This is a great talk. As far as teaching the powers and duties of the Priesthood, this is a landmark talk. President Packer also, for me anyway, describes our place in the world - our place as a church and our place as families and individuals.
It has never been easy to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was not easy when HE lived, and it was not easy in the early days of the Church. The Book of Mormon makes it clear that we will never dominate by numbers. But we have the power of the priesthood.
As far as our role in the world, I was impressed by this thought:
We can and in due time certainly will influence all of humanity. It will be known who we are and why we are. It might seem hopeless; it is monumentally difficult; but it is not only possible but certain that we will win the battle against Satan.
Referring to a talk he gave several years ago and that was published President Packer said:
Later, when it was to be published, I changed the title to read "What Every Elder Should Know - and Every Sister as Well." Include the sisters because it is crucial for everyone to understand what is expected of the brethren. Unless we enlist the attention of the mothers and daughters and sisters - who have influence on their husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers - we cannot progress. The priesthood will lose great power if the sisters are neglected.
President Packer next talked about priesthood power and authority, especially power.
Distributing the authority of the priesthood has raced, I think, ahead of distributing the power of the priesthood. The priesthood does not have the strength that it should have and will not have until the power of the priesthood is firmly fixed in the families as it should be.
We need this "call to power" seriously:
We must awaken in every elder and high priest, in every quorum and group, and in the father of every home the power of the priesthood of the Almighty.
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.
That the work of the Lord will prevail is not a question. That we must marshal all of our efforts and unify ourselves are givens.
After all that we have correlated and organized, it is now our responsibility to activate the power of the priesthood in the Church. 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.
President Packer then directed his remarks to the fathers and the homes:
Now, fathers, I would remind you of the sacred nature of your calling. 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.
The adversary is not actively disturbing our Church meetings - perhaps only occasionally. But he and those who follow him are persistent in attacking the home and the family.
The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is that a man and his wife and their children might be happy at home, protected by the principles and laws of the gospel, sealed safely in the covenants of the everlasting priesthood.
. . . all these have as their ultimate purpose the perfection of the individual and the family.
President Packer then closes with his testimony of the power and importance of the priesthood and the role it will play in the coming years:
I bear witness of the power of the priesthood given to the Church to protect us and guide us. And because we have that, we have no fear of the future. Fear is the opposite of faith. We move forward, certain that the Lord will watch over us, particularly in the family.
Showing posts with label Aaronic Priesthood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aaronic Priesthood. Show all posts
Elder Ronald A. Rasband: The Divine Call of a Missionary
Very interesting talk by Elder Rasband who is a member of the Presidency of the Seventy. A kind of 'inside look' at how mission assignments are made. First, however, Elder Rasband talked about the importance of missionary work, especially to young men of missionary age.
Missionary work is the life-blood of the Church and the lifesaving blessing to all who accept its message.
President Thomas S. Monson, has said of those called to serve: "The missionary opportunity of a lifetime is yours. The blessings of eternity await you. Yours is the privilege to be not spectators but participants on the stage of priesthood service."
Elder Rasband then told of an experience he had as a new General Authority when he was invited by then Elder Henry B. Eyring to sit in on a session where he, an apostle, made mission assignments. Very interesting process. I hope that Taylor will be impressed by the process. I thought it was an interesting combination of technology and revelation.
Elder Rasband concluded his talk with this encouragement to young men:
At this time in your life, a mission call from the Lord, my young friends, is the most important work that you can do. Prepare now, live righteously, learn from your family and Church leaders, and come join with us in building the kingdom of God on earth - accept your divine appointment in "so great a cause."
Missionary work is the life-blood of the Church and the lifesaving blessing to all who accept its message.
President Thomas S. Monson, has said of those called to serve: "The missionary opportunity of a lifetime is yours. The blessings of eternity await you. Yours is the privilege to be not spectators but participants on the stage of priesthood service."
Elder Rasband then told of an experience he had as a new General Authority when he was invited by then Elder Henry B. Eyring to sit in on a session where he, an apostle, made mission assignments. Very interesting process. I hope that Taylor will be impressed by the process. I thought it was an interesting combination of technology and revelation.
