The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced major changes to its Young Men and Young Women programs during the Saturday afternoon session of the 189th Semiannual General Conference.
President Russell M. Nelson said the announcements are intended to help young men and young women develop their personal potential.
“We want also to strengthen Aaronic Priesthood quorums and Young Women classes and provide support to bishops and other adult leaders as they serve the rising generation,” President Nelson said. “(A bishop’s) first and foremost responsibility is to care for the young men and young women of his ward. The bishop and his counselors direct the work of the Aaronic Priesthood quorums and the Young Women classes in the ward.”
Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained the changes. He said Young Men presidencies at the ward level will be discontinued and bishops will regularly counsel with Young Women presidents, among other adjustments.
For Matt Sadler, from Cove, Utah, the announcement felt like an unceremonious end to his short calling as young men’s president.
“I got put in two weeks ago. It was awesome,” he said standing outside the Conference Center. “Job well done, I guess.”
Even so, Sadler is at peace with the change.
“I love it,” he said. “I’m glad that it’s more family oriented and that bishops are more involved with the youth. … The church is true. Got to love it!”
Ben Reed, an Army chaplain from Colorado Springs, Colorado, was recently released as a young men’s president.
“It’s interesting to see so many changes in the church and a historic time to be a member. What a blessing to have revelation from prophets and apostles,” said Reed, fully adorned in his military uniform. “I think it’s fantastic. I’m excited to see how all the changes come together over the course of the next year as they are implemented.”
Brad Johnson is the stake president of a Young Single Adult stake in northern Utah. He and his wife Rosemarie marveled how previous changes aligned to make this change possible.
“It’s interesting to see how this appears to be set up. You go back to the changes that have been made and you couldn’t have made the changes today if they hadn’t made those,” Brad Johnson said. “We love to see how the Lord works.”
During her time in young women’s, Liara Yoakum, a 23-year-old from the Tri-Cities area in Washington, felt like there was a lack of responsibility given to the youth.
“I think this is going to help a lot because teenagers need something to do, reasons to stay active. I think that giving them this responsibility and doing away with this kind of staggered hierarchy is going to give them the benefit to grow a lot more than previous generations have.”
Twitter had multiple reactions to the news.
Twitter also celebrated and cheered many of the talks from throughout the day.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband
Elder Jorge M. Alvarado
Elder Glenn L. Pace
Elder David A. Bednar
Elder Ruben V. Alliaud
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Elder Dale G. Renlund
Sister Michelle D. Craig
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Brother Stephen W. Owen
Elder Terence M. Vinson
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland