; ▁these ▁clearly ▁were ▁intended ▁for ▁adult s ▁and ▁not ▁youth . ▁In ▁Nau vo o ▁between ▁ 1 8 3 9 ▁and ▁ 1 8 4 6 , ▁the ▁average ▁age ▁of ▁the ▁pri ests ▁was ▁ 2 9 ; ▁however , ▁there ▁were ▁four ▁te en agers ▁between ▁ 1 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 . ▁( This ▁practice ▁with ▁respect ▁to ▁age ▁continued ▁on ▁in ▁the ▁Re organ ized ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁of ▁L atter ▁Day ▁Sain ts .) ▁▁ 1 8 4 9 – 7 7 ▁in ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church ▁Between ▁the ▁years ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁and ▁ 1 8 7 7 , ▁changes ▁started ▁to ▁occur ▁as ▁the ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church ▁moved ▁west ▁to ▁Salt ▁Lake ▁City . ▁W ards ▁were ▁created ▁as ▁the ▁primary ▁organiz ational ▁unit ▁of ▁the ▁church ; ▁however , ▁the ▁de a cons , ▁teachers , ▁and ▁pri ests ▁were ▁still ▁st ake - level ▁positions . ▁Ad ult ▁men ▁were ▁still ▁the ▁major ▁source ▁for ▁pri ests ▁and ▁teachers , ▁as ▁their ▁duties ▁ent a iled ▁visit ing ▁w ard ▁members ▁to ▁check ▁on ▁spiritual ▁well - be ing , ▁sett ling ▁disput es , ▁collect ing ▁contributions , ▁and ▁helping ▁those ▁in ▁need . ▁Te ach ers ▁occasionally ▁would ▁sit ▁and ▁judge ▁in ▁cases ▁of ▁wrong do ing , ▁a ▁job ▁normally ▁reserved ▁for ▁b ish ops . ▁The ▁church ▁leadership ▁would ▁hold ▁drives ▁to ▁ensure ▁that ▁positions ▁were ▁filled ▁not ▁as ▁a ▁need