Do Mission Presidents Hold Keys?

[Cobalt-70]

Simple. A mission president can perform baptisms and can authorize the performance of the ordinance. they delegate this responsibility to missionaries. A bishop cannot call a patriarch, cannot perform patriarchal blessings and cannot authorize the ordinance. All they do is determine the worthiness of the applicant. The patriarch is called under the direction of the Stake President and is an office in the Melchizedek priesthood. Without the mission president holding the keys, nobody can perform the baptisms. A woman cannot do it because God requires the work to be directed by someone who holds priesthood keys. One could argue that all the prophet does is supervise the general authorities and make sure the books are balanced, a job a woman can do.

A mission president cannot call missionaries, either, and does not ordain them as elders.

It is not true that without a mission president, nobody could baptize. In the early days of the church, there was no such thing as a mission president. Elders went out, and they baptized whomever was converted. The position of mission president has no doctrinal basis, and it is not an office of the priesthood. It is just an administrative position. He doesn't have keys to baptize apart from what he receives from being ordained a High Priest--every elder has those same keys. What the mission president has is the keys to supervise missionaries, including the final say on whom they are allowed to baptize. A mission president need not have the ability, herself, to baptize--although certainly giving her that authority and ordaining her to a real priesthood office wouldn't hurt.

[Cobalt-70]

Keys are not given to anybody, they are held by the priesthood leader. What is delegated is the authority to exercise responsibilities governed by those keys. The bishop does not turn his keys over to a 16 year old boy to serve the sacrament, he retains them but gives his authorization to perform the work. All work in the church is governed by the priesthood, but not all functions require the operator to hold the priesthood. One does not need to hold the priesthood in order to teach sunday school, but one requires the priesthood to be the sunday school president. You seem to be under the impression that the leadership of the church are a bunch of dolts that lack your greater insight into how Gods priesthood functions.

I think that what I'm saying is consistent with the common understanding of what priesthood keys are. There is a difference between priesthood office and priesthood keys. People can receive priesthood authority from either from ordination or from the delegation of keys. You do not necessarily have to have a priesthood office in order to receive a delegation of priesthood keys. For example, a temple president may receive authority to perform washings and anointings through his ordination as a High Priest. He receives the keys to perform washings and anointings in a particular temple from an apostle, and he is able to delegate those keys to women, even though those women themselves are not ordained as high priests and hold no priesthood office.

Edited October 26, 2012 by Cobalt-70

[Freedom]

A mission president cannot call missionaries, either, and does not ordain them as elders.

It is not true that without a mission president, nobody could baptize. In the early days of the church, there was no such thing as a mission president. Elders went out, and they baptized whomever was converted. The position of mission president has no doctrinal basis, and it is not an office of the priesthood. It is just an administrative position. He doesn't have keys to baptize apart from what he receives from being ordained a High Priest--every elder has those same keys. What the mission president has is the keys to supervise missionaries, including the final say on whom they are allowed to baptize. A mission president need not have the ability, herself, to baptize--although certainly giving her that authority and ordaining her to a real priesthood office wouldn't hurt.

In the early church we did not have elders quorum presidents either, your argument is flawed. The fact that a mission president does not call missionaries is irrelevant - the mission president holds the keys for the labor in his mission. As the church is organized today, convert baptisms are performed under the direction of a mission president. A mission president can and does all elders; it is rare because the vast majority are set apart under the direction of their stake president prior to leaving on their mission. In areas where local units are governed by the mission, the mission president acts as a stake president. Most missions in the world include units. High Priests do not hold the keys to baptize, they posses the authority They cannot exercise that authority without the authorization from the bishop for a child of record, or a mission president for a convert over the age of 8. If a person cannot baptize, they cannot authorize a baptism.

[Freedom]

I think that what I'm saying is consistent with the common understanding of what priesthood keys are. There is a difference between priesthood office and priesthood keys. People can receive priesthood authority from either from ordination or from the delegation of keys. You do not necessarily have to have a priesthood office in order to receive a delegation of priesthood keys. For example, a temple president may receive authority to perform washings and anointings through his ordination as a High Priest. He receives the keys to perform washings and anointings in a particular temple from an apostle, and he is able to delegate those keys to women, even though those women themselves are not ordained as high priests and hold no priesthood office.

Read your reference, you are completely wrong. Authority and keys are different. All priesthood holders have authority, a select few hold the keys to authorize the exercising of that authority. It is not an either or, you must first receive the authority of the priesthood before you can be eligible to receive keys. Keys are not required to perform ordinances, authority is required. The temple president authorizes the women to perform the ordinance. If he gave them the keys, then they would be empowered to set apart temple workers and other administrative duties.

[Freedom]

Note the following points from the link you provided

The keys of the priesthood refer to the right to exercise power in the name of Jesus Christ or to preside over a priesthood function, quorum, or organizational division of the Church. Keys are necessary to maintain order and to see that the functions of the Church are performed in the proper time, place, and manner. They are given by the laying on of hands in an ordination or setting apart by a person who presides and who holds the appropriate keys at a higher level. Many keys were restored to men on earth by heavenly messengers to the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.

