Policies and Announcements

The following letter from the First Presidency was to be read in sacrament meetings throughout the United States.

In this election year, we emphasize anew the long-standing policy of the Church of strict political neutrality, and of not endorsing political candidates or parties in elections, and of not using Church facilities for political purposes.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not favor one political party over another. We have no candidates for political office and we do not undertake to tell people how to vote. We do urge all voters to involve themselves in the political process and to study carefully and prayerfully candidates’ positions on issues and to vote for those who will most nearly carry out their views of government and its role.

Branch, ward, or stake premises, chapels, or other Church facilities or equipment should not be used in any way for political campaign purposes, whether it be for speech-making, class discussion, fund-raising, or preparation or distribution of campaign literature. Church directories or mailing lists should not be made available to candidates for distribution of campaign literature or for fund solicitation.

Those who attempt to use Church meetings or facilities or equipment to further their own or another’s political ambitions injure their own cause and do the Church a disservice. We appeal, therefore, to all candidates for public office to take notice of this instruction and to conduct their campaigns in strict compliance with this requirement pertaining to the use of Church facilities, equipment, meetings, and membership lists.

We also call on all political candidates who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints neither to state nor imply the endorsement of their candidacy by the Church or its leaders.

The following letter from the First Presidency was sent to priesthood leaders throughout the Church.

The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and [one] would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” (History of the Church, 4:461.)

As part of the final preparation for their missions, would you please encourage prospective missionaries to read or reread the entire Book of Mormon between the time they are interviewed and the time they are set apart as missionaries? Parents and bishops or branch presidents should follow through to encourage them to read and ponder its message and put it to the test found in Moroni 10:3–5. [Moro. 10:3–5]

The following items appeared in the May 1986 Bulletin.

A Worldwide Young Women Celebration. A celebration will be held on Saturday, 11 October 1986, for Latter-day Saint young women throughout the world. The celebration will be held locally, but will be scheduled for the same day worldwide in an effort to help young women of every nation feel a bonding of sisterhood by participating in the same event. It will help Latter-day Saint young women feel the strength of their numbers as they stand apart from the world with values of their own. The activities will focus on the Young Women Values. Details for planning the event are forthcoming.

Copyright Instructions Relating to the New Church Hymnbook. Priesthood leaders and music personnel are reminded of the following instructions:

1. The publication of a hymn in the LDS hymnbook does not represent an automatic permission to copy it. Several hymns have specific instructions that no copies are to be made without the written permission of the copyright owner. Permission to use the hymn could be withdrawn, or the Church, including the ward, could be faced with legal action if these instructions are not heeded.

2. Hymns bearing the copyright notice ©/(year)/LDS, hymns that bear no copyright notice, and general materials in the hymnbook may be copied for noncommercial church or home use. If a copyright notice appears with a hymn, it must be included on each copy made.

3. Hymns with copyright notices other than ©/(year)/LDS, unless otherwise noted, must not be copied without written permission from the copyright owners. This instruction should not be interpreted as encouragement to contact these copyright owners. The original permission obtained by the Church to place these hymns in the new Church hymnbook included the agreement these hymns would not be copied by the stakes and wards or for home use.