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GENERAL HANDBOOK OF INSTRUCTIONS, 1968 (#20).
1968: Regional representatives.
“To assist the General Authorities in the operation of Church programs, Regional Representatives of the Twelve are appointed to serve in the various regions. These brethren represent the General Authorities and serve on much the same basis as do stake presidents, giving their full Church service time to their positions. They attend regional and other meetings and give counsel and direction to stake and ward officers in the fields of home teaching, missionary, welfare and genealogical work.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 10)
New name: Stake Priesthood Executive Committee.
“Duties of the Stake Presidency.
. . . .
4. Hold regular (preferably weekly) stake high council meetings, which also constitute the meetings of the Stake Priesthood Executive Committee (such meetings should not conflict with priesthood meetings).”
(General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 11)
New duties for Stake Pres. regarding home teaching.
“Duties of the Stake Presidency.
. . . .
11. See that priesthood bearers engage in home teaching and that all priesthood quorums and groups function effectively in home teaching.
12. Conduct separate monthly oral home teaching evaluations with bishops and branch presidents.”
(General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 11)
Stake President to be President of High Priests Quorum.
“Duties of the Stake Presidency.
. . . .
20. Serve as the presidency of the high priests quorum.”
(General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 12)
High Council to speak monthly in wards.
“Duties and Assignments of High Councilors.
. . . .
k. Make monthly visits to the several wards and branches in the stake as assigned by the stake president, speaking in the sacrament meetings on doctrinal subjects. High councilors may be accompanied on these visits by recently returned missionaries.” [Note that this is the first time that there is no mention of “home missionaries.”]
(General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 14)
Patriarchs now able to bless missionaries.
“Eligibility for Patriarchal Blessings.
. . . .
d. To missionaries serving in their area who did not receive patriarchal blessings prior to departing to their fields of labor. If such missionaries desire to receive patriarchal blessings from a patriarch serving in the area in which they labor, they should first be properly recommended by the mission president.”
(General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, pp. 23-24)
All MP and AP to be involved in home teaching.
“Duties of the Ward Bishopric.
. . . .
16. Provide through home teaching for all Melchizedek and Aaronic Priesthood bearers in the ward to perform their duties as specified in the 107th and 20th Sections of the Doctrine and Covenants.”
(General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 29)
New name: Ward Priesthood Executive Committee.
“All priesthood members and groups are represented on the ward priesthood executive committee by the following: bishopric; ward clerk (to take minutes); executive secretary; high priest group leader (who is also genealogy adviser); seventies group leader (who is also missionary adviser); elders president or group leader (who, under the direction of the bishop, also assists in welfare production projects and employment activities); general secretary of Aaronic Priesthood-Adult; and general secretary of Aaronic Priesthood-Youth (who is also education adviser). [Note the absence of the Relief Society.] The priesthood executive committee provides the bishop with a maximum amount of flexibility in administering the programs within his ward, and it can be used to handle the details of many ward activities including the correlation of all Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood responsibilities pertaining to home teaching, and programs concerned with missionary, genealogy, and welfare work.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 35)
Family Home Evening.
“To aid parents in holding a weekly ‘Family Home Evening’ with their children, a uniform evening should be set up in each stake, which will be kept free of ward or stake activities.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 37)
Priests may now assist in sac. for home-bound persons.
“Permission is granted occasionally to prepare the sacrament for home-bound persons who cannot attend meetings. The bishop should assign two brethren (priests or members of the Melchizedek Priesthood) to prepare and bless the sacrament in the home so the home-bound person may participate in the spirit of the blessing.” [Note two changes here: first, Priests are, for the first time, authorized to do this–previous GHI specified MP only; second, the emphasis on preparing and blessing the sacrament IN THE HOME–the italics are in the original.] (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 40)
Non-member fathers and blessing of children.
“Only those holding the Melchizedek Priesthood should be invited to participate in the ordinance of blessing children; but where a father, whether a member of the Church or not, requests permission to hold his child while the officiating elder gives the blessing, he may be permitted to do so, but he should not be encouraged to make the request. If a father who does not hold the Melchizedek Priesthood participates, then the one acting as voice in the prayer might well say that the ordinance is being performed by the authority of those in the circle who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 82)
Bathing caps may be worn at baptism, on doctor’s orders.
“Hair nets may be worn by women, but bathing caps should not be worn unless a doctor so directs.” [Previous GHI prohibited bathing caps under all conditions.] (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 84)
Fathers to be encouraged to baptize children.
