Duty to God
The Duty to God program is set up for young men ages 12-18 of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to help them fulfill their duties in the priesthood and gain spiritual strength. There are three certificates in the program that a young man needs to earn to get the award. The certificates can be earned in two-year intervals starting with deacon, followed by teacher and priest.
The program suggests certain goals to accomplish in four different areas:
- Spiritual Development
- Physical Development
- Educational, Personal and Career Development
- Citizenship and Social Development
The young men must complete at least eight goals in each area. To get a feel of what must be done to earn this reward here are a few of the goals that are suggested:
- If you do not already have one, start a journal, and write in it regularly for 2 months.
- Swim 50 meters, using 2 different strokes.
- Learn to play a musical instrument.
- With your quorum, clean up or repair a part of your neighborhood.
- Recite from memory the Articles of Faith and D&C 13.
- Hike 15 kilometers or 9 miles with a pack in 1 day.
- Collect 3 different job applications, and fill them out as practice.
- Attend a village, community, or city council meeting, and share your impressions of the experience with your parents or a priesthood leader.
- Continue to add regularly to your mission fund in preparation for receiving your mission call.
- Run for 30 minutes 3 times a week for 3 months.
- Visit the workplace of 3 occupations you are interested in. Write about what you did and did not like about the job and about why you think it does or does not fit your long-term goals.
- Invite a group of newly married couples from the ward or stake to a panel discussion in which they discuss how individuals should treat each other during courtship and what to look for in a future spouse.
In addition to these goals the young men are also asked to complete numerous goals in the areas of family and quorum activities. Finally they are asked to complete a service project to receive their certificate for that level.
The program is encouraged throughout the membership 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 (Ezra Taft Benson, “To the ‘Youth of the Noble Birthright,’” Ensign, May 1986, 43).
- 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 (The First Presidency of the Church).
