The Priesthood: a Study Guide

Priesthood is defined as “[t]he authority and power that God gives to man to act in all things for the salvation of man.”¹ But what does that mean? Words relating to the priesthood, such as “power,” “authority,” and “keys,” are used in many different contexts and in many different ways. If we want to understand the priesthood, we need to study.

The Lord has said, “Let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.”² He has also said that we should “seek learning, even by study and also by faith.”³ Elder David A. Bednar has taught that learning by faith means “to obtain and apply spiritual knowledge,” and that we should learn “from experience.”⁴

In other words, if we want to understand the doctrine of the priesthood, we need to study, but we also need to live the principles that we learn. Only by applying the doctrine of the priesthood can we feel its authority and power and truly learn of its significance.

This study guide was created as a result of being invited to give a Relief Society lesson about women and the priesthood, so there are quite a few references to the role of women and their relationship with the priesthood. Although I have provided brief quotes with each reference, I would encourage a study of each resource, as I have noticed several patterns that run through all these materials.

Scriptures

There are many scriptures that teach priesthood principles, but the following are particularly relevant in helping us understand this important doctrine.

• Alma 13. “This high priesthood being after the order of his Son, which order was from the foundation of the world; or in other words, being without beginning of days or end of years, being prepared from eternity to all eternity, according to his foreknowledge of all things.”
• Doctrine and Covenants 13. “Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins.”
• Doctrine and Covenants 20. “The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days.”
• Doctrine and Covenants 84. “[A]ll those who receive the priesthood, receive this oath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved.”
• Doctrine and Covenants 107. “Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.”
• Doctrine and Covenants 110. “[T]he keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.”
• Doctrine and Covenants 121. “[T]he rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and [the] powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.”

General Handbook

The General Handbook is a practical resource to help us understand the priesthood, as it teaches how it is used to govern the church. It is worth studying the entire handbook, but the following sections are particularly relevant:

• 3. Priesthood Principles. “The priesthood is the authority and power of God. Through the priesthood, Heavenly Father accomplishes His work ‘to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man’ (Moses 1:39). God grants authority and power to His sons and daughters on earth to help carry out this work.
• 5. General and Area Leadership. “Jesus Christ is the ‘chief corner stone’ of His Church (Ephesians 2:20). He holds all priesthood keys. He calls apostles and prophets to assist in God’s work of salvation and exaltation. He confers upon these chosen servants all the keys that presently pertain to the kingdom of God on the earth.”
• 9. Relief Society. “Relief Society is a divinely instituted organization for all adult women in the Church. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the purpose of Relief Society is to save souls and relieve suffering. He stated that the Church of Jesus Christ was not fully organized until the sisters were so organized.”
• 18. Performing Priesthood Ordinances and Blessings. “Ordinances and blessings are sacred acts performed by the authority of the priesthood and in the name of Jesus Christ. As priesthood holders perform ordinances and blessings, they follow the Savior’s example of blessing others. Priesthood ordinances and blessings provide access to God’s power. Ordinances and blessings are to be performed with faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and according to the guidance of the Holy Ghost. Leaders ensure that they are performed with proper approval (where necessary), with the required priesthood authority, in the proper way, and by worthy participants.”
• 21. Ministering. “The Savior gave His disciples meaningful assignments (see Luke 10:1–17; see also 4.2.6 in this handbook). Following this pattern, we receive assignments to minister to specific individuals and families. An organized approach to ministering helps give each person opportunities to feel the Savior’s love.”

The Church’s Website

The official website of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has information approved and published by the Church. This information provides great resources to better understand the priesthood.

