Series of images of young men at FSY

The Young Men Program: Where Boys Grow Their Faith in Jesus Christ

The Young Men organization helps boys ages 11–18 in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints improve each day to become more like Jesus Christ.

What We Do

Good role models are a crucial part of teenage boys’ development. The Young Men program was designed to help boys build a strong moral foundation by following the ultimate role model: our Savior Jesus Christ.

Young Men Callings and Resources

The work of the Young Men organization wouldn’t be possible without the men who volunteer their time as leaders, teachers, and more. Explore resources for Young Men callings below.
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What Else Does the Young Men Program Offer?

Young Men isn’t just a class on Sundays—it’s a comprehensive program that helps boys ages 11-18 discover their purpose as sons of God, build their lives on Jesus Christ’s teachings, and become worthy holders of priesthood authority from God that they can use to bless others.
Series of images of young men sitting in Sunday School

The Young Men Theme

I am a beloved son of God, and He has a work for me to do.

With all my heart, might, mind, and strength, I will love God, keep my covenants, and use His priesthood to serve others, beginning in my own home.

As I strive to serve, exercise faith, repent, and improve each day, I will qualify to receive temple blessings and the enduring joy of the gospel.

I will prepare to become a diligent missionary, loyal husband, and loving father by being a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

I will help prepare the world for the Savior’s return by inviting all to come unto Christ and receive the blessings of His Atonement.

Meet the General Young Men Presidency

The General Young Men Presidency is part of the global leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some of their roles include directing the work of the Young Men organization worldwide, counseling with other Church leaders on ways to strengthen young men turning 12 up to 18 years old, and traveling the world to teach and minister to young men and their leaders.

Common Questions

Each local Young Men program includes groups known as quorums, and each quorum has youth leadership. Working under the guidance of adult leaders, these young men plan activities, minister to the needs of boys in their quorum, work to help everyone feel included, and coordinate combined events with girls in the Young Women program.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a church of volunteers. Young men who aren’t in quorum leadership at the moment have their own opportunities to serve others in different ways. This includes fulfilling priesthood duties, such as blessing and passing the sacrament to the congregation, offering prayers at church, sharing thoughts during lessons, speaking in Sacrament meeting (the main worship service for all ages at church), or helping with activities.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints takes a “home centered, church supported” approach to gospel learning. Where possible, each young man is encouraged to study the scriptures and discuss the lessons of the gospel of Jesus Christ together with his family every day.

The Church offers many resources, such as the For the Strength of Youth guide, to help parents discuss important principles with their sons and teach them how to follow Jesus Christ.

The priesthood is the authority and power of God. Through the priesthood, Heavenly Father accomplishes His work “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). God grants authority and power to His children on earth to help carry out this work. This includes the ability to perform ordinances such as baptism, eternal marriage, and the administration of the sacrament as Jesus Christ instituted it before His Crucifixion and Resurrection.

After the Savior’s mortal life on earth, His priesthood authority was eventually lost over time. In the early 1800s, Jesus Christ reestablished His Church and His priesthood on the earth through the prophet Joseph Smith.

In the Church there are two priesthoods: the Aaronic Priesthood and the Melchizedek Priesthood. If young men are prepared and worthy, they can receive the Aaronic Priesthood and be ordained deacons starting at the beginning of the year they will turn 12 years old.

The Young Men program as it stands today had several precursors in the early days of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (established in 1830), such as the Young Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ Relief Society of Nauvoo.

In 1975, Brigham Young, then prophet and president of the Church, directed Junius F. Wells to organize and lead what became known as the Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association (YMMIA) churchwide. The YMMIA encouraged moral improvement and combatted idleness and other vices of the day through gospel learning and wholesome social activities.

Over time, it became more common for boys ages 12 and up to be ordained with God’s priesthood power through the Aaronic Priesthood before reaching adulthood. In 1931, Church leaders announced the Aaronic Priesthood Correlation Plan to help the Young Men program with priesthood quorums to become better aligned, resulting in Young Men and priesthood quorums eventually becoming one and the same.

From 1913 to 2018, the Boy Scouts of America was also an integral part of the Young Men organization, helping boys learn practical life skills in addition to their spiritual education. Today, the Church provides its own curriculum for helping youth grow spiritually, intellectually, physically, and socially.

Read more about the history of the Young Men program here.