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 guide and support ward Aaronic Priesthood leaders as they help the young men increase their faith in Jesus Christ and progress along the covenant path toward receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood and making temple 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, 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 those you serve:

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 General Handbook, 4.2.

Plan and Conduct Presidency Meetings

Hold regular presidency meetings with your counselors and the stake Young Men secretary. Work with the secretary to prepare an agenda for each meeting. Ask him to record notes and assignments during these meetings. 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 stake Young Men leaders. Relevant sections of the General Handbook may be helpful.
Discuss your understanding of these three principles of youth leadership: be with them, connect them with heaven, and let them lead.
Consider ways to strengthen and support bishoprics or, under bishopric direction, to minister to other ward Aaronic Priesthood leaders who need strengthening. You might consider reaching out to them in ways such as a visit or a conversation.
Discuss the effectiveness of Aaronic Priesthood classes and activities in each ward. Plan ways to help ward Aaronic Priesthood leaders improve their gospel teaching and learning.
Help plan stake events and activities for the young men and young women in your stake. (See “Minister to Young Men through Stake Events and Activities” below.)
Prayerfully counsel together to recommend specialists to your stake presidency when needed for specific events.
Review counsel and assignments from the stake president and from leadership meetings. Plan ways to follow the counsel and fulfill the assignments.
Review the stake Young Men budget and expenditures.
Share and act on the impressions you receive as you counsel together as a presidency (see Doctrine and Covenants 8:2; 121:26).

Know and Minister to Ward Aaronic Priesthood Leaders

In each ward, the bishopric serves as the presidency of the Aaronic Priesthood. Under the direction of the stake presidency, the stake Young Men presidency has the opportunity and responsibility to provide bishoprics with encouragement, support, and instruction regarding their duties as Aaronic Priesthood leaders. Communicate regularly with bishoprics, in their roles as Aaronic Priesthood leaders, to learn about their needs, discuss the needs of the young men they serve, and share information from the stake presidency. Periodically visit ward Aaronic Priesthood quorum classes and activities as arranged with ward leaders.

At the stake presidency’s request, the stake Young Men presidency may assist with stake priesthood leadership meetings (see General Handbook, 29.3.3). In these meetings you can teach bishoprics their Aaronic Priesthood duties, instruct them in teaching and leadership skills, and strengthen their faith.

At the request of bishoprics, you may also provide instruction to ward Aaronic Priesthood advisers and specialists.

As you provide instruction and support to ward Aaronic Priesthood leaders:

Pray for each leader individually.
Help leaders understand the principles in the Aaronic Priesthood Theme and the value in developing brotherhood, faith, and service among the young men. Encourage ward leaders to counsel about how to help the young men prepare to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood, receive future ordinances, and make and keep sacred covenants.
Help bishoprics understand the three principles of youth leadership: be with them, connect them with heaven, and let them lead.
Help leaders gain a testimony of ministering. Encourage them to rely on the Spirit as they support young men who are serving as ministering companions (see General Handbook, 21.2.2).
Help leaders understand their role assisting parents in preparing young men for priesthood ordinations, full-time missionary service, temple endowment, temple marriage, and fatherhood (see General Handbook, 10.2.1.1)
Encourage leaders to prayerfully work with quorum presidencies to plan service and activities to meet the needs of young men (see General Handbook, 10.2.1.3).
Ensure that all leaders are familiar with and follow Church policies and guidelines on preventing and responding to abuse, as outlined in “Preventing and Responding to Abuse.”

Minister to Young Men through Stake Events and Activities

Church activities bring Church members and others together as “fellowcitizens with the saints” (Ephesians 2:19). Purposes for activities may include the following:

Build faith in Jesus Christ.
Provide fun and foster unity.
Provide opportunities for personal growth.
Strengthen individuals and families.
Help members participate in the work of salvation and exaltation.

Help plan stake events and activities with the stake youth leadership committee. In stakes with limited numbers of young men, this committee should be involved in planning more frequent activities. Follow the guidelines in General Handbook, 10.2.1.3 and chapter 20. See also Youth.ChurchofJesusChrist.org, the annual First Presidency safety letter, and the Church’s Safety and Health website (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

Standards events: These events emphasize moral values and eternal goals. They help youth understand and commit to living gospel standards. For more information, see General Handbook, 10.2.1.3.
Multiday and overnight activities: Young men may plan and participate in overnight activities that strengthen quorum members. They may also plan and participate in at least one multiday activity per year. These activities may be planned at the ward, stake, multistake, or area level. For more information, see the Aaronic Priesthood Quorum Camp Guide (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
For the Strength of Youth (FSY) conference: This is a multistake youth activity held every other year for young men and young women ages 14 through 18. It is held under the direction of the Area Presidency, and Area Seventies oversee the planning and implementation of the events. For more information, see the FSY website (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
Youth conference: Young men and young women ages 14 through 18 may participate together in a ward or stake youth conference in years when an FSY conference is not being held in their area. For more information, see General Handbook, 20.4, and the Church’s youth conference website (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
Other activities: These can include dances (see General Handbook, 20.5.2), sports (20.5.9), and temple visits (20.5.10).

Participate in Stake Council and Stake Youth Leadership Committee Meetings

“The Church of Jesus Christ is governed by councils at every level” (General Handbook, 4.3). As the stake Young Men president, you are a member of the stake council and the stake youth leadership committee. You bring items before these councils for discussion and offer input on matters presented by other stake leaders.

The stake council meets two to four times a year to discuss and plan how to support stake members’ efforts in:

Gospel instruction.
Missionary work.
Temple and family history work.
Self-reliance.

You assist the stake council in understanding and responding to the needs of stake members. Share insights you gain from ward Aaronic Priesthood leaders to help the stake council accomplish its purpose (see General Handbook, 29.3.7). If you are unable to attend a stake council meeting, invite one of your counselors to attend in your place.

The stake youth leadership committee meets as needed to plan stake activities for young men and young women, such as youth conferences, dances, devotionals, and multistake events. Involve youth in planning and carrying out these activities. (See General Handbook, 29.3.9.)