• Guide to the Scriptures, “Priesthood.” “The authority and power that God gives to man to act in all things for the salvation of man (D&C 50:26–27).”
• Guide to the Scriptures, “Keys of the Priesthood.” “Keys are the rights of presidency, or the power given to man by God to direct, control, and govern God’s priesthood on earth. Priesthood holders called to positions of presidency receive keys from those in authority over them. Priesthood holders use the priesthood only within the limits outlined by those who hold the keys. The President of the Church is the only person on earth who holds and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys (D&C 107:65–67, 91–92; 132:7).”
• Gospel Topics and Questions, “Priesthood.” “The word priesthood has two meanings. First, priesthood is the power and authority of God. . . . Second, in mortality, priesthood is the power and authority that God gives to man to act in all things necessary for the salvation of God’s children. The blessings of the priesthood are available to all who receive the gospel.”
• Gospel Topics and Questions, “Priesthood Keys.” “Jesus Christ holds all the keys of the priesthood pertaining to His Church. He has conferred upon each of His Apostles all the keys that pertain to the kingdom of God on earth. The President of the Church is the only person authorized to exercise all those priesthood keys. Temple presidents, mission presidents, stake presidents, bishops, and quorum presidents also hold priesthood keys that allow them to preside over and direct the work they have been commissioned to do. Because of the keys of the priesthood, we can have access to the ordinances, covenants, blessings, and powers we need in order to return to live with our Heavenly Father and our Savior and become like Them.”
• “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” “Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.”

General Conference

Twice a year, in April and October, general authorities and general officers of the Church speak on behalf of the Lord. The importance of these messages is consistently emphasized, as shown by President Russell M. Nelson during the October 2024 conference: “In this conference, the Lord has spoken to us through His servants. I urge you to study their messages. Use them as a litmus test of what is true and what is not during the next six months.”⁵ There are many general conference talks that help us better understand the doctrine of the priesthood.

President Russell M. Nelson

President Russell M. Nelson was set apart as the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in January 2018, and before that had been serving as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since April 1984.

• “Celestial Marriage,” October 2008. “The noblest yearning of the human heart is for a marriage that can endure beyond death. Fidelity to a temple marriage does that. It allows families to be together forever. . . . To make this goal possible, our Heavenly Father has restored priesthood keys in this dispensation so that essential ordinances in His plan can be performed by proper authority. Heavenly messengers—including John the Baptist; Peter, James, and John; Moses, Elias, and Elijah—have participated in that restoration.”
• “A Plea to My Sisters,” October 2015. “We need women who are devoted to shepherding God’s children along the covenant path toward exaltation; women who know how to receive personal revelation, who understand the power and peace of the temple endowment; women who know how to call upon the powers of heaven to protect and strengthen children and families; women who teach fearlessly.”
• “Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel,” October 2018. “My dear sisters, you have special spiritual gifts and propensities. Tonight I urge you, with all the hope of my heart, to pray to understand your spiritual gifts—to cultivate, use, and expand them, even more than you ever have. You will change the world as you do so.”
• “Spiritual Treasures,” October 2019. “Every woman and every man who makes covenants with God and keeps those covenants, and who participates worthily in priesthood ordinances, has direct access to the power of God. Those who are endowed in the house of the Lord receive a gift of God’s priesthood power by virtue of their covenant, along with a gift of knowledge to know how to draw upon that power.”

President Dallin H. Oaks

President Dallin H. Oaks was set apart as the First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in January 2018, and before that had been serving as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since April 1984.

• “Taking upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ,” April 1985. “Willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ can therefore be understood as willingness to take upon us the authority of Jesus Christ. According to this meaning, by partaking of the sacrament we witness our willingness to participate in the sacred ordinances of the temple and to receive the highest blessings available through the name and by the authority of the Savior when he chooses to confer them upon us.”
• “The Aaronic Priesthood and the Sacrament,” October 1998. “In general, the blessings of spiritual companionship and communication are only available to those who are clean. As explained earlier, through the Aaronic Priesthood ordinances of baptism and the sacrament, we are cleansed of our sins and promised that if we keep our covenants we will always have His Spirit to be with us. I believe that promise not only refers to the Holy Ghost but also to the ministering of angels, for ‘angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ’ (2 Ne. 32:3). So it is that those who hold the Aaronic Priesthood open the door for all Church members who worthily partake of the sacrament to enjoy the companionship of the Spirit of the Lord and the ministering of angels.”
• “The Relief Society and the Church,” April 1992. “When he ‘turn[ed] the key,’ the Prophet Joseph Smith made the Relief Society an official part of the Church and kingdom of God. This opened to women new opportunities for receiving knowledge and intelligence from on high, such as through the temple ordinances that were soon to be instituted. Similarly, as the Prophet promised them in connection with their charitable service, ‘If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates’ (minutes, 28 Apr. 1842, p. 38; History of the Church, 4:605).”
• “Priesthood Authority in the Family and the Church,” October 2005. “Priesthood authority functions in both the family and the Church. The priesthood is the power of God used to bless all of His children, male and female. Some of our abbreviated expressions, like ‘the women and the priesthood,’ convey an erroneous idea. Men are not ‘the priesthood.’ Priesthood meeting is a meeting of those who hold and exercise the priesthood. The blessings of the priesthood, such as baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, the temple endowment, and eternal marriage, are available to men and women alike. The authority of the priesthood functions in the family and in the Church according to the principles the Lord has established.”
• “The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood,” April 2014. “We are not accustomed to speaking of women having the authority of the priesthood in their Church callings, but what other authority can it be? When a woman—young or old—is set apart to preach the gospel as a full-time missionary, she is given priesthood authority to perform a priesthood function. The same is true when a woman is set apart to function as an officer or teacher in a Church organization under the direction of one who holds the keys of the priesthood. Whoever functions in an office or calling received from one who holds priesthood keys exercises priesthood authority in performing her or his assigned duties.”

