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I have said these things unto you that I might awaken you to a sense of
your duty to God, that ye may walk blameless before him, that ye may walk
after the holy order of God. —Alma
7:22
The First Presidency
"In January 2000, we introduced an Aaronic Priesthood Achievement
program in areas outside the United States and Canada where Scouting was
not available. The purpose of the program is to help young men prepare for
the Melchizedek Priesthood, the temple endowment, a full‑time mission, marriage,
and fatherhood. This program has now been adapted for use in the United States
and Canada to include the important role of Scouting in the development of
young men. The name has been changed to Aaronic Priesthood: Fulfilling Our Duty to God. . . .
"We desire all young men to strive to earn the Eagle Scout and Duty to
God Awards. We desire all young women to strive to earn the Young Womanhood
Recognition. As youth work on these goals, they will develop skills and attributes
that will lead them to the temple and prepare them for a lifetime of service
to their families and the Lord" (First Presidency letter, Sept. 28, 2001).
"The books For the Strength of Youth; Aaronic Priesthood:
Fulfilling Our Duty to God; and Young Women Personal Progress help
young men and young women understand what Heavenly Father wants them to do
and be. The books provide a resource for you, as parents and leaders,
to help the youth prepare for the temple endowment, missions, temple marriage,
and parenthood.
"We hope that every young man earns the Duty to God Award. We hope that
every young woman earns the Young Womanhood Recognition. The requirements for
earning these awards are challenging and rewarding. We are grateful to parents
and leaders who help the youth achieve them. May the Lord bless you as you
help the youth of the Church go forward to meet the great responsibilities
that await them" ("Message from the First Presidency," Guidebook
for Parents and Leaders of Youth [2001], 1–2).
"You have a responsibility to learn what Heavenly Father wants you
to do and then to do your best to follow His will. This guidebook, along
with For
the Strength of Youth, will help you learn and do your duty to God.
We hope you will earn the Duty to God Award and that it will become a symbol
of your preparation to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood" ("Message
from the First Presidency," Aaronic Priesthood: Fulfilling Our Duty to God,
Deacon [2001], 4).
President Thomas S. Monson
"The Aaronic Priesthood prepares boys for manhood and the weightier
duties of the Melchizedek Priesthood. . . . To all the Aaronic Priesthood assembled
tonight with your fathers and your leaders, the priesthood program of the Church,
with its accompanying activities, including Scouting, will help and not hinder
you as you journey through life" ("The Upward Reach," Ensign, Nov. 1993, 48, 50).
"What a privilege to learn the discipline of duty. A young man will automatically turn from concern for self when he is assigned to 'watch over' others. . . .
"Miracles are everywhere to be found when priesthood callings are magnified. When faith replaces doubt, when selfless service eliminates selfish striving, the power of God brings to pass His purposes. The priesthood is not really so much a gift as it is a commission to serve, a privilege to lift, and an opportunity to bless the lives of others. . . .
"I love the motto: 'Do [your] duty; that is best; Leave unto [the] Lord the rest!'
"Active service in the Aaronic Priesthood will prepare you young men to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood, to serve missions, and to marry in the holy temple" ("Do Your Duty—That Is Best," Ensign, Nov. 2005, 57, 59; citations omitted).
President James E. Faust
"You young men are a chosen generation for whom the future holds
great promise. The future may require you to compete with young men in a
worldwide market. You need special training. You may be selected for training
not because of some extraordinary achievement or great thing, but because
you got your Eagle Scout Award, your Duty to God Award, graduated from seminary,
or served a mission.
"In the parable of talents, the one who had increased his talents was
told, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a
few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy
of thy lord' (Matthew 25:23). May we all be faithful in doing the day‑to‑day, ordinary things
that prove our worthiness, for they will lead us to and qualify us for great
things" (" 'Some Great Thing,' " Ensign, Nov. 2001, 49).
Elder M. Russell Ballard
"We have confidence in the youth of the Church and love and respect
them for who they are. They are tempted from every side, but they are faithful
and strong. . . . [The guidebooks] will give the youth added strength and courage.
