What's Different in the Come, Follow Me Curriculum?

The Church has release a new way of teaching the youth entitled "Come, Follow Me." This is replacing the manuals that were used in past years for Sunday School, Aaronic Priesthood and Young Womens lessons. Details about the new Come, Follow Me program can be found on the Church's website at https://www.lds.org/youth/learn/.

I wanted to describe some of the key areas of focus for the new program. Some of these are going to be completely different than the old style of teaching but the doctrine and some of the techniques will remain the same.

Why do we have this new program?
The purpose of this new program is to better help us fulfill our callings as teachers and leaders of the youth. We are called to help the young men and young women become converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The youth are smart, and they are eager to learn. This program will help them participate in the learning experience like never before. Conversion comes by doing not by hearing only.

Why is it called Come, Follow Me?
The curriculum's name is from the call often made by the Savior to the people to come, follow him and be his disciples. Not only are we inviting the youth to follow Him, but we are also striving to teach them the way that the Savior would have taught them, the way he did teach during his mortal ministry. When asked questions, Jesus often responded with questions of his own or scriptures and parables to help the inquirer learn the answer to his own question. The Savior knew the needs of and loved each person he taught, whether it was a one-on-one lesson or a multitude of thousands. As with Peter, the Savior gave opportunities for his disciples to testify, to preach, to act in faith on his teachings. That's the type of teacher we need to be in order to most effective help the youth in becoming converted. We don't do the converting, but we can play a critical role in creating an environment in which true conversion can occur.

From the lds.org website listed above:
"This, then, is your sacred calling—to teach as the Savior taught. As you do, the youth will give place in their hearts for the seed of the gospel to be planted, to swell, and to grow. This will lead to conversion—the ultimate goal of your teaching. As you help youth become converted, you help them prepare to follow the Savior throughout their lives—to worthily attend the temple, receive the Melchizedek Priesthood, serve missions, make sacred covenants, raise righteous families, and build God’s kingdom in all the world. How great will be your joy! "

Outlines are replacing Manuals 
Instead of following a step-by-step lesson flow from a manual, instructors will have an outline that gives them the doctrine and some ideas for teaching it. The outlines are intentionally very open-ended so that the instructor may be led by the spirit and tailor the lessons to meet the needs of the youth. There is tremendous flexibility in teaching the lessons and one lesson may cover multiple weeks as needed.

So Now What?
These are some of the basic steps needed now for a lesson using Come, Follow Me:
(1) Prepare for the lesson
     (a) Study the scriptures and other resources provided in the outline to become familiar with the topic and the doctrine.
     (b) Review the activity ideas provided in the outline
     (c) Invite one or more YM to help lead part of the lesson or be prepared to share something (optional but encouraged)
     (d) If possible, invite all of the YM prepare in some way for the lesson (e.g., read a talk or some scriptures)
(2) Give the lesson
     (a) Follow-up on last week's lesson and challenge
     (b) Lead a discussion about the topic - ideally with the YM speaking more than you
     (c) Invite the YM to act on what they've been taught (some kind of challenge for them)

This new teaching technique has great potential if done right. It will allow us to involve the YM to a greater extent in teaching as well as in better discussions during the lesson. This is what the YM need at this time in their lives. This is how we can help them develop their own testimonies.

Ask the Missionaries! They Can Help You.

In Elder Nelson's talk, Ask the Missionaries! They Can Help You, he describes the many ways that missionaries can help. He says, "All missionaries, younger and older, serve with the sole hope of making life better for other people."

But what if a young man doesn't feel the desire to serve? Elder Nelson explains that "A desire to serve is a natural outcome of one’s conversion, worthiness, and preparation." So if we do not feel the desire, we need to work on one or many of those areas: Conversion, worthiness or preparation.

To those who are not members of the Church: "As you learn more about us, you will find that we share many of the same values. We encourage you to keep all that is good and true and then see if we can add more."