President Henry B. Eyring

President Henry B. Eyring was called as a counselor in the First Presidency in October 2007, and before that had been serving as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since April 1995.

• “Women and Gospel Learning in the Home,” October 2018. “As daughters of God, you have an innate and great capacity to sense the needs of others and to love. That, in turn, makes you more susceptible to the whisperings of the Spirit. The Spirit can then guide what you think, what you say, and what you do to nurture people so the Lord may pour knowledge, truth, and courage upon them.”

Current Members of the Quorum of the Twelve

• D. Todd Christofferson, “The Power of Covenants,” April 2009. “In all the ordinances, especially those of the temple, we are endowed with power from on high. This ‘power of godliness’ comes in the person and by the influence of the Holy Ghost. The gift of the Holy Ghost is part of the new and everlasting covenant. It is an essential part of our baptism, the baptism of the Spirit. It is the messenger of grace by which the blood of Christ is applied to take away our sins and sanctify us (see 2 Nephi 31:17). It is the gift by which Adam was ‘quickened in the inner man’ (Moses 6:65). It was by the Holy Ghost that the ancient Apostles endured all that they endured and by their priesthood keys carried the gospel to the known world of their day.”
• Neil L. Andersen, “Power in the Priesthood,” October 2013. “While there are many things we do know about the priesthood, seeing through the lens of mortality does not always give a complete understanding of the workings of God. But His gentle reminder, ‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ reassures us that with time and eternal perspective we will see things ‘as they really are’ and more completely understand His perfect love.”
• Gary E. Stevenson, “Where Are the Keys and Authority of the Priesthood?” April 2016. “My young brothers and sisters, you may not realize it, but the keys of the gathering of Israel, restored by Moses, enable missionary work in our dispensation. Consider the full-time missionary force of approximately 75,000 laboring in the field under the direction of these keys..”
• Dale G. Renlund, “Your Divine Nature and Eternal Destiny,” April 2022. “In the temple, we learn who we are and where we have been. . . . We live as perpetual children if we are ignorant of the eternal perspective gained in temples. There we grow up in the Lord, ‘receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost,’ and become more fully committed as disciples of the Savior. As we keep our covenants, we receive God’s power in our lives.”

Former Members of the Quorum of the Twelve

Ezra Taft Benson once taught, “The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.”⁶ He continued, “[T]he most important prophet, so far as you and I are concerned, is the one living in our day and age to whom the Lord is currently revealing His will for us. . . . Our marching orders for each six months are found in the general conference addresses, which are printed in the Ensign magazine. . . . Beware of those who would pit the dead prophets against the living prophets, for the living prophets always take precedence.”⁷ However, former general conference talks still contain vital and significant doctrine.

