russellhltn wrote:I'd suggest consulting Handbook 2: 8.8, 7.1.1, and 7.6.
They seem to suggest an 18 year old priest should stay with the priests until they either turn 19 or are ordained an elder. Which strikes me as a bit odd, but there it is.
I don't think so. At the latest, a young man becomes a prospective elder when he turns 19. But the bishop, consulting with the young man and his parents, determines whether he would be better served in continuing as a member of the priests quorum, or beginning to meet with the elders quorum.
The decision is usually made when the priest graduates from high school and the transition usually occurs during that summer. If he is still 17, he usually stays with the priests quorum. If he is 18 but not yet ready to be ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood, he might also stay with the priests. Or the bishop may determine that the elders quorum is best able to help him prepare for ordination.
Many young men who are 18 and graduate are preparing for college and missions, begin associating with the young single adults, and are better served by the elders quorum as they prepare for their future.