The keys of the kingdom of God on earth are held by the apostles. The president of the church, who is the senior apostle, holds all the keys presently on earth and presides over all the organizational and ordinance work of the Church (D&C 107:8-9, 91-92). He delegates authority by giving the keys of specific offices to others (D&C 124:123). Only presiding priesthood officers (including General Authorities, stake presidents, mission presidents, temple presidents, bishops, branch presidents, and quorum presidents) hold keys pertaining to their respective offices. Latter-day Saints distinguish between holding the priesthood and holding keys to direct the work of the priesthood: one does not receive additional priesthood when one is given keys (Joseph F. Smith, IE 4 [Jan. 1901]:230).

So, clearly, keys are not delegated to a random person, they are given by the laying on of hands and only to presiding priesthood officers. In the early church, there was no need for mission presidents, stake presidents, area authorities, or even temple presidents. As the church grows, additional levels of priesthood officers are added and are delegated keys. Missionaries are called by the first presidency, but set apart by a stake president or mission president, depending on the local church structure. A missionary called in Yellow Knife, for example, would be set apart by the mission president for the Canada Canada Mission - he/she would then go off to the MTC and subsequently off to their assigned mission somewhere in the world. Temple ordinances are carried out under the direction of the temple president, convert baptisms are carried out under the direction of the mission president, sacrament is blessed and passed under the direction of the bishop. Each of these presiding officers hold the necessary keys to authorize and direct these ordinances.

http://www.lds.org/scriptures/gs/keys-of-the-priesthood?lang=eng

http://www.lds.org/ensign/2005/10/keys-of-the-priesthood?lang=eng

[Cobalt-70]

In the early church we did not have elders quorum presidents either, your argument is flawed. The fact that a mission president does not call missionaries is irrelevant - the mission president holds the keys for the labor in his mission. As the church is organized today, convert baptisms are performed under the direction of a mission president.

That's what I said. The mission president has the keys to supervise missionaries. To do so, he does not himself need the authority to baptize. He just needs, and has, authority to supervise missionaries who have authority to baptize. A mission president could serve his entire term without performing a single ordinance.

[Cobalt-70]

Read your reference, you are completely wrong. Authority and keys are different. All priesthood holders have authority, a select few hold the keys to authorize the exercising of that authority. It is not an either or, you must first receive the authority of the priesthood before you can be eligible to receive keys. Keys are not required to perform ordinances, authority is required. The temple president authorizes the women to perform the ordinance. If he gave them the keys, then they would be empowered to set apart temple workers and other administrative duties.

Keys are a type of authority, but keys are not necessarily given at the same time as you are ordained. And keys may be given to those who are not ordained to an office. What you call "authority" is a dormant authority, which is not effective or real until keys are received.

You seem to assume that anyone who receives keys has the right to pass them on to others. That's not true, unless you have the keys to pass those keys on to another person. For example, a deacon's quorum president has the keys to preside over his quorum, but does not have the keys to set apart another deacon's quorum president, or even to set apart his counselors.

So you say that the temple president "authorizes" women to perform washings and anointings. That means he gives them authority, or keys. As the EOM article says, "The keys of the priesthood refer to the right to exercise power in the name of Jesus Christ...." It that's true, then female temple workers receive priesthood keys.

[Cobalt-70]

So, clearly, keys are not delegated to a random person, they are given by the laying on of hands...

Female temple workers are set apart by the laying on of hands, as are Relief Society presidents, Primary presidents, and female missionaries. In this setting apart, they receive a delegation of priesthood keys. If you remember, Pres. Monson said in the last conference that missionary work was a priesthood function. If it is a priesthood function, then the keys that authorize women to perform that priesthood function are priesthood keys, which they receive by the laying on of hands.

[The Nehor]

Auxiliary leaders do not get Priesthood keys. Priesthood keys are held by Presidents within the Priesthood oranization. Presidents of quorums have keys (including Bishops and Stake presidents). Temple and Mission Presidents hold keys. Area Presidents hold keys. The Twelve hold keys but can only use some of them. The Prophet holds and uses all the keys we have been given so far.

Relief Society Presidents and Sunday School Presidents hold no priesthood keys as they do not direct Priesthood matters or direct how people within their stewardship exercise the Priesthood. They are set apart and receive the right to revelation and guidance for their calling but receive no keys. Most counselors hold no keys (First Presidency counselors are an exception).

Edited October 27, 2012 by The Nehor

[sethpayne]

Do Mission Presidents hold any keys? if so what are they?

Mine had a set for the mission car, office, and home. Beyond that, I can't be sure.

[Calm]

Mine had a set for the mission car, office, and home.

You know everyone else has been resisting saying the same thing, right?

[sethpayne]

You know everyone else has been resisting saying the same thing, right?

Yep.

I was sure someone had to have made that stupid joke. When I saw that no one had stepped up the plate I decided to stand up with pride as the MDDB village idiot and put it out there.

