What Our Prophet Taught in April 2016

President Monson's remarks were brief, largely due to his failing health, however he did give some great council that we should take to heart. Below are a few of the things that he said:

• "We are the recipients of a sacred trust [as Priesthood holders]. Much is expected of us."
• We must guard/protect this Priesthood and be worthy of its blessings.
• "Before you put yourself and your priesthood in jeopardy by venturing into places or participating in activities which are not worthy of you or of that priesthood, pause to consider the consequences."
• "Remember who you are and what God expects you to become. You are a child of promise. You are a man of might. You are a son of God."
• We must always be worthy to use the Priesthood for we never know when we will be called upon to use it!
• "It has been said that the door of history turns on small hinges, and so do people’s lives. The choices we make determine our destiny."
• "May we choose to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith which will be our most effective defense against the designs of the adversary—a real faith, the kind of faith which will sustain us and will bolster our desire to choose the right. Without such faith, we go nowhere. With it, we can accomplish our goals."
• Use the gift of repentance when you fall short.
• "May we maintain the courage to defy the consensus. May we ever choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong."
• Always choose Christ.

From the following talks in the April 2016 General Conference:

• https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/a-sacred-trust?lang=eng
• https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/choices?lang=eng

Ponderize: Charity and Virtue - D&C 121:45

In D&C 121, we read these inspired words penned by the Prophet, Joseph Smith:

45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.
 46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion...

I chose to memorize this passage because of the strength it gives me in multiple important areas.

Charity
First and foremost we must have charity, which is a gift from God, and one that we must diligently seek to obtain (see Moroni 7:44-48). This verse reminds me to seek for charity, to look at all of God's children from a viewpoint of love, and if possible to see them as He does.

Virtue
To be virtuous is to do the right thing when no one is looking, and this can be no truer than in our own thoughts. Only God knows our thoughts, so having virtuous thoughts becomes one of the true tests of life. The goal is to have pure, virtuous, positive thoughts unceasingly, which seems an impossible task but one for which this verse strengthens me.

Confidence
There is a real power that comes into our lives when we know that God is pleased with our efforts. The peace that comes from knowing our lives are in alignment with God's will is inexplicable and something all people seek. This verse teaches how we can achieve this. I've experienced this at times in my life, and this verse helps me focus on areas of my life that can help me have this confidence and peace more frequently.

Priesthood
How beautiful and poetic is this phrase: "and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy souls as the dews from heaven." This is another benefit of living with charity and virtue - an understanding of the Priesthood. I don't think I've arrived in this regard as there is so much more for me to know and learn, but as this verse suggests, it is a gradual process that takes time. This understanding "distils" upon our souls. For those who may not think this promise is a big deal, realize that the Priesthood is God's power through which the earth, the universe and even all of the workmanship of God's hands were created.

Holy Ghost
The companionship of the Holy Ghost is another powerful and very real blessing that can be ours if we can live with charity and virtue. His guidance can help us in all aspects of our lives, not just the spiritual, as He opens our minds and increases our ability to learn and remember. The Holy Ghost brings us comfort and peace. He can "show [us] all things what [we] should do." (2 Ne 32:5).

As Elder Richard G Scott suggested a few years ago, this passage of scripture has become a dear friend. It is one that I can recall at any time to refocus on what really matters.

Forever Families

Just some notes from the talk I gave last Sunday:

Stories of Sacrifice

1. Many years ago I read of a group of over a hundred members who left Manaus, located in the heart of the Amazon rain forest, to travel to what was then the closest temple, located in São Paulo, Brazil—nearly 2,500 miles (4,000 km) from Manaus. Those faithful Saints journeyed by boat for four days on the Amazon River and its tributaries. After completing this journey by water, they boarded buses for another three days of travel—over bumpy roads, with very little to eat, and with nowhere comfortable to sleep. After seven days and nights, they arrived at the temple in São Paulo, where ordinances eternal in nature were performed. Of course their return journey was just as difficult. However, they had received the ordinances and blessings of the temple, and although their purses were empty, they themselves were filled with the spirit of the temple and with gratitude for the blessings they had received.

2. May I share with you the account of Tihi (Moo Tam) Mou Tham, his wife and their 10 children. The entire family except for one daughter joined the Church in the early 1960s, when missionaries came to their island, located about 100 miles (160 km) south of Tahiti. Soon they began to desire the blessings of an eternal family sealing in the temple.

At that time the nearest temple to the Mou Tham family was the Hamilton New Zealand Temple, more than 2,500 miles (4,000 km) to the southwest, accessible only by expensive airplane travel. The large Mou Tham family, which eked out a meager living on a small plantation, had no money for airplane fare, nor was there any opportunity for employment on their Pacific island. So Brother Mou Tham and his son Gérard made the difficult decision to travel 3,000 miles (4,800 km) to work in New Caledonia, where another son was already employed.

The three Mou Tham men labored for four years. Brother Mou Tham alone returned home only once during that time, for the marriage of a daughter. After four years, Brother Mou Tham and his sons had saved enough money to take the family to the New Zealand Temple. All who were members went except for one daughter, who was expecting a baby. They were sealed for time and eternity, an indescribable and joyful experience. Brother Mou Tham returned from the temple directly to New Caledonia, where he worked for two more years to pay for the passage of the one daughter who had not been at the temple with them—a married daughter and her child and husband.

3. The Kirtland temple – Elder Heber C Kimball described the scene as “poverty, tribulation and distress.” Not long after completing it, the persecution forced them out.

The Nauvoo Temple – The sames similarly sacrificed, worked 24/7 doing ordinances once it was complete. The prophet was murdered and the saints were forced out again at the hand of the mob

The SLC Temple – 40 years of sacrifice and labor to construct

Monson – “My brothers and sisters, temples are more than stone and mortar. They are filled with faith and fasting. They are built of trials and testimonies. They are sanctified by sacrifice and service…Some degree of sacrifice has ever been associated with temple building and with temple attendance. Countless are those who have labored and struggled in order to obtain for themselves and for their families the blessings which are found in the temples of God.”

Why? For What?

To answer the question “why?” listen to God’s mouthpiece, his chosen prophet on the earth today:

“Why are so many willing to give so much in order to receive the blessings of the temple? Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. There are never too many miles to travel, too many obstacles to overcome, or too much discomfort to endure. They understand that the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort.”

Step Back- Plan of Salvation

Before we were born, we lived with God, the Father of our Spirits. In the The Family: A Proclamation to the World, we read, "IN THE PREMORTAL REALM, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life."

• With a full knowledge of the trials, tests, heartaches, sickness and pain we would face in a mortal lifetime, why would we chose to come to earth?

We understood the value that these challenges and experiences would have, and we understood the reward for faithfulness – and that was enough. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ we knew we could gain a resurrected, perfect body and live eternally with our families.

Exaltation and Eternal Life mean the same thing – living eternally in the presence of God with our families – and includes the blessing of eternal increase and all that the Father hath.

• What do we need to do to receive exaltation?

We must start with the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. Then we must continue faithful, receive the temple ordinances and covenants, and be sealed to an eternal companion. This is not the end but the beginning of our journey towards eternal life for we then must remain faithful to our temple covenants. (In D&C 131:1-4, the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that "in the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; and in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; and if he does not, he cannot obtain it. He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase.")

By the voice of Apostles and Prophets

Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught:

“From the moment of birth into mortality to the time we are married in the temple, everything we have in the whole gospel system is to prepare and qualify us to enter that holy order of matrimony which makes us husband and wife in this life and in the world to come. Then from the moment we are sealed together by the power and authority of the holy priesthood … everything connected with revealed religion is designed to help us keep the terms and conditions of our marriage covenant, so that this covenant will have efficacy, virtue, and force in the life to come. Thus celestial marriage is the crowning ordinance of the gospel. … Thus the family unit is the most important organization in time or in eternity. And thus we should have more interest in and concern for our families than for anything else in life. … There is nothing in this world as important as the creation and perfection of family units” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1970, 27).

Elder Robert D. Hales taught:

"While our individual salvation is based on our individual obedience, it is equally important that we understand that we are each an important and integral part of a family and the highest blessings can be received only within an eternal family. When families are functioning as designed by God, the relationships found therein are the most valued of mortality. The plan of the Father is that family love and companionship will continue into the eternities."

