Elder (Latter Day Saints)

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Elder is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek priesthood of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

LDS Church

Office of the Melchizedek Priesthood

In the LDS Church, "elder" is considered the introductory—or lowest—of five offices of the Melchizedek priesthood. Every person who receives the Melchizedek priesthood is simultaneously ordained to the office of elder; this may be done to male members who are at least 18 years old. In order to be ordained, the member must be determined to be worthy by his local

The title "Elder" is not normally used as a personal title (e.g., Elder Evans, Elder Johnson), except by the LDS Church's general authorities, area seventies, and full-time male missionaries.^[5] Often, full-time male missionaries serving within a ward are referred to by the members as "the Elders" while female missionaries are referred to as "the sisters."^[5][6] After a mission has been served, the returning male missionary's title, "Elder", is replaced by the common usage of "Brother".^{[citation needed]}

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