I don't know about you guys but I like to feel at safety. It feels comfortable and I feel happy.
Three Questions:
1. Where is safety found?
2. Who can bring us that safety and comfort?
3. What can we do to obtain that safety and assurance that all will be okay?
Three Answers:
1. Wherever you're in a comfortable place where you feel at peace.
2. Parents, Family, Close Friends
3. Do what you feel is right.
The only security (in life) is to be where we ought to be, doing what we ought to be doing.
"Love. Healing. Help. Hope. The power of Christ to counter all troubles
in all times—including the end of times. That is the safe harbor God
wants for us in personal or public days of despair. That is the message
with which the Book of Mormon begins, and that is the message with which
it ends, calling all to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him.”" - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
"“Whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived”15—and in the last days neither your heart nor your faith will fail you." - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
"That will be true when we face the storms of life and the prospect of death. A loving Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son have given us all the help They can to pass the test of life set before us. But we must decide to obey and then do it. We build the faith to pass the tests of obedience over time and through our daily choices. We can decide now to do quickly whatever God asks of us. And we can decide to be steady in the small tests of obedience which build the faith to carry us through the great tests, which will surely come." President Henry B. Eyring
Now lets look at these questions from a Latter Day Saint's perspective.
Three Questions:
1. Where is true safety found?
2. Who can bring us that true safety and comfort that we need to get through this life?
3. What can we do to obtain that true safety and assurance that all will be okay in the future?
Three Answers:
1. Through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
2. Jesus Christ and the leaders of our Church today.
3. We can pray to our Heavenly Father. We can study our scriptures. We can lean on our Savior for the comfort that we desire.
I would hope that we all Come unto Him. I love these two above videos. They show how you can come from any background, and find the peace and comfort through Jesus Christ. There are priesthood blessings that we can ask for that will provide further assurance that all will be okay. There is power and safety in doing the things that the Lord would have us do. He sets rules for us so we can grow closer to Him and be eternally happy. I love youa ll and I love the Book of Mormon. The blessings it brings into my life is beyond amazing. I know for a surety that this Church has the fulness of the Gospel. The blessings are laid out for you. All you have to do is have faith as little as a mustardseed. I know that our Father in Heaven is leading this Church. And I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
So today I had the pleasure and great opportunity of speaking in Church! There were technical difficulties so here it is in text! Please read! I hope you enjoy and feel the Spirit! :)
I
don’t have a list of the Priesthood duties to read off, but they are featured
in the words that I will speak to you today.
Hales
– Oct. 1995 GC
“Can
you imagine how dark and empty mortality would be if there were no priesthood?
If the power of the priesthood were not upon the earth, the adversary would
have freedom to roam and reign without restraint. There would be no gift of the
Holy Ghost to direct and enlighten us; no prophets to speak
in the name of the Lord; no temples where we could make sacred, eternal
covenants; no authority to bless or baptize, to heal or comfort. Without the
power of the priesthood, “the whole earth would be utterly wasted” (see D&C 2:1–3; D&C 2:1–3). There would be no light, no hope—only
darkness.”
2
Nephi 26:33 For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that
which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain
unto the children of men; and he ainviteth them ball to ccome unto him and partake of his
goodness; and he ddenieth none that come unto him, black and
white, ebond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the fheathen; and all are alike unto God, both
Jew and Gentile.
In
Hales talk: The Journey of a Child’s Opportunities to be blessed through the
Priesthood.
“As a newborn, the baby is tenderly cradled in loving hands as
the father, grandfather, bishop, or another priesthood holder pronounces a name
and a sacred blessing upon the child as the Holy Spirit inspires. Soon that
child begins to attend Primary and Sunday School and receives lessons and
instructions at the hands of faithful teachers—men and women who have been
called and set apart by priesthood power to teach the ways of the Lord.
When the child reaches eight years of age, the age of accountability,
he or she is immersed in the waters of baptism by one who holds the priesthood.
The young boy or girl is then confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints by one holding the holy Melchizedek Priesthood. In this
ordinance, the child is given the gift of the Holy Ghost, which, if he or she
listens to the still, small voice, will help him or her to stay on the strait
and narrow path that leads to eternal life.
Every Sunday, the growing child, together with other worthy Saints,
receives the sacrament at the hands of priesthood bearers—the bread
representing the body of Christ, and the water representing his blood that was
shed to atone for our sins. As the young man or young woman continues to
mature, he or she may seek spiritual counsel and guidance from the bishop and
other youth leaders. Aaronic Priesthood and Young Women leaders are men and
women who have been called and set apart by priesthood authority to lead and
inspire youth in the Church.
When additional counsel or comfort is needed, or during times of
illness, the young man or woman may receive a priesthood blessing from a
father, home teacher, bishop, or other priesthood holder. A patriarchal
blessing—given through an ordained patriarch—contains words inspired by God to
His sons and daughters, serving as a guide and comfort for a lifetime and even
with eternal significance.
If found worthy, a young man receives the Aaronic Priesthood—the
preparatory priesthood—and, as he matures, is ordained as a deacon, then as a
teacher, and finally as a priest. Later, he may qualify to receive the
Melchizedek Priesthood and be ordained to the office of elder. The young woman
becomes a member of the Young Women organization and later of the Relief
Society. All of these experiences give the young man or woman many
opportunities to learn and serve—and to enjoy a brotherhood or a sisterhood
that is more precious than typical friendships in the world.
The young man or young woman may be set apart as a full-time
missionary and serve under the priesthood direction of a mission president,
sharing a testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ with all who will listen.
The greatest of priesthood blessings available to this young man
or woman are found in the temple. There, they get a glimpse of heaven. In that
holy place, although they are in the world, they are not of the world. In the
temple, they see themselves as the offspring of royalty—as a son or a daughter
of God. The joys of eternity, which can seem so distant outside the temple,
suddenly seem within reach.”
As this righteous man or woman establishes a home with his or
her eternal companion, they continue to enjoy blessings of the priesthood.
Revelation from God is made known to them throughout their lives as they listen
to and follow counsel of living prophets, seers, and revelators. The husband
dedicates the family’s home “as a sanctuary … where family members can worship,
find safety from the world, grow spiritually, and prepare for eternal family
relationships” (Lay Hold upon the Word of God, Melchizedek Priesthood personal
study guide 1, 1988, p. 155).”
3/7 below. Tips -> “Father’s Forever”
Model Manhood for Sons
“Fathers, you are the primary model of manhood for your sons.
You are their most meaningful mentor, and believe it or not, you are their hero
in countless ways. Your words and your example are a great influence on them. …
Listen to them, and connect with them in regular, focused conversation. Talk
with them in depth about their feelings and desires. Pray with them, and give
them blessings as they face the important decisions in their future” (M.
Russell Ballard, “Fathers and Sons, a Remarkable Relationship,” Oct. 2009 general
conference).
Build Relationship with Children
“As a father, I wonder if I and all other fathers could do more
to build a sweeter, stronger relationship with our sons and daughters here on earth.
Dads, is it too bold to hope that our children might have some small portion of
the feeling for us that the Divine Son felt for His Father? Might we earn more
of that love by trying to be more of what God was to His child?” (Jeffrey R.
Holland, “The Hands of the Fathers,” Apr. 1999 general conference).
Testify of the Savior
“I make a special appeal to fathers: Please be an important part
of talking to your children about the Savior. They need the confirming
expressions of your faith, along with those of their mother.
“If a child is not listening, don’t despair. Time and truth are
on your side. At the right moment, your words will return as if from heaven
itself. Your testimony will never leave your children” (Neil L. Andersen, “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus,” Apr. 2010 general
conference.
Story: Dean Burgess (Apr. 2008) “Do You Know Who You Are?”
“One Sunday following one of those warm and long sacrament
meetings, the first counselor in our bishopric called me aside to talk to me.
This unscheduled priesthood interview became a blessing in my life as I have
pondered the question he asked during our brief but significant visit. Brother
Bateman looked me in the eye and asked, “Dean, do you know who you are?” There
was complete silence, and then he gave me a quick and powerful reminder, “You
are the son of Reid Burgess.”
The meaning and significance of that question has burned in my
heart for a long time, and I often reflected on it throughout my teenage years.
This good brother’s question—“Do you know who you are?”—has given me inspired
direction throughout my life and a commitment to bring respect and honor to my family and to the priesthood.
“Do
you know who you are?”
Knowing
who you are makes you spiritually strong, sound, and steadfast in your
priesthood duties. You become confident with faith and determination to make
right decisions. You have courage to stand up for what you know is right.”
EVERYONE’S
DUTY: The Lord has declared that missionary work is the responsibility of all
who follow Him (see Matthew 28:19–20; D&C 88:81). Members of the Lord's Church can, by the
goodness of their lives and the strength of their testimonies, share the gospel
message and help prepare family members, friends, and other acquaintances who
are not Latter-day Saints to be taught by the full-time missionaries.
We Are
All Enlisted:
“We are
all enlisted till the conflict is o’er; Happy are we! Happy are we! Soldiers in
the army, there’s a bright crown in store; We shall win and wear it by and
by. Haste to the battle, quick to the field; Truth is our helmet, buckler, and
shield. Stand by our colors; proudly they wave! We’re joyfully, joyfully
marching to our home.”