Missionaries serve throughout the world today on the same charge that Jesus gave his disciples two millennia ago: "“go … and teach all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”"

His talk goes through and lists many of the things for which people could and should stop the missionaries to ask them questions such as returning to church, life after death, family history, the purpose of life, etc...

This also means we need well prepared missionaries!!

The Holy Ghost: An Unspeakable Gift from God

An Unspeakable Gift from God by Elder Christensen of they 70: http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/an-unspeakable-gift-from-god?lang=eng

Elder Christensen states:

The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead, and, as such, likeGod the Father and Jesus Christ, He knows our thoughts and the intents of our hearts.³ The Holy Ghost loves us and wants us to be happy. Since He knows the challenges we will face, He can guide us and teach us all things we must do to return and live with our Heavenly Father once again.⁴

Through the gift of the Holy Ghost, we receive added capacity and spiritual gifts, increased revelation and protection, steady guidance and direction, and the promised blessings of sanctification and exaltation in the celestial kingdom. All of these blessings are given as a result of our personal desire to receive them and come as we align our lives with the will of God and seek His constant direction.

How incredible that we can have a member of the Godhead with us to give us divine guidance and teaching throughout our life?! There are not many gifts that compare with this one given to us from our loving Heavenly Father. With this guidance we will not fail. The key is to seek out the Holy Ghost and retain him with us at all times. 

The Holy Ghost's entire mission is to help us return and live with our Heavenly Father once again. Elder Christensen teaches:

The Holy Ghost works in perfect unity with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, fulfilling many important roles and distinct responsibilities. The primary purpose of the Holy Ghost is to bear witness of God the Father and of His Son, Jesus Christ,⁷ and to teach us the truth of all things.⁸ A sure witness from the Holy Ghost carries far more certainty than a witness from any other source.

Elder Christensen explains how the Holy Ghost speaks to us:

We all have experiences with the Holy Ghost, even though we may not always recognize them. As inspired thoughts come into our minds, we know them to be true by the spiritual feelings that enter into our hearts. President Boyd K. Packer has taught: “The Holy Ghost speaks with a voice that you feel more than you hear. … While we speak of ‘listening’ to the whisperings of the Spirit, most often one describes a spiritual prompting by saying, ‘I had a feeling … ’.”¹⁸ It is through these sacred feelings from the Holy Ghost that we come to know what God would have us do, for this, as stated in scripture, “is the spirit of revelation.”¹⁹

"Can Ye Feel So Now" by Elder Cook

Notes from Elder Cooks talk in the October 2012 General Conference (here).

Elder Cook states that "the rising generation are better prepared [for missionary service] than any previous generation." As evidence he states, "Your knowledge of the scriptures is particularly impressive."

On the other hand, he acknowledges the greatness of the challenges we face.

Elder Cooks states:

In one of the most profound verses in all of scripture, Alma proclaims, “If ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?”

Local leaders across the world report that when viewed as a whole, Church members, especially our youth, have never been stronger. But they almost always raise two concerns: first, the challenge of increased unrighteousness in the world and, second, the apathy and lack of commitment of some members. They seek counsel about how to help members to follow the Savior and achieve a deep and lasting conversion.

There is no doubt that the world is getting worse each year; consequently, we must have a stronger commitment to God and his gospel than ever before. Faith must replace fear, and we must achieve a deep and lasting conversion. 

In this talk our culture is accurately described in several ways:

• "not conducive to righteousness or spiritual commitment"
• "increased unrighteousness in the world "
• "Everyone knows the culture is poisonous, and nobody expects that to change."
• "The spiritual immune system of an entire civilization has been wounded."

These worldly conditions contribute to members sometimes being unable to "feel so now." He describes some of these members:

• "Many who are in a spiritual drought and lack commitment have not necessarily been involved in major sins or transgressions, but they have made unwise choices."
• "Some are casual in their observance of sacred covenants."
• "Others spend most of their time giving first-class devotion to lesser causes."
• "Some allow intense cultural or political views to weaken their allegiance to the gospel of Jesus Christ."
• "Some have immersed themselves in Internet materials that magnify, exaggerate, and, in some cases, invent shortcomings of early Church leaders. Then they draw incorrect conclusions that can affect testimony."

