
Associations for the spiritual and cultural growth of the youth began in the early days of the Church. In February 1843 President Joseph Smith authorized the formation of a Young Gentlemen's and Young Ladies' Relief Society and in 1854 Elder Lorenzo Snow organized the Polysophical Society. However, it wasn't until 10 June 1875 when Brigham Young, aware of the lack of unity and structure across these organizations, established the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association (YMMIA). The goal of this organization was to was to help the young men develop the gifts within them, stand up and speak, and bear testimony. In December 1876 a central committee was established (later known as a general board) to oversee all ward YMMIA's. In 1880 Church President John Taylor proposed that a YMMIA super intendency (later known as the general presidency) be formed. Until 1900 the YMMIA met separately from the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association (YWMIA), when these associations joined they were simply known as the Mutual Improvement Association (MIA). In 1974 the group that had once encompassed single men ages 12 and up, split into two groups, the Aaronic Priesthood-MIA and the Melchizedek Priesthood-MIA, with a focus on service projects, and activities centered around their respective quorums. In May 1977 the name changed to Young Men and a general presidency was reinstated. Learn more
Formed in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
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Occurred On 1875 June 10
Junius F. Wells Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended Circa 1880
Wilford Woodruff Sustained as Young Men General President
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Started Circa 1880
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Ended Circa 1898
Lorenzo Snow Sustained as Young Men General President
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Started Circa 1898
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Ended Circa 1901
Joseph F. Smith Sustained as Young Men General President
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Started Circa 1901
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Ended Circa 1918
Anthony W. Ivins Sustained as Young Men General President
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Started Circa 1918
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Ended Circa 1921
George Albert Smith Sustained as Young Men General President
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Started Circa 1921
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Ended Circa 1935
Albert E. Bowen Sustained as Young Men General President
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Started Circa 1935
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Ended On 1937 April 6
George Q. Morris Sustained as Young Men General President
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Started Circa 1937
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Ended Circa 1948
Elbert R. Curtis Sustained as Young Men General President
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Started Circa 1948
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Ended Circa 1958
Joseph T. Bentley Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended On 1962 October 6
G. Carlos Smith Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended On 1969 September 17
W. Jay Eldredge Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended On 1972 June 25
W. Jay Eldredge Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended On 1972 November 9
Robert L. Backman Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended On 1974 June 23
Victor L. Brown Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended On 1977 April 7
Neil D. Schaerrer Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended On 1979 October 6
Robert L. Backman Sustained as Young Men General President
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Started Circa 1979 October
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Ended On 1985 November
Vaughn J Featherstone Sustained as Young Men General President
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Started Circa 1985 November
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Ended On 1990 October 6
Jack H. Goaslind Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended On 1998 October 3
Robert K. Dellenbach Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended On 2001 October 6
F. Melvin Hammond Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended On 2004 April 3
Charles W. Dahlquist Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended On 2009 April 4
David L. Beck Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended On 2015 April 4
Stephen W. Owen Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended On 2020 April 4
Steven J. Lund Sustained as Young Men General President
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Ended On 2025 April 5
Timothy L. Farnes Sustained as Young Men General President
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Started On 2025 April 5
