Priesthood Preview

In the Faith in God booklet it says:

PRIESTHOOD PREVIEW

Each year, the bishopric meets with all 11-year-old boys and their parents to help them understand the importance of the priesthood and strengthen their commitment to prepare to receive it. Members of the Primary presidency also attend the meeting.

Some information some one sent in:

I called Salt Lake about this. It is totally up to your Bishop. He designs and plans his program based on the needs of the boys in his ward. His relationship with them helps to determine what he does. There are no written guidelines and there is no replacement program. It is up to him. He can use the Faith in God guidebook as his "guide".

Priesthood Preview Invite Here is a invite I put together, it is just the front of a half - fold card, just print it out, then turn it over and print your information on the other side and fold it! I have add (#4 and #5)  two more, there are two on a page.
Priesthood Previewinvite.zip	Priesthood Previewinvite2.zip	Priesthood Previewinvite3.zip	Priesthood Previewinvite4.zip	Priesthood Previewinvite5.zip

PRIESTHOOD PREVIEW

Guidelines for Priesthood and Primary Leaders

PURPOSE

Priesthood Preview is a meeting designed to strengthen each Valiant 11 boy’s commitment to prepare himself to receive the priesthood. The program focuses on each boy’s personal responsibility to learn and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.

(Note: In these guidelines, instructions for wards apply also to branches, and instructions for bishops apply also to branch presidents.)

PEOPLE WHO SHOULD ATTEND

All Valiant 11 boys and their parents should attend the Priesthood Preview. The bishop, bishopric adviser to the Primary, Primary president, and teacher of the Valiant 11 boys should also attend.

The Priesthood Preview is usually held on a ward level so each boy can participate fully and feel the personal love and interest of his parents and leaders. If wards have very few Valiant 11 boys, the program may be held on a multi-ward or stake level.

MEETING TIME

The Priesthood Preview is usually held in November.

PLANNING COMMITTEE

The planning committee for the Priesthood Preview includes the bishop, the bishopric adviser to the Primary, the Primary president, and the teacher of the Valiant 11 boys.

If the meeting is held on a stake level, the planning committee is under the direction of the stake president. The committee includes the high council adviser to the Primary and the stake Primary President. Representatives from each of the wards could be involved.

The planning committee determines the day, time, and place for the meeting. The committee also plans the program and invites the speakers to participate.

One Valiant 11 boy will be asked to prepare a brief talk, and all of the boys will sing the closing song. Other than this, however, the boys should not be involved in preparing the program. It is for them, and they are honored guests.

PROGRAM

The bishop conducts the meeting, following the outline below:

1. Greeting and welcome – Bishop (or stake president if the meeting is held on a stake level)
2. Song: “Onward, Christian Soldiers” (Hymns, no. 246) – Congregation
3. Prayer
4. Presentation: “Priesthood: Power to Serve Others” – Bishopric adviser to the Primary
5. Presentation: “Priesthood: Living a Christlike Life” – Teacher of the Valiant 11 boys (if a man) or a father of one of the boys
6. Response: “How Parents Can Help Their Sons Prepare to Receive the Priesthood” – Father
7. Response: “How I Can Prepare to Receive the Priesthood” – Valiant 11 boy
8. Presentation: “Priesthood: Personal Preparation” – Bishop
9. Song: “A Young Man Prepared” (Children’s Songbook,  p. 166) – Valiant 11 boys
10. Prayer

The presentations and responses are outlined below.

Presentation: “Priesthood: Power to Serve Others”

The bishopric adviser to the Primary conducts this presentation, which includes an activity and talk.

Activity

1.       Divide the group into teams made up of each boy and his parents.

2.       Give each team a word strip or an object that represents a source of power. Examples could include electricity, wind, water, magnetism, sun, atomic energy, money, and fuel (gasoline).

3.       Allow teams to answer the following questions:

a.      How can this source of power be used?

b.      How can we benefit from this source of power?

Write these discussion questions on the chalkboard or a chart.

4.       Have each boy and his parents share with the group (a) one way their source of power can be used and (b) one way people can benefit from it. These responses should be brief and informal, and the teams should give them from where they are seated.

Talk

The bishopric adviser concludes this section with a talk, “Priesthood: Power to Serve Others.” If the bishopric prefers, a young man in the ward whom the boys admire may give this talk.

The speaker should use the preceding activity and his own experiences to discuss the following ideas:

1. Priesthood is the greatest power on earth.
2. Priesthood gives us power to serve others in important ways.
3. Priesthood gives us the greatest blessings possible.

Presentation: “Priesthood: Living a Christlike Life”

The teacher of the Valiant 11 boys (if a man) or a father conducts this presentation, which includes a talk and activity as outlined below.

Preparation

1. Four weeks before the Priesthood Preview, the teacher of the Valiant 11 boys should contact the parents of each boy and ask them to observe a Christlike quality that their son is working to develop. These qualities could include giving service, showing faith, honoring parents, honoring leaders, obeying the commandments, being a peacemaker, being dependable, being teachable and humble, and showing love to family members.
2. The parents should observe their son for the next few weeks to watch for times when he demonstrates this quality. They should do this without their son’s knowledge.
3. They should then write a letter to their son complimenting him on his efforts to develop this quality and encouraging him in his preparation to receive the priesthood. They should bring this letter to the Priesthood Preview.

Talk

The teacher of the Valiant 11 boys (or father who has been invited to participate) should use the following ideas to introduce this section:

1. A priesthood bearer is a representative of Jesus Christ.
2. To represent the Savior, a priesthood bearer must try to live as Christ lived.
3. Each boy can develop the qualities that will help him live a Christlike life.
4. As he develops these qualities, he will be better prepared to represent Jesus Christ.

Activity

The teacher of the Valiant 11 boys (or the father who has been invited to participate) tells the boys that for the past few weeks their parents have been watching them develop a Christlike quality. He invites the parents to briefly share with the group the quality they have observed in their son. Then the parents should give their son the letter they have written.

Response: “How Parents Can Help Their Sons Prepare to Receive the Priesthood”

One of the fathers gives this response. He expresses his feelings about the messages of the evening and tells how parents can help their sons prepare to receive the priesthood.

Response: “How Can I Prepare to Receive the Priesthood”

One of the Valiant 11 boys gives this response. He expresses his feelings about preparing to receive the priesthood. He should include his commitment to live the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Presentation: “Priesthood: Personal Preparation”

The bishop gives this presentation.

Preparation

During class two weeks before the Priesthood Preview, the teacher of the Valiant 11 boys should conduct a discussion with the boys using the following questions:

1. How would you describe a boy who is worthy to receive the priesthood?
2. What kinds of questions do you think the bishop might ask you when he interviews you to receive the priesthood?
3. What questions would you like to ask the bishop about the priesthood?

The teacher of the Valiant 11 boys gives a list of the responses to the Primary president, and she gives it to the bishop. The boys’ names should not be included with the responses.

Discussion

The bishop uses the responses he receives from the Primary president to help him lead a discussion on personal preparation and worthiness for holding the priesthood. The discussion should allow the boys to ask questions and give responses in an informal setting.

This is an opportunity for the bishop to express his love and concern for each boy. He can review the message of the evening and tell the boys about the interview he will hold with them before they receive the priesthood. He may want to use Doctrine and Covenants 88:123-126 in the discussion.

Refreshments

Following the closing song and prayer, simple refreshments may be served. This should be a relaxed time when each boy can visit with his parents, friends, and leaders in an informal setting.

 Sample Outline:

Priesthood Preview Outline

Welcome: 

Opening Song:  
Opening Prayer:  

Deacon's Quorum President: 

"The Role of the Deacon's quorum"
                        * Helps fulfill Faith in God requirement.

Parent:

"How an Aaronic Priesthood holder can strengthen our home"

Bishopric Counselor: 

"The Aaronic Priesthood helps me prepare to serve a full time mission".

Bishop:

“The Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood and My Testimony of Joseph
Smith”.  (D&C 13, 107:20) and Joseph Smith History 1:68-73)
       

Closing Song:  "Called to Serve"

Closing Prayer: