From http://www.lds.org:

During the general priesthood session on Saturday, March 31, President Russell M. Nelsonannounced a “significant” restructuring of ward and stake Melchizedek Priesthood quorums that will help Melchizedek Priesthood holders “accomplish the work of the Lord more effectively. In each ward, the high priests group and the elders quorum will now be combined into one elders quorum,” he said. There will continue to be a stake high priests quorum, but it will based on “current” priesthood callings.

“These modifications have been under study for many months,” President Nelson said. “We have felt a pressing need to improve the way we care for our members and report our contacts with them. To do that better, we need to strengthen our priesthood quorums to give greater direction to the ministering of love and support that the Lord intends for His Saints. These adjustments are inspired of the Lord. As we implement them, we will be even more effective than we have been previously.”

In subsequent talks, Elder D. Todd Christofferson and Elder Ronald A. Rasband, both of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, added further details about the announced changes.

Ward elders quorum

The ward elders quorum will be led by one presidency. The presidency may be comprised of elders and high priests, explained Elder Christofferson. The elders quorum president will report to the stake president and meet regularly with the bishop.

Priesthood offices will remain the same—elders remain elders and high priests remain high priests. “This is not a ‘takeover’ of elders quorums by high priests,” Elder Christofferson said. “We expect elders and high priests to work together in any combination in the quorum presidency and in quorum service.”

The current elders quorum presidency will be released and the stake president will call a new elders quorum presidency. “When a ward has an unusually large number of active Melchizedek Priesthood bearers, leaders may organize more than one elders quorum,” said Elder Rasband (see D&C 107:89).

A unified ward Melchizedek Priesthood quorum will allow quorum members to learn from each other as they work together to do all aspects of the work of salvation, including temple and family history work previously coordinated by the high priests, Elder Christofferson said. “The wisdom, experience, capacity, and strength that will be found in these quorums portend a new day and a new standard of priesthood service across the Church,” he said.

“These adjustments will help elders quorums and Relief Societies harmonize their work,” said Elder Rasband. “They will also simplify the quorum’s coordination with the bishopric and ward council. And they allow the bishop to delegate more responsibilities to the elders quorum and Relief Society presidents so the bishop and his counselors can focus on their primary duties—particularly presiding over the young women, and the young men who bear the Aaronic Priesthood.”

“What a joy it will be for all Melchizedek Priesthood holders to have the blessing of teaching, learning, and serving shoulder-to-shoulder with all members in their ward,” added Elder Rasband. “Wherever you are and whatever your circumstances may be, we invite you prayerfully, faithfully, and joyfully to accept new opportunities to lead or to be led and to serve unitedly as a body of priesthood brethren.”

Stake high priests quorum

Elder Rasband explained that the “stake high priests quorums will continue to function. Stake presidencies will continue to serve as the presidency of the stake high priests quorum.” The stake presidency, he said, “meets with members of the high priests quorum to counsel together, to testify, and to provide training.”

The high priests quorum in the stake will include only those high priests currently serving in the stake presidency, in bishoprics, on the high council, and as functioning patriarchs.

Meetings also continue as outlined in the handbook but with minor adjustments. Wards and stakes will no longer hold priesthood executive committee meetings, Elder Rasband said, and special ward issues may be addressed in an expanded bishopric meeting or ward council. Stake priesthood executive committee meetings will now be called “high council meetings.” The annual meeting of all ordained high priests in a stake will no longer be held, but, he said, “The stake presidency will continue to hold an annual meeting of the stake high priests quorum.”

Recognizing that each ward and stake is different, Elder Rasband encouraged wards and stakes to “follow through with these changes promptly following this general conference.”

Douglas D Holmes

The young men of the Aaronic Priesthood don’t sit, figuratively, on “children’s chairs;.

God has given them a sacred trust from God,

To receive Christ’s atoning power in our lives we must believe in Him, repent of our sins, make and keep sacred covenants through ordinances, and receive the Holy Ghost,

[The keys of the Aaronic Priesthood — the keys of the ministering of angels and of the preparatory gospel — play essential roles in helping individuals access Christ’s atoning power.]

From the beginning of time, God has sent angels “to minister unto the children of men, and make manifest the coming of Christ” (Moroni 7:22).

Angels are heavenly beings bearing God;s messages.

In much the same way that angels are authorized messengers sent by God to declare His word and thereby build faith, we who hold the Aaronic Priesthood have been ordained to teach, and invite all to come unto Christ. To preach the gospel is a priesthood duty. And the power associated with this duty is not just for prophets or even just for missionaries. It is for you.

[Treasuring up his word]

If we are prepared we can reach the gospel the way that angels do – by the power of the Holy Ghost.