President Henry B. Eyring taught:

“There is nothing that has come or will come into your family as important as the sealing blessings. There is nothing more important than honoring the marriage and family covenants you have made or will make in the temples of God. The way to do that is clear. The Holy Spirit of Promise, through our obedience and sacrifice, must seal our temple covenants in order to be realized in the world to come.”

Our Sacrifice

Unlike the Brazilian families living in the heart of the Amazon rain forest, or Tihi Mou Tham and his family, or our ancestors, the early saints in Kirtland, Nauvoo and the Salt Lake Valley, we do not have to suffer great hardships in order to attend the temple. We have one about 30 minutes away from here, and our biggest hardship is the 1604 traffic.

For current temple recommend holders

Our living prophet, President Monson says:

“If you have been to the temple for yourselves and if you live within relatively close proximity to a temple, your sacrifice could be setting aside the time in your busy lives to visit the temple regularly.”

For those who have not yet gone to the temple or do not have current recommend

President Monson says:

“If you have not yet been to the temple or if you have been but currently do not qualify for a recommend, there is no more important goal for you to work toward than being worthy to go to the temple. Your sacrifice may be bringing your life into compliance with what is required to receive a recommend, perhaps by forsaking long-held habits which disqualify you. It may be having the faith and the discipline to pay your tithing. Whatever it is, qualify to enter the temple of God. Secure a temple recommend and regard it as a precious possession, for such it is.”

A word to the Teenagers (and Future Teenagers)

Now for you teenagers that might be thinking "how does this apply to me?" Let me borrow an analogy from speaker and author John Bytheway. You have all heard of the Tour de France, a grueling bicycle race that lasts over 3 weeks to travel more than 2,000 miles. John Bytheway talks about a different race, what he calls the "Tour de Family." This race is much longer than 3 weeks, it lasts our entire lives. It begins when a couple gets married. New seats are added to the tandem bicycle as kids join the family. It is not a race against other bikers or other families, but a race to achieve the finish line with no empty seats. Does this analogy make sense to you? You're on that bike with your family right now.

Have any of you ridden on a tandem bike before? It is much easier when both riders are pedaling. It can be difficult when one of those pedaling stops, or worse applies the brakes. The question that should be asked is, "are you pedaling, coasting, or worse, applying the brakes?" How can you help your family be an eternal family (or a forever family as it's often referred)? Don't hit the brakes while the rest of your family pedals onward; in fact, you might even pedal with them. Achieving a forever family is a family affair. What I mean by that is parents cannot by themselves do everything to have a forever family - each of us have to do our part, including the children.

A Word to the Parents (and Future Parents)

For the parents in this congregation, and I include myself, do our children understand the importance of eternal families? They will never learn how important a forever family is through words. They will only learn how important it is by watching mom and dad pedal on the family bike with all their effort, doing everything possible to arrive at the finish line with no empty seats. As we all know, it is our actions and our example that motivates our children, not our words.

President Harold B Lee, who was one of our latter-day prophets said the following: “Our youth are in danger. Keep your home ties strong ... ‘the greatest of the Lord’s work you brethren will ever do as fathers will be within the walls of your own home.’ Don’t neglect your [spouse] [or] your children. Take time for family home evening. Draw your children around about you. Teach them, guide them, and guard them. There was never a time when we needed so much the strength and the solidarity of the home” This was in 1973.

Why Is Eternal Families a Unique Doctrine?

1. The Lord gave the sealing power to Peter as recorded in the New Testament: “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

2. Apostasy

3. Restoration by Elijah the prophet to Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple

4. Living Prophet with the same Keys that Peter had – delegated to but a few. President Packer taught: “There are relatively few men who [hold] this sealing power upon the earth at any given time—in each temple are brethren who have been given the sealing power. No one can get it except from the prophet, seer, and revelator and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

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!

Receive the Holy Ghost by Elder David A Bednar of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles

For the full text of this discourse, click here.

Elder Bednar wrote:

The gift of the Holy Ghost is bestowed only after proper and authorized baptism and by the laying on of hands by those holding the Melchizedek Priesthood. The Lord declared:

“Yea, repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. …

“And whoso having faith you shall confirm in my church, by the laying on of the hands, and I will bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost upon them” (D&C 33:11, 15).

The Apostle Paul made this practice clear to the Ephesians when he asked:

“Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

“And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.

“Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

“When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

“And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them” (Acts 19:2–6).

I really like the truths taught by the experience shared by the Apostle Paul. Clearly John the Baptist had authority from God to baptize. We know he possessed the Aaronic priesthood. But even John himself taught that someone great was to come, someone who could bestow the Gift of the Holy Ghost, or baptism of fire. He was referring to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. In this scripture, Paul is speaking to some good people who were baptized by paul but had not yet received the Holy Ghost nor been baptized into Christ's church. So, even though they had been previously baptized unto repentance by John, they required a second baptism by Paul, who possessed the Melchezedic Priesthood, in order to join the Church of Jesus Christ and to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

I could never do Elder Bednar's talk justice with this blog post, so please read it. Here is the thesis for the remainder of his talk and he then proceeds to explain each step in detail: 

"What should we do to make this authorized admonition to seek for the companionship of the third member of the Godhead an ongoing reality? Let me suggest that we need to (1) sincerely desire to receive the Holy Ghost, (2) appropriately invite the Holy Ghost into our lives, and (3) faithfully obey God’s commandments."

The Gift of the Holy Ghost

The Holy Ghost testifies of truth, so anyone can feel the power of the Holy Ghost when hearing or learning truth. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is much more than this; it is the "right to have, whenever one is worthy, the companionship of the Holy Ghost"(Bible Dictionary, "Holy Ghost"). This means that the Holy Ghost can be with you all the time to guide, protect, and help you in your life.

In order to qualify for the Gift of the Holy Ghost, you must be baptized by the proper priesthood authority (click here to learn about the priesthood authority). Following baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost is given by the laying on of hands, the same way that Jesus Christ taught as recorded by the New Testament. I direct you to Acts 8:14-17:

14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

 For more information and scripture references about the laying on of hands, please refer to the Bible Dictionary: Laying on of Hands.

The Holy Ghost has guided me in my life, and I testify that it is worth any price to gain this gift, one of the greatest of all the gifts of God bestowed upon mankind in this life.

Healing the Sick by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles

I really enjoyed this talk "Healing the Sick" by Elder Oaks in the April 2010 General Conference. I'll include some of my favorite quotes in this post, but check out the full text by clicking here.

He explains what we believe as Latter-day Saints:

Latter-day Saints believe in applying the best available scientific knowledge and techniques. We use nutrition, exercise, and other practices to preserve health, and we enlist the help of healing practitioners, such as physicians and surgeons, to restore health.

The use of medical science is not at odds with our prayers of faith and our reliance on priesthood blessings. When a person requested a priesthood blessing, Brigham Young would ask, “Have you used any remedies?” To those who said no because “we wish the Elders to lay hands upon us, and we have faith that we shall be healed,” President Young replied: “That is very inconsistent according to my faith. If we are sick, and ask the Lord to heal us, and to do all for us that is necessary to be done, according to my understanding of the Gospel of salvation, I might as well ask the Lord to cause my wheat and corn to grow, without my plowing the ground and casting in the seed. It appears consistent to me to apply every remedy that comes within the range of my knowledge, and [then] to ask my Father in Heaven . . . to sanctify that application to the healing of my body.”

Miracle of Healing is scriptural and modern as well:

Many scriptures teach that the servants of the Lord “shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:18). Miracles happen when the authority of the priesthood is used to bless the sick. I have experienced these miracles. As a boy and as a man I have seen healings as miraculous as any recorded in the scriptures, and so have many of you.

He lists 5 parts of a priesthood blessing: (1) Anointing, (2) the sealing of the anointing, (3) faith, (4) the words of the blessing, and (5) the will of the Lord.

Anointing:

In the New Testament we read that Jesus’s Apostles “anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them” (Mark 6:13). The book of James teaches the role of anointing in connection with the other elements in a healing blessing by priesthood authority:

“Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up” (James 5:14–15).

 Sealing the Anointing:

When elders anoint a sick person and seal the anointing, they open the windows of heaven for the Lord to pour forth the blessing He wills for the person afflicted.

President Brigham Young taught: “When I lay hands on the sick, I expect the healing power and influence of God to pass through me to the patient, and the disease to give way. . . . When we are prepared, when we are holy vessels before the Lord, a stream of power from the Almighty can pass through the tabernacle of the administrator to the system of the patient, and the sick are made whole.”