The guidebooks teach gospel standards and will help the youth do their duty. . . .
"We want every young man to enter the elders quorum with his Duty to
God Award. We want every young woman to enter Relief Society with her Young
Womanhood Recognition.
"There is nothing more important than helping our children
and youth learn the teachings of the Savior and remain faithful. We are grateful
for the leadership of parents, bishoprics, and other youth leaders. Their good
example and consistent support in assisting our young men and young women are
essential" (in "Helping Youth Develop Faith, Courage," Church News, Oct. 27, 2001, 3).
"In years to come, as young men advance in the Aaronic Priesthood and
are ordained elders, . . . I see them coming to their elders quorum president with
their Duty to God certificates in hand, saying, 'I'm ready to serve the Lord' " (in "Teaming Up for Youth," Ensign, Jan.
2002, 8).
Elder Robert D. Hales
"It is important the youth know who they are—sons and daughters
of God. It is important that they know what they are trying to achieve in
life—that is, to return back into the presence of their Heavenly Father with
their families. Because the youth are so blessed, it is also important that
they learn and do their duty to God. . . .
"Some of the great blessings of the Duty to God and Personal Progress
programs are that as youth of the Church, they will have a clear understanding
of who they are, they will be accountable for their actions, they will take
responsibility for the conduct of their lives, and they will be able to set
goals so that they might achieve what they were sent to earth to achieve. Our
plea is that each young man and each young woman will strive to do his or her
very best. . . .
"I hope that parents and leaders will understand that the young men and
young women for whom they have responsibility have been prepared to come to
earth at this particular time for a sacred and glorious purpose. I hope the
parents and leaders will do what they need to do to help the youth accomplish
that purpose. . . .
"During the preparatory period of their lives it is so important that
young men and young women cultivate spiritual growth, physical growth, education,
personal development, career preparation, citizenship, and social skills. These
qualities are all part of their duty to God and will help them in the decisions
that lie ahead for the next decades of their lives" (in "Helping Youth Develop Faith, Courage," Church News, Oct.
27, 2001, 3).
"The Duty to God Award will assist young men to meet the future
challenges of life and to achieve the purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood. . . .
"If you will fulfill the requirements for these priesthood duties and
personal attributes, you will prepare yourselves for the Melchizedek Priesthood
responsibilities and future challenges in your life. I promise you that your
achievement of the Duty to God Award will provide you with a living testimony
that will sustain you throughout your life.
"Where available, Scouting can also help you in this effort. We encourage
you to participate in Scouting. Many of the Scouting requirements can fill
goals and requirements of the Duty to God certificates.
"Scouting is part of the Aaronic Priesthood activity program. The Duty
to God Award is a priesthood award, having requirements that will help you
develop spiritually and fulfill your priesthood duties.
"Some of the great blessings of these programs that have been developed
are that as the youth of the Church, you will have a clear understanding of
who you are, you will be accountable for your actions, you will take responsibility
for the conduct of your life, and you will be able to set goals so that you
might achieve what you were sent to earth to achieve. Our plea is that you
strive to do your very best. . . .
" . . . By fulfilling your duty to God, you will bring blessings not only
to your own life but to the lives of others.
"Giving service to others is one of the purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood.
As a requirement for the Duty to God Award, at least once each year you will
have a service project that will provide an opportunity for significant service
to your family, the Church, or the community. As you help and serve others,
you will learn that the following scripture is a very essential part of the
gospel: 'Inasmuch as ye do it unto the least of these, ye do it unto me' (D&C
42:38).
"I hope the parents, and the bishops—who are the presidents of the Aaronic
Priesthood—will understand that the young men and young women for whom they
have responsibility have been prepared to come to earth at this particular
time for a sacred and glorious purpose. It is a great blessing to be able to
qualify for and then receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. You young men have
noble callings to become righteous men, to grow in strength, and to influence
others for good. You young men are the future of the Church. . . .