You aee authorized messengers, as holders of the Aaronic Priesthood you can bring faith in Christ to the hearts of God’s children. As President Russell M. Nelson said: ‘To them you will be as a ministering angel.’”

Increased faith in Christ leads to a desire to change or repent.

As you study your Aaronic Priesthood duties, you will see a clear charge to invite others to repent and improve. That does not mean we stand on a street corner shouting, ‘Repent ye!’ More often, it means that we repent, we forgive, and as we minister to others, we offer the hope and peace that repentance brings — because we have experienced it ourselves.

It is a sacred and holy privilege to administer ordinances.

Priests can now officiate in performing proxy baptisms in the temple.

Experiences like these increase your desire.

We have the privilege and duty to be fellow servants with John the Baptist.

God has a work for the young men of the Church.

Your Aaronic Priesthood ordination is central to helping His children receive Christ’s atoning power. I promise as you put these sacred duties at the center of your life, you will feel the power of God as never before. You will understand your identity as a son of God, called with a holy calling to do His work.

President Russell M Nelson

We deeply miss President Thomas S Monson and Elder Robert D Hales.

Regardless of your individual circumstances each of you is part of a priesthood quorum.

Tonight, we announce a significant restructuring of our Melchizedek Priesthood quorums to accomplish the work of the Lord more effectively, In each ward, the high priests and the elders will now be combined into one elders quorum. This adjustment will greatly enhance the capacity and the ability of men who bear the priesthood to serve others.

Prospective elders will be welcomed in and fellowshipped by that quorum.

In each stake the stake presidency will continue to preside over the stake high priests quorum but the composition of that quorum will be based on current priesthood callings as will be explained later.

These modifications have been under study for many months.

We need to strengthen our priesthood quorums.

These adjustments are inspired of the Lord.

D Todd Christofferson

What are the adjustments?

in wards, members of elders quorums and high priests groups will now be combined into one Melchizedek Priesthood quorum with one quorum presidency. This quorum, increased in numbers and unity, will be designated the ‘elders quorum.’ High priests groups are discontinued. The elders quorum includes all elders and prospective elders in the ward as well as high priests who are not currently serving in the bishopric, in the stake presidency, on the high council, or as functioning patriarchs.

The high priests quorum in the stake will be composed of those high priests who are serving in the stake presidency, in bishoprics, on the high council, and as functioning patriarchs.

How is the presidency of the elders quorum to be organized?

The stake presidency will release current high priests group leaderships and elders quorum presidencies and will call a new elders quorum president and counselors in each ward. The new elders quorum presidency may include elders and high priests of varying ages and experience— and either an elder or a high priest may serve as the quorum president or a counselor in the presidency.

This is not a takeover of the  Elders quorum by High Priests.We expect elders and high priests to work together in any combination in the quorum presidency and in quorum service. These quorum adjustments should be implemented as soon as conveniently possible.

Does the adjustment in quorum structure change the priesthood office held by quorum members?

No, the action does not rescind any priesthood offices to which any quorum member may have been ordained in the past.

The priesthood is greater than any of its offices. (Boyd K Packer)

Elders will continue to be ordained high priests when they are called to a stake presidency, high council, or bishopric — or at other times as determined by the stake president through prayerful consideration and inspiration. When their terms of service in a stake presidency, high council, or bishopric are completed, high priests will rejoin the elders quorum in their ward.

Who directs the work of the elders quorum president?

The stake president presides over the Melchizedek Priesthood in his stake therefore, the elders quorum president is directly responsible to the stake president, who provides training and guidance from the stake presidency and through the high council.

The bishop, as the presiding high priest in the ward, also meets regularly with the elders quorum president, offering counsel and direction on how to best serve ward members.

Having one Melchizedek Priesthood quorum in a ward unifies priesthood holders to accomplish all aspects of the work of salvation, including the temple and family history work previously coordinated by the high priests groups.

It  allows quorum members of all ages and backgrounds to benefit from the perspective and experience of one another and of those in different stages of life. It also provides additional opportunities for experienced priesthood holders to mentor others.

[Story of George Goates and the sugar beets – see https://www.lehi-ut.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Les-Goates-by-Vaughn-J.pdf]

Thanks be to God for the men of the Priesthood and for teh service they will yet render

[The adjustments were considered by the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the Presidency of the Seventy over an extended period of time.]

With much prayer, careful study of the scriptural foundations of priesthood quorums, and confirmation that this is the Lord’s will, we are moving forward with unanimity in what is in reality one more step in the unfolding of the Restoration.

The Lord’s direction is manifest and I rejoice in it.

