D&C 52:9 Be careful to teach correct doctrine. How do we know? Scriptures, prophets, personal revelation
· Independence Missouri = every other house is either a bar or house of ill repute – Joseph Smith gambling
· Colesville and Harmony together- story of Lucy Mac Smith
· Section 51 in Ohio but this summer will be the trip to Missouri, a location that would provide unbelievable hardships for the Saints.
· “For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing: it also depends on what sort of person you are.”
God always honors our agency and our desire. Eventually our kids have to come to us without compulsory means
Consecrated – no longer owner, a steward
D&C 51:16-20 Reminded that everything we have, this land is actually the Lords and he consecrates it to us. Our bodies and minds are actually the Lord’s and he allows us this moral time period where we can be wise stewards. How does this change what I wear, eat, when I sleep, how I speak of my body. Accountability to Him.
52:2 Consecration is personal (thy) no comparison – It has everything to do with the New and Everlasting Covenant.
Establishing Zion: Let Zion in her beauty Rise – Bishop Partridge
51:8 wants - need
Might, mind and strength are limited, finite resources
Prioritization has to happen, because these don’t hold out.
Elder Christopherson: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, God’s work in your life is bigger than the story you’d like that life to tell. His life is bigger than your plans, goals, or fears. To save your life, you’ll have to lay down your stories and, minute by minute, day by day, give your life back to him.”
D&C 57: 17 Treat every situation like you’ll be there forever. Give you best to that calling, that place you live. Fix up homes and yards like you’ll be there forever.
People who locate in a home or apartment knowing that they will move to another in a short time may have a tendency to neglect Church attendance and other responsibilities. How can we apply this principle in all that we do? Callings, where we live etc.
Root of consecration is love of God and mankind
Temporal and spiritual are the same to God
52: 5-6, 13 Faithfulness is a prerequisite to knowing what to do. Why? You thought I was going to give you Zion. You’ve got to build Zion. Create Zion- Don’t shop for wards. One of the only churches still defined by boundaries.
Hold fast to covenants (time, talents, resources building the Kingdom of God). It’s all His. If he blesses me with it, use it to do His work. We put on the armor of light- which is putting on Jesus Christ.
52:9, 53: 1 Prayer of Faith Ask for the Holy Ghost to be personal tutor as I seek to know and understand what the Lord would have me know and do. God hears our prayers.
President Russell M. Nelson " Are you willing to pray to know how to pray for more power? The Lord will teach you."
52: 14-18 Pattern – Dream How do we master a situation or skill? Exact or precise makes a big difference in the outcome
Pattern Homes After the Temple – Penelope
We need to ask ourselves if what we are hearing is edifying.
52:18, 34 You can’t have the fruit without the roots
57:8,11,14 Planted in this place- roots, fruits – work necessary
The Lord knows where our hearts are. If we are doing things for personal interest or self-promotion, He won’t send His Spirit to edify. Think of Sacrament talks that edified (note that often I feel that even more with set apart 70 speakers) vs. lady on facebook making fun of church meetings and promoting herself.
Unity can be messy, Section 51:2, 15 privilege of organized according to God’s laws. What distinguishes His laws from other laws? Section 57 No fraud, everything needs to be done in righteousness. It all must be done according to God’s laws not mans.
51:9 Before Celestial Laws can be lived, we need to be solidly terrestrial -honesty
Don’t spend time or energy on things that are not needful
Elder Zivic – kids piano
Story of Vietnamese family in Provo 1975: “One evening I stood inside Brother Johnson’s front door as I waited for him before a home teaching appointment. There in the nearby kitchen—I was surprised to see it—was a table practically identical to the one they had given to my family. The only difference was that where our table had pegs, the Johnsons’ table had holes! I then realized that, seeing our need, this charitable man had cut his kitchen table in half and had built two new legs for each half. “It was obvious that the Johnson family could not fit around this small piece of furniture—they probably didn’t fit comfortably around it when it was whole. …“Throughout my life this kind act has been a powerful reminder of true giving” (Son Quang Le, as told to Beth Ellis Le, “Two-of-a-Kind Table,” Liahona, July 2004, 45; Ensign, July 2004, 63).