But it is not too late for any of them, because repentance can lead them back to the path. Some advice:

• "Immersion in the scriptures is essential for spiritual nourishment."
• "The word of God inspires commitment and acts as a healing balm for hurt feelings, anger, or disillusionment."
• When our commitment is diminished for any reason, part of the solution is repentance. Commitment and repentance are closely intertwined.

Great quote:

The Prophet Joseph pointed out that before your baptism, you could be on neutral ground between good and evil. But “when you joined this Church you enlisted to serve God. When you did that you left the neutral ground, and you never can [go] back.” His counsel was that we must never forsake the Master.

Unfortunately when we are not living up to the commitments we made at baptism, it's most often the result of transgression, not just "laziness" or "busyness" the way we tell ourselves it is:

While anything that lessens commitment is of consequence, two relevant challenges are both prevalent and significant. The first is unkindness, violence, and domestic abuse. The second is sexual immorality and impure thoughts. These often precede and are at the root of the choice to be less committed.

The responsibility is on parents to teach their children by example and through words. Our children are exposed to the evils of immorality and pornography at a terribly young age, and we must prepare them to be strong enough to overcome.

Parents, the days are long past when regular, active participation in Church meetings and programs, though essential, can fulfill your sacred responsibility to teach your children to live moral, righteous lives and walk uprightly before the Lord. With President Monson’s announcement this morning, it is essential that this be faithfully accomplished in homes which are places of refuge where kindness, forgiveness, truth, and righteousness prevail. Parents must have the courage to filter or monitor Internet access, television, movies, and music. Parents must have the courage to say no, defend truth, and bear powerful testimony. Your children need to know that you have faith in the Savior, love your Heavenly Father, and sustain the leaders of the Church. Spiritual maturity must flourish in our homes.

When it comes to morality, some adults believe that adherence to a single, overriding humanitarian project or principle nullifies the need to comply with the Savior’s teachings. They say to themselves that sexual misconduct is “a small thing … [if I am] a kind and charitable person.”²¹Such thinking is a gross self-deception. Some young people inform me that in our current culture it is not “cool” to try too hard in many areas, including living strictly in accordance with righteous principles.²² Please do not fall into this trap.

At baptism we promise to take upon us “the name of [Jesus] Christ, having [the] determination to serve him to the end.”²³ Such a covenant requires courageous effort, commitment, and integrity if we are to continue to sing the song of redeeming love and stay truly converted.

I know that's a long quote but it could not be paraphrased. Let me reiterate Elder Cook's words: "DO NOT FALL INTO THIS TRAP!" We can not rationalize away our sins. Let us have and show the courageous effort, commitment and integrity required to live the gospel and stay truly converted!

God Gives Us the Holy Ghost - Why?

In 3 Nephi 28:11, Jesus teaches: "And the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and the Father giveth the Holy Ghost unto the children of men, because of me. "

The Spirit testifies of the Father so that we might know Him, our relationship to Him, and his love for us. That is one of the primary purposes of the Holy Ghost.

God gives the Holy Ghost to us because of Christ. The simple way to look at this is that we would have no real need for the Holy Ghost if not for Christ. If fallen man had no hope of redemption then why send him help? But we do have hope of redemption through Jesus Christ; and for this reason, God has given us the Holy Ghost to help us recognize Christ's teachings, believe in Him as our Savior, and follow Him on the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life.

The Lord's Refined People

In 3 Nephi 24:3 (also Malachi 3:3) it reads:

"And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness."

