A Thought About Priesthood

This is something I thought about during the Worldwide Leadership Training, and developed further in my mind since then.

President Packer referenced the Melchizedek Priesthood as it is called in the Doctrine and Covenants: "The Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God."  This made me think about the Order of the Garter, an English order of knighthood.  These knights are honored and commissioned by the Queen, and she sends them forth to carry out her orders.  Similarly, we, as holders of the priesthood are honored by the Lord and commissioned to do His work.  The interesting thing is that the Lord honors every man that is worthy of the honor as soon as they are worthy.

In the Order of the Garter, there are officers: the Prelate, the Chancellor, the Register, etc.  In the Lord's priesthood, we are all officers: elders, high priests, seventies, apostles, etc.  Just as each knight doesn't hold any more knighthood than any other knight, neither does an apostle hold more priesthood than an elder.  They simply hold different offices.

Other sources of information on the priesthood:

• What Every Elder Should Know -- and Every Sister as Well: A Primer on Principles of Priesthood Government, Elder Boyd K. Packer
• Priesthood, Gospel Study Guide (includes many other resources as well)