52:40 Poor and needy, Jacob, before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. You will seek them to do good, to clothe the naked, feed the hungry. It’s been noted the generosity of the Saints along the wasatch front. Almost of tears. A few years later, take note at Utah’s fastest growing economy. How can we shift our mindset from self preservation to outwardly focused. Elder Maxwell, “Count your blessings but make your blessings count.” Instead of meeting in corners of dark rooms coming up with plans to gain, cheat or steel. Let’s meet together to come up with ways to help, lift and serve.
General Authority, Elder Sybrowsky,“Service is meant to be work. … Service is meant to take something from us and give to others. There is sacrifice, whether it be in time or resources or energy or whatever. We must serve. We must serve each other in our homes, within our families, in our communities and in our wards.”
52:42-44 We foolishly think we own land, homes, cars, lives, but these are all on loan to us from God. For this time the inherited land is with enemies but God knows to whom He will eventually give it.
If you saw one of your kids clothed in rags, is there any question that you’d find a way to clothe them? Profound love, discipleship. This isn’t easy or casual Christianity.
I am going to stretch you.
55:4 Let’s remember the Savior loves children!
Neither let he riches of the world canker your soul not let yourself be deceived by Satan.
Riches cancer soul – a cancer is actually a small area of dead tissue that grows slowly over years and may kill the tree. It can also invest other trees
Example of giving all. Ezra Thayer
Deception: Story of Eskimo and wolf- meat and eating it’s own blood – That is exactly what Satan does.
56:8 pride and selfishness he was holding onto. Example that sometimes we are willing to serve him with conditions
Yes, I’ll forgive, Yes, I’ll accept but I don’t want that calling
Don’t give the Lord ultimatums.
The more we give to the lord the more he gives back to us
Exchange of all we have for all the Father has
Forsake the world – which way do I face?
Repent so we can sanctified so we can have the Holy Ghost to lead us.
54:4-7 What do we do about human foibles in ourselves and others. Challenging marriage, neighbors, ward members?
Remember message I am reminded of whenever I start worrying about people not liking me etc. “What worries us controls us”. Stop worrying about who does and doesn’t like you and why. Such a plague in our world of social likes and dislikes and judging who is and isn’t hip and cool etc. Instead give all your thought and efforts into focusing on keeping my covenants with God. That will allow me to have the Holy Ghost with me to lead and offer protection from sin and deception.
Ezra Booth – overhearing argument, Others hurt by us leading them away.
I can’t control my husband or my children but I have complete control over if I keep my covenants.
What can protect us from deception? Back to covenants and ordinances. Coat of skins – garments, reminder of covenants. Something or someone died to provide that protection. Covenant protection
He who takes offense when no offense is intended is a fool, and he who takes offense when offense is intended is a greater fool.”
-- Brigham Young
His love and mercy won’t decay, won’t pass on, will remain forever. It’s easy to point a finger of scorn but look at ourselves.
Simon Basset was young. 16 or 17
Rider vs. Ryder: Apostles or prophets – that setting apart doesn’t bring with it, perfection. They may occasionally mess up. We shouldn’t hold prophets to a standard of perfection. If God can only use almost perfect people, count us all out. They need repentance too and that’s ok.
800 miles in a pair of shoes makes you reconsider.
Personal directions sometimes require great sacrifice. Issac Morely, Edward Partridge and Leeman Copley were asked to give up farms. Some did and one didn’t. Each of us have different gift to offer.
This prophet will be Moses, like Enoch. A prophet that will ask everything for the building up of the kingdom, everything that you have.
If we aren’t challenged in figuring out how much to give our family, ourselves, yet not walking across the street to see how our neighbor is doing. First class attention to first class things.