Let's seek to understand what this can mean for us. The refiner/purifier is obviously Jesus Christ. The sons of Levi (gold/silver) who are to be purified and refined represent the Church, or it can be interpreted further to mean Priesthood holders, or even further to mean holders of the Aaronic Priesthood or Levitical priesthood after Levi. Let's consider that sons of Levi refers to us to liken this scripture unto ourselves. Why are we to be purified/refined? That we may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. What is an "offering in righteousness?" I think this phrase is vague for a reason - it can mean different things for all of us in a very personal way. At the very least it must refer to righteous service. Righteous offerings could be temple service, service in our callings, service in our families, sharing the gospel and any other good deeds done towards our fellow-man.

The Prophet Spencer W Kimball once said that a "portion of the offering in righteousness" is our family history work and bringing temple blessings to those who have passed on (link to his talk). This is consistent with Malachi's message of "turning our hearts to our fathers."

So to paraphrase this verse: The Lord seeks to refine us so that we may better serve Him and others, especially those who have gone before us through temple work.

How does He refine us? I think there is a reason that silver and gold were chosen for this analogy. I did a quick search on Google and it looks like refining gold is a long, complicated process involving dangerous acids and hot temperatures (2,000 degrees Fahrenheit is the melting point of gold). Key take aways for me were that it's a long, difficult, painful process from the gold's perspective. I don't expect it's too different as the Lord refines us. It definitely doesn't happen overnight (probably closer to a lifetime), overcoming sin, temptations and trying to live a perfect life is not easy, and the repentance process when we stumble is painful but necessary. Our trials, the furnace of affliction, refines us because it forces us to be humble, turn to and trust in God, and increase our faith.

Let's remember the end goal again. The Lord wants us refined in order to selflessly serve. So with the end in mind, we have a good idea of what the product of this refinement is. I think of some of the men and women I have known who dedicate their entire lives to serving God through missionary work, church service and temple service. They are the end product. They are also the people I respect and look up to most on this earth. That is the goal. Do our actions bring us closer to that goal or take us further away from that goal?

Sometimes when I think of temple work and genealogy I think of elderly women or elderly couples taking care of these things for the rest of us. Maybe instead I should see temple work and genealogy as the desire of those who have been refined, which more commonly happens to be those who have lived of lifetime of being refined by the hand of the Lord.

If all of this refinement that we go through on this life (which is a lot!) is to help turn our hearts to our fathers (family history work) and live a life of service, then it must be very important! It must be key to the purpose of our existence on this earth.

We will also find joy in this righteous offering for how great is the joy we feel when bringing souls unto God (D&C 18:15-16).

3 Ne 22 - Isaiah Speaks to Parents

The words of Isaiah have always been difficult to me but as I studied them this morning a few things did stand out to me.

In 3 Nephi 22:4 "Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed; neither be thou confounded, for thou shalt not be put to shame;" made me think of the vision of the Tree of Life that Lehi saw. The first THREE out of four groups of people did not make it to the tree and/or did not endure to the end because of shame at being mocked by the great and spacious building, or the cares of the world.

And in 3 Ne 22:7-8 "For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer." This is a good lesson in the midst of our trials. We sometimes feel alone, which is really to give us opportunities to grow. But the promise is there - "with great mercies will I gather thee" and "with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee." Those promises are real, and they are the reason why we must turn to the Lord in times of crisis and need, even if we feel alone.

In 3 Ne 22:13-14 some incredible promises are given for us. Isaiah is speaking to the "afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted" - which could be any one of us who is trying to be in the world but not of the world. He basically says it won't be easy but it will be worth it as he explains the result: "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established..." What greater blessing could we ask for than this?

Then to give us further confidence against the adversary and his forces, we are promised in verses 15-17: "whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake...no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper;...This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord."Make sure you are on the Lord's side!

3 Nephi 21:10

In 3 Nephi 21:10, the Savior appears to be talking about the Prophet Joseph Smith. I think it is interesting that Joseph would be "marred" because of the wicked people, but the Lord then follows that up with "Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil." Similar to each of us, the Prophet Joseph had times where he was humbled and had to repent and rely on the healing power of the atonement. None of us are perfect, and sometimes our stumbles turn out to be a blessing in our lives and in the lives of others because they allow us to more fully see God's hand in our lives. In this case with Joseph, the Lord was able to show his superior wisdom because although Joseph had lost the manuscript, the Lord had prepared for this incident by commanding Nephi to write the same important things upon the plates that his father had written. So a terrible mistake turned out to be a growth opportunity for the Prophet, who I'm sure needed it to prepare for his future experiences, a testimony builder for the Church, and a witness to those who oppose it that they cannot hinder God's work.

