4th Sunday--conference talks

Hymn 6: Redeemer of Israel

FHE Idea OR could use for YW or YM lesson: The Priesthood Umbrella

Talks: Do We Know What We Have? by Carole Stephens and Power in the Priesthood by Neil L. Anderson

Her lesson came from the talks above. Sister Neilson put two columns on the board to discuss the priesthood. Sisters were able to contribute to the lesson by offering their comments on the information below.

We need (1st Column)
Baptism --it's a new beginning to be clean
Gift of the Holy Ghost -- will attend when we are righteous.
Receive the temple endowment
The sealing ordinances -- can receive the highest degree of glory
Renew covenants each week--taking the sacrament

Priesthood was not given to men to bless their lives but to bless others. She quoted from Anderson, "A man may open the drapes so the warm sunlight comes into the room, but the man does not own the sun or the light or the warmth it brings. The blessings of the priesthood are infinitely greater than the one who is asked to administer the gift."

Priesthood Blessings are for All (2nd Column)
1, What we know about the priesthood

2. We are are alike and can share the same blessings if we are obedient.

3. From the beginning -- the priesthood was known how to be administered.
Then Sister Neilson referenced from the footnotes from Elder Ballard. He stated: “Why are men ordained to priesthood offices and not women? President Gordon B. Hinckley explained that it was the Lord, not man, ‘who designated that men in His Church should hold the priesthood’ and that it was also the Lord who endowed women with ‘capabilities to round out this great and marvelous organization, which is the Church and kingdom of God’ (“Women of the Church,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 70). When all is said and done, the Lord has not revealed why He has organized His Church as He has.”

(click the picture to take you to a link from a talk from Sheri Dew about the priesthood)

4. Many gifts from God--We know that the power of the holy priesthood does not work independently of faith, the Holy Ghost, and spiritual gifts.

5. Worthiness--We know that worthiness is central to performing and receiving priesthood ordinances.

6. Humility --man must be humble to give blessings

7. The keys of the priesthood--Here's a short story from the talk:

We do not determine the callings we receive.²⁴ I learned this lesson early in my marriage. As a young couple, my wife, Kathy, and I lived in Florida. One Sunday a counselor in the stake presidency explained to me that they felt impressed to call Kathy as an early-morning seminary teacher.

“How will we do it?” I asked. “We have small children, seminary begins at 5:00 a.m., and I am the ward Young Men president.”

The counselor smiled and said, “It will be OK, Brother Andersen. We will call her, and we will release you.”

And that is what happened.

8. The contribution of women --Sister Neilson related this story about the change of the missionary age. Not surprisingly, before President Monson’s prayerful decision about the age change for missionary service, there were many discussions with the general Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary presidencies.

She ran out of time for the rest. Great lesson! 

Hymn 264: Hark, All Ye Nations!

Three Witnesses

Opening Song: Hold to the Rod
Lesson: Witnesses of the Book of Mormon

Sister Bosh presented the lesson with these two quotes.

Quoted from Joseph Fielding Smith: “It seems to me that any member of this Church would never be satisfied until he or she had read the Book of Mormon time and time again and thoroughly considered it so that he or she could bear witness that it is in very deed a record with the inspiration of the Almighty upon it.”

“I started to read the Book of Mormon before I was old enough to be a deacon, and I have been reading it ever since, and I know that it is true.”¹ “I have read it many, many times,” he told the Latter-day Saints. “I have not read it enough. It still contains truths that I still may seek and find, for I have not mastered it, but I know it is true.”

Then she asked what is the purpose of the Book of Mormon? The following are some answers that were given by the sisters:

• Convince the world that Jesus is the Christ
• Show patterns of righteousness
• History of fallen people
• Witness of Christ and the Bible
• Bear testimony
• Bring men to repentance
• Warn people of our day. 

When you read the Book of Mormon, you know that you are reading truth. God directed men to write events as they occurred and He gave them the wisdom and inspiration to do this. The records were written by men who believed in God. These records never fell into the hands of apostates. It is great to know that it is the American volume of scripture, and is just as sacred and inspired as is the Bible, which contains the sacred records of the Hebrew race on the eastern hemisphere.
Their testimony is that they received a visitation of an angel from the presence of the Lord, who laid before them the golden record from whence the Book of Mormon was translated and instructed them. They beheld the engravings upon the plates as the leaves were turned one by one before them, and the voice of God was heard by them declaring from the heavens that the translation was by the gift and power of God, and commanding them to bear record of it to all the world. These three witnesses, through adversity, persecution, and all the vicissitudes of life, always remained true to their testimony that they beheld the plates in the presence of an angel and heard the voice of God speaking to them from the heavens.

