Teacher (Latter Day Saints)

Teacher is a priesthood office in the Aaronic priesthood of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Teachers in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Young men who reach the age of 14 are integrated into the Teachers Quorum. Those who are found worthy by their bishop (in an interview) are ordained in a similar manner as Deacons, except that the Aaronic Priesthood is not conferred upon them again if they have already received it as a Deacon. A Priest or a holder of the Melchizedek Priesthood may ordain a person to the office of Teacher.

As specified in the Doctrine and Covenants, a Teachers Quorum may not contain more than 24 members. As a result, in some larger wards there are two Teacher Quorums. A presidency, consisting of a president, first counselor, and second counselor, is called from members of the quorum by the bishopric and set apart to serve as the presidency of the Teachers Quorum. The president is given "priesthood keys" to preside in his quorum. A secretary to the presidency is also called.

The duties of a Teacher are to assist the Priests in taking care of the temporal needs of the Church, and "to warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ". Teachers are permitted to assist in preparing the sacrament, usher during sacrament meeting, and perform all the duties of a Deacon. Teachers are also typically paired with an adult male (often their father) to do home teaching.

As the church in the United States and Canada sponsors troops of the Boy Scouts of America and Scouts Canada programs, many Teachers participate in these Scouting programs as well. The adult ward leaders of the Young Men Organization are frequently also leaders in the Scout troop, but the priesthood quorums and the Scouts are not otherwise connected.

An adult Teachers Quorum adviser is called to assist the Teachers. Sometimes an assistant adviser is also called.

After an interview with the bishop, Teachers who are deemed worthy are ordained to the office of Priest at the age of sixteen, whereupon they will become members of the Priests Quorum.