I know that this Church is true and through the worthy obedience to the duties laid out before us that every member will enjoy the blessings that come with it. I love this Church and this Gospel. And I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I gave a lesson in Priesthood today. And with this new curriculum I had to prepare a lot more than usual. I hope you enjoy it! There might be some things that make no sense....which were just personal notes for me. But I think most of it was taken out. So...here we go!
What is the purpose of friends?
How does it feel to be supported and uplifted by others? Example?
How can you do that(uplift and support others)?
A quorum is a group of brethren that help and assist each other to stay on the path back to our Heavenly Father. We all need people in our lives to help us to choose the right and feel wanted.
There is something about being a part of a quorum. Quorums are set up for us to succeed.
"You belong to a priesthood quorum of young men, where you can feel the
brotherhood and friendship of other priesthood holders. The quorum is a
protection for you against worldly influences. You are able to serve
one another and participate in the ordinances of the priesthood. In your
quorums you are also taught the principles of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, which help you understand who you are. Young men, honor the
priesthood of God. (2008 April General Conference, Do You Know Who You
Are?, Priesthood Session - Dean R. Burgess)
"Belonging to a Quorum" quotes
"I now belonged to a quorum of the Aaronic Priesthood. The members of my
quorum became very best friends. That friendship and quorum brotherhood
continued to grow through my youth as we learned and served together in
our priesthood duties. We were all good friends and experienced a fun
and enjoyable time being together in our quorum activities." (2008 April
General Conference, Do You Know Who You Are?, Priesthood Session - Dean
R. Burgess)
"Of the many places you are needed, one of the very most important is
your priesthood quorum. We need quorums that provide spiritual
nourishment to members on Sunday and that also serve. We need leaders of
quorums who focus on doing the Lord’s work and on supporting quorum
members and their families." (2012 October General Conference, Brethren,
We Have Work to Do, Priesthood Session - By D. Todd Christofferson)
"Years ago President Gordon B. Hinckley expressed something of a vision
regarding quorums in the priesthood. He said: “It will be a marvelous
day, my brethren—it will be a day of fulfillment of the purposes of the
Lord—when our priesthood quorums become an anchor of strength to every
man belonging thereto, when each such man may appropriately be able to
say, ‘I am a member of a priesthood quorum of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints. I stand ready to assist my brethren in all of
their needs, as I am confident they stand ready to assist me in mine.
Working together, we shall grow spiritually as covenant sons of God.
Working together, we can stand, without embarrassment and without fear,
against every wind of adversity that might blow, be it economic, social,
or spiritual.’”
This is how we become a closer unit!!! Discussion of The Gospel of Jesus
Christ brings people closer, and does not leave out, or decline others
from the blessings we can receive from staying true to the Church.
"“You teenagers, embrace your new curriculum and teach one another the
doctrine of Jesus Christ. Now is your time to prepare to teach others
about the goodness of God.” (May 2013 New Era, Words to Live By)
"The fraternity of priesthood quorums can indeed be awesome. When I
became a member of a Quorum of the Seventy, I assumed that I might be
accepted by my brethren in the course of time if I were able to prove
myself worthy of their association. I hoped someday to measure up and be
approved. I was surprised to find myself immediately welcomed and from
the outset treated as a brother, as an equal by men much more talented
and accomplished than I. I have been supported and encouraged, loved and
tutored in my quorum from my very first day of membership in it.
Consequently, I feel a deep desire to contribute to the work of the
quorum and to assist my brethren as much as I can." Todd Christopherson
"We must not delay or wait longer for this great day of fulfillment.
Each of you who has received an ordination in the priesthood belongs to a
quorum. If you live in a place where there are not enough brethren to
form a quorum, you are a member of a priesthood group that will become a
quorum. Resolve now to do all within your power to make of your
priesthood quorum one worthy of the name and one faithful to its
mission. Study with your brethren in the quorum class. Stand with them
in the quorum fraternity. Work with them in quorum service. D. Todd
Christofferson)
The church is organized for our success. We are all imperfect. That is
why we have the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We can always lean on Him. We
can be forgiven of our sins and get back on the path we need to be on! I
can't think of anything greater than that.