• Bruce R. McConkie, “The Doctrine of the Priesthood,” April 1982. Bruce R. McConkie was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from October 1972 until his death in April 1985. “Truly there is power in the priesthood—a power which we seek to acquire to use, a power which we devoutly pray may rest upon us and upon our posterity forever.”
• Boyd K. Packer, “The Relief Society,” April 1998. Boyd K. Packer was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from April 1970 until his death in July 2015. “However much priesthood power and authority the men may possess—however much wisdom and experience they may accumulate—the safety of the family, the integrity of the doctrine, the ordinances, the covenants, indeed the future of the Church rest equally upon the women. The defenses of the home and family are greatly reinforced when the wife and mother and daughters belong to Relief Society.”
• Boyd K. Packer, “The Power of the Priesthood,” April 2010. “The authority of the priesthood is with us. After all that we have correlated and organized, it is now our responsibility to activate the power of the priesthood in the Church. Authority in the priesthood comes by way of ordination; power in the priesthood comes through faithful and obedient living in honoring covenants. It is increased by exercising and using the priesthood in righteousness.”
• L. Tom Perry, “Fatherhood, an Eternal Calling,” April 2004. L. Tom Perry was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from April 1974 until his death in May 2015. “Brethren, there is too little religious devotion, love, and fear of God, in the home; too much worldliness, selfishness, indifference, and lack of reverence in the family, or it never would exist so abundantly on the outside. Then, the home is what needs reforming. Try today, and tomorrow, to make a change in your home.”

BYU Speeches and Publications

Brigham Young University is “founded, supported, and guided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”⁸ It has journals, weekly devotionals, and other studies focused on the gospel of Jesus Christ. The following resources are from talks given or articles written at BYU about the priesthood.

• M. Russell Ballard, “Let Us Think Straight,” BYU Speeches, August 20, 2013. M. Russell Ballard was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from October 1985 until his death in November 2023. “Men and women are equal in God’s eyes and in the eyes of the Church, but equal does not mean, brothers and sisters, that they are the same. The responsibilities and divine gifts of men and women differ in their nature but not in their importance or influence. Our Church doctrine places women equal to and yet different from men. God does not regard either gender as better or more important than the other. President Gordon B. Hinckley declared to you women that ‘our Eternal Father . . . never intended that you should be less than the crowning glory of His creations.'”
• M. Russell Ballard, “Women of Dedication, Faith, Determination, and Action,” BYU Women’s Conference, May 1, 2015. “Although the Church plays a pivotal role in proclaiming, announcing, and administering the necessary ordinances of salvation and exaltation, all of that, as important as it is, is really just the scaffolding being used in an infinite and eternal construction project to build, support, and strengthen the family. And just as scaffolding is eventually taken down and put away to reveal the final completed building, so too will the mortal, administrative functions of the Church eventually fade as the eternal family comes fully into view. In that context, it’s important to remember that our Church assignments are only temporary, and that at some point we will all be released either by our leaders or by death. But we will never be released from our eternal callings within the family.”
• Julie B. Beck, “Opening Session,” BYU Women’s Conference, April 29, 2011. Julie B. Beck was the General Relief Society President from 2007 until 2012. “Relief Society is a restoration or a bringing back of an ancient pattern and practice of discipleship. Relief Society on a general and local level has a president, and a president is a spiritual leader of an organization that has set purposes and work to do. We are to increase our faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help those who are in need. The Lord can’t build His kingdom without Relief Society. It’s in its ascendancy in importance and value and the Lord’s kingdom is going forward. In the future it is going to require strong leadership from all women.”
• Jean B. Bingham, “Endowed with Priesthood Power,” BYU Women’s Conference, May 2, 2019. Jean B. Bingham was the General Relief Society President from 2017 to 2022. “To all of us who have daughters and sons, nieces and nephews, young women and young men – will you teach them this? Teach them that in church callings, temple ordinances, family relationships, and quiet, individual ministry, Latter‐day Saint women and men go forward with priesthood power and authority Teach them that the interdependence of men and women in accomplishing God’s work through His priesthood power is central to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and will help prepare the world for the Savior’s second coming.”
• Linda K. Burton, “Priesthood: A Sacred Trust to Be Used for the Benefit of Men, Women, and Children,” BYU Women’s Conference, May 3, 2013. Linda K. Burton was the General Relief Society President from 2012 to 2017. “[H]ow much do we really know or understand about this divine gift, the priesthood of God? If someone asked you the following questions, perhaps a child or a friend who is a member of another faith, could you give an answer? What is the priesthood? What is the difference between the Aaronic Priesthood and the Melchizedek Priesthood? What are the priesthood responsibilities of a deacon? a teacher? a priest? an elder? a high priest? a Seventy? an Apostle? the President of the Church? What are the keys of the priesthood? Who holds priesthood keys? Why is the priesthood so important? I will address a few of these questions and then invite you to exercise your agency and discover for yourselves answers to the other questions.”
• Lisa Olsen Tait, “What Is Women’s Relationship to Priesthood?” in BYU Studies 60:3, 2021, 241, https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/what-is-womens-relationship-to-priesthood. This excellent (and lengthy) article addresses a history of the use of terms relating to women and the priesthood. “[T]his essay takes a descriptive, contextual approach to tracing key inflection points in Latter-day Saints’ discussions of women’s relationship to the priesthood. . . . [T]he meaning and usage of many priesthood-related terms—such as ‘ordain,’ ‘set apart,’ ‘confer,’ ‘keys,’ and ‘preside’—have changed over time, and such terms were often used with less precision than in current practice and publications”