“Worthy fathers holding the proper priesthood may be invited and encouraged by the bishop to baptize their own children.” [The word “encouraged” was added to prior GHI instructions.] (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 84)
Fathers to be encouraged to confirm children.
“Worthy fathers holding the Melchizedek Priesthood may be invited and encouraged by the bishop to confirm their own children.” [The word “encouraged” was added to prior GHI instructions.] (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 86)
Set forms for most ordinances discouraged.
“There are no set forms for priesthood ordinances performed outside the temples with the exception of baptism and the administration of the sacrament. However, all ordinances are performed in the name of Jesus Christ and in the authority of the priesthood.
All priesthood holders should know how to perform such ordinances as they are authorized to perform, and brethren performing ordinances should live so as to have the guidance of the Holy Ghost. They should seek to use the most appropriate language in specifying what is being done in any ordinance and in expressing the thoughts placed in their minds by the Spirit.
Publications, other than those authorized by the First Presidency of the Church, setting forth instructions about ordinances and giving forms of suggested prayers are not approved. Such in the past have resulted in something akin to prayer books, all of which are contrary to the counsel of the Presiding Brethren. Priesthood leaders should not sponsor, encourage, or permit their publication or use. Instructions in ordinance work are to be given in the quorums under the direction or supervision of the stake presidency and the Melchizedek Priesthood Committee (see the following paragraphs for essential ordinances).” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, pp. 86-87)
Dedication of graves listed as ordinance for first time.
“Important Priesthood Ordinances.
. . . .
9. Dedication of Graves
(This should be done by one holding the Melchizedek Priesthood as designated by the bishop, after consultation with the family.)”
(General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 89)
Temple Recommends: Probationary period for sinners.
“Where applicants are not keeping the commandments, they should prove themselves by keeping the commandments through a probationary period before the recommend is issued. This period should be long enough to establish the genuineness of their repentance and in the case of adultery should be a year or longer.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 91)
New expiration date for recommends.
“Temple recommends expire April 30 of each year.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 92)
Wife of non-member may not receive endowment.
“A recommend will not be issued for a wife to receive her endowments if her husband is not a member of the Church. This rule does not apply to a woman legally divorced from a nonmember husband, nor in such an unusual situation as where the husband has been mission for many years, nor does it prevent a worthy wife, whose husband is willing, from participating in baptisms for the dead.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 93)
Recommends during divorce proceedings.
“Where a person who is involved in a pending divorce or annulment proceedings makes application for permission to go to the temple, brethren authorized to issue temple recommends should carefully and searchingly interview the applicant, and if it is found that he or she is innocent of any serious wrongdoing in connection with the divorce or annulment and is otherwise worthy, a temple recommend may be issued.
When the final decree of divorce or annulment has been entered, a divorce clearance must be obtained from the First Presidency by the parties involved, if they were previously sealed to each other in the temple, before they may be permitted to continue temple attendance or receive a temple recommend.
. . . .
In all cases where there has been a divorce or an annulment of a marriage in the life of a person seeking a recommend to the temple, the bishop and stake president should conduct a thorough, searching interview to determine not only the applicant’s present worthiness, but also before issuing the first recommend following the divorce or annulment, whether or not there was any unfaithfulness or serious transgression in connection with such divorce or annulment.
Bishops should make sure that in the case of a divorced person being recommended for temple marriage, a final divorce decree has been secured; and if the individual was married in the temple previously that a cancellation of sealing has been granted in the case of the women. However, a man married in the temple who has had a civil divorce but not a cancellation of sealing may be recommended for temple marriage without first having the previous sealing cancelled if he is fully worthy and if his divorce has been cleared by the First Presidency.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, pp. 94-95)
Civil marriages may be performed in chapels.
“When couples are not to be married in the temple, discreet counsel from bishops might lead them to have the ceremony performed in the home of one or the other of those being married.
Marriage ceremonies may, under certain circumstances, be performed in chapels.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 99)
Mock marriages [including ring ceremonies] prohibited.
“Mock marriage ceremonies following temple kmarriages, or any service somewhat similar to a wedding–where, for instance, prayer is offered, remarks are made by a Church officer, or worldly pomp and ceremony imitative of sectarian weddings is presented–must not be performed.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 100)
Sealings after civil marriages.
“Where a couple are married by civil ceremony, they should not be recommended to the temple until after a year has elapsed since the civil ceremony was solemnized. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted only by the First Presidency. For instance, the First Presidency may grant an exception where an unmarried couple live a considerable distance from a temple and desire to travel unaccompanied and to stop overnight while enroute from their home to the temple. In such a case it may be advisable to have a civil marriage before leaving home, though only a few days may intervene between the civil ceremony and the sealing in the temple.
