This information was compiled from a variety of information shared at the Leading Saints Helpers group. We hope it will help clarify the changes to anticipate and implement in January 2019.

Purposes and Blessings

• Learn doctrine, fortify faith, and foster heartfelt worship.
• Deepen conversion to Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen faith in them.
• Strengthen individuals and families through home-centered, Church-supported curriculum that contributes to joyful gospel living.
• Honor the Sabbath day, with a focus on the ordinance of the sacrament.
• Help all of Heavenly Father’s children on both sides of the veil through missionary work and receiving ordinances and covenants and the blessings of the temple.
• Gospel study at home deepens conversion to Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthens our families. A study of the scriptures, supported by the new resource Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families, is the suggested course of gospel study at home.
• Teachers are to teach the pure doctrine of the gospel with the power and authority of God.

Sunday Times

• 60-minute sacrament meeting, 10-minute transition, 50-minute class period.
• 1st and 3rd Sundays second hour: Sunday school and primary.
• 2nd and 4th Sundays second hour: Young women, relief society, priesthood quorums, and primary.
• 5th Sundays second hour: Youth and adult meetings under the direction of the bishop, including subject, teachers, and composition of meetings.

Sacrament Meeting

• Lasts 60 minutes.
• Allow the ordinance of the sacrament to be the sacred center of members’ worship on the Sabbath
• Careful planning, including minimal announcements, consideration of speakers, hymns, and musical numbers (ward choirs may participate as circumstances allow).
• Begins and ends with hymn and prayer (intermediate hymn not required).
• Hymn precedes the blessing of the sacrament.
• Followed by 10-minute transition time.

Sunday School (Youth and Adult)

• 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month 50-minute class.
• Teaching materials are found in Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School.
• As needed, young women, relief society, and priesthood quorum leaders may make brief announcements at the beginning of class.
• Brief welcome, a reminder of Come Follow Me—For Individuals and Families for that day and the week to come.
• Does not start with hymn or prayer but finishes with a prayer.
• Need to select material from one or more lessons to stay aligned with the individual and families resource, letting class members know well in advance.
• Gospel principles class discontinued (investigators join Sunday school class).
• Other courses such as those for strengthening marriage and family, temple preparation, missionary preparation, and family history will not be held during the second hour.

Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood

• 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month 50-minute class.
• Aaronic priesthood uses Come, Follow Me—For Aaronic Priesthood (no change, may need to combine lessons to cover material).
• Elders quorum focuses on messages from the most recent general conference.
• Aaronic priesthood/elders quorum no longer meet together for opening exercises, Aaronic priesthood holders go straight to their class.
• Presidency member reminds of home study materials for the day and following week, conducts any business, then teacher leads lesson.
• Does not start with hymn or prayer but finishes with a prayer.
• No more 1st Sunday council meetings.
• Elders quorum presidencies will now be sustained in sacrament meetings. Member of stake presidency or high council presents them for a sustaining vote.
• Other elders quorum callings, including secretary, are sustained in quorum meetings. Quorum presidency issues the callings, with approval from the bishop. Quorum presidency presents the brethren for a sustaining vote.

Relief Society

• 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month 50-minute meeting.
• Focus on messages from the most recent general conference.
• Presidency member reminds of home study materials for the day and following week, conducts any business, then teacher leads lesson.
• Does not start with hymn or prayer but finishes with a prayer.
• Hymns can be used to enhance a lesson where appropriate.
• No more 1st Sunday council meetings.
• Relief society presidencies continue to be sustained in sacrament meetings. Other Relief Society callings, including the secretary, will now be sustained in relief society meetings. The relief society presidency recommends sisters to serve in these callings. A member of the bishopric issues the callings and presents the sisters for a sustaining vote.

Young Women

• 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month 50-minute meeting.
• Uses Come, Follow Me—For Young Women (no change, may need to combine lessons to cover material).
• No longer meet together but gather in respective classes (unless special need exists).
• Presidency member reminds of home study materials for the day and following week, conducts any business, then teacher leads lesson.
• Does not start with hymn or prayer but finishes with a prayer.
• Hymns can be used to enhance a lesson where appropriate.

Primary

• 50-minute meeting each week.
• 25 minutes includes 5 minutes for prayer, scripture or article of faith, and talk, and 20 minutes for singing time.
• Singing time focuses on scriptures that will be in the lessons.
• 5-minute transition to classes.
• A 20-minute lesson from Come, Follow Me—Primary.
• Lesson focuses on scriptures and is aligned with the Sunday school curriculum and the individuals and families resource.
• Sharing time is discontinued.
• Begins with prayer and ends with prayer.
• Can split into senior and junior age groups so older children have lessons first and singing after and then switch during the transition time, or vice-versa.

Miscellaneous Changes

• Leaders should let members know each week what is being taught the following Sunday via text, email, social media, etc.
• Members encouraged to hold home evening and study the gospel at home on Sunday (or at other times chosen) and could have a family activity night on Monday or at other times.
• Informally, and as organized by those who so desire, young single adults, single adults, single parents, part-member families, new members, and others can gather to enjoy sociality and to strengthen one another through gospel study.
• Ward and full-time missionaries teach missionary lessons before and after baptism.
• Teacher council meetings are now quarterly. Young women, relief society, and priesthood on a 1st or 3rd Sunday. Sunday school teachers on a 2nd or 4th Sunday. Primary can meet any Sunday or have their own meeting. Primary teachers can also meet more than once a quarter so not all miss primary classes at the same time.
• The ward council includes the bishopric, ward clerk, executive secretary, and presidents of the elders quorum, relief society, Sunday school, young women, young men, and primary.
• Counselors in the elders quorum and relief society presidencies, the ward mission leader (if called), and the ward temple and family history leader (if called) may be invited to particular ward council meetings as circumstances dictate.
• The ward council normally meets weekly but may meet less frequently. The ward council meeting typically does not last longer than one hour. • Under the direction of the bishop, the elders quorum president may be assigned to oversee member missionary work and temple and family history work in the ward. Generally, the elders quorum president would delegate these assignments to his counselors. • The relief society presidency may follow the pattern of the elders quorum, with one counselor assigned to help with member missionary work and the other counselor assigned to help with temple and family history work.