The larger problem (various stakes thinking that this is the right way to do things) I think needs to be addressed from higher up.

Of course as an elders quorum president I cannot override a bishop or a stake president.

Actually, when it comes to presiding over your quorum, you do override your bishop. You have the keys to preside over your quorum; he does not. Given the stake president gave you your keys, that’s an entirely different story.

Thank you so much for your insights. I suspected the same thing and I wanted to get some feedback before posting this additional piece of information I came across.

Although I have never found this practice condoned, suggested or even mentioned in any official (or unofficial) LDS publication or guidebook I did find it mentioned on newadvent (a Catholic website).

I don’t know how it became so widespread among LDS stakes here in Mexico City or why the Stake Presidents and Bishops I have mentioned my concerns to are so certain that they are doing it the right way and the way it has always been done. I think somebody (or somebodies) with experience in the Catholic Church simply brought this practice over with them.

Of course as an elders quorum president I cannot override a bishop or a stake president. I have expressed my concerns but apparently their way of doing things is pretty widespread down here and the weight of tradition obviated actually consulting official church guidebooks.

I don’t know if this is something that should be cleared up by someone higher up or if I should just let it ride. I do occasionally encounter members of the local area presidency and a casual conversation with them about this should either alert them to a problem, set my mind at ease or both.

Thank you,

The blessing of consecrating oil is something any worthy m.-priesthood holder can do himself. There is no requirement to have it performed in sacrament meeting by the Bishop.

That being said, the Bishop and Stk Pres. are the presiding priesthood authority. If they feel it necessary to perform the blessing in this way, we are to be obedient and follow their council. There is nothing that says we cannot ask them questions and seek their guidance on why they feel it is necessary to do so.

:o)

Even if someone was to preside over it, it would be the quorum presidents (EQP for elders and stake president for high priests).

But, the handbook listed in the original post mentions nothing of presiding over the ordinance.

I have lived in 8 states in the US and I have lived in Brazil and I have never come across this concept before. Before ranting at what appears to be excess ceremony and “looking beyond the mark” I have decided to investigate and see if I can discover where this idea came from (I have already heard this declared as gospel truth by 8 bishops and 3 stake presidents). I cannot find anything on this in any of the church manuals nor in any general conference talk. In fact I specifically recall under the direction of my mission president using Elders Quorum to teach members how to consecrate oil and encouraging them to do this in their home.

Does requiring members to request their oil be consecrated by the bishop during sacrament meeting seem as wierd to the rest of you?

I would, however, assert that whether Adam has a belly button is more important than the grade of olive oil.

Remember, this is a spiritual blessing, anointing, and consecration. The physical atributes of the oil do not change that.

If the focus becomes the oil then the power of the blessing is lost.

To give another perspective, ompare this to a baptism where the biggest concern is the temperature of the water.