Question
Dear Gramps,
I were recently called as a president of the elders quorum. I am a little confused as regards to what the keys to serve as a quorum president are. An elders quorum president is called by the stake president, but most issues have to be accepted by the branch presidency. So what do these keys consist of? Thanks for your time.
John
Answer
Dear John,
I have absolutely no authority to speak for the Mormon Church in any manner. So I can only offer you my own personal opinion on matters relating to Church organization and functions. For any definitive information relating to your question you would be well advised to refer to the Stake High Councilman assigned to your Branch or to your Stake President.
However, my understanding is that the keys of the priesthood generally represent the authority to make decisions in the area of authority under consideration. In the organized stakes of the Mormon Church, the Stake President has the keys of the priesthood related to that particular stake. He is the president of the High Priests Quorum in the Stake. He may organize various High Priest Groups within the Stake, which would be presided over Group Leaders and their assistants. He may also organize several Elders Quorums, as need demands. The usual procedure in the stakes of the Mormon Church today is to organize one Elders Quorum in each Ward in the Stake.
In the organized Stakes where there is an Elders quorum in each Ward, both the Bishop of the Ward and the President of the Elders Quorum have certain keys. However, the Bishop, in addition to being the President of the Aaronic Priesthood, which is part of the office of Bishop, is also the presiding High Priest in the Ward, and as such presides over the Melchizedek Priesthood members in the Ward. In performing Melchizedek Priesthood functions in the Ward, the quorum leaders operate in cooperation with and with the approval of the Bishop of the Ward.
In the case of a Branch organized in a Stake, there is generally insufficient Priesthood or insufficient numbers of members, or both, to warrant the organization of a Ward. If an Elders Quorum is organized within the boundaries of the Branch, I would imagine that the Elders Quorum President would cooperate with the Branch President in exactly the same manner as an Elders Quorum President would cooperate with the Bishop of his Ward.
Gramps
