President Russell M. Nelson made the following announcement during the final session of the Church's 188th Annual General Conference on April 1:

Brothers and sisters, we constantly seek direction from the Lord on how we can help our members keep the commandments of God, especially those two great commandments to love God and our neighbors. The purpose of these changes

Having one Melchizedek Priesthood quorum in the ward unifies priesthood holders to accomplish all aspects of the work of salvation, including the temple and family history work previously coordinated by the high priests groups, explained Elder Christofferson. “In each ward, the high priests and the elders will now be combined into one elders quorum.”

Further tweets state that members of elders quorums and high priests groups will be combined into one Melchizedek Priesthood quorum with one presidency. President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, called the modification “a revelatory announcement from President Russell M. Nelson.”

President Nelson’s second counselor in the First Presidency, President Henry B. Eyring, said the announcement is an inspired step forward in the Lord’s organized plan for His Church. He spoke of his gratitude for each man “who bears the holy priesthood.”

“You are the hope of our Redeemer who desires ‘that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world.’ He wants all of His ordained sons to represent Him, to speak for Him, to act for Him, and bless the lives of God’s children throughout the world to the end that faith also might increase in [all] the earth’.”

Every member of a priesthood quorum, he added, has “a divine mandate to learn and to teach; to love and to serve others.”
LDS President Russell M. Nelson announces that High Priests Quorum will be merged into Elders Quorum.