Priesthood Power

The priesthood is not a topic I normally study but in October of 2019 when President Nelson entreated all the women of the church to study the topic of priesthood power, he suggested that we start with sections 84 and 107 of the Doctrine and Covenants.(Spiritual Treasures) As I studied D&C 84 this week, I again felt compelled to answer that call from our prophet to prayerfully study the priesthood and strive to increase my understanding of the doctrine of the priesthood.

My mind wants to go on vacation when I try to understand the doctrine of the priesthood. Trying to keep all the terminology straight (i.e. ordinances, covenants, ordination, authority, offices, keys, etc...) gets confusing to me real quick. As I tried working through all the confusion again this week, I was finally rewarded with some deeper understanding. That understanding came as I listened to a podcast called Unshaken Saints. The host shared a chart he created to help his listeners understand the differences between the Aaronic Priesthood and the Melchizedek Priesthood. I found this visual most helpful in increasing my understanding for the purpose behind the two priesthoods. I'll try to re-create this chart with the items that were most helpful to me.

Aaronic Priesthood	Melchizedek Priesthood
Lesser (v 26) deals with the temporal affairs of the church letter of the law (rules) (v 26)       ministering of angels (v 26, 42)   telestial to terrestial way of living elimination of sin (v 26) ordinances of preparation (v 26) change our status overcoming sins of commission justification    sacrifice      outward actions            tabernacle   Aaron (v 30)  John the Baptist (v 27)	Greater (v 19) deals with the spiritual affairs of the church spirit of the law (principles)  presence of God (v 22) terrestial to celestial way of living introduction to God (v 22) ordinances of coming into gods presence change our nature overcoming sins of omission sanctification (v 33) consecration inward attributes temple Moses (v 6)  Jesus Christ

The handbook of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints states that "Through the priesthood, Heavenly Father accomplishes His work 'to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man' (Moses 1:39). God grants authority and power to His sons and daughters on earth to help carry out this work". (Handbook 3.0). I like how this chart emphasizes a way of living. It allows us to see if we are living up to our priesthood privileges or not, regardless of our gender. If we are living true and faithful to these covenants, the promises that await us are; sanctification, renewal of our bodies, becoming the seed of Abraham and the elect of God, and receiving all that the Father hath (v 33-38). Pres. Nelson adds "Every woman and every man who makes covenants with God and keeps those covenants, and who participates worthily in priesthood ordinances, has direct access to the power of God." (Spiritual Treasures, Oct 2019). Those are some pretty powerful promises!

The Greatest Good

While studying in the Doctrine and Covenants this week, one day I happened to read a verse independent of its surrounding verses and a phrase stood out to me that I hadn't "seen" in my earlier studies. The phrase that jumped off the page was in 81:4 and it said "in doing these things thou wilt do the greatest good unto thy fellow beings." I was immediately intrigued to find out what "these things" were. Even though this revelation was instruction for a counselor to Joseph Smith, there is still personal application for us today. Here's what the accompanying verses say about the greatest good we can be doing:

1. Fulfilling our callings (v. 3)
2. Praying always (v. 3)
3. Teaching the gospel (v. 3)
4. Serving others (v. 5)

As I thought about these four things, the Spirit reminded me of two talks that have really helped to guide me when making decisions about how best to use my time. They are "Choose ye this day to serve the Lord" by Julie B. Beck and "Good, Better, Best" by Dallin H. Oaks. In Sister Beck's talk she shared her thoughts about a priority system that she has used in her life to help guide her in making decisions about how to prioritize her choices. The three categories are labeled as "essential, necessary, and nice-to-do." As you read through her talk, you will see that the four items listed above are also on Sister Beck's list of "essential" things to do. Elder Oaks said "Most of us have more things expected of us than we can possibly do...we face many choices on what we will do with our time...we have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families."

As we choose to use our time to do the "essential" things in life, not only will our faith in Jesus Christ be strengthened and our families fortified, but we are also promised a "crown of immortality and eternal life in the mansions...in the house of my Father." (81:6) And as an added bonus, Sister Beck acknowledged that even though "there is a lot to do, I find that it is amazing how much I get to do on my nice-to-do list. The Lord blesses us with those mercies, but only if the other priorities are in order." Our Father in Heaven loves us and will bless us with the best of both worlds; the "nice-to-do" things follow after we do those things that are "essential".

Gratitude & Happiness

As I was studying Come, Follow Me this week and contemplating a concern our missionary had just shared with us, a few verses stood out to me. As Elder Bradford has been adjusting to his missionary training schedule, he related to us that he was worried about how he was going to do this for two years. Being a missionary is hard work, spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting, and he is feeling a little bit overwhelmed with the prospect of doing this for another 24 months.

After this conversation, I was reading D&C 78:18-19 and I thought it applied perfectly not only to his situation, but to any of us that feels daunted or overwhelmed with something we've been asked to do or any number of situations in life that we might be going through.

The Problem: "ye cannot bear all things now" (v. 18)

The Solution: "be of good cheer" (v. 18), "receive all things with thankfulness" (v. 19)

The Promise: "I (the Lord) will lead you along" (v. 18)

As we encounter situations that we feel we simply cannot bear, the Lord asks us to focus on two things; being happy and being grateful. But what if we can't even begin to think of how to be of good cheer? In my personal experience, sometimes its really hard to be happy when faced with extremely difficult situations. For that reason, we're also asked to be grateful. Recognizing our blessings and expressing gratitude for them can crack open the doors of happiness and help facilitate our ability to be of good cheer.

My husband and I just recently took the "Emotional Resilience" class that the church offers as one of their self-reliance courses. During this 10-week course each participant is encouraged to make a weekly goal to “write one thing I am grateful for each day and thank God for it.” This is the only goal that you are asked to repeat each week. What I understand from that is that gratitude is a basic principle that helps to lend us emotional stability.

So, as we encounter challenging situations that can feel overwhelming, we need to remember to be of good cheer, give thanks to God for our blessings and He will lead us along. I'm doing my best to follow this counsel and have felt the results in my life. Even though sending out a missionary has been something I didn't think I could bear, as I've tried to stay cheerful and think of things to be grateful for, I can testify that the Lord has been leading me and giving me strength, comfort, peace, and happiness that I didn't think that I'd feel so soon after sending off a missionary. I can testify that the Lord will fulfill His promises as we do the things He asks us to do. 

Celestial Living Now

Do you ever feel like you're just not good enough to make it to the celestial kingdom? Do you look at all the wonderful people around you and know for sure that "they're going to make it" but you're not too sure about your chances? I know I've experienced those thoughts and feelings and they can be very disheartening. But as I studied D&C 76 this week, I read these verses with a different perspective that helped me feel more confident in my standing with God.

One of the podcasts I listened to (Don't Miss This) suggested that we read these verses not as a checklist of things we have to do in order to live in the Celestial Kingdom some day, but as a guide to a celestial lifestyle right now. The celestial kingdom doesn’t have to be just a destination we are working towards that allows us happiness in the next life. Instead, the happiness and joy that is promised to those who “receive the testimony of Jesus” (v. 51) can be experienced now, in this life; celestial living can happen right here on earth. 

This section had new meaning to me when I looked at it with this perspective. Here's what we can be doing right now to live a celestial lifestyle here on earth...

• Bear record of the gospel of Jesus Christ (v. 50)
• Receive a testimony of Jesus Christ (v. 51)
• Believe on His name (v. 51)
• Be baptized (v. 51)
• Keep the commandments (v. 52)
• Be washed and cleansed from sin (v. 52)
• Receive the Holy Ghost (v. 52)
• Overcome by faith (self-mastery) (v. 53-see footnote a, v. 60)
• Receive temple covenants (His fullness) (v. 56, 94)
• Hold the Melchizedek Priesthood (men) (v. 57)
• Glory in God (v. 61, 93)
• Use the Atonement of Jesus Christ to become perfect (v. 69)
• Receive His grace (v. 94)

After looking over this list, hopefully you feel a little more confident about your standing with God, not only in the eternal sense, but right now. And perhaps this will give you confidence as you understand that your current lifestyle is more celestial than you previously thought👼

Share the Gospel

My oldest son just started his virtual MTC training from home this week, so my mind and heart were extra aware of the principles of missionary work that were shared in this weeks study of Come, Follow Me (D&C 71-75). The following are a list of principles related to sharing the gospel that I found in these sections...

• 71:1 The way to combat darkness is to introduce light. Share the good news of the gospel.
• 71:2 Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints need to be taught just as much as those who have not yet been baptized.
• 71:9 Truth will always prevail.
• 73:4 When your full-time mission service is over, continue to make room in your life for sharing the gospel. 
• 75:2 Take some personal initiative to get involved in sharing the gospel (see footnote a).
• 75:3, 29 Be diligent in our efforts to share the gospel.
• 75:10, 27 Always involve the Holy Ghost in our teaching and finding efforts.
• 75:11 Pray for courage.
• 75:24 As members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it is our duty to support the efforts of missionary work in whatever ways we can.

As with all principles of the gospel, as we act on these principles we are promised blessings in return for our faithfulness. Here's a list of blessings that I found in Section 75 that relate to sharing the gospel...

• You shall be crowned with honor, glory and eternal life. (75:5)
• The Lord will be with you to the end. (75:11, 13)
• You shall be filled with joy and gladness. (75:21)
• You shall overcome all things and be lifted up at the last day. (75:22)

For some of us, sharing the gospel can be a daunting responsibility. Because I often feel that way, I found this article by President Uchtdorf (A Word for the Hesitant Missionary) very enlightening. He shares four suggestions that can help us fulfill the charge to preach the gospel to all the world. My favorite suggestion is to "Be a Light." He said: “A favorite saying of mine often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi reads, ‘Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words.’” It is a comfort for me to know that just because I get tongue-tied when I'm trying to teach the gospel or share my testimony with someone, that doesn't mean that I'm a failure. We can share the gospel just by consistently living our standards. As people see our happiness and joy they will occasionally approach us with questions about where our happiness and positive attitude come from.

