An auxiliary organization is a secondary body of church government within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) that is "established for moral, educational, and benevolent purposes."[1] As their name suggests, LDS Church auxiliary organizations are ancillary to the governing power of the priesthood in the church. The five auxiliary organizations of the LDS Church are Primary, Relief Society, Sunday School, Young Men, and Young Women.
The existence of church auxiliary organizations as a means of assisting the priesthood is based the Apostle Paul's statement that God has established "helps" and "governments" in the church to assist the apostles and prophets who lead the church.[2] Apostle Harold B. Lee taught that "an auxiliary is to be an aid to the priesthood in watching over the Church and also an aid to the home, under the direction and … cooperation [of] the priesthood."[3] The purpose of the auxiliary organizations is to help “plant and make grow … a testimony of Christ and of the Gospel."[4]
According to Joseph F. Smith, church auxiliary organizations are temporary organizations which may be created and discontinued as the needs of the church and the priesthood hierarchy change.[5] As President of the Church, Smith further stated:
We expect to see the day, if we live long enough ... when every council of the Priesthood in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will understand its duty; will assume its own responsibility, will magnify its calling, and fill its place in the Church, to the uttermost, according to the intelligence and ability possessed by it. When that day shall come, there will not be so much necessity for work that is now being done by the auxiliary organizations, because it will be done by the regular quorums of the Priesthood.[6]
In the LDS Church today, each auxiliary organization is headed by a "general president" and two counselors; the three individuals together form the "general presidency" of the auxiliary. These individuals are not general authorities of the church, but are referred to as "general auxiliary officers" or "general officers" of the church. Like general authorities, general officers are accepted and sustained by the members of the church as leaders in their respective areas of jurisdiction, which are set out by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Additionally, each auxiliary organization exists at a local ward and stake level, with presidencies formed to direct the work of the auxiliary in that particular region. Auxiliary presidencies work under the direction of the local priesthood leaders, which in most cases are the bishop and the stake president.