What are my responsibilities in the work of the priesthood?

Prepare Yourself Spiritually

The work of the priesthood includes more than the duties of priesthood holders. It is God’s work—the work of blessing and exalting His children—accomplished by His covenant-keeping children. Women are essential in accomplishing the work of the priesthood. We minister to those in need, teach the gospel, and invite all to come unto Christ.

Resources to Help You Prepare

These resources are to help you prepare for the “Learn together” section of the meeting.

Doctrine and Covenants 20:38–60 (Duties of priesthood holders)
Luke 8:1–3; Acts 9:36–40; Romans 16:1–2 (Examples of ministering to others)
Alma 56:47–48; 57:21; Doctrine and Covenants 25:6–8; Moses 5:11–12 (Examples of teaching the gospel)
Luke 2:36–38; John 20:11–18; Alma 19:16–17 (Examples of inviting others to come unto Christ)
Henry B. Eyring, “The Comforter,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 17–21
Bonnie L. Oscarson, “Young Women in the Work,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 36–38
“Relief Society: A Restoration of an Ancient Pattern,” Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society (2011), 3–7
“Sweet Is the Work” (video)

3:14
“Sharing Your Light” (video)

2:56

Questions to Ponder before You Teach

How do you participate in the work of the priesthood? What experiences could you share that would help the young women understand their responsibilities in the Lord’s work?

Do the young women in your class see themselves as essential participants in the work of the priesthood? What experiences have they had doing the Lord’s work—in their homes, at church, and with their friends—that they could share with each other?

What can the young women do to prepare to learn? For example, they could read a talk, watch a video, or study a scripture related to this doctrine.

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

The Savior invited His followers to testify, and as they did, the Spirit touched their hearts. What experiences have you had with the priesthood that you could share with the young women?

Meeting Outline

1. Counsel Together and Share Experiences

Led by a member of the class presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

Lead a discussion about items such as the following:

Our class: Who is missing today? What visits do we need to make? Who should we invite to an upcoming activity? Who needs our help and prayers?
Our responsibilities: What assignments do we need to make? What assignments have we fulfilled? How have we invited others to come unto Christ, and how can we invite others now?
Our lives: Remind the class of the discussion from the last meeting. What experiences have we had with applying what we learned? What experiences have we had in the past few weeks that strengthened our testimonies of the gospel?

If possible, discuss these items beforehand in a class presidency meeting.

2. Learn Together

Led by a leader or teacher or a member of the class; approximately 25–35 minutes

After studying the above resources and following the inspiration of the Spirit, you may select one or more of the activities below to help class members understand the doctrine.

Write on the board What are the duties of priesthood holders? Ask the young women to list as many duties as they can think of and then add to their list the duties they find in Doctrine and Covenants 20:46–60. Invite them to consider which of these responsibilities they share with Aaronic Priesthood holders.
In Doctrine and Covenants 20:53 and 59, we learn that the duties of the priesthood include being with and strengthening Church members and inviting all to come unto Christ. Invite the young women to review portions of President Henry B. Eyring’s talk “The Comforter.” What does he teach about how the Holy Ghost can help us keep our covenants and participate in the work of the priesthood?
Before class, invite the young women to learn about an influential woman—in the scriptures (such as those suggested in this outline), in Church history, or in their own families—who has been an example of ministering, teaching the gospel, or inviting others to come unto Christ. At the beginning of class, invite them to share what they learned. In what ways were these women participating in the work of the priesthood? What inspires the young women about these stories? How do they see themselves in the work of the priesthood?
As a class, read “Relief Society: A Restoration of an Ancient Pattern.” Invite the young women to share their impressions about the role of women in the work of the priesthood. How does reading about what women have done throughout history inspire the young women to participate in this work today? Encourage the young women to read the rest of Daughters in My Kingdom on their own. If possible, you may want to provide copies for them.
Invite the young women to read Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson’s message “Young Women in the Work” and search for ways that they can contribute to the work of salvation. How can the young women see themselves as essential participants in the work of salvation? Consider requesting a copy of the ward council agenda from the bishop and inviting the young women to review the agenda and share insights about how they could help. Encourage the young women to ask the bishop if they could take charge of one of the agenda items and make plans to carry out the service.

3. Plan to Act

Led by a member of the class presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

Ask the young women to discuss any feelings or impressions they had during the meeting. What was meaningful to them? Is there something they can do personally or as a class to apply what they have learned?
Give the young women a few minutes to record what they will do in the coming weeks to act on their impressions. Invite them to share their ideas.
Remind the young women that they will have the opportunity to share their experiences at the beginning of the next meeting.