Letter to Parents of Aaronic Priesthood Holders

Dearest Parents,

The Lord declared, "There are, in the church, two priesthoods...the second priesthood is called the Priesthood of Aaron...the power and authority of the lesser, or Aaronic Priesthood, is to hold the keys of the ministering of angels, and to administer in outward ordinances, the letter of the gospel, the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, agreeable to the covenants and commandments." (Doctrine and Covenants 107)

Each Sabbath, members of the Lord’s church congregate worldwide in commemoration of the Atonement of our Savior. The ordinance of the Sacrament provides worshippers an opportunity to witness to our Father in Heaven their willingness to take upon them the name of His Son, to always remember Him, to keep his commandments and to have His Spirit to be with him. Holders of the Aaronic Priesthood play a key role as they provide outward services while each member renews inner commitments.

Sacramental emblems prepared, blessed and passed by our Young Men act as symbolic tokens that remind each soul of baptismal, priesthood and temple covenants. As ministering angels, they provide the weekly means for each member to strengthen ties with Heaven, to enjoy the enduring presence of the Spirit and to mingle with angels both seen and unnoticed. No other priority offsets or replaces this weekly Aaronic Priesthood commitment and occasion. Weekly, all Young Men are invited and obligated to participate in this sacred ordinance.

As parents, who must teach our youth to walk uprightly before the Lord, we are also responsible to ensure each Aaronic Priesthood holder does his duty. Learning how to stand in ordinances like the Sacrament today prepare our youth to arrange and provide additional ordinances tomorrow. Likewise, now is the time to sow seeds of gospel administration into the lives of our children. Few are the days we have to nurture and organize the next generation of Zion. 

The Church needs each Deacon’s, Teacher’s and Priest’s early attendance before Sacrament Meeting; and wants their service throughout the entire administration of the ordinance. We encourage each Young Man to seriously consider how to magnify his calling, and invite each family to agree to an arrangement that will allow for it.

We love you, pray for you and have great hopes for you. May God always bless you and may you always be founded near Him.