"We Are Brothers"
BD: "Conversion. Denotes changing one’s views, in a conscious acceptance
of the will of God (Acts 3:19). If followed by continued faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism in water for the remission of
sins, and the reception of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands,
conversion will become complete, and will change a natural man into a
sanctified, born again, purified person—a new creature in Christ Jesus" (see 2 Cor. 5:17). (Bible Dictionary, Conversion)
"Committed Quotes"
"And so, brethren, the cry goes out: Gird for the battle. Take off the
apparel of the world and clothe yourselves in the armor of
righteousness. Let the priesthood authority you now hold become a
powerful influence for good in your homes, in your wards and quorums, in
your communities, and in your countries. Power in the priesthood is a
product of righteousness; it is not an unearned gift." (1980 October
General Conference, Purify Our Minds and Spirits, Priesthood Session)
"The Lord wants the members of His Church to be fully converted to His
gospel. This is the only sure way to have spiritual safety now and
happiness forever" Donald L. Hallstrom
"You can do it, my young brethren. You can become the men of
righteousness and stature that your dreams and ambitions hold up before
you. To accomplish this objective, you need to make some important
decisions now, early in your life. This is the time to decide to
decide!"(1980 October General Conference, Decide to Decide, Sun.
Afternoon Session)
"When our lives are consistent with his gospel, we receive confidence
through his Spirit to meet the challenges of each day. We can say with
Nephi: “The Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the
children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him. …
Wherefore, let us be faithful to him.” (1 Ne. 7:12.) (1980 October
General Conference, Decide to Decide, Sun. Afternoon Session)
“As you love His children, Heavenly Father will guide you, and angels
will assist you. You will be given power to bless lives and rescue
souls. …
“Perhaps most important, you minister as you assist your father in his
duties as the spiritual leader in your home. Give your full support and
encouragement to family home evening, family prayer, and family
scripture study. Do your part to ensure that the Spirit is present in
your home. This will strengthen your father in his role and prepare you
to be a father someday. If you do not have a father in your home, your
responsibility to minister to your family is even more needed.”
“You don’t have to be a star athlete to minister to others. You received
the power, the authority, and the sacred duty to minister the moment
you were ordained to the priesthood. President James E. Faust taught,
‘Priesthood is the authority delegated to man to minister in the name of
God’ [“Message to My Grandsons,” Ensign, May 2007, 54; emphasis added].
The Aaronic Priesthood holds the keys of the ministering of angels [see
D&C 13:1]. (May 2013 New Era, For Young Men)
D&C 20:46, 58-59
"I am pleased to announce that effective immediately all worthy and able
young men who have graduated from high school or its equivalent,
regardless of where they live, will have the option of being recommended
for missionary service beginning at the age of 18, instead of age 19. I
am not suggesting that all young men will—or should—serve at this
earlier age. Rather, based on individual circumstances as well as upon a
determination by priesthood leaders, this option is now available.
(2012 October General Conference, Welcome to Conference, Sat. Morning
Session - By Thomas S. Monson)
There are great blessings in store if we are willing to be fully
committed to the work. Our missions are soon upon us. With the new
missionary age....most of us sitting here could leave in two years. 730
days. And that requires work. Missions are hard, long, but worth it. I
don't completely understand the blessings but I'm sure they are
outstanding.
D&C 84:26 - duty of Aaronic Priesthood, What is the preparatory gospel?
leads to 1 Nephi 10:8- Focus on Prepare Ye the way of The Lord.
*Fulfilling your Duty to God*
“As surely as the Lord has inspired more missionaries to serve, He is
also awakening the minds and opening the hearts of more good and honest
people to receive His missionaries. You already know them or will know
them. They are in your family and live in your neighborhood. They walk
past you on the street, sit by you in school, and connect with you
online. You too are an important part of this unfolding miracle.”
Andersen
"No missionary can be unrepentant...and then expect to challenge others
to repent. The Spirit will not be with you....You cannot travel down
forbidden paths and expect to guide others to the strait and narrow
one." Holland
Helaman 4:24 - The Spirit doth not dwell in unholy temples.
Luke 7:14
When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. (Luke 22:32)
"Ye Elders of Israel"
"1. Ye elders of Israel, come join now with me
And seek out the righteous, where’er they may be—
In desert, on mountain, on land, or on sea—
And bring them to Zion, the pure and the free.
[Chorus]
O Babylon, O Babylon, we bid thee farewell;
We’re going to the mountains of Ephraim to dwell.
2. The harvest is great, and the lab’rers are few;
But if we’re united, we all things can do.
We’ll gather the wheat from the midst of the tares
And bring them from bondage, from sorrows and snares.
3. We’ll go to the poor, like our Captain of old,
And visit the weary, the hungry, and cold;
We’ll cheer up their hearts with the news that he bore
And point them to Zion and life evermore. (Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 319. Ye Elders of Israel)
I know that this Gospel is true and that as we prepare each other for our missions through this new curriculum and this special bond we have together as brethren in the priesthood that we will come closer together and unto Our Father in Heaven who loves us dearly. I hope that every single one of my quorum members will stay true to this Gospel. It brings so many blessings into your life. Don't ignore opportunities to be spiritually lifted and strengthened. It gets me through hard days knowing that I get to see all of you on Sunday. And I hope that it is the same for you. And I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