Ronald A Rasband

As stated by President Nelson, this is a matter that has been prayerfully discussed and considered by the senior brethren of the Church for a long time. The desire was to seek the Lord’s will and strengthen the quorums of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Inspiration was received and this evening our prophet made known the will of the Lord. ‘Surely, the Lord God will do nothing but He revealeth His secret unto His servants, the prophets!’

How blessed we are to have a living prophet today.

Behold! A royal army

With banner, sword, and shield,

Is marching forth to conquer

On life’s great battlefield.

Its ranks are filled with soldiers,

United, bold, and strong,

Who follow their Commander

And sing their joyful song.

These adjustments will help elders quorums and Relief Societies harmonize their work. They will also simplify the quorum’s coordination with the bishopric and ward council. And they allow the bishop to delegate more responsibilities to the elders quorum and Relief Society presidents so the bishop and his counselors can focus on their primary duties — particularly presiding over the young women and the young men who bear the Aaronic Priesthood.

In many wards we will have high priests who will be presided over by Elders.

What a joy it will be for all Melchizedek Priesthood holders to have the blessing of teaching, learning and serving shoulder-to-shoulder with all the members in their ward.

Wherever you are and whatever your circumstances may be, we invite you prayerfully, faithfully, and joyfully to accept new opportunities to lead or be led and to serve unitedly as a body of priesthood brethren.

Stake high priests quorums will continue to function. Members of the quorum will now consist of high priests currently serving in the stake presidency, ward bishoprics, stake high councils and the functioning patriarch. Ward and stake clerks and executive secretaries are not members of the stake high priests quorum.

What is the role of the stake high priests quorum?

“The stake presidency meets with members of the high priests quorum to counsel together, to testify, and to provide training. Stake meetings, as outlined in Church Handbooks will continue with two adjustments:

One, wards and stakes will no longer hold priesthood executive committee meetings. [Sensitive ward issues could be addressed in an expanded bishopric meeting.] Other less-sensitive matters can be addressed in the ward council. The stake priesthood executive committee meeting will now be called the “high council meeting.”

Two, the annual meeting of all ordained high priests will no longer be held. However, the stake presidency will continue to hold an annual meeting of the stake high priests as it has been announced today.

Can a ward could have more than one elders quorum? The answer is yes.

Each quorum should have a “reasonable balance” in terms of age, experience, priesthood office and strength.

[In each quorum there will be a greater diversity of gifts and capacities, increased flexibility and mentoring, and increased shepherding of those in need.]

Bishops and branch presidents will hopefully be liberated to magnify their priesthood calling.

Priesthood authority comes by way of setting apart and priesthood ordination. [Priesthood power comes through righteous living]

This is a time when the Lord is hastening his work

President Henry B Eyring

I am grateful for the privilege of speaking to you in this historic General Conference. We have sustained President Russell M. Nelson as the 17th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As I have had the blessing of working with him each day, I have felt a confirmation of the Spirit that President Nelson is called of God to lead the Lord’s true Church.

It is also my witness that the Lord has called Elder Gong and Elder Ulisses Soares.

I love and sustain them. They will, by their ministry, bless lives across the world and across generations.

President Nelson has announced an inspired step forward in the Lord’s organized plan for His Church. That plan includes a new structure for priesthood quorums in wards and stakes so that we may better fulfill our priesthood responsibilities. Those responsibilities all have to do with our priesthood care of our Father’s children.

The Lord’s plan for His Saints to provide loving care has taken many forms over the years.

[In the early days of Nauvoo, the Prophet Joseph Smith organized geographical “wards” to care for the members by geography. Later, Saints moving across the plains were organized in “companies” to care for one another at a time of great difficulty.]

The Lord has used a variety of ways to help the Saints to bless each other.

Now he has blessed us with strengthened and unified quorums at the ward and stake levels — quorums that work in coordination with all ward organizations.

Municipal wards, companies and strengthened quorums have all required at least two things to be successful.

They succeed when the Saints feel the love of Christ for each other above their self-interest. Tyhe scriptures call it charity, the pure love of Christ. And they succeed when the Holy Ghost guides the caregiver to know what the Lord knows is best for the person that he is trying to help.

[Story of a recent sacrament meeting talk by a 14 year old teacher]

The young man continued:

The Lord is telling us it’s our responsibility to not only care for the Church but also care for the people within the Church the way that Christ would because this is His Church. If we are trying to keep the commandments, be kind to each other, be honest, be good friends, and enjoy being together, then we will be able to have the Spirit with us and know what Heavenly Father wants us to do. If we don’t then we can’t fulfill our calling.

It isn’t important that people see us serving.

I know we will become better if we choose to follow [Jesus Christ].

