My Calling as a Counselor in the Elders Quorum Presidency

What Should I Focus On?

“Leaders encourage members to engage in God’s work by becoming ‘true followers of … Jesus Christ’ (Moroni 7:48)” (General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4.1). Your presidency’s focus is to help every member of your quorum and his family members prepare to make the next covenant they need on the covenant path and to strengthen them in keeping their covenants.

In President Russell M. Nelson’s first address as President of the Church, he counseled: “Your commitment to follow the Savior by making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women, and children everywhere. … The end for which each of us strives is to be endowed with power in a house of the Lord, sealed as families, faithful to covenants made in a temple that qualify us for the greatest gift of God—that of eternal life” (“As We Go Forward Together,” Ensign or Liahona, Apr. 2018, 7).

Lead in the Savior’s Way

You are a disciple of Jesus Christ. Discipleship includes loving, teaching, leading, and serving others. President Henry B. Eyring taught: “You are called to represent the Savior. Your voice to testify becomes the same as His voice, your hands to lift the same as His hands” (“Rise to Your Call,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2002, 76).

The following leadership principles will help your presidency as you seek to bless the members of your elders quorum:

• Prepare spiritually.

• Minister to all of God’s children.

• Teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

• Preside in righteousness.

• Counsel together and build unity.

• Delegate responsibility and ensure accountability.

• Prepare others to be leaders and teachers.

• Plan meetings, lessons, and activities with clear purposes.

For more information, see the General Handbook, 4.2.

Teach in the Savior’s Way

Every lesson and activity is an opportunity for the elders quorum members to learn the truths of the gospel and how to apply those truths to their daily lives. Create a setting where the Spirit can teach. Help quorum members recognize the promptings of the Holy Ghost, and invite them to act on what they hear and feel.

• As a presidency, oversee efforts to improve learning and teaching in the elders quorum. Review upcoming lessons and activities, and discuss how to improve gospel learning and teaching in the elders quorum. “Ward leaders are responsible for improving learning and teaching in their organizations” (General Handbook, 13.4). Counsel with the Sunday School presidency as you seek to improve teaching in the elders quorum.

• Instruct and mentor quorum instructors. Help them gain confidence in their ability to teach by the Spirit.

• Participate in teacher council meetings. In these meetings, teachers discuss the principles in Teaching in the Savior’s Way. At least one member of your presidency and all quorum instructors should attend these meetings (see Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 3).

Know and Minister to Each Quorum Member

As you come to know and love the quorum members you are called to serve, you can help them progress toward lifelong conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Prayerfully counsel together as a presidency to decide who needs your time and attention. As you reach out to those you are inspired to serve, you will find that your love for each quorum member increases. As you pray for the gift of charity, your heart will be filled with love for the Savior and for others (see Moroni 7:46–48).

Elder Dale G. Renlund taught: “In the Church, to effectively serve others we must see them through a parent’s eyes, through Heavenly Father’s eyes. Only then can we begin to comprehend the true worth of a soul. Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all of His children. Only then can we sense the Savior’s caring concern for them. … Only when we see through Heavenly Father’s eyes can we be filled with ‘the pure love of Christ’ [Moroni 7:47]” (“Through God’s Eyes,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 94).

You can come to know and love the quorum members you serve by:

• Praying for each quorum member.

• Getting to know each quorum member’s interests, strengths, and challenges.

• Giving special attention to the needs of new members or less-active members.

• Showing love to each quorum member in ways that are suited to his needs.

• Being willing to share your personal experiences and testimony of the gospel to help guide quorum members along the covenant path.

Participate in Presidency Meetings

Participate in regular presidency meetings with the other members of the elders quorum presidency and the secretary. Suggested agenda items for presidency meetings are listed below:

• Read and discuss scripture passages and instructions from Church leaders that relate to your responsibilities as elders quorum leaders. Relevant sections in the General Handbook may be helpful.

• Counsel together about the strengths and needs of each quorum member and his family. Counsel about how you can help each quorum member or prospective elder and his family make needed covenants and keep the covenants they have made. Reviewing attendance records can provide information about quorum members’ participation in elders quorum meetings and activities.

• Discuss the needs of others in the ward for whom the elders quorum has responsibility, such as single sisters and widows, and plan ways to meet those needs.

• Discuss ministering assignments and efforts, and plan how to improve where needed.

• Plan upcoming Sunday elders quorum meetings. Discuss the effectiveness of these meetings.

• Discuss ways to improve gospel teaching and learning in the elders quorum.

• Prayerfully counsel together to recommend individuals to your bishopric for callings in the elders quorum.

• Review counsel and assignments from the bishop and from leadership meetings. Plan ways to follow the counsel and fulfill the assignments.

• Plan ways to build quorum unity, including service and other quorum activities.

