1st The excerpt from the Official Letter from the First Presidency:
“The Primary’s Priesthood Preview meeting will be modified to include both 11-year-old boys and girls and will be called the Temple and Priesthood Preparation meeting. This will be an opportunity for Priesthood, Primary, and youth leaders to help girls and boys, and their parents, understand the significant blessings of temple service, priesthood service, and making and keeping sacred covenants. For more information, see Primary.lds.org.”2nd the Temple & Priesthood Preparation Meeting Invitation
Date and Time:
Mostly I've seen Sundays in the evening 6pm or Sundays during Primary. I think I'd prefer during primary so it's not something extra I need to attend, but I realize that could prove even more difficult for the Primary Presidency, Bishopric and YM & YW leaders, should they be invited to attend. Although I guess you could make it part of the lesson for YW & YM. Like I've said, so many have done it during regular church time, that it must work for them. I'd like to know what worked for you? Comment below!
Address:
I love the address, so please provide that, because if you have any non-active families, they may not know exactly where the building is. I put the address on all of our ward invites. Plus then the invite doesn't look empty there.
Sunday Dress:
Honestly, this one is up to you! It's technically ALL up to you. Honestly, when it comes to youth, sometimes just getting them there is hard enough, and adding "attire" makes it less appealing to them, but remember your topic and theme to help guide your decision.
Refreshments Served:
If you're worried the youth won't want to come, be sure to add "Refreshments Served" or Desserts Served" because they will be there! Even if it's cookies. We might be on a diet or whatever, but they love that stuff and let's be honest again, that's why we all go to meetings in the first place. Deep down you know I'm right. ;) Sure after we get there we feel the Spirit and then we don't NEED a treat but the alluring treat really got us there. I heart warm from scratch chocolate chip cookies, but no one has time for that, so buy a couple of cases of cookies and get a cute platter and set them out with napkins. OR a couple clients of mine decided to put the Cup Cake Toppers on Donuts instead of cupcakes. What a cute idea! I'm all about keeping it simple.
For Refreshments I designed these:
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| Use these for Cupcakes, Donuts, tags on bags or whever you think they'll be perfect on, I also have matching Dress and Tie cupcake toppers. |
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| Water Bottle Labels are clever! Also, a client requested item and it turned out better than I thought. |
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3rd The YW Can make the Refreshments for this!
Did you know you could also ask your ward's YW to make the treats for this event? You'd be surprised, one of my darling Beehives could make cupcakes like the professionals and I didn't even know it until I asked her to bring treats and she surprised us all! Trust the Youth to help with this. YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO IT ALL YOURSELF! (I've been there and it's really not that fun!)
4th The Matching Program
After having worked with over 60 sisters planning these Temple & Priesthood Meetings, I've learned a few things about how the Program could flow.
Here's the info you may need to pull this Meeting together.
The Temple & Priesthood Prep Meeting Program
Date of Temple & Priesthood Prep Meeting:Mostly I've seen Sundays in the evening or Sundays during Primary.
WARD NAME:
If you have multiple wards in a building this is great to have!
CONDUCTING:
The person who will direct the meeting, usually a member of the Bishopric or Bishop himself.
PIANIST:
The person playing the Piano. I've left this blank also in case you don't have a Pianist in your ward, you could use speakers and a cell phone to play the music from the LDS Music App, but be sure you choose music which can be played from the App to be sure before choosing your music.
CHORISTER:
Directing the Singing, be sure to get this person a copy of the music so they can practice beforehand.
OPENING SONG:
So many to choose from but the favorites I've seen are:
I Will Follow God’s Plan
I love to See the Temple
I'm a Child of God
Peace in Christ
We’ll Bring the World His Truth
Search, Ponder & Pray
As Sisters in Zion & We’ll Bring the world His Truth REMIX (If you're brave enough to try it, you'll need a good Chorister who knows the music for this)
Come Follow Me
WELCOME:
Could be done by YW President.
Young Woman & Young Man Names turning 12:
Personally, I like to put the girls names on the left and boys on the right, but I've seen it mixed too if you don't have an even amount.
Talks about COVENANTS & BLESSINGS:
This is just a starting point, you don't have to use COVENANTS & BLESSINGS. Here are other suggestions I've used which can be in the place of "Covenants & Blessings":
- "Covenants & Preparation"
- "Blessings & The Temple"
- "Covenants & Priesthood, Temple Experience, Blessings & Temple, followed by another Temple Experience"
- "Leadership, Temple, Making & Keeping Covenants, Priesthood"
- "Striving to be Worthy, Covenants, Blessings & Family History"
- "Video Presentation" has also been thrown in before.
Whatever you choose to do, please pray about it because each ward has different needs.
CLOSING REMARKS:
Usually the Bishop or maybe a YW President.
CLOSING SONG
In the program I put "I walk by Faith" LOL, that's more of a Young Woman Song so I would lean towards the Mutual Theme Song, "Peace in Christ."
Other fave ideas I've thrown in for peeps are:
So many to choose from but the favorites I've seen are the same as the Opening Song Options.
I Will Follow God’s Plan
I love to See the Temple
I'm a Child of God
Peace in Christ
We’ll Bring the World His Truth
Search, Ponder & Pray
As Sisters in Zion & We’ll Bring the world His Truth REMIX (If you're brave enough to try it, you'll need a good Chorister who knows the music for this)
Come Follow Me
SUNG BY:
Optional, I've had peeps request this because they like to perform special numbers, but if you don't have a special number, don't worry about it.
DESSERTS SERVED or REFRESHMENTS TO FOLLOW.
I'm pretty sure I went off on the refreshments earlier, (see above) In a nutshell though, BE SURE TO HAVE SOME!
To get more info on how to plan this meeting, what talks one might want to take quotes from or more, check out the official LDS.org Temple & Priesthood Preparation Page. They have some great info too.
I know it will be awesome, wish I could be there, the Youth are so amazing and they have such an excitement when they transition from Primary. Keep that fire of faith going!
Godspeed!
Comment and LMK what part in planning this meeting you thought was the hardest? and then how you feel it went?
