Do you know a young Latter-day Saint who will soon be turning 12? Meridian Magazine shares five things every young man and woman should understand about the Aaronic priesthood.
The Aaronic Priesthood was restored by John the Baptist, the same man who baptized Jesus Christ
Every primary child knows that Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist. What fewer realize is that the same John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith as an angel to give him the same power to baptize. This means that we have the same priesthood power to baptize that was used to baptize Jesus Christ! That is a bold and powerful claim. Equally bold is the invitation we give to every worthy young man in the Church to hold and exercise that same priesthood. Every deacon in this church holds the same priesthood as John the Baptist! . . .
Women also have priesthood authority in their Church callings.
It is important for a young man to understand that although only men hold the priesthood by being ordained to priesthood office, women in the Church also have priesthood authority to serve in their callings and to represent Jesus Christ. As President Dallin H. Oaks has explained, “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 [a calling] … she is given priesthood authority to perform a priesthood function” (Ensign, May 2014)...