What Is A Priesthood Meeting?

[Scott Lloyd]

My stake president was specifically told by a member of the Seventy not to alter the wording in any way. He had been changing the wording of "do you . . . attend your sacrament and priesthood meetings . . ." (that is the exact wording, by the way --- every member should be asked that) to ". . . priesthood or Relief Society meetings . . ." He was told in no uncertain terms that the women are to be asked that as well as the men, because we don't change any of the words in any way.

Today, I asked a very highly placed source about this, and learned that the priesthood leader is not expected to ask women if they attend priesthood meeting, even though that's how the question is worded. And they don't have to ask a never-married 18-year-old if she has financial obligations to a former spouse or children.

 

Apparently, the Brethren have not outlawed common sense after all.

[Stargazer]

Today, I asked a very highly placed source about this, and learned that the priesthood leader is not expected to ask women if they attend priesthood meeting, even though that's how the question is worded. And they don't have to ask a never-married 18-year-old if she has financial obligations to a former spouse or children.

 

Apparently, the Brethren have not outlawed common sense after all.

 

Well, no.  Common sense is never illegal, I guess, just remarkably rarely seen.  As confirmation of this tenet, I offer: Congress.

[Hamba Tuhan]

My stake president was specifically told by a member of the Seventy not to alter the wording in any way. He had been changing the wording of "do you . . . attend your sacrament and priesthood meetings . . ." (that is the exact wording, by the way --- every member should be asked that) to ". . . priesthood or Relief Society meetings . . ." He was told in no uncertain terms that the women are to be asked that as well as the men, because we don't change any of the words in any way.

 

 

Today, I asked a very highly placed source about this, and learned that the priesthood leader is not expected to ask women if they attend priesthood meeting, even though that's how the question is worded. And they don't have to ask a never-married 18-year-old if she has financial obligations to a former spouse or children.

 

Apparently, the Brethren have not outlawed common sense after all.

 

Now we just have to figure out if your 'very highly placed source' trumps rongo's Seventy...

[rongo]

My guess is that the counsel on this varies from Seventy to Seventy. Maybe even from Apostle to Apostle.

 

I think this is a good thing. Each man gives counsel according to his temperament and experience, within certain boundaries. I can see the Brethren having different views on exact wording vs. "common sense" with respect to the recommend interview, and giving different counsel.

[Scott Lloyd]

My guess is that the counsel on this varies from Seventy to Seventy. Maybe even from Apostle to Apostle.

 

I think this is a good thing. Each man gives counsel according to his temperament and experience, within certain boundaries. I can see the Brethren having different views on exact wording vs. "common sense" with respect to the recommend interview, and giving different counsel.

Or it could be a matter of the rigidity increasing the further down the line it goes -- the sneeze that eventually becomes a hurricane.

[rongo]

I don't think even Unwritten Order of Things is consistent among the Twelve, and this specific example is a prime example of the UOT. I can certainly see visiting Seventies giving completely different (equally adamantly held) views on this and many other items.

[Scott Lloyd]

I don't think even Unwritten Order of Things is consistent among the Twelve, and this specific example is a prime example of the UOT. I can certainly see visiting Seventies giving completely different (equally adamantly held) views on this and many other items.

I have yet to encounter a Seventy who says a priesthood leader has to ask a woman if she attends her priesthood meetings as she should, but I'll let you know if I do. 

[rongo]

I have yet to encounter a Seventy who says a priesthood leader has to ask a woman if she attends her priesthood meetings as she should, but I'll let you know if I do. 

I know of at least one . . .

 

It's not typically a conversational ice-breaker for me . . .

[Scott Lloyd]

I know of at least one . . .

Do you know of one, or have you heard tell of one?

 

 

It's not typically a conversational ice-breaker for me . . .

 

Not for me either -- unless the matter comes up in conversations like this one. Then I might make a point to ask people who know, as I did yesterday.

[rongo]

 

 

Not for me either -- unless the matter comes up in conversations like this one. Then I might make a point to ask people who know, as I did yesterday.

I have no doubt that you did. Was he giving his own view to you (how he sees it), or did he give you to believe that all of the other Brethren would give exactly the same answer?

[Scott Lloyd]

I have no doubt that you did. Was he giving his own view to you (how he sees it), or did he give you to believe that all of the other Brethren would give exactly the same answer?

