Charting a Course for 11-Year-Olds

The Primary General Presidency and board offer counsel about how to plan the Temple and Priesthood Preparation meeting.

Christ in the Temple — When He was 12, Jesus Christ astonished a group of learned men in the temple with His wisdom and understanding.

The new Temple and Priesthood Preparation meeting will include 11-year-old girls and boys. Their parents are also invited. But if you’re responsible, how should you go about planning the meeting? And what should children and parents expect when they attend?

This meeting, which replaces the yearly Priesthood Preview, can be used to help 11-year-olds to chart their course through life, according to the Primary General Presidency and board. They note that Jesus Christ was found in the temple when He was 12 and that Heavenly Father “has given us all the opportunity to join in His work of salvation.” They quote from the Primary website in giving the purpose of the new meeting: to help “children understand the blessings of temple service, priesthood service, and making and keeping sacred covenants” (“Temple and Priesthood Preparation,” primary.lds.org).

They also suggest using “helpful resources listed on LDS.org that include general guidelines, scriptures, talks, and ideas for possible topics of instruction. They will provide a solid background as we prayerfully seek the guidance of the Spirit to know how to prepare the children in our wards and branches.”

The meeting should provide an opportunity for children to better understand the purpose and nature of temple covenants, blessings, and service so that they can be prepared, when they turn 12, to receive a limited-use temple recommend and, as circumstances permit, participate in baptisms for the dead.

The Primary General Presidency and board also suggest that “the Temple and Priesthood Preparation meeting can set the stage for further learning in family home evening, sharing time, class lessons, and activities.”