• Share and act on the impressions you receive as you counsel together as a presidency (see Doctrine and Covenants 8:2; 121:26).

Help Plan and Oversee Sunday Elders Quorum Meetings

Sunday elders quorum meetings are sacred opportunities for quorum members to increase in knowledge and testimony of our Savior. A member of the quorum presidency, a quorum instructor, or another assigned quorum member leads the discussion in these meetings. Quorum members learn doctrine from the scriptures and general conference messages, counsel about local needs, and make plans to work together to further the work of salvation.

For more information, see the General Handbook, 8.2.1.2.

Help Organize and Coordinate Ministering

Ministering is Christlike caring for others. Under the direction of the bishop, the elders quorum and Relief Society coordinate their efforts to minister to individuals and families in the ward. Because ministering is led by the Spirit and customized to the needs of individuals and families, there can be many ways to organize it. Please follow the guidelines below:

• As a presidency, prayerfully consider who will be assigned to minister to each family and single adult in the ward. Coordinate assignments with the Relief Society presidency, and submit recommendations to the bishop for his approval.

• In most cases, each family or individual should have two ministering brothers to care for them. In some situations, one ministering brother or a married couple may best meet their needs.

• Your presidency and the Relief Society presidency meet quarterly. In these meetings, discuss what you have learned through ministering interviews about the strengths and needs of individuals and families (see “Conduct Ministering Interviews” in this section). As needed, coordinate ministering assignments.

• The elders quorum president and the Relief Society president meet with the bishop quarterly to address the needs of individuals and families.

See the General Handbook, chapter 21, and ministering.ChurchofJesusChrist.org for more details about organizing and coordinating ministering.

Conduct Ministering Interviews

Ministering interviews can be a spiritual highlight of your service. You will be blessed as you draw close to each member of your quorum and counsel together about his well-being and the well-being of those to whom he ministers.

A member of your presidency meets at least quarterly with each companionship of ministering brothers. Interviews may be held throughout the quarter and need not be long to be effective. When possible, hold these interviews in person and with both members of the companionship, if two brothers are assigned. A married couple assigned to minister together can meet with a member of your presidency, a member of the Relief Society presidency, or both. Make sure young men with ministering assignments have the opportunity to share their insights during these interviews.

During ministering interviews:

• Counsel about the strengths and needs of the individuals or families each companionship ministers to.

• Determine what needs the elders quorum or ward council might assist with.

• Encourage ministering brothers in their efforts.

The elders quorum secretary may help schedule appointments for ministering interviews and prepare quarterly reports of interviews. The elders quorum president may also counsel with the bishop about calling a ministering secretary to help schedule interviews and prepare quarterly reports of interviews. However, secretaries do not conduct these interviews.

Seek to follow the Savior’s example as you focus on ministering. The Church has prepared materials and videos to help you catch the vision of this important work. See ministering.ChurchofJesusChrist.org for more information about ministering interviews.

Participate in Ward Council Meetings as Invited

“The Church of Jesus Christ is governed by councils at every level” (General Handbook, 4.3). The elders quorum president may invite you to attend a ward council meeting when he is absent. The ward council meets regularly to discuss and plan how to support members in:

• Building testimonies.

• Receiving saving ordinances.

• Keeping covenants.

• Becoming consecrated followers of Jesus Christ.

Work with Prospective Elders

The elders quorum presidency helps prospective elders prepare to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. Counsel with your presidency about whom to assign as ministering brothers for prospective elders. In some situations, a married couple may best meet a prospective elder’s needs. The elders quorum president will discuss recommendations with the bishop.

If a prospective elder has been ordained to the office of teacher or priest, he may be assigned to serve as a ministering brother. The presidency should invite each prospective elder to attend quorum meetings and activities.

See the General Handbook, 8.4, for more information about working with prospective elders.

Support Ward Self-Reliance Efforts

Improving spiritual and temporal self-reliance is central to the work of the elders quorum. Counsel with the elders quorum president about your welfare responsibilities. The following resources will assist you as you help others with sensitivity and love:

• “Providing for Temporal Needs and Building Self-Reliance,” General Handbook, chapter 22

• “Long-Term Needs and Self-Reliance,” General Handbook, 8.2.2.3

• “Self-Reliance Services” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org)

Coordinate Member Missionary Work and Temple and Family History Work

The bishop is responsible for member missionary work and temple and family history work in the ward. He may assign the elders quorum president to oversee this work. The elders quorum president may then delegate these assignments to his counselors, with one counselor overseeing member missionary work and the other overseeing temple and family history work.

Counsel with the elders quorum president and the other counselor about how the elders quorum presidency can best fulfill these responsibilities.

For more information, see the General Handbook, 23.5.2; 25.2.2; 8.2.4. The 2020 Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction can also help you understand how to minister to each member of your ward and share the gospel through temple and family history work.