What Lehi Taught about Agency

What is agency?
Agency is the freedom to choose that God has given to each of us (2 Nephi 2:16). Agency is the reason why there is opposition in all aspects of life. Does it make sense to give someone the ability to choose without them having options?

This is important. God gave us agency so that we are not forced to do anything. He did not force Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit and die, but He did give them the opportunity to do so if they chose. Mortality was the consequence of this choice because it was a choice to follow this plan - the plan of salvation - in the first place. In the pre-existence, God did not force us to come to earth, and once on earth, he will not force us to return to him. It's all about choices.

How does it affect me?
Remember that "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25). Adam's choice made it possible for us to be here, as was previously discussed. We are here to make choices and we are here to have joy. Logically, that means we are here to make the choices that will bring us joy, right? That's where we come in.

Lehi taught:

Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. (2 Nephi 2:27)

Let's break this down. Men are free - we know that and discussed that already. All things are given us which are expedient - to me this is the light of Christ (or our conscience) that we all have. We know right from wrong, all of us, so we are able to make choices with accountability. We are free to choose liberty and eternal life or captivity and death - these are really our only two choices. Everything we do brings us towards one or the other, though we don't usually look at our choices this way.

The liberty and eternal life is through the great Mediator of all men - Jesus Christ atoned for us and "bought us with a price" so that he can plead for us before the Father as our mediator. He paid the consequences of our sin so that we will not have to - if we choose Him. Choosing Christ will lead us to liberty as we will not be captive to sin and is the path to eternal life.

Captivity and death are according to the captivity and power of the devil. These are exact opposites of what Christ offers us. Instead of the liberty of righteous living, we are free to choose the spiritual bondage of sin, which limits our choices. If we choose this path of sin, we will have to pay for the consequences of the sin - spiritual death. No unclean thing can dwell with God, so choosing sin and death puts us outside of his presence eternally. Interesting that he uses the word "power" because Satan has REAL power over us when we sin. Sin is how we give him this power. Living righteously prevents him from having any power over us.

He seeketh that we might be miserable like he is - Satan is miserable. How could he not be? He had the potential to be like God (as any son has the potential to be like his father), but he chose to pridefully reject God's plan and rebel. His consequence was to eternally be out of God's presence and to forfeit the eternal inheritance that could have been his. This would make anyone miserable. He can't get back at God but in one way, bringing us down with him. God loves each and every one of us with a love we cannot fathom. How much it must pain God to lose one of his precious sons or daughters!! Satan's only retribution is to bring us down into the misery, captivity and death in which he is fully engulfed.

He will try everything to trip us up. And he succeeds much too often in each of our lives because we are human, frail in our mortal state; however, there is always a way to escape. It is not too late to choose to follow Jesus Christ and to choose liberty and eternal life. The choice is yours. You know the consequences both temporal and eternal. Choose the right!

Planting Seeds - Samuel the Lamanite

As I read this passage in Helaman 16:1-3 I had a few thoughts that I would like to share.

Helaman 16:1-3

1 And now, it came to pass that there were many who heard the words of Samuel, the Lamanite, which he spake upon the walls of the city. And as many as believed on his word went forth and sought for Nephi; and when they had come forth and found him they confessed unto him their sins and denied not, desiring that they might be baptized unto the Lord.
 2 But as many as there were who did not believe in the words of Samuel were angry with him; and they cast stones at him upon the wall, and also many shot arrows at him as he stood upon the wall; but the Spirit of the Lord was with him, insomuch that they could not hit him with their stones neither with their arrows.
 3 Now when they saw that they could not hit him, there were many more who did believe on his words, insomuch that they went away unto Nephi to be baptized.