"Brethren of the Aaronic Priesthood, set your goals now and start working
toward earning your Duty to God Award and Eagle Scout Award. You will be blessed
for your efforts. . . .
" . . . I promise you that you will be blessed for your faithfulness and
declare with the prophet Alma, 'I have said these things unto you that I might
awaken you to a sense of your duty to God, that ye may walk blameless before
him, that ye may walk after the holy order of God' (Alma
7:22)" ("Fulfilling Our Duty to God," Ensign, Nov.
2001, 39–41).
Elder Cecil O. Samuelson
"The Duty to God Award program will help you achieve [the] purposes
of the Aaronic Priesthood. To qualify for the Duty to God Award, you will
need to achieve and complete Aaronic Priesthood purposes and also participate
in family activities, specific quorum activities, a Duty to God service project,
keeping a personal journal, and completing personal goals. . . .
"Where Scouting is available, you will note that many of the Scouting
requirements can fill necessary expectations for the Duty to God Award. Both
Duty to God and Scouting activities teach us to 'be prepared' in 'every needful
thing' (D&C 88:119). Achieving the Duty to God and Eagle Scout Awards . . . are complementary,
not competitive. . . .
"You know that receiving the Duty to God Award is not the ultimate goal
in itself, but rather the incorporation into your lives of attributes that
will help you focus more clearly on your duty to God. These characteristics
will keep you on track to be worthy and able to meet the sacred tasks and opportunities
before you. They will help you to be happy, clean, and strong now and also
to prepare you for eternally important events such as receiving the blessings
of the holy temple, serving missions, and ultimately being sealed to a worthy
companion in the house of the Lord" ("Our Duty to God," Ensign, Nov. 2001, 42–43).
Charles W. Dahlquist, II, Young Men General President
"The First Presidency has said, 'We desire all young men to strive to earn the . . . Duty to God Award.' This program helps you grow through setting and achieving worthy goals. You will work with Aaronic Priesthood leaders, your bishop or branch president, and your mother and father. . . .
"When you have earned your deacon, teacher, and priest Duty to God certificates, you will be eligible to receive your Duty to God medallion. This is a great achievement, but the real blessing of the program is that it will help prepare you to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood and the temple endowment, serve a full-time mission, marry in the temple, and become a faithful husband and father" ("Welcome to the Aaronic Priesthood and Young Men," Friend, June 2006, 47–48; citation omitted).
"With the challenges that are bombarding young men today—Satan’s attempts to weaken them and lead them astray—there has never been a greater need for the blessings that come through achieving the Duty to God Award. A young man who is dedicated to reading the scriptures daily, memorizing the Article of Faith, and accomplishing the other requirements will not only be more focused on that which is good and right and true, but he will be more prepared to shun evil" ("Fulfilling Our Duty to God: A Window of Opportunity," Ensign, Sept. 2006, 36).
President Ezra Taft Benson, 13th President of the Church
"Young men, take full advantage of the Church programs. Set your
goals to attain excellence in the achievement programs of the Church. Earn
the Duty to God Award—one of our most significant priesthood awards. Become
an Eagle Scout. Do not settle for mediocrity in the great Scouting program
of the Church. . . .
"Give me a young man who has kept himself morally clean and has faithfully
attended his Church meetings. Give me a young man who has magnified his priesthood
and has earned the Duty to God Award and is an Eagle Scout. Give me a young
man who is a seminary graduate and has a burning testimony of the Book of Mormon.
Give me such a young man, and I will give you a young man who can perform miracles
for the Lord in the mission field and throughout his life" ("To the 'Youth of the Noble Birthright,' " Ensign, May
1986, 44–45).
Elder F. Melvin Hammond, Former Young Men General President
"Every seminary and institute student should come to understand that
doctrinal knowledge of the gospel, when accompanied by the Spirit of Truth
and total commitment, will change their lives and prompt them to . . . complete
their Duty to God and, where Scouting is available, achieve the top award.
Too many teachers fail to see the link between these inspired programs and
spiritual living" (CES Satellite Training Broadcast, Aug. 2003).
