User:FyzixFighter/sandbox/Melchizedek priesthood

In the LDS Church
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the largest Latter Day Saint denomination, priesthood holders meet at their ward or branch. Those who do not hold the priesthood are still invited and encouraged to attend with the elders quorum. However, priesthood duties can only be performed by those who are ordained.

Receiving the Melchizedek priesthood is considered to be a saving ordinance of the gospel in the LDS Church. A candidate for this ordination (worthy male member 18 years and older, regardless of how long they have been a member) is interviewed and often counseled to study the 84th, 107th, and 121st sections of the Doctrine and Covenants to begin to understand the oath and covenant of the priesthood, the covenant a person makes with God when he receives the Melchizedek priesthood. The candidate is also usually asked to stand in a gathering of the members of the church to be publicly accepted as being worthy of ordination.

Shortly after the establishment of the church, the ordination of blacks to the priesthood was prohibited; following a revelation received by then-church president Spencer W. Kimball, the prohibition was lifted in 1978.

Offices
The offices of the Melchizedek priesthood are listed in D&C ##:##.

In practical terms, the priesthood office of seventy is one which has varied widely over the course of history. In 1883, church president John Taylor localized the quorums of seventy. Each stake was given a quorum of seventy, and seventies in that stake would belong to that quorum. n 1986, all stake quorums of the seventy were discontinued. The church encouraged local leaders to have ordained seventies meet with the local elders quorum or to ordain them as high priests.

Any other interesting office-related things?

Quorums and presidencies
Holders of priesthood offices are organized into quorums. The quorums are a brotherhood where members of the quorum assist each other, teach one another, and delegate particular responsibilities to individuals or committees. Members of the church who do not maintain the standards and people who are not members of the church are invited to participate in the quorum to enjoy the brotherhood and support, although they may not be given certain quorum responsibilities.

Summary of changes in Seventy quorum.

Summary of recent change to high priest groups/quorums at local levels.

Add quorum of the First Presidency to this table.

Each quorum in the church has a presidency attached to it. A presidency is usually composed of three members: the president and two counselors. At the local level of the church, the stake president is the president of the high priest quorum and in each ward or branch a member of the local elders quorum is selected to be the elders quorum president. Typically, a president is selected and he chooses the two counselors whom he would like to serve with him. On very rare occasions there may be only one counselor or three counselors. Usually, a secretary is also called by the president to serve, but he is not considered a part of the presidency. Each of the counselors is given a precedence, for instance, "first counselor" and "second counselor".

The two exceptions to these general rules are the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which is presided by a single president; and the Presidency of the Seventy, which consists of seven presidents equal in authority.

The counselors serve under the direction of the president and share in his responsibilities. The president may assign each counselor to handle certain areas of responsibility. The president bears the sole burden of being the final arbiter of decisions, but he is advised to receive advice from his counselors and pay close attention to their opinions and insights.

When the president is released, the counselors are also released.

Priesthood keys and leadership callings
Explanation of priesthood keys. Priesthood keys are held by the priesthood authority responsible for authorizing the performance of certain ordinances in certain areas. Priesthood keys are also related to leadership in the church. Keys are held by
 * First Presidency members
 * Quorum of 12
 * All quorum presidents
 * temple presidents
 * mission presidents

There are leadership callings that operate within the Melchizedek priesthood that do not require keys. Stake high council. Area presidencies.