[Freedom]

Female temple workers are set apart by the laying on of hands, as are Relief Society presidents, Primary presidents, and female missionaries. In this setting apart, they receive a delegation of priesthood keys. If you remember, Pres. Monson said in the last conference that missionary work was a priesthood function. If it is a priesthood function, then the keys that authorize women to perform that priesthood function are priesthood keys, which they receive by the laying on of hands.

Read the references I provided. I run my own business - I delegate duties to other staff in my office. I do not give them keys, I give them duties. Women are not given keys, they are given callings that are administered by people holding keys. When a person receives keys, they are told in the setting apart that they are receiving keys. Let me quote again:

Only presiding priesthood officers (including General Authorities, stake presidents, mission presidents, temple presidents, bishops, branch presidents, and quorum presidents) hold keys

Why you fail to grasp this very simple and clear sentence confuses me. What is it about this that you do not understand?

[Freedom]

That's what I said. The mission president has the keys to supervise missionaries. To do so, he does not himself need the authority to baptize. He just needs, and has, authority to supervise missionaries who have authority to baptize. A mission president could serve his entire term without performing a single ordinance.

No. Baptism is an ordinance that is administered through keys. No baptism can occur if there is no bishop or mission president to authorize it. It is not possible to be a mission president and not have the authority to baptize. All priesthood holders above a teacher have the authority to baptize. Not performing an ordinance has nothing to do with not having the authority to perform a baptism.

[Freedom]

Keys are a type of authority, but keys are not necessarily given at the same time as you are ordained. And keys may be given to those who are not ordained to an office. What you call "authority" is a dormant authority, which is not effective or real until keys are received.

You seem to assume that anyone who receives keys has the right to pass them on to others. That's not true, unless you have the keys to pass those keys on to another person. For example, a deacon's quorum president has the keys to preside over his quorum, but does not have the keys to set apart another deacon's quorum president, or even to set apart his counselors.

So you say that the temple president "authorizes" women to perform washings and anointings. That means he gives them authority, or keys. As the EOM article says, "The keys of the priesthood refer to the right to exercise power in the name of Jesus Christ...." It that's true, then female temple workers receive priesthood keys.

Authority is not the same as keys. Read my references from the church. All priesthood holders have priesthood authority. Very few have keys. Keys allows priesthood holders to exercise their authority. Please read the following:

Only presiding priesthood officers (including General Authorities, stake presidents, mission presidents, temple presidents, bishops, branch presidents, and quorum presidents) hold keys

[Cobalt-70]

Why you fail to grasp this very simple and clear sentence confuses me. What is it about this that you do not understand?

It's not that I don't understand this statement, it's that you are misquoting it. You stop at the word "keys," but the full statement was that only presiding priesthood officers "hold keys pertaining to their respective offices." That doesn't mean that nobody below the church administrative level holds keys. Even the lowliest Melchizedek priesthood holder, without any administrative office or church calling, holds keys to do things like give fathers blessings, heal the sick, etc. And likewise, women hold keys if they are given them by the laying on of hands by someone who possesses them.

To say that a Relief Society president lacks keys of her calling is to say that she is operating without authority from God. To say that a female temple worker lacks keys to perform the ordinance of washing and anointing is to say the ordinances she performs are unauthorized.

Edited November 3, 2012 by Cobalt-70

[Freedom]

It's not that I don't understand this statement, it's that you are misquoting it. You stop at the word "keys," but the full statement was that only presiding priesthood officers "hold keys pertaining to their respective offices." That doesn't mean that nobody below the church administrative level holds keys. Even the lowliest Melchizedek priesthood holder, without any administrative office or church calling, holds keys to do things like give fathers blessings, heal the sick, etc. And likewise, women hold keys if they are given them by the laying on of hands by someone who possesses them.

To say that a Relief Society president lacks keys of her calling is to say that she is operating without authority from God. To say that a female temple worker lacks keys to perform the ordinance of washing and anointing is to say the ordinances she performs are unauthorized.

In other words, Only presiding officers hold keys for their offices, nobody else does. Keys are held by officers.

keys, as the quote explains are given by the laying on of hands. If you do not receive keys by the laying on of hands, you do not posses them.

Priesthood holders called to positions of presidency receive keys from those in authority over them.

study helps

Those keys refer to the right to preside over priesthood authority in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Keys carry the right to preside over a local organization of the Church, such as a stake, a ward or branch, a mission or district, a priesthood quorum, or a temple. Keys are conferred by the laying on of hands by one who holds proper authority and whose authority is known to the Church

Every priesthood quorum has a president, whether it is a quorum of deacons, teachers, priests, elders, or high priests. Each president holds keys of authority. Quorum activities and opportunities for service are authorized by the president who holds those keys. Although a quorum president holds keys, his counselors do not. Auxiliary presidents do not hold keys. Counselors and auxiliary presidents serve on assignment from one holding keys who, in turn, has delegated authority for each of them to act.

When one is released from his calling in the priesthood, if keys have been conferred, those keys are relinquished, to be given by proper authority to the new leader. When a bishop is released, for example, his priesthood ordination to the office of bishop remains, but his priesthood keys to serve as the bishop of the ward are conferred upon the new bishop.