"The Aaronic Priesthood program, Fulfilling Our Duty to God, has been
prepared for you to awaken you to a sense of your duty (see Alma
7:22) and to
help you to progress in every way as one of God's covenant sons. As a deacon,
teacher, and priest you will be able to establish goals, meet the requirements
that God has given for young men and move forward in your efforts to become
more like the Savior. As you complete your desired objectives, in each priesthood
office, you will receive a Certificate of Achievement, culminating in your
obtaining the coveted Duty to God Award. This is an award that you will keep
all of your life. You will work hard to earn it, but it will be worth the effort.
Even in your later life you will place it on your desk and it will remind you
of your duty to God" ("Fulfilling Our Duty to God" [unpublished],
Jan. 2002).
"The Duty to God program was instituted by the Brethren of the Church
to help the youth achieve the purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood and to develop
the abilities and attributes that they need to have success in life. There
are four areas of development in this program: Spiritual Development; Physical
Development; Education, Personal, and Career Development; and Citizenship and
Social Development.
"The eight purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood are clearly specified in
each of the Duty to God guidebooks. They might be more easily learned by putting
them in a standard theme.
"The principal key to saving our young men is the involvement of worthy
parents in the development of their sons. Leaders, you can have a great influence
in helping parents to understand their divine role as fathers and mothers.
You can help them to see the potential of their sons. You can help them to
have fun working with their sons to achieve their Duty to God Award and their
Eagle Scout Award" (Area Auxiliary Training, Oct. 8, 2003).
"Duty to God embraces Scouting, which is wonderful for our young
men. I see no conflict at all between Duty to God and Scouting. Duty to God
focuses more on the spiritual—bringing young men to Christ. Scouting is primarily
an activity program with some spirituality as well. They are complementary
to one another. . . .
"Most young men going through the Scouting program . . .get their awards by
the time they are 14–15 years old. After that, it becomes more difficult
to excite young men about Scouting. Duty to God will help bridge that gap" (in "Teaming Up for Youth," Ensign, Jan.
2002, 9).
"[The Duty to God program] started some years ago internationally
to help young men through the Aaronic Priesthood years, to fill in where Scouting
was not available, and to help develop their testimonies and understanding
of the gospel and to help young men come to Christ. . . .
"We've tried to develop the requirements based on the maturity of the
young men. Completion of the goals is more difficult as they become teachers
and priests. . . .
"Our effort was to find something that would be compatible with priesthood principles
and also with Scouting. Duty to God embraces Scouting, which is wonderful for
our young men. . . . Duty to God focuses more on the spiritual—bringing young
men to Christ. Scouting is primarily an activity program with some spirituality
as well. They are complementary to one another. . . .
"When we set goals personally and then try to achieve them, we grow and
develop. The value of this program is what it does to a young man's character
and spirituality. The main emphasis is to develop the spiritual life of a young
man" (in "Duty to God," New Era, Jan. 2002, 13–15).
"I've never been so excited about anything that I've done with the
young men as I am about this program. It's just fantastic.
"The young men program will contribute in many ways to the progress of
a boy through Scouting and then on through all of his Aaronic Priesthood quorum
activities and duties.
"It's a challenging program. It will cause young men to be stretched.
It will interest them and it will improve their lives. We hope that as a boy
begins this program he will meet with the bishop and have his parents at his
side."
Elder Jack H. Goaslind, Former Young Men General President
"We encourage our leaders to put their energies into using Scouting
to help accomplish the purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood, and in being positive
in their support of all young men. The Scout Oath, Law, Motto and Slogan
complement the achievement of the Aaronic Priesthood purposes we feel are
so important in the lives of the young men."
Elder Robert K. Dellenbach, Former Young Men General President
"In the Scout Oath, we pledge our 'Duty to God.' All Latter-day Saint Scouters, whether young or old, have a duty and a responsibility to defend the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are taught that our duty to God supersedes everything else. . . .
"May we always be ready to do our duty to God and keep the commandments in our Scouting and in our everyday life."
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Serving in the Church