Couples who have associated together illicitly should not be recommended to the temple until they have thoroughly repented and have shown their repentance by living righteously for a prolonged period of time, usually at least one year following the transgressions.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 100)
Children born in covenant may not be sealed to others.
“Children born in the covenant cannot be sealed to anyone, but belong to their natural parents. This rule is not altered by adoption, consent of the natural parents, request of the child after becoming of age, or death of the natural parents.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 101)
Sealing of children born to excommunicated parents.
“If parents have been sealed in the temple, and one or both of them have been excommunicated, any children born to them during the period of time between the excommunication and before their blessings are restored, may be sealed to their parents after their blessings are restored, providing the parents are living together and are not divorced.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 102)
One-year rule for ordinances for deceased persons.
“At least one year must expire after death before temple ordinances may be performed by proxy.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 102)
Members joining other churches.
“Members who join other churches should be labored with and encouraged to return to the Church. If they insist that their names be taken from the records of the Church, they should be excommunicated unless there are some extenuating circumstances. Those who attend or join other churches, but who are not excommunicated, may be received back into fellowship without being baptized again.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 119)
Transgression list.
“Cases Handled by Church Courts.
These include, but are not limited to: Fornication, adultery, homo-sexual acts, or other infractions of the moral code; intemperance; criminal acts involving moral turpitude such as burglary, dishonesty, theft, or murder; apostasy; open opposition to, and deliberate disobedience of, the rules and regulations of the Church; cruelty to spouse or children; advocating or practicing so-called plural marriage, or any un-Christian like conduct in violation of the law and order of the Church. When young unmarried people are involved in sexual sin, every consideration should be given to help them adjust their situation so that if possible they may live normal lives. Too severe action often defeats the ends of justice.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 122)
Voluntary withdrawal still requires excommunication.
“Members who seek to withdraw their membership from the Church should be labored with in kindness and patience in an endeavor to bring them into active fellowship. If this fails after long and patient effort, the regular court procedures leading to excommunication should be followed.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 123)
Announcement of court decisions.
“All excommunications and disfellowshipments of Melchizedek Priesthood bearers in a stake are to be announced by the stake president in a stake priesthood meeting unless an appeal is pending. Announcement of the excommunications and disfellowshipments of others is to be read by the bishop in a ward priesthood meeting after the Aaronic Priesthood members have been excused from the meeting.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 130)
Transgressions of missionaries handled by First Presidency
“A missionary guilty of immoral conduct while in the mission field is to be dealt with as directed by the First Presidency. If the offense does not become known or he does not confess until his return home, he should be dealt with as directed by the First Presidency. A missionary excommunicated for an offense committed while in the mission field cannot be readmitted into the Church by baptism and confirmation without the approval of the First Presidency. A returned missionary who is disfellowshiped or excommunicated for offenses committed after returning home may be reinstated or baptized on the same basis as applies in other cases. His case need not be referred to the General Authorities for disposition.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 131)
Holding of funerals for suicides.
“Holding of Funerals for Suicides.
Where a persons dies under unusual circumstances, the place and nature of the services are matters for the family to decide in consultation with the bishop.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 161)
Moral fitness of full-time missionaries.
“Interviews are to inquire specifically and in detail into all phases of moral worthiness. Any prospective missionary who has been guilty of fornication or has engaged in any sex perversion, or who has committed a serious violation of the law of the land, must have his case reviewed by a General Authority.
These special cases are to be handled as follows:
After ascertaining all the facts, the stake president must consult a General Authority and in detail discuss the situation prior to giving the missionary candidate any assurance of approval, further interview or call. No prospective missionary is to be sent to a General Authority for interview until the bishop and the stake president are satisfied that the candidate has repented and is worthy of a mission, the stake president has discussed the situation with the General Authority, and the General Authority has indicated a willingness to interview the prospective missionary or to endorse the recommendation of the stake president and the bishop as the circumstances may warrant.
The stake president is to hold an additional interview with all prospective missionaries just before they leave to enter the mission home.
In all cases the seriousness of immorality in the mission field, with its inevitable punishment of excommunication, should be brought to the attention of all candidates interviewed.
Neither the bishop, the stake president, the missionary nor his family, should announce the possibility of a mission until after the call from the President of the Church has actually been received.”
(General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, pp. 173-174)
Marriageable young women not to be encouraged to missions.
“Young women are needed in the mission fields, but they should not be recommended if a mission will interfere with their entering into a proper marriage.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 20, 1968, p. 175)