Pres. Uchtdorf concludes the article by saying "There is a way for everyone-even the hesitant missionary-to participate in this great work. We can each find a way to use our own particular talents and interests in support of the great work of filling the world with light and truth." What a blessing it is to know that there are many different ways to share the gospel. We don't need to compare our method of sharing the gospel to how someone else shares the gospel because the gifts and talents that we’ve each been blessed with will lead to different approaches to missionary work.

True and Faithful Friends

I read a quote last Sunday by Elder Neil L. Andersen that gave me pause to think. The quote was in a Church News article report about a recent Single Adult Face to Face event. He said "We really do have to find other people of faith, don't we? In this world [in which] we live, [we need] other people of faith, who we can connect with at a very deep level, and talk openly about how our prayers are answered, [and] how we feel about the Holy Ghost." That support is "one of the beauties of gathering together as Saints in the gospel" added Sister Jean B. Bingham.

This idea really struck me and I was reminded of it again as I studied D&C 69 this week. In this revelation Oliver Cowdery is called to "carry the manuscript of the compiled revelations and commandments to Independence, Missouri, for printing. He was also to take with him money that had been contributed for the building up of the Church." (see Section 69 heading) But the Lord also instructs in this revelation that Oliver be given a companion to go with him on his journey.

The personal application for me was seeing that the Lord puts "true and faithful" (v. 1) people in our lives that help us on our journey here in mortality. Some of these people are with us for only a short amount of time (think of childhood friends, missionary companions or people we’re called to serve with in the church). Other people will be more long term (like parents, siblings and spouses). The companion that was assigned to go with Oliver was John Whitmer (v. 2) and not only was John to help Oliver but Oliver was supposed to "counsel and [give] assistance" (v. 4) to John with his responsibility to be writing church history. So not only does the Lord put people in our lives to help us, but the Lord also puts us in other peoples lives to help them too. There’s a Quaker proverb that describes this kind of symbiotic relationship: "Thee lift me and I'll lift thee and we'll ascend together."

The Lord will put people in our paths to help us on our journey, but we also should choose to surround ourselves with others that are "true and faithful." These people can help shield us from temptation and outside influences. They can help us stay safe on our journey. At my son's recent High School graduation one of the speakers quoted a famous study by a businessman named Jim Rohn. The study concluded that "you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with."  My take away from that quote is that we are greatly influenced by those we surround ourselves with.

Think about who your greatest influencers are? Who do you spend the most time with? Thinking of these questions brought me back to Elder Andersen's quote and the idea that we need other people of faith that we can connect with at a deep level. These are true and faithful friends and family members that can influence us in a deeply spiritual way, and that we can also share our feelings with. As I continued to think about who my greatest influencers were, the Spirit whispered to me "is Jesus Christ one of your greatest influences? Is He someone you spend a lot of time with?" 

As we think about the true and faithful people that the Lord has placed in our lives, hopefully we realize that the greatest person we can choose to have influence in our lives is our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Forgiveness and Mercy

My biggest Come, Follow Me insight this week came while listening to the Podcast called "Follow Him". The guest on the program, S. Michael Wilcox, talked about the phrase found in D&C 64:6, 8 that says "sought occasion against him/one another".  He asked some critical questions about this phrase. Questions like "do I seek occasions to be critical and find faults and weaknesses in others in order to feel better about myself? Am I looking for the motes in other peoples eyes and not seeing the beam in my own? (Matt 7:1-5). An example of this is when Mary (Lazarus's sister) anoints Christs' feet with an expensive spice. Upon witnessing this act, Judas becomes outraged feeling like Mary wasted money by using this ointment on Christs' feet instead of selling it and giving the money to the poor (John 12:3-5). Judas was seeking occasion to find fault in someone else and to make his idea look better. He "condemned for evil that thing in which there was no evil", and when we do that the Lord withholds His Spirit from us (D&C 64:16). Do we condemn people for doing things a different way just because its not the way we would do them?

Falling into this trap can destroy the concept of a Zion people. Zion is a place where the people are of one heart and one mind and if we're constantly "seeking occasion against others" that behavior is going to separate us from others instead of binding us together.

What is the remedy for this type of behavior? One thing that will help is to cultivate the Christlike attribute of forgiveness. Section 64 teaches the necessary steps:

1. Confess/acknowledge our shortcomings (v. 7)
2. Ask to be forgiven (v. 7)
3. Extend forgiveness to others (v. 9-10)

The natural man reacts to sin with outrage and intolerance, but Jesus Christ reacts to sin by first extending an offer of forgiveness and mercy. Christlike behavior is to give others the benefit of the doubt. It is to celebrate the good that people do and forgive their imperfect moments. If Christ can do that for us then we can strive to do the same for others. Our efforts to shed the natural man will help us become more like Christ who "delights in mercy and does not begrudge its use." (Elder Renlund)