High Priest ordination for over 40's

We have been discussing when Elders can be ordained High Priests. HB1 16.7.1 indicates that it is for specific callings or when determined by the stake president.

I believe a letter was sent out some years ago saying something along the lines of those brethren over the age of 40 should be considered for advancement to high Priest.

Does anyone have a copy of this letter or recall it? I have looked on the communication library and it isn't there.

Our stake has a pretty good file of official letters going back 20 years, and we don't have that letter, so it must have been issued long ago. Even if you could locate such a letter, it would have been superseded by the current simple wording that you referred to.

There is currently no policy relating to a particular age. In our stake, it's not at all uncommon for brethren to remain elders throughout their 40s and well into their 50s.

It is possible the letter was issued by the Europe Area Presidency and I think it was sent 10 - 15 years ago.

Our stake president was wondering what would prompt an ordination to High Priest if not for a calling. I was hoping the letter might shed some light on this.

I concur with Alan. I have not seen such a letter and my experience goes back many more years. I have seen very few ordained high priests who did not hold a calling that required ordination. And I have never seen a high priest ordained solely on account of age, although I have heard of it happening from time to time.

As the handbook states, though, these ordinations are as determined by the stake president.

We occasionally ordain an Elder to High Priest because of age. If we have a 50+ Elder and most of the rest of the quorum is in their mid thirties, we will ordain him a High Priest so he can nap easier during quorum meeting without all the noise from babies.

As long as he is worthy, he should be where he is most comfortable peer-wise. Yeah, there is no hard fast rule about where Elders or High Priests actually attend quorum meeting and I have been in wards with High Priest Groups so small they are combined with the Elders. But he is probably more comfortable home teaching and being home taught by others his age.

I am 50+ yrs old, and have not had any callings that would require being a HP. I do not desire to be a High Priest, being an Elder is enough. Being the "old" one is not a reason to be a HP. Being off the radar of the stake president, I may never be a HP and that is fine.
Being the best Elder is enough. Presiding is not a responsibility I "need". That task is the only real difference.
Besides, most members of my ward are young, so in the HP I would still be older than most.

I was just looking for a minimum age for a high priest and came across this. My husband was ordained to be a high priest at about age 45-46 a couple of years ago. There was no calling that required it. There are several men older than him in Elders and he gets along with both groups well. We have no clue why there was a change. He was a ward mission leader then and is now in young men. The bishopric has changed. No idea.

The process for someone becoming a high priest without a specific calling that requires it is similar to someone becoming endowed without a pending mission or sealing. If a person is actively involved in the Lord's work, attends their Church meetings, shows maturity in understanding the gospel, and so forth, they could be considered as prospective high priests.

I also think that the decision for a person to be ordained a high priest has as much to do with the needs of the ward as it does the preparation of the individual. Among the duties of high priests are leading forward in family history and temple work, mentoring prospective elders, and watching over the widows. Do you have a lot of prospective elders or widows in your ward? Does family history and temple work need a jumpstart? Ordain more high priests and invite them to magnify their office.

Remember that older elders could be invited to meet with the high priests whether or not they are ordained to that office. This could help them feel more comfortable (with their peers) or help them prepare to become a high priest. But keep in mind that it is a priesthood office with specific duties and responsibilities – it's not just a "rite of passage" for older men.

sbradshaw wrote:Remember that older elders could be invited to meet with the high priests whether or not they are ordained to that office. This could help them feel more comfortable (with their peers) or help them prepare to become a high priest. But keep in mind that it is a priesthood office with specific duties and responsibilities – it's not just a "rite of passage" for older men.

I was a 42-year-old elder when I was invited to meet with the high priests group. That initially made me happy because I thought the high priests lessons would be more interesting than the elders lessons, but I found that was not necessarily the case. After a few months, I was called to be the HPG second assistant, and was ordained a high priest at that time.

I was in my mid fifties when I was ask to serve in a Bishopric. That's when I was ordained to the office of high priest. Then I served as HP second assistant in another ward. Now we are all going to meet together as one quorum thank goodness! I can sit with my son and son in law. Elder or high priest it's the same priesthood. No difference in power.

Hello there

A very interesting read.

I am approaching 50 years of age and have realised I am not a High Priest yet either..I believe it's because I'm possibly not spiritually qualified and that the Lord knows that, so it's no use trying to ask questions why.

Some of the youth I use to teach years ago are now bishops or in stake callings. Maybe marital situation or being single may not qualify one for that ordination..But whatever it is, I'm grateful to be a member of the Lord's true church.

Keidenlee1 wrote: Wed Jul 13, 2022 8:47 am I am approaching 50 years of age and have realised I am not a High Priest yet either..

This thread discussion was initiated before the changes to the General Handbook regarding calling to High Priest were changed. See General Handbook, 18.10.1.2, High Priests; "Men are ordained high priests when they are called to a stake presidency, high council, or bishopric. They may also be ordained at other times as determined by the stake president through prayerful consideration and inspiration."

Note that age is no longer mentioned as it was in the previous handbooks.

And with the High Priests and Elders meeting together for priesthood meeting there's not much difference for an Elder and a High Priest who isn't currently serving in a calling that requires that office.