What Should I Focus On?

“All Church leaders are called to help other people become ‘true followers of … Jesus Christ’ (Moroni 7:48)” (Handbook 2, 3.1). Your presidency’s focus is to help each young man in your ward increase his 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 or Liahona, 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 the Young Men presidency and the quorum leaders as you seek to bless the young men you serve:

Prepare spiritually.
Counsel together.
Minister to others.
Teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Administer the organization.

For more information, see Handbook 2, 3.2.

Know and Love Each Young Man

As you come to know and love the young men you are called to serve, you can help them progress toward lifelong conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Elder Dale G. Renlund taught: “In the Church, to effectively serve others we must see them through a parent’s eyes, through Heavenly Father’s eyes. Only then can we begin to comprehend the true worth of a soul. Only then can we sense the love that Heavenly Father has for all of His children. Only then can we sense the Savior’s caring concern for them. … Only when we see through Heavenly Father’s eyes can we be filled with ‘the pure love of Christ’ [Moroni 7:47]” (“Through God’s Eyes,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 94).

You can come to know and love the young men you serve by:

Praying for each young man.
Getting to know each young man’s interests, strengths, and challenges.
Giving special attention to the needs of new members or less-active members.
Showing love to each young man in ways that are suited to his needs.
Counseling with each young man’s parents to learn ways you can help strengthen their son and encourage him to actively participate in the quorum (see Handbook 2, 1.2.2, 1.4).
Being willing to share your personal experiences and testimony of the gospel to help guide the young men along the covenant path.

Guide and Support Aaronic Priesthood Quorum Secretaries

Under the direction of the Young Men president, you instruct quorum secretaries in their duties and oversee their work in keeping attendance records for the quorum they serve (see Handbook 2, 8.3.3).

Participate in Presidency Meetings

Participate in regular presidency meetings with the members of the Young Men presidency. Help prepare agendas for presidency meetings, take notes, and keep track of assignments. 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 Young Men leaders. Relevant sections of Handbook 2 may be helpful.
Discuss your understanding of the three principles: be with them, connect them with heaven, and let them lead. Consider what your presidency can do to implement these principles more fully as you interact with the young men.
Counsel together about the strengths and needs of each young man and his family. Discuss how your presidency can teach and strengthen the young men and their families.
Identify ways to prepare and support quorum leaders as they fulfill their assignments to lead and minister to the quorum members they serve.
Review upcoming lessons and activities that have been planned by quorum presidencies, and discuss how you can help the lessons and activities be successful. Discuss ways to improve gospel teaching and learning in Aaronic Priesthood quorums.
Prayerfully counsel together to recommend individuals to your bishopric for callings in Young Men.
Review counsel and assignments from the bishopric and from leadership meetings. Plan ways to follow the counsel and fulfill the assignments.
Review attendance records and discuss ways to encourage each young man to participate in quorum meetings and Young Men activities.
Identify ways you can help quorum members develop brotherhood, serve together, and understand the gospel.
Share and act on the impressions you receive as you counsel together with the presidency (see Doctrine and Covenants 8:2; 121:26).

Ensure That Accurate Records Are Kept

“Keeping Church records is a scriptural mandate” (Handbook 2, 17.1.8; see Moroni 6:4; Doctrine and Covenants 20:81–83; 21:1). Your responsibilities for keeping the Young Men records include the following:

Work with the Young Men president to oversee the records, reports, and finances of the Young Men organization.
Compile attendance reports and other records and reports as requested. Review these reports with the Young Men president, and submit them on time to the ward clerk (see Leader and Clerk Resources).
Use these records to help the Young Men presidency learn about participation of young men in Young Men meetings and activities.
Make sure that the Young Men presidency is aware of young men who will soon be entering the deacons quorum.
Help the Young Men president create and maintain an annual budget and record of expenses for the Young Men organization.