See reality of temple covenants in the day-to-day life so prepare us to truly see the face of the Son of God.
Ordinances provide a motivation when you want to sin. Lets be real.
56:2, 14-15 Temptation wouldn’t be temptation if it weren’t appealing. When face with it, ordinances and covenants can help us overcome. Protective power of covenants-, a perfect being died so we can have the covenantal promises we have.
52:15 In a revelation given to Joseph Smith in September 1832, the Lord explained that the “greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God. Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest. And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh; for without this [the power of godliness] no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live” (D&C 84:19–22; emphasis added).
Constant theme about deception. These deceptions are not in the past, they are in our current realities. Prayer, God’s emphasis on ordinances.
One of the reasons why ordinances are looked down upon (I can be spiritual without being religious) yet statistics show that children and children’s children will most likely leave religion and not know the blessings of covenants and ordinances.
Lyman White – liberty jail, saw Father and Son, yet is deceived into taking a group to Texas. Leaving ordinances, covenants etc. Even the elect will be deceived- Christ said this.
Jason Borne movie – high definition – noticing flaws I had never seen before – We may not see things clearly
Elder Worthlin – not realizing he had a cataract
When we are ‘hurt,’ it is invariably by those we love” (Willard Gaylin, “Being Touched, Being Hurt,” Psychology Today, December 1978, p. 117). Imagine the heartache of these early Saints as they were betrayed. Story of relationships I thought were so solid that turned out to not last. All interpersonal relationships must be founded on gospel principles to be truly strong and lasting.
One good way of understanding what Zion is, is to see what Zion is not.
The major characteristics of the great and abominable church described in 1 Nephi may be listed as follows:
1. It persecutes, tortures, and slays the Saints of God. (See 1 Ne. 13:5.)
2. It seeks wealth and luxury. (See 1 Ne. 13:7–8.)
3. It is characterized by sexual immorality. (See 1 Ne. 13:7.)
4. It has excised plain and precious things from the scriptures. (See 1 Ne. 13:26–29.)
5. It has dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people. (See 1 Ne. 14:11.)
6. Its fate is to be consumed by a world war, when the nations it incites against the Saints war among themselves until the great and abominable church itself is destroyed. (See 1 Ne. 22:13–14.)
Another symbol used in the book of Revelation to represent the great and abominable church, as well as worldliness and wickedness in general, is Babylon. Five of the six characteristics identified in 1 Nephi are also attributed to Babylon in the book of Revelation:
1. Babylon is drunk with the blood of the Saints, the martyrs of Jesus, and the prophets. (See Rev. 17:6; Rev. 18:24.)
2. She is known for her enjoyment of great wealth and luxury. (See Rev. 17:4; Rev. 18:3, 11–16.)
3. She is characterized by wanton sexual immorality. (See Rev. 17:1–2, 5.)
4. She has dominion over all nations. (See Rev. 17:15, 18; Rev. 18:3, 23–24.)
5. Her fate is to be consumed by the very kings who, because of her deceptions, have made war on the Lamb. (See Rev. 17:14–16; Rev. 18:23.)
What can I do to not covet my own resources? Generous fast offering, humanitarian effort
Starting day out with a prayer asking who I might serve that day.
Phones – beautiful people with beautiful things
She’s living her best life: Allure of money, looks, prestige- true strength comes from keeping God’s laws
Sister Tanner
Satan learned these same eternal truths about the body, and yet his punishment is that he does not have one. Therefore he tries to do everything he can to get us to abuse or misuse this precious gift. He has filled the world with lies and deceptions about the body. He tempts many to defile this great gift of the body through unchastity, immodesty, self-indulgence, and addictions. He seduces some to despise their bodies; others he tempts to worship their bodies. In either case, he entices the world to regard the body merely as an object. In the face of so many satanic falsehoods about the body, I want to raise my voice today in support of the sanctity of the body. I testify that the body is a gift to be treated with gratitude and respect.
The Lord wants us to be made over—but in His image, not in the image of the world, by receiving His image in our countenances
I remember well the insecurities I felt as a teenager with a bad case of acne. I tried to care for my skin properly. My parents helped me get medical attention. For years I even went without eating chocolate and all the greasy fast foods around which teens often socialize, but with no obvious healing consequences. It was difficult for me at that time to fully appreciate this body which was giving me so much grief. But my good mother taught me a higher law. Over and over she said to me, “You must do everything you can to make your appearance pleasing, but the minute you walk out the door, forget yourself and start concentrating on others.”
There it was. She was teaching me the Christlike principle of selflessness.
Elder Christopherson said one of Satan’s disguises is the idea that there are no moral absolutes.
Things are beyond my control: Elder Hales son obituary said, “His marriage was great because he made it great.”
“We heeded them not” – Nephi tree of life when people mocked them.
God sees the big picture.
“No dis” story
We must act to protect those we love. Sometimes we are in a situation where we are trying to help someone and can see clearly that they are putting themselves in a dangerous situation. We need to recognize that especially if they don’t have the Spirit with them their minds may be muddled and they aren’t thinking clearly. Especially in these situations, we need to be firm, express an increase of love and support and help them get to a safe situation. In order to do this we must have the Spirit with us, fast and pray. We need their best interest at heart. Real love is not always butterflies, chocolate and flowers.
The Lord knows your potential and has plans for you to do His work. We are a part of this ongoing restoration. The Lord’s work not just to solve problems. It’s to build people. Elder Eyring.
Elder Eyring: I imagine that others are feeling, because of careful preparation, more joyful, more optimistic, and more determined to serve in any capacity needed by the Lord.
The transcendent events we honor were the beginning of the prophesied last dispensation, in which the Lord is preparing His Church and His people, those who bear His name, to receive Him. As part of our preparation for His coming, He will lift each of us so we may rise to spiritual challenges and opportunities unlike any seen in the history of this world.
In September 1840, the Prophet Joseph Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency declared the following: “The work of the Lord in these last days, is one of vast magnitude and almost beyond the comprehension of mortals. Its glories are past description, and its grandeur unsurpassable. It is the theme which has animated the bosom of prophets and righteous men from the creation of the world down through every succeeding generation to the present time; and it is truly the dispensation of the fullness of times, when all things which are in Christ Jesus, whether in heaven or on the earth, shall be gathered together in Him, and when all things shall be restored, as spoken of by all the holy prophets since the world began; for in it will take place the glorious fulfilment of the promises made to the fathers, while the manifestations of the power of the Most High will be great, glorious, and sublime.”
They went on to say: “We feel disposed to go forward and unite our energies for the upbuilding of the Kingdom, and establishing the Priesthood in their fullness and glory. The work which has to be accomplished in the last days is one of vast importance, and will call into action the energy, skill, talent, and ability of the Saints, so that it may roll forth with that glory and majesty described by the prophet [Daniel] [see Daniel 2:34–35, 44–45]; and will consequently require the concentration of the Saints, to accomplish works of such magnitude and grandeur.”2
Many of the specifics of what we will do and when we will do it in the unfolding Restoration are not yet revealed. Yet the First Presidency even in those early days knew some of the breadth and depth of the work the Lord has set before us. Here are a few examples of what we do know will take place:
Through His Saints, the Lord will offer the gift of His gospel “to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.”3 Technology and miracles will continue to play a part—as will individual “fishers of men”4 who minister with power and increasing faith.
We as a people will become more united amid increasing conflict. We will be gathered in the spiritual strength of groups and families filled with gospel light.
Even an unbelieving world will recognize The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and realize the power of God upon it. Faithful and brave disciples will fearlessly, humbly, and openly take upon them the name of Christ in their everyday lives.
57:4 Jew and Gentile – The Lord sees the big picture.
After the manner of their language that they may come to understanding.
Children learn differently – Jonathan snowboarding – youtube
Example of missionary praying to learn language while he slept whereas others pick it up with little difficulty. Some people are naturally cheerful. Some are naturally grumpy. We all can overcome to obey covenants and trust God.
It all comes back to covenants we make in this life and those we made before when we chose our Savior.
We see ourselves as part of the house of Israel, stewards of the covenant if you will. with a commission to “Go save my people”. Am I willing to make and keep covenants? Follow our prophets plea to step up and help bring about the gathering. We say through our actions, “I’m here, choose me”.
We witness our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ as we signify our willingness to do the work of his kingdom. We are enlisted in a cause that is much greater than ourselves. We can look to our exemplar and captain in this great cause.
Before the Last Supper where Jesus instituted the sacrament, the Lord washed the feet of his Apostles, usually a token of honor a host bestowed on esteemed guests. The Savior thus tenderly exemplified the high virtues of a Master who served, a Master who loved.
“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
His sacrifice for us sanctifies our efforts to sacrifice for others for whom he also died.
54:2-3 Elder Bruce C. Hafen told a story of a university student who had unknowingly allowed worldly influences to encrust “his true self.” This bright student spoke of an earlier time of innocence and faith, when as a boy he pled with God to save a dying calf. He cried out to the Lord for help, and “before long the little animal began breathing again. He knew his prayer had been heard. After relating this story, the tears welled up in his eyes and he said, ‘. . . I tell you that story because I don’t think I would do now what I did then.’” He spoke of how he had become “older, less naive, and more experienced.” Then he concluded: “I don’t understand what has happened to me since that time, but I sense that something has gone wrong.”
We must be humble enough to reach out and engage in the Lord’s work. Once again, we can look to our perfect exemplar in this.
Moroni, who talked with Jesus face to face, described our Savior as “plain humility”.
Tearing into Brigham Young, “Joseph, what would you have me do?”
After Edwards Partridge’s rebuke in section 58, he never faltered.
Take our hats off to Martin Harris – came through again to purchase lands.
C. S. Lewis said:
Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call “humble” nowadays: he will not be a . . . person . . . who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. . . . He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.
The Savior served, testified, taught, labored and loved so even in our imperfect efforts, we can serve, testify, teach, labor and love.
Why build Zion just to leave? Perhaps the real thing God is building is disciples of Christ. Building me with characteristics of Christ so that we can begin to live Zion individually, then with others, then with the whole world.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks spoke of how God uses tribulation: “Our needed conversions are often achieved more readily by suffering and adversity than by comfort and tranquility,”
“Every accomplishment, every refined talent, every useful attainment in mathematics, music, and in all sciences, and art belong to the Saints.”
-- Brigham Young
In some ways, commandments are just invitations to become like God.
There was a man who was asleep one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light from the presence of God. The Lord told the man He had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. He explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might — which he did, day after day.
For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, pushing with all his might against this massive, unmoving rock. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.
Seeing that the man was getting discouraged, Satan decided to pour salt in the wound by saying to him, “After all these years, and despite your best efforts, the rock hasn’t budged. Why keep torture yourself like this? You’re never going to move it.”
These thoughts disheartened the man even more. “Why am I killing myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll just put in my time, give minimal effort and that will be good enough.” But in his wrestling, he decided to make this a matter of prayer.
“Lord” he said, “I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do what you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I haven’t even budged the rock a half a millimeter. What am I doing wrong? Why am I failing?”
The Lord compassionately responded, “My friend, when long ago I called you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your might, which you have done. Never once did I mention that I expected you to move it.
Your task was to simply push. And now you come to me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But is that really true?
Look at yourself. Your arms are strong, your back muscled, your hands calloused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and rock hard.
Through opposition and resistance, you have grown much in strength, stamina and ability. You may not have moved the rock, but remember this: Your calling was to obediently push against the rock, to exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom. This you have done well, my friend. So I will now move the rock for you.”
