission, has also served in the Utah state legislature and as assistant Utah attorney general. He and his wife have four children.

President Doxey, a real estate executive, has served as stake president, president of the Missouri Independence Mission, and a member of the Melchizedek Priesthood General Committee. He and his wife Mary Louise are the parents of twelve children, eleven of whom are now living.

President McKay, senior vice-president of a chain of retail stores, has served as bishop three times and as a counselor in a stake presidency. He and his wife Shirley have five children.

The Young Men presidency is backed by a fifteen-member general board with Lynn Summerhays as executive secretary.

Together with the previously called Young Women presidency, the new Young Men presidency will serve under the direction of Elder Marion D. Hanks, who is managing director of the Priesthood Department’s youth section (see April Ensign, p. 94.)

This restructuring of the general presidency of the Young Men will be duplicated at the stake and ward levels, as detailed at the June regional meetings. (See August Ensign for a review of regional meeting details.) Ordinarily, three men who are not high councilors are called by the stake presidency to serve as the stake Young Men presidency. At the ward level, the Young Men presidency will consist of the priests quorum adviser as president, with the advisers to the teachers and deacons quorums as his counselors. One of the counselors in the bishopric should be assigned to oversee the youth programs of the ward.

In addition, stakes will generally organize Young Women presidencies, and at the ward level, Young Women presidencies will ordinarily also serve.

In announcing the new presidency, the Brethren stressed that although the new Young Men presidencies in the wards handle activities for the Young Men, the bishoprics are still responsible for the affairs of their respective quorums.

The new presidency, along with the Young Women General Presidency, introduced a new, 200-page publication entitled The Activity Book, a compilation of over 400 activities of all kinds that youth can use when they plan their objectives and activities. In addition, a new book entitled My Personal Progress will assist each young woman in setting and achieving goals for personal progress achievements during the six years she is in the Young Women program.

President Schaerrer said that one of the goals of the new presidency is to continue the Church emphasis on “a well-rounded program for the development of youth.” There are some 270,000 Latter-day Saint young men in the 12 to 18 age bracket, and approximately 250,000 young women of comparable age.

The new general presidency of the Young Men, from left: President Neil D. Schaerrer; President Graham W. Doxey, first counselor; and President Quinn G. McKay, second counselor.