It was one whose professional role is to understand and implement the position of the Brethren on a host of matters, this included.

[rongo]

Isn't that the role of all the Brethren, including Seventies and Area Authority Seventies?

 

Do you believe that all of the other Brethren would give exactly the same answer? Like I said, I know of one who didn't. My stake president asked him, and he told him very clearly that we don't alter the wording of the questions. I know this because my stake president told me that this Seventy had told him this in answer to his question, and our two conversations were not far removed from each other. 

[Scott Lloyd]

Isn't that the role of all the Brethren, including Seventies and Area Authority Seventies?

 

Do you believe that all of the other Brethren would give exactly the same answer? Like I said, I know of one who didn't. My stake president asked him, and he told him very clearly that we don't alter the wording of the questions. I know this because my stake president told me that this Seventy had told him this in answer to his question, and our two conversations were not far removed from each other. 

I'm no lawyer, but I think this is what might amount to hearsay evidence. Your conversation with the stake president may not have been far removed from your stake president's with the Area Seventy, but mine was a single, direct conversation.

 

Incidentally, the term "Area Authority Seventy" has been shortened to "Area Seventy."  (It can be confusing and difficult to keep up, I know. At first it was "Area Authority," then "Area Authority Seventy" and now "Area Seventy.")

Edited October 17, 2013 by Scott Lloyd

[rongo]

I'm no lawyer, but I think this is what might amount to hearsay evidence. Your conversation with the stake president may not have been far removed from your stake president's with the Area Seventy, but mine was a single, direct conversation.

 

Incidentally, the term "Area Authority Seventy" has been shortened to "Area Seventy."  (It can be confusing and difficult to keep up, I know. At first it was "Area Authority," then "Area Authority Seventy" and now "Area Seventy.")

There's no need to be legalistic about this. And it wasn't an Area Seventy (thanks for the clarification), it was a 1Q70 Brother. You can choose to discount my account because of "chain of custody" or "degrees of separation," or whatever. I was just reporting what I know to be true, and how I know it. If it makes you feel better to simply dismiss that, for you, fine. 

 

I'll ask you a third time, though: Do you believe that all of the other Brethren would give exactly the same answer on this question?

[Scott Lloyd]

There's no need to be legalistic about this. And it wasn't an Area Seventy (thanks for the clarification), it was a 1Q70 Brother. You can choose to discount my account because of "chain of custody" or "degrees of separation," or whatever. I was just reporting what I know to be true, and how I know it. If it makes you feel better to simply dismiss that, for you, fine. 

I'm not discounting or dismissing it at all. Just analyzing it. It may very well have transpired as you report it here. I would not be at all surprised if it did.

 

I'll ask you a third time, though: Do you believe that all of the other Brethren would give exactly the same answer on this question?

 

There's no way for me to know a thing like that, other than to try to poll each one, which, as I'm sure you can see, is unfeasible.

 

I will say that, based on the conversation and the source, I believe the prevailing position is as it is reflected in the conversation I have reported.

Edited October 17, 2013 by Scott Lloyd

[rongo]

 

 

There's no way for me to know a thing like that, other than to try to poll each one, which, as I'm sure you can see, is unfeasible.

 

 

What good is being a DN reporter?  Totally kidding!

 

I will say that, based on the conversation and the source, I believe the prevailing position is as it is reflected in the conversation I have reported.

 

Fair enough. And I believe that there is wide personal division on this particular question (and that it is fine that this is so. No harm accrues in either case).

[BCSpace]

Is there such a thing as a priesthood meeting?

 

Yes.  They are typically referring to the third (sometimes first) hour of the block for the men and young men.  It can also be defined as a meeting without refreshments.

[joshdobbins]

I am currently serving as a Bishop. The temple recommend question asks "do you attend your sacrament and priesthood meetings". The question is the same for men and women. I think a priesthood meeting is a meeting that is administered by priesthood authority. Relief Society, Young Women, Primary, Sunday School, and Young Men are all auxiliaries to the priesthood administered by priesthood authority. Generally, I believe this question refers to the three hour block on Sunday. I think it also refers to the other official Stake Meetings like the Stake Priesthood Meeting (Semi- Annual) Stake Conference and General Meetings such as the upcoming General Women's meeting on March 29th and the other sessions of General Conference.