Young priesthood holders: 'Rise to the challenge'
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Displaying a copy of Leaders of the Scriptures, a Sunday School manual printed in 1947 and co-authored by Gordon B. Hinckley, Elder Monte J. Brough of the Seventy said at the priesthood session, "This manual has been in my home for many years and is part of the motivation for this talk." He then spoke of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood by John the Baptist through Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.
Each Aaronic Priesthood quorum, he said, is headed by a presidency including a president who holds keys to lead the individual quorum. "Many of us might consider these youthful leaders to be too young to hold those important responsible positions," he mused. "Let us consider a few individuals who are examples of what youth really can do."
He then cited the prophet Jeremiah; Timothy, young missionary companion to the apostle Paul; and Mormon, who led the Nephite armies.
"In June of the year I was 12 years old, I was injured in a horse accident," he recounted. "I remember the members of my deacons quorum presidency coming to my home to visit me."
He told of a chance meeting at an airport with a high school classmate from years ago. She was waiting for her son returning home from a mission. "I said to her, 'Alice, tell me your story. You are obviously now an active member of the Church but never joined while we were going to school.' Her answer was condemning: 'No one ever asked me!' Wow! Our quorum really dropped the ball on that one."
Elder Brough remarked, "As of the year 2003, there are more than 26,000 wards and branches in the Church, with approximately 78,000 deacons, teachers and priests quorums. Talk about an army!
"The contribution the quorums of the Aaronic Priesthood could make to the work of converting, retaining and activating other members of their quorums is enormous."
He added: "If 16-year-old Mormon can be the commanding officer of a large army, and if Jeremiah as a child can have words put in his mouth by the Almighty God, and if Timothy can be wise as he was, then each young man within the sound of my voice can rise to the challenge of his quorum responsibilities."
