Updated General Handbook Chapters Released for Aaronic Priesthood Quorums, Young Women, and Primary

Contributed By Sydney Walker, Church News staff writer

  • 26 March 2020

A group of Latter-day Saint youth socialize together. The Church has released updated chapters in the new General Handbook for Aaronic Priesthood quorums, Young Women, and Primary.

Continuing to update the new General Handbook, the Church recently published revisions to chapters concerning Aaronic Priesthood quorums, Young Women, and Primary. 

The chapters are available in English on ChurchofJesusChrist.org and in the Gospel Library app as of March 25. 

The First Presidency announced in January the new, primarily digital administrative handbook—titled General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—to replace Handbook 1 (for stake presidents and bishops) and Handbook 2 (for all other organization leaders). The handbook is accessible to anyone. 

The Aaronic Priesthood quorums, Young Women, and Primary chapters have been updated as follows:

Chapter 10: Aaronic Priesthood Quorums

Chapter 11: Young Women

Chapter 12: Primary

  • Information about the new Children and Youth program is included.

  • To protect youth and children and align with Church policy, instructions clarify that youth are not to teach Primary, even as substitutes.

  • Safety information, including information on restroom safety, has been added to help Primary presidencies better instruct Primary teachers and activity leaders.

  • The timing of the annual children’s sacrament meeting presentation is changed from being held during “the fourth quarter of the year” to being held during “the last few months of the year.”

With these three revised chapters, 12 of the handbook’s 38 chapters have been updated. Nine chapters were released in February. The entire handbook will be reworked by 2021. 

The advantages of a primarily digital handbook include allowing Church leaders to make updates more easily and at a lower cost, using links to provide easy access to other Church resources and embedded instructional videos, and making searching for content easier.

Eventually, the digital handbook will allow for customization and adaptation of content by calling and geographic area.

More information about the new handbook can be found in this list of frequently asked questions.

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