Faith:

President Spencer W. Kimball said: “The need of faith is often underestimated. The ill one and the family often seem to depend wholly on the power of the priesthood and the gift of healing that they hope the administering brethren may have, whereas the greater responsibility is with him who is blessed. . . . The major element is the faith of the individual when that person is conscious and accountable. ‘Thy faith hath made thee whole’ [Matthew 9:22] was repeated so often by the Master that it almost became a chorus.”

Words of Blessing:

These words can be very important, but their content is not essential and they are not recorded on the records of the Church. In some priesthood blessings—like a patriarchal blessing—the words spoken are the essence of the blessing. But in a healing blessing it is the other parts of the blessing—the anointing, the sealing, faith, and the will of the Lord—that are the essential elements. . .

(I thought this was comforting):

Fortunately, the words spoken in a healing blessing are not essential to its healing effect. If faith is sufficient and if the Lord wills it, the afflicted person will be healed or blessed whether the officiator speaks those words or not. Conversely, if the officiator yields to personal desire or inexperience and gives commands or words of blessing in excess of what the Lord chooses to bestow according to the faith of the individual, those words will not be fulfilled. Consequently, brethren, no elder should ever hesitate to participate in a healing blessing because of fear that he will not know what to say. The words spoken in a healing blessing can edify and energize the faith of those who hear them, but the effect of the blessing is dependent upon faith and the Lord’s will, not upon the words spoken by the elder who officiated.

Will of the Lord:

We must always remember that faith and the healing power of the priesthood cannot produce a result contrary to the will of Him whose priesthood it is...

We do all that we can for the healing of a loved one, and then we trust in the Lord for the outcome.

The Power of the Priesthood by Boyd K Packer

These are some of my thoughts as I read The Power of the Priesthood, a talk given by Boyd K Packer, Presiding Apostle of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. Here is the link to his talk.

President Packer says:

"We now number nearly 14 million members. Even so, we are a tiny fraction when compared to the billions of people on earth. But we are who we are, and we know what we know, and we are to go forth and preach the gospel."

We truly are a minority when compared with the billions of people on the Earth, but I think this should only motivate us to step up to our responsibility as Priesthood holders to share the gospel with those around us. Even though we may never have "numbers" on our side, we have the Priesthood, the power of God, which more than compensates. On the same note, I like this quote as well:

"President Joseph Fielding Smith said, 'While it may be said . . . that we are but a handful in comparison with . . . the world, yet we may be compared with the leaven of which the Savior spoke, which will eventually leaven [or lift] the whole world.'"

Here is how President Packer defines the priesthood:

"Priesthood is the authority and the power which God has granted to men on earth to act for Him. When priesthood authority is exercised properly, priesthood bearers do what He would do if He were present...

Authority in the priesthood comes by way of ordination; power in the priesthood comes through faithful and obedient living in honoring covenants. It is increased by exercising and using the priesthood in righteousness."

It is a father's duty to preside in the home in righteousness. He should give priesthood blessings to his family and be involved in their spiritual growth and progression. Here are two stories that President Packer shared in his talk that touched me and taught of the importance of a father fulfilling his priesthood duties to his family- Story 1:

"During the Vietnam War, we held a series of special meetings for members of the Church called into military service. After such a meeting in Chicago, I was standing next to President Harold B. Lee when a fine young Latter-day Saint told President Lee that he was on leave to visit his home and then had orders to Vietnam. He asked President Lee to give him a blessing.

Much to my surprise, President Lee said, 'Your father should give you the blessing.'

Very disappointed, the boy said, 'My father wouldn’t know how to give a blessing.'

President Lee answered, 'Go home, my boy, and tell your father that you are going away to war and want to receive a father’s blessing from him. If he does not know how, tell him that you will sit on a chair. He can stand behind you and put his hands on your head and say whatever comes.'

This young soldier went away sorrowing.

About two years later I met him again. I do not recall where. He reminded me of that experience and said, 'I did as I was told to do. I explained to my father that I would sit on the chair and that he should put his hands on my head. The power of the priesthood filled both of us. That was a strength and protection in those perilous months of battle.'"

Story 2:

"Another time I was in a distant city. After a conference we were ordaining and setting apart leaders. As we concluded, the stake president asked, “Can we ordain a young man to be an elder who is leaving for the mission field?” The answer, of course, was yes.