[President Eyring then shared another story of priesthood service that he again heard at a recent sacrament meeting. A seasoned priesthood holder offered the account of home teaching a less-active single sister who had two young children. After many attempts to contact the woman, he received a text from the woman informing him that she was too busy to meet with home teachers.]

Then one day he received an urgent text from her. She desperately needed help. She did not know who the bishop was, but she did know her home teachers.

In a few days she said she had to leave the state for a month-long military training exercise and desperately needed someone to care for her 12-year old son.

She asked her home teacher if he could find a good LDS family to take Eric into their home for 30 days.

[Working with the Relief Society, the home teacher made arrangements for the boy, who soon began attending Church and was ordained a deacon.] [The boy may well become a leader in the Church], all because of Saints who worked together in unity under the direction of a bishop out of the charity in their hearts.

We receive the Holy Spirit best when we are focused on serving others. This is why we have the priesthood responsibility to serve for the Savior. When we are engaged in service to other we think less of our selves and the Holy Ghost can come more readily to us.

President Dallin H Oaks

We have heard a revelatory announcement from President Russell M Nelson.

I will review some fundamental  principles governing the priesthood you hold,

The Melchizedek Priesthoodwas conferred upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery by the Savior’s apostles, Peter, James and John (Doctrine and Covenants 27:12). It is sacred and powerful beyond description.

The keys of the priesthood are the powers to direct the exercise of priesthood authority. Thus, when the apostles conferred the Melchizedek priesthood upon Joseph and Oliver, they also gave them the keys to direct its exercise.

But not all priesthood keys were conferred at that time. The entire keys and knowledge necessary for “this dispensation of the fullness of times” was given “line upon line.”

Additional keys were given later in the Kirtland Temple.

The Melchizedek Priesthood is not a status or a label. It is a divine power held in trust to use for the benefit of God’s work for His children. We should always remember that men who hold the priesthood are not ‘the priesthood.’ It is not appropriate to refer to ‘the priesthood and the women.’ We should refer to ‘the holders of the priesthood and the women’.

President Joseph F. Smith taught:

“It has truly been said that the Church is perfectly organized. The only trouble is that these organizations are not fully alive to the obligations that rest upon them. When they become thoroughly awakened to the requirements made of them, they will fulfill their duties more faithfully, and the work of the Lord will be all the stronger and more powerful and influential in the world.”

President Smith also cautioned: “The God-given titles of honor … associated with the several offices in and orders of the Holy Priesthood, are not to be used or considered as are the titles originated by man; they are not for adornment nor are they expressive of mastership, but rather of appointment to humble service in the work of the one Master whom we profess or serve. …

“We are laboring for the salvation of souls, and we should feel that this is the greatest duty devolving upon us. Therefore, we should feel willing to sacrifice everything, if need be, for the love of God, the salvation of men, and the triumph of the kingdom of God upon the earth.”

In the Lord’s church the offices in the Melchizedek Priesthood have different functions.

The Doctrine and Covenants refers to high priests as ‘standing presidents or servants over different stakes scattered abroad,’ It refers to elders as ‘standing ministers to my church.’

A high priest officiates and administers in spiritual things.

He should  feel that he is obliged to set an example for others, particularly young people.

Elder Bruce R McConkie: An elder is a minister of Jesus Christ and is commissioned to stand in the Lord’s place as an agent. He is a shepherd.

In its important function to minister in the sheepfold of the Good Shepherd, there is no distinction between the offices of high priest and elder in the Melchizedek Priesthood. In the great section 107 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord declares: “High priests after the order of the Melchizedek Priesthood have a right to officiate in their own standing, under the direction of the presidency, in administering spiritual things, and also in the office of an elder [or any office in the Aaronic priesthood].’

Our responsibilities as holders of the priesthood are serious matters.

We who hold the priesthood have the divine power that even governs entrance into the celestial kingdom of God.

We must be faithful in magnifying our priesthood callings and responsibilities.

A father who holds the priesthood presides in his family by the authority of the priesthood he holds. He has no need to have the direction or approval of priesthood keys in order to counsel the members of his family, hold family meetings, give priesthood blessings to his wife and children, or to give healing blessings to family members or others.

If fathers would magnify their priesthood in their own family it would further the mission of the Church as much as anything else they might do.

Fathers should also cultivate loving family relationships.

Parents should encourage more priesthood blessings in the family.

My beloved brethren: the magnifying of the holy priesthood you hold is vital to the work of the Lord in your families and in your Church callings.

I testify of him whose priesthood it is.

Each of us should be faithful and diligent in doing our part in this work of God our Eternal Father.

President Russell M Nelson