Not called to be successful in all things, called to be faithful in all things. The Challenge to Become President Oaks, It’s what we’re becoming. This is something I struggle with as a mom so it hit home to me.
56:18-20 God is in the business of building people here. Chauncey Riddle taught: “The word disciple comes from the Latin discipulus, a learner. A disciple of Christ is one who is learning to be like Christ—learning to think, to feel, and to act as he does. To be a true disciple, to fulfill that learning task, is the most demanding regimen known to man. No other discipline compares with it in either requirements or rewards. It involves the total transformation of a person from a state of the natural man to that of the saint, one who loves the Lord and serves with all his heart, might, mind, and strength.”
These early years of the church will bring more challenges and trials, death, heartache and suffering. Why doesn’t God just ease their suffering? Why doesn’t He ease ours?
Brother Millet: The final great fruit of faith is eternal life. In the first estate, we walked by sight and by faith. Those who were valiant in the premortal existence demonstrated “exceeding faith and good works” there and were foreordained and foreappointed to significant assignments here (Alma 13:3; see also 13:1–2,
4–6). In this life, we walk by faith (see 2 Corinthians 5:7). That is, we proceed through life with the Spirit-given assurance that our actions are approved of God and will result in the salvation of our soul. To see with an “eye of faith” (Alma 5:15; 32:40) is thus to act according to the witness of the Spirit, to act as though one had seen and therefore had perfect knowledge. The Saints of God view things with an eye of faith in this life, until one day, because of their
faithful endurance, they see “with their eyes the things which they had [previ- ously] beheld with an eye of faith” (Ether 12:19).
I remember very well one warm June evening in Louisiana, only a few months after I had returned from my mission. I was watching television with my mom and dad when the phone rang, and my father was quickly summoned to the hospital to give a priesthood blessing. A sixteen-year-old boy, a friend of my younger sister, had suddenly collapsed on the softball field and had been rushed to the hospital. My dad was told that the boy had been diagnosed with some strange degenerative nerve disease, and that if something didn’t happen soon he would die. We rushed to the hospital, took the elevator to the fifth floor, and hurried through the doors that opened into the waiting room. We were greeted with the news that the young man had passed away. We did our best to console the mourners and then made our way home.
As we walked in the back door of our house, my sister asked, “How is he?” I answered that her friend had died. She came right back with, “Well, why didn’t you raise him from the dead?” Being the seasoned returned mission- ary that I was, having most of the answers to life’s questions, I stuttered for a second and then turned to my father: “Yeah, why didn’t we raise him from the dead?” Dad’s answer was kind but firm. It was also terribly instructive.
“Because the Spirit of the Lord didn’t prompt us to do so,” he said. I have to admit that at that moment such a reply seemed like a kind of spiritual cop-out. But in the years that followed, I came to know something about my dad’s faith—that he had been with his father once many years before when in fact the Spirit had prompted and the dead had been raised to life again. He knew when to move and when not to move. He had faith.
Wilford Woodruff was traveling to Zion to assume his new assignment to the Quorum of the Twelve. On the journey, his wife, Phoebe, was over- come with a high fever and lay upon the point of death. “I alighted at a house,” Brother Woodruff wrote,
and carried my wife and her bed into it, with a determination to tarry there until she either recovered her health or passed away. This was on Sunday morning, December 2nd. After getting my wife and things into the house and wood provided to keep up a fire, I employed my time in taking care of her. It looked as though she had but
a short time to live.
She called me to her bedside in the evening and said she felt as though a few moments more would end her existence in this life. She manifested great confidence in the cause she had embraced, and exhorted me to have confidence in God and to keep his commandments.
To all appearances she was dying. I laid hands upon her . . . , and she soon revived and slept some during the night.
December 3rd found my wife very low. I spent the day in taking care of her. . . . She seemed to be gradually sinking, and in the evening her spirit apparently left her body, and she was dead.