Elder Rasband concluded his talk with this encouragement to young men:
At this time in your life, a mission call from the Lord, my young friends, is the most important work that you can do. Prepare now, live righteously, learn from your family and Church leaders, and come join with us in building the kingdom of God on earth - accept your divine appointment in "so great a cause."
David L. Beck: The Magnificent Aaronic Priesthood
I am very interested in Brother Beck's talk because of the new Duty to God program. He gives some good explanations, so I have included many of his remarks for future reference.
Tonight I will help you see how you can discover for yourselves the magnificence of the Aaronic Priesthood.
When God entrusts you with His sacred priesthood, He shows great confidence in you. He knows He can trust you to use the priesthood to serve others, just as He has trusted other young men to do some of His most important work.
Brother Beck set the stage to discuss the new Duty to God program with this quote from President Monson: "Great things are expected of you. 'Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.'
Brother Beck continues with both the reasons for the new program and the way it will work:
To help you respond to that urgent call, the Church is introducing a new Duty to God program. As a deacon, teacher, and priest, you will participate in activities that will help you build spiritual strength and learn and fulfill your priesthood duties. Each activity follows this simple pattern:
Brother Beck concluded with this counsel and testimony:
I testify that your faithful service in the Aaronic Priesthood will change the lives of those you serve. There are people who need your priesthood service. Your family needs you. Your quorum needs you. The Church needs you. The world needs you.
He related an experience from a trip to Portugal where he came across a monument to the early Portuguese explorers. I see you when I think of that monument of courageous explorers. I see you on a personal journey that few in the world today choose to pursue. I see you fulfilling your duty to God.
Tonight I will help you see how you can discover for yourselves the magnificence of the Aaronic Priesthood.
When God entrusts you with His sacred priesthood, He shows great confidence in you. He knows He can trust you to use the priesthood to serve others, just as He has trusted other young men to do some of His most important work.
Brother Beck set the stage to discuss the new Duty to God program with this quote from President Monson: "Great things are expected of you. 'Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.'
Brother Beck continues with both the reasons for the new program and the way it will work:
To help you respond to that urgent call, the Church is introducing a new Duty to God program. As a deacon, teacher, and priest, you will participate in activities that will help you build spiritual strength and learn and fulfill your priesthood duties. Each activity follows this simple pattern:
- First you learn about a gospel principle or a priesthood duty. You discover what Heavenly father wants you to do, and you strive to gain a spiritual witness about why it is important.
- Next you make plans to act on what you have learned. This is a wonderful chance to take responsibility for your own growth and develop spiritual self-reliance.
- Then you share what you learn and experience with others. You will increase you ability to talk about the gospel with others.
Brother Beck concluded with this counsel and testimony:
I testify that your faithful service in the Aaronic Priesthood will change the lives of those you serve. There are people who need your priesthood service. Your family needs you. Your quorum needs you. The Church needs you. The world needs you.
He related an experience from a trip to Portugal where he came across a monument to the early Portuguese explorers. I see you when I think of that monument of courageous explorers. I see you on a personal journey that few in the world today choose to pursue. I see you fulfilling your duty to God.
President Henry B. Eyring: Act in All Diligence
I speak to you tonight of diligence in the Lord's service. President Eyring opens with some observations on the new Duty to God booklet and how it will work. ". . . the pattern from the new Duty to God booklet. It is to learn what the Lord expects of you, make a plan to do it, act on your plan with diligence, and then share with others how your experience changed you and blessed others.
You have seen such examples of great priest hood servants. Tonight, I will try to tell youabout what I have learned about them. It begins with their learning to know whose service they are in and for what purpose. When that goes down into their hearts, it makes all the difference.
In talking to the Aaronic Priesthood holders about passing the Sacrament he said, "As you remember Him, you will be determined to perform that sacred service, as nearly as you can, as well and faithfully as He did.
Then President Eyring started speaking to the Melchizedek Priesthood: "Like the Aaronic Priesthood, the Melchizadeck Priesthood is more than a trust to do what the Lord due. It is an invitation to become as He is.