Joseph Smith … was alone in the first vision, alone when Moroni brought the message to him, alone when he received the plates; but after that he was not alone. The Lord called other witnesses. Grandmother Smith [Joseph Smith’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith] in her history says that the Prophet came home weeping for joy after the witnesses had beheld the plates under the direction of an angel of God, because, he said, “The load has been lifted and I am no longer alone.”


Here are brief descriptions of these witnesses.

All three [special] witnesses became estranged and left the Church. Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris came back humbly seeking membership in the Church and both died in full fellowship. David Whitmer remained out of the Church; however, all three of these men remained faithful to the testimony they gave to the world which is found in each copy of the Book of Mormon.

Now let me say something about Martin Harris. … While continuing true to his testimony of the Book of Mormon he was for many years disgruntled with the Church. But some time after the saints came to Utah some of our good brethren went after him, found him and warmed him up, and brought him back. He came out here [to Utah], was re-baptized, and lived here for a number of years, bearing witness of his testimony among the settlements. He died here and was buried [in Clarkston, Utah].

Now we come to Oliver Cowdery. What about Oliver Cowdery, the most important of the three, who was with Joseph Smith so many times at the appearing of angels and the restoration of keys? What about him? He left the Church and became extremely bitter, but never denied the testimony. Some people have said he did, but he did not. Always he was true to that testimony. …

… After the saints were driven from Nauvoo and were out on the plains and everything looked the darkest (Sidney Rigdon said they had gone to their destruction and there was no hope for them, and the newspapers said they could not survive!), under those conditions, Oliver Cowdery … asked to come back to the Church. … He was received back, and was preparing to take a mission to Great Britain when he was taken ill and died. He died at the home of David Whitmer, bearing testimony to the truth.

In closing: All who have sincerely read the Book of Mormon have been impressed with the inspired contents of its pages. … There is an inspiration and feeling of peaceful joy and satisfaction which accompany the sincere and prayerful reading of this book

Closing Song: As I Search the Holy Scriptures

Genealogy, I am doing it!

This week we were able to hear from Sister Shirley Piquet about Genealogy and the importance of doing the work for our dead.

This is a hard lesson to sum up in a simple blog post. But that doesn't mean it isn't important. She shared a poem with us that I thought was powerful.

 

I am just a card in a pile of cards

You may think of me just as a name,

But I have lived on earth the same as you

But my chances were not just the same.

 

I cannot do my own work on earth

How can you mortals be so at ease?

Please drop your work for half a day

And get me those precious keys.

 

That treasured card there in that pile

Should move you mortals to tears,

I have waited and longed for this day to come

For more than a hundred years.

 

If you take my name through the Temple today

Pay strict attention, please.

I have waited so long, so don't fail to get

A single one of my keys.

 

We are blessed to have the gospel in our lives at this time and to be able to attend the Temple for ourselves. Now it is our duty and honor to be able to go to the temple for those who could not go themselves and to do their work.

 

Many years ago I was able to go to the Logan Temple and be proxy for my Great Grandma Catherine to have her sealed to her husband. I was honored to do this, not only because she is my relative, but because I bear her name. I hope that I have done her name and her proud by this act of joining her and her spouse for eternity!

 

There are many resources available to us for family history. Starting June 1st, My Heritage and Ancestory.com will be free to all members. (they are making it easier and easier for us! No excuses ladies!)

 

You can go to Rootsmagic and put in your own record that is private and only you can access.

Kathy Register passed out these booklets to us all, so we can get started on our personal history for our children.

After our lesson a friend posted this and I applied it to genealogy. They will help us with our/their work. We are not doing this alone and our ancestors want these promises, they are going to do all they can to get them, even if it means bopping us on our heads to get us moving and to get it done.

As a final and fun note, Trisha Martin posted this website that will tell you people you are related too. It may be distant, but they are our kin folk! Use your LDS.org sign in to access it. I did it and was amazed. I am related to not only David Bednar but Boyd K. Packer and Joseph Smith. Who'dathunk it!
http://roots-fb.cs.byu.edu/index.html

For any questions, contact Shirley Piquet and or Kathy Register. Both would be more than  happy to get you started on your family history!