The sisters gathered around her body, weeping, while I stood looking at her in sorrow. The spirit and power of God began to rest upon me until, for the first time during her sickness, faith filled my soul, although she lay before me as one dead.
I had some oil that was consecrated for my anointing while in Kirtland. . . . I then bowed down before the Lord and prayed for the life of my companion, and I anointed her body with the oil in the name of the Lord. I laid my hands upon her, and in the name of Jesus Christ I rebuked the power of death and the destroyer, and commanded the same to depart from her, and the spirit of life to enter her body.
Her spirit returned to her body, and from that hour she was made whole; and we all felt to praise the name of God, and to trust in him and to keep his commandments. While this operation was going on with me (as my wife related afterwards) her spirit left her body, and she saw her body lying upon the bed, and the sisters weeping. She looked at them and at me, and upon her babe, and, while gazing upon this scene, two personages came into the room. . . . One of these messengers informed her that she could have her choice: she might go to rest in the spirit world, or, on one condi- tion she could have the privilege of returning to her tabernacle and continuing her labors upon the earth. The condition was, if she felt that she could stand by her
husband, and with him pass through all the cares, trials, tribulations and afflictions of life which he would be called to pass through for the Gospel’s sake unto the end. When she looked at the situation of her husband and child she said: “Yes, I will do it!”
At the moment that decision was made the power of faith rested upon me, and when I administered unto her, her spirit entered her tabernacle, and she saw the messengers [go] out the door.”6
Well then, what is the difference between a prayer and a priesthood ordi- nance? When one operates by and through the power of the priesthood, he is acting in the name and by the sacred power of God; that is, he is standing in the place of God, is acting for and in his behalf. There has been given to this man—and again, this comes by ordination—what might be called a divine
How Miracles Are Wrought: Reflections on Faith, Prayer, and Priesthood 21
investiture of authority. God is the Principal, and the human servant is the agent—the servant’s speech and actions cannot, must not, be independent of the one whom he represents. “Wherefore, as ye are agents, ye are on the Lord’s errand; and whatever ye do according to the will of the Lord is the Lord’s business” (D&C 64:29). If there were cause to do so, if the heavens were in agreement, and if the priesthood holder were prompted and properly directed to do so, he could pronounce in the name of the Lord that a specific consequence should come to pass,
56:2
A parable illustrates this understanding. A wealthy father knew that if he were to bestow his wealth upon a child who had not yet developed the needed wisdom and stature, the inheritance would probably be wasted. The father said to his child:
“All that I have I desire to give you—not only my wealth, but also my position and standing among men. That which I haveI can easily give you, but that which I am you must obtain for yourself. You will qualify for your inheritance by learning what I have learned and by living as I have lived. I will give you the laws and principles by which I have acquired my wisdom and stature. Follow my example, mastering as I have mastered, and you will become as I am, and all that I have will be yours.”
This parable parallels the pattern of heaven. The gospel of Jesus Christ promises the incomparable inheritance of eternal life, the fulness of the Father, and reveals the laws and principles by which it can be obtained.
What are some ideas of things that help you stay vigilant?
57:13 Act in faith as the Spirit directs.
BYU Devotional: 2 keys to success, scriptures first, didn’t go home until homework was done
Issac Morely -Daniel Webster Jones – example of blessing you didn’t even realize would happen through faithfulness
The Lord will give us multiple chances to choose Him.
William W. Phelps – Wrote The Spirit of God, Redeemer of Israel, excommunicated 3 times, accepted back with love. Once Edward Partridge repented, he was always faithful.
Acknowledge the Lord in all things. Be made strong. Non nobis
All to often, we define ourselves by what we have. Gave up all they had so the only thing they had were their whole souls.
What am I hold back from the Lord and how I can more wholeheartedly consecrate it to Him?
Elder Maxwell assured us that this change of heart can occur steadily in seemingly ordinary, daily settings.