As the young man came forward, he motioned for three brethren to follow and stand in for his ordination.

I noticed on the back row a carbon copy of this boy, and I asked, “Is that your father?”

The young man said, “Yes.”

I said, “Your father will ordain you.”

And he protested, “But I’ve already asked another brother to ordain me.”

And I said, “Young man, your father will ordain you, and you’ll live to thank the Lord for this day.”

Then the father came forward.

Thank goodness he was an elder. Had he not been, he soon could have been! In the military they would call that a battlefield commission. Sometimes such things are done in the Church.

The father did not know how to ordain his son. I put my arm around him and coached him through the ordinance. When he was finished, the young man was an elder.

Then something wonderful happened. Completely changed, the father and son embraced. It was obvious that had never happened before.

The father, through his tears, said, “I didn’t get to ordain my other boys.”

Think how much more was accomplished than if another had ordained him, even an Apostle."

Fathers need to step up to their privilege and responsibility. Mothers need to help by encouraging their husbands. I like President Packer's call to action:

"We need everyone. The tired or worn out or lazy and even those who are bound down with guilt must be restored through repentance and forgiveness. Too many of our priesthood brethren are living below their privileges and the Lord’s expectations.

We must go forward, confident of the supernal power of the priesthood. It is a source of strength and encouragement to know who we are and what we have and what we must do in the work of the Almighty."

The priesthood power is very real. I've had so many experiences in my life where I have witnessed first hand the power of the priesthood both on the administering and receiving ends of ordinances and blessings. If we do not use the priesthood with which we've been blessed, think of how many people- our families, neighbors, friends- have not been blessed, when they might have been, because of our living below our privileges.

Fathers have a sacred duty to protect their homes and their families, especially against the attacks of Satan, the enemy of all righteousness. In conclusion, this is President Packer's counsel to fathers in this regard:

"You have the power of the priesthood directly from the Lord to protect your home. There will be times when all that stands as a shield between your family and the adversary’s mischief will be that power. You will receive direction from the Lord by way of the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Salvation and the Fourth Article of Faith

The fourth Article of Faith states:

"We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost."
Articles of Faith 1:4

This statement teaches us some basic things about salvation and how it is achieved. There are many people in the world that believe that God has preselected a group of people on this earth to receive salvation and that the rest of us are out of luck unless we are part of that group. What a false, sad doctrine that is! God loves us as our Father and wants ALL of us to return to him. However, he will not force us to be obedient to his commandments and live in such a way that will qualify us for the blessing of returning to him because he has given us agency to choose for ourselves.

God has given us his gospel with steps that we should follow to prove ourselves to him and qualify for his greatest gift, that of eternal life. The first principles and ordinances of the gospel are the first steps in following the path that God has prepared for us to return to him. Not only are they inspired of God, but they also make sense logically.

Faith
First we must have faith in him. We must believe and more importantly do. Faith is an action word that implies that we will not only believe but do as the Lord wants us to.

Repentance
As we begin to have faith in God and in his son, Jesus Christ, we will naturally change to be better. We will want to make changes to leave our old lives behind and start fresh. We will ask God for his forgiveness and as we do this, repenting, he will forgive us.

Baptism
We show our repentance and change of heart through the ordinance of baptism. When we are baptized, we promise to follow Jesus Christ and his teachings. We come out of the baptismal waters clean just as we were when we were born. Baptism opens the door to salvation but does not guarantee salvation.

The Gift of the Holy Ghost
There is a second part of baptism. After we are baptized with water, we must be baptized with fire, or the Holy Ghost. This ordinance is performed soon after baptism. The gift of the Holy Ghost is given by the laying on of hands by someone who has the priesthood authority. It is important to note that the Gift of the Holy Ghost does not just come upon baptized members of the Church automatically. It must be given by the laying on of hands as recorded in the New Testament in Acts 8:16-18.

Of course following these steps, the first principles and ordinances of the gospel will not guarantee salvation, but as I mentioned, these are the first steps that we must take. After we have completed these steps, we have begun on the path that will lead us to eternal life if we press on, enduring to the end. One of my favorite scriptures that talks about this responsibility is found in 2 Nephi 31:20, which reads:

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."