Church Announces Major Changes for Youth Participating in Baptisms for the Dead

[Sunain]

... young women (ages 12-18) with a limited-use temple recommend may assist...

So, a 19-year-old unendowed woman with a limited-use recommend may not hand towels in the baptistry?

... all priests in the Aaronic Priesthood with a limited-use temple recommend may officiate in baptisms for the dead...

Does that mean that an unendowed elder may not baptize or is an elder able to do all the same things as a priest?

An unendowed member can get a limited-use temple recommend at any age.

[inho]

... young women (ages 12-18) with a limited-use temple recommend may assist...

So, a 19-year-old unendowed woman with a limited-use recommend may not hand towels in the baptistry?

... all priests in the Aaronic Priesthood with a limited-use temple recommend may officiate in baptisms for the dead...

Does that mean that an unendowed elder may not baptize or is an elder able to do all the same things as a priest?

An unendowed member can get a limited-use temple recommend at any age.

Sure. However, the official letter was formulated so that the requirement for participation in these activities formerly limited to only endowed members is not just to have a limited-use recommend but the age or the priesthood office was also mentioned.

[Sunain]

... young women (ages 12-18) with a limited-use temple recommend may assist...

So, a 19-year-old unendowed woman with a limited-use recommend may not hand towels in the baptistry?

... all priests in the Aaronic Priesthood with a limited-use temple recommend may officiate in baptisms for the dead...

Does that mean that an unendowed elder may not baptize or is an elder able to do all the same things as a priest?

An unendowed member can get a limited-use temple recommend at any age.

Sure. However, the official letter was formulated so that the requirement for participation in these activities formerly limited to only endowed members is not just to have a limited-use recommend but the age or the priesthood office was also mentioned.

Unfortunately they seem to be continuing the ageism bias then. They just finally removed the single unmarried male over 30 issue about being a temple worker only a few months ago.

[inho]

An unendowed member can get a limited-use temple recommend at any age.

Sure. However, the official letter was formulated so that the requirement for participation in these activities formerly limited to only endowed members is not just to have a limited-use recommend but the age or the priesthood office was also mentioned.

Unfortunately they seem to be continuing the ageism bias then. They just finally removed the single unmarried male over 30 issue about being a temple worker only a few months ago.

I don't know whether it is ageism bias or if the letter was just poorly worded. I wonder if the Temple Presidents have received more detailed instruction. I assume that the new policy will eventually be printed in a new edition of the temple handbook, but I am not in a position to see that book, or even know when a new edition is published.

[tribrac]

This screams: We can never get enough Melchizedek Priesthood holders for a team for the youth temple trips so we're going to make this change.

Official link to the announcement: https://www.lds.org/letters?clang=eng&i ... nline=true

I will try to say this as peacefully as I can. If they want Melchizedek Priesthood holders to attend, they should ask the Melchizedek Priesthood holders to attend youth temple trips.

No, I don't mean the cool kids club, ie the bishopric, the YM advisors and EQ president--those guys are invited to every youth activity. They should ask the smelly guy, the recently divorced guy, the guys in primary who never hear any of the priesthood announcements, the guy who works 2 sundays a month, the single guy who lives with his mom, the guy who drinks every now and then but is trying hard to quit, the RM who is going less active and maybe losing his testimony, the 50-year old Elder who may never become a high priest.....

In any event, the last time I went with a group from my ward I drove a group, sat in the lobby and then drove them home. The temple didn't need me. I think this is more than just needing more men.

[gardener4life]

I think part of some of the changes is that the Lord sees the adversary is targetting the youth at a younger age. He's trying to target the youth with pornography and other vices as early as 10 years old now in the public schools. I'm not exaggerating on the age of 10 by the way.

So it's natural that we would step up trying to help the youth gain testimonies at younger ages and help them know what light and the love of the Savior feels like at a younger age too. Just think...it's possible that maybe some of them will feel the love of the savior in the temple. Maybe some of us will feel that too and we hope for it. We hope to be like him, and follow him, and be with him.

I just hope the youth growing up and us as well will encourage and help each other enough that we can all endure to the end.