A few thoughts:
(1) Samuel boldly testified to the people. In this case he was preaching from the city wall.

(2) In the previous chapter he had already been rejected by the people, yet he followed the Spirit's direction to try one more time.

(3) Samuel planted seeds, both while in the city and while on the city wall; however, he never experienced the harvest and saw the fruits of his labor. I'm pretty sure he knew this going into it, and it did not deter him one bit. He may have felt like a total failure if all he saw were angry people throwing stones and shooting arrows at him. As Preach My Gospel explains, success is determined by following the Spirit and working diligently and obediently, not by the number of baptisms you have.

(4) Nephi enjoyed the fruit of Samuel's labor for "as many as believed on his word went forth and sought for Nephi." How grateful he must have felt for Samuel and his preaching. In the previous chapters, we read how Nephi had put his own safety at risk to preach unto the people, doing everything in his power to convince them to repent.

(5) Samuel trusted the Lord enough to stay on that wall while stones and arrows were coming at him. This is important because "when they saw that they could not hit him, there were many more who did believe on his words." We may not always understand why trials are coming at us, but we can trust the Lord that we'll make it through safely - plus we don't always know who is watching.

(6) We can see the great love that God has for his children in these verses. He sent one of his beloved "noble and great" sons into a dangerously wicked city in an attempt to save any of his children. After Samuel was rejected in the city, God did not give up on his children and sent Samuel again unto them (this time on the city wall). Even while the people threatened Samuel's life, God instructed him (by the Spirit) to stay on that wall until as many as possible of his children in that city had the opportunity to believe and repent if he or she so chose.

I only focused this entry on the first three verses of the chapter, but there are so many additional nuggets of truth that we can learn from Samuel and his example. For example, when he returned home from "his mission" among the Nephites, what do you think he did? In verse 7: he "began to preach and to prophesy among his own people." A great example for every RM.

The Priesthood

In my last post (here), I studied the restoration of the Priesthood, so now I would like to dive into the Priesthood itself in more detail. The Priesthood is the power of God delegated to man to act in His name.

Why is the Priesthood important?
The Priesthood is important because it is the authority required to perform saving ordinances that are required for exaltation, such as baptism. We know ordinances such as baptism are required for salvation because Jesus taught that we must be baptized to enter into the kingdom of God (see John 3:3-5). Remember, Jesus did not just go to anyone to be baptized, he sought out John because he had the Priesthood authority to baptize. Even Jesus had to be baptized because it is a commandment for all of us (see 2 Nephi 31:5), and so he needed to be baptized by the proper priesthood authority.

How is this Priesthood authority obtained?
While many people think that studying theology is enough to claim devine authority, the Bible teaches the exact opposite. In Hebrews 5:4 we read, "And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." Ok, so we have to be called of God the way Aaron was; we don't take it upon ourselves, so how was Aaron called? We can read about how Aaron was called of God in the Old Testament:

Called of God, as was Aaron
Aaron was called to receive the Priesthood through one of God's servants who also had the Priesthood, in this case Moses, the prophet at that time. God said to Moses in Exodus 28:1: "And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons." The event is also recorded in Exodus 30:30 where the Lord tells Moses, "And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office."

How is the Priesthood given/received?
The Priesthood is given and received by the laying on of hands by someone who has the Priesthood authority. There are many examples of this throughout the scriptures and I will share a three here:

(1) Moses gave Joshua the priesthood by the laying on of hands in Numbers 27:18, "And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him" - feel free to click the link and read the full context if you are unfamiliar with the story.

(2) When the Apostles met together to call new Apostles and give them authority, they also laid their hands upon them:

5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. (see Acts 6:6)

(3) Paul reminds Timothy of how he was given the Priesthood ordination by the laying on of hands in 1 Timothy 4:14, "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery."

Recap: How do we get the priesthood?
We must (1) be called of God by one of his chosen servants and (2) receive the Priesthood from someone else who has the Priesthood, by the laying on of hands.