In the sacramental covenant, both parties make promises to and agree to sacrifice for each other. Jesus’ sacrifice is His body and His blood; our sacrifice is a “broken heart and a contrite spirit. The altar is where all of this takes place. No more sacrificing animals. Now the sacrifice must come from a person’s life.
In focusing on remembering Him, lets not forget that He remembers us too. Our names our written on the palms of his hands. The first step in coming to know who we are is understand whose we are.
We have been commanded to acknowledge God’s hand in our lives.
In Paul’s words, we are not our own, have been bought with a price.
Me grumbling about my new calling. Then the hymn my son was practicing, “Thy will oh Lord be done” put things into perspective.
In the pre-mortal life said, “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever….. Confess and acknowledge Him in every aspect of your life. Do not be ashamed of Christ or His gospel.
In the classic musical Les Miserables, Jean Valjean sings the words, “My soul belongs to God I know, I made that bargain long ago.” When we are faced with temptations to not live our covenants, which inevitably come, may we remember not only who we are but whose we are.
53:3 Let’s stand fast in the offices appointed to us. Would the Lord be pleased in how I am fulfilling this calling or interacting with this family member?
Be explicit about who we are. The devil is very straightforward in promoting his agenda. Lets be valiant in promoting the Lords. In 3 Nephi 5:13 Mormon writes, Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.
We follow the example of our Savior in our use the talents, gifts and time God has given us however great or small they may be.
President Gordon B. Hinkley wrote: I am not suggesting that we must become geniuses. Most of us will never fall within that designation. But I have concluded that the work of the world is done by basically ordinary people who have learned to work in an extraordinary way…
Just as Moroni used strategy to defend fortifications – walls of timber, mounds of earth, and strengthening weakest parts, we too can come up with a strategy to protect that which we hold most dear.
It doesn’t need to be grandiose. Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, God's extraordinary work is most often done by ordinary people in the seeming obscurity of a home and family.
Mosiah 2:18 ought not ye to labor to serve one another?
The most powerful teaching method is example. King Benjamin’s ministry is an example of service to his people. Certainly, if the king can serve the subjects, then the subjects can serve the king and each other. This concept was beautifully taught when the king of kings and lord of lords washed the feet of the apostles
Elder Bednar said, “… If something we think, see, hear, or do distances us from the Holy Ghost, then we should stop thinking, seeing, hearing, or doing that thing. If that which is intended to entertain, for example, alienates us from the Holy Spirit, then certainly that type of entertainment is not for us. Because the Spirit cannot abide that which is vulgar, or crude, or immodest then clearly such things are not for us. Because we estrange the Spirit of the Lord when we engage in activities we know we should shun, then such things definitely are not for us”
The mundane and ordinary can become consecrated acts of love. An added blessing is that when done for our Heavenly Father, the recipients need not acknowledge, express thanks or even notice but our Father in Heaven sees our hearts and it is consecrated for our good.
52:44 Lets never forget who it is that will save us and has power to lift us. You were bought with a price – of infinite worth – the Savoir of the world – Don’t let discouragement or despair or anyone but Heavenly Father define you. In a world of numerous and fluctuating identities “I identify as a child of God. I identify as a disciple of Christ.”
He strengthened the weakest fortifications
He built towers, dug ditches, and used strategies to defeat the enemy
Preparation: I can sleep when the wind blows
As you respond in faith to this invitation, inspired thoughts will come to your mind, spiritual feelings will swell in your heart, and you will recognize actions that should be undertaken or continued so that you can “take upon you [the] whole armor [of God], that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand.”
D&C 53:2 His perfect life of overcoming the world qualifies this gentle command. BYU Professor: when people see you, do they see Jesus the Christ? Have you become such a representative disciple of Christ that when you are present the Spirit of Christ is there? These questions awaken all disciples to the fact that we must consider the essence of our existence; we are here to become like Christ.