Books

Barbara Morgan Gardner, “The Priesthood Power of Women,” Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2019. “The Priesthood Power of Women relies on the standard works and teachings of the living prophets to help all members, especially women, more fully understand God’s power and take full advantage of the powers, blessings, and privileges available to them in this mortal journey by clarifying truth regarding the priesthood, for both men and women, further expanding our knowledge of the priesthood, and strengthening and empowering us as we seek to better fulfill our priesthood responsibilities and make full use of priesthood privileges.”

Sheri Dew, “Women and the Priesthood: What One Latter-day Saint Woman Believes. Revised edition.” Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2021. “In Women and the Priesthood, Sheri Dew discusses the varying responsibilities of men and women in the context of key doctrine of the Church, including the eternal truths that women are vital to the success of the Lord’s Church, that God expects women to receive revelation, and that both men and women have access to God’s highest spiritual blessings. This enlightening book shows how studying the doctrine of the priesthood will help you find the answers you seek about women and the priesthood, about women in the Church, and about the vital influence righteous women can have in the world.”

Renlund, Dale G., and Ruth Lybbert Renlund, “The Melchizedek Priesthood: Understanding the Doctrine, Living the Principles,” Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2018. “This insightful book by Elder Dale G. and Sister Ruth Lybbert Renlund helps men better understand the principles and doctrine of the Melchizedek Priesthood and learn how to properly exercise it in their daily lives. Section One presents the foundations of the priesthood, explaining basics about what it is, what it is for, and the commandments that govern its use. Section two gives fifteen principles that act as a ‘primer’ for using the priesthood more effectively. A few of these principles include ‘A Priesthood Holder Must Be Willing to Be Presided Over,’ ‘A Priesthood Holders Uses Councils Effectively,’ and ‘A Priesthood Holder Judges Righteously.’ Elder and Sister Renlund’s joint quest in studying the priesthood and its application offers a model for how men and women can work together in their understanding and teaching about the priesthood.”

Conclusion

These resources are lengthy, but they answer a lot of questions that many may have about the priesthood. Studying this information has helped me to gain a deeper understanding of the priesthood, and what it means to have priesthood power. This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but a study of these materials will provide a significant foundation for additional research.

References

1. Guide to the Scriptures, “Priesthood,” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/gs/priesthood?lang=eng. ↩︎
2. Doctrine and Covenants 107:99. ↩︎
3. Doctrine and Covenants 88:118. ↩︎
4. David A. Bednar, “Seek Learning by Faith,” Ensign, September 2007, 60-68, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2007/09/seek-learning-by-faith?lang=eng&id=p19#p19. ↩︎
5. Russell M. Nelson, “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again,” October 2024, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2024/10/57nelson?lang=eng. ↩︎
6. Ezra Taft Benson, “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet,” BYU Speeches, February 26, 1980, https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/ezra-taft-benson/fourteen-fundamentals-following-prophet/. ↩︎
7. Benson, “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet.” ↩︎
8. BYU Mission Statement, https://www.byu.edu/about. ↩︎