Painting depicting how the priesthood was conferred by Christ as recorded in the New Testament:

Restoration of the Priesthood

Why was a restoration necessary? 

In the words of Elder Nelson of the 12 Apostles: "Not long thereafter, the Savior was crucified. Even before the early Apostles completed their labors, the Apostasy began. It occurred, as prophesied, when teachings of men with priesthood keys were rejected and sacred ordinances were defiled."

The scriptures - especially the New Testament - are full of prophesies and evidence of a great apostasy, which occurred following the death of Jesus Christ and while his Apostles were being killed by non-believers. See Apostasy in The Guide to the Scriptures for specific references. When this apostasy occurred, priesthood authority was taken from the earth.

This priesthood authority cannot be obtained by studying the scriptures or by any means other than receiving it from someone who also has the Priesthood. The Bible teaches this in Hebrews 5:4 when Paul explains the Priesthood must be obtained the same way Aaron obtained it (which was from Moses by the laying on of hands). So with the priesthood authority being taken from the earth as a result of apostasy, ordinances such as baptism could no longer be performed by the necessary authority. A restoration was necessary.

When was the Priesthood restored?
The Aaronic priesthood was restored by John the Baptist - who had baptized Jesus Christ with this authority - to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on May 15, 1829 (see D&C 13).


How was the Priesthood restored? 
As mentioned above John the Baptist was sent to Joseph and Oliver in answer to their prayer concerning the Priesthood authority and baptism. John restored the Priesthood to them by the laying on of hands, similar to how Aaron received the Priesthood from Moses in the Old Testament.

Later the Melchizedek Priesthood was similarly restored to Joseph and Oliver by the hands of Peter, James and John, who were Apostles of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.


What does this mean for me and my family?
Because the Priesthood has been restored in this dispensation, I have been blessed with the opportunity to bear and exercise this power. This allows me to serve others, especially my family, through the administration of blessings as well as sacred ordinances. The restoration of the Priesthood was also accompanied - though at a later date - by the restoration of the sealing keys. This has allowed me to be sealed to my wonderful wife and baby girl as an eternal family, sealed in heaven as it is on earth, through the same power that Jesus bestowed upon Peter in Matthew 16:18-19. The ordinances of salvation are again available to all, including me and my family because the proper authority (the Priesthood) has been restored to the earth!

President Monson - As We Gather Once Again

April 2012 General Conference Saturday Morning (link to the talks)


President Monson - As We Gather Once Again 
The purpose of General Conference is to "strengthen one another, to extend encouragement, to provide comfort, to build faith. We are here to learn." We can all "be enlightened and uplifted and comforted as the Spirit of the Lord is felt." General Conference brings the Spirit more fully into our lives and helps us make necessary changes by inspiring us with greater incentive and courage. It helps us live worthily and "oppose evil wherever it is found."  

Prayer and Scripture Study

Some great scriptures on prayer and scripture study (from DTG pg38):
James 1:5-6 - James taught that if we have a question for God and ask in faith he will give us the wisdom we seek.
Alma 34:17-28 - Amulek teaches us that we should call upon God to be merciful with us. We should pray over anything and everything and whenever we can.
3 Nephi 18:15-21 - Jesus taught the Nephites to pray always in order to overcome the temptations of the devil. Also to pray for our families that they might be blessed. Anything we ask, believing, will be given to us.
Moroni 10:3-5 - Moroni's promise is: read the scriptures, ponder them, and then pray in faith to receive a manifestation by the Holy Ghost that they are true.
Helaman 3:29-30 - Mormon adds his observation and testimony as he abridges the records that if we "lay hold" of the word of God (scriptures), we will be able to overcome the adversary.
D&C 18:33-36 - The Lord explains that when you read the scriptures, it is His voice you're hearing as if he is speaking directly to you.
D&C 84:85 - The Lord promises that if you study the scriptures (treasure it up in your hearts), He will provide you with the words you need at the time you need them as you teach and bare testimony.