There is a pattern by which all priesthood holders are lifted to that glorious blessing. One place in scripture where the Lord gives the patter for us is in the 107th section of the Doctrine and Covenants:
President Eyring shared an experience he had visiting a faithful priesthood holder who was undergoing painful medical treatments that were not curing him. After visiting, they concluded with a priesthood blessing. The man was anointed with "oil consecrated by the power of the Melchizedek Priesthood." President Eyring then said, "As I sealed the blessing, I was taught by the Holy Ghost at least part of what the Lord had already done for this faithful priesthood holder. he was clean, his sins washed away. His nature had been changed to want what the Savior wanted. He had no fear of death. The desire of his heart was to live to give service to his family and to others of Heavenly Father's children who needed him.
The talk concluded with this counsel to priesthood holders (I put it in bullet form so that each bit of counsel stands out):
You have seen such examples of great priest hood servants. Tonight, I will try to tell youabout what I have learned about them. It begins with their learning to know whose service they are in and for what purpose. When that goes down into their hearts, it makes all the difference.
In talking to the Aaronic Priesthood holders about passing the Sacrament he said, "As you remember Him, you will be determined to perform that sacred service, as nearly as you can, as well and faithfully as He did.
Then President Eyring started speaking to the Melchizedek Priesthood: "Like the Aaronic Priesthood, the Melchizadeck Priesthood is more than a trust to do what the Lord due. It is an invitation to become as He is.
There is a pattern by which all priesthood holders are lifted to that glorious blessing. One place in scripture where the Lord gives the patter for us is in the 107th section of the Doctrine and Covenants:
- "Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.
- He that is slothful shall not be counted worth to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand. Even so. Amen (D&C 107: 99-100)
President Eyring shared an experience he had visiting a faithful priesthood holder who was undergoing painful medical treatments that were not curing him. After visiting, they concluded with a priesthood blessing. The man was anointed with "oil consecrated by the power of the Melchizedek Priesthood." President Eyring then said, "As I sealed the blessing, I was taught by the Holy Ghost at least part of what the Lord had already done for this faithful priesthood holder. he was clean, his sins washed away. His nature had been changed to want what the Savior wanted. He had no fear of death. The desire of his heart was to live to give service to his family and to others of Heavenly Father's children who needed him.
The talk concluded with this counsel to priesthood holders (I put it in bullet form so that each bit of counsel stands out):
- Ponder deeply and diligently in the scriptures and in the words of living prophets.
- Persist in prayer for the Holy Ghost to reveal to you the nature of God the Father and His Beloved Son.
- Plead that the Spirit will show you what the Lord wants you to do.
- Plan to do it.
- Promise Him to obey.
- Act with determination until you have done what He asked.
- And then pray to give thanks for the opportunity to serve and to know what you might do next.
President Henry B. Eyring: Be Ready
President Eyring started out with a story about being prepared to use the priesthood to bless (literally) others:
When the call came, I was ready. The preparation was far more than having consecrated oil close at hand. It must begin long before the crisis which requires priesthood power. Those who are prepared will be ready to answer.
The preparation begins in families, in Aaronic Priesthood quorums, and mostly in the private lives of young men. The quorums and the families must help, but the preparation that counts will be made by the young men making choices to rise to their great destiny as priesthood servants of God.
The destiny of the rising generation of priesthood holders is far more than to be ready to bring God's power down to heal the sick. The preparation is to be ready to go and do whatever the Lord wants done as the world is preparing for His coming. None of us know exactly what those errands will be. But we know what it will take to be ready, so each of us can prepare.
He then talked about "two of the things you will need and the preparation it takes to be ready."
The first is to have faith. So you must have faith that God lives and that you have won the confidence to allow you to use the power for His purposes.
He also added a caution: Not all of the youth choose to prepare. That choice must be their own. They are responsible for themselves. That is the Lord's way in His loving plan. But many young men have little or no support from those who could help as they prepare. Those of us who can help will be held accountable by the Lord.
The second thing they will need is confidence that they can live up to the blessings and the trust which God has offered them.
Young men need to listen to the Spirit, even when their peers and others around them are suggesting they choose sin: If young men choose sin, those messages from God will become more faint. We can help them even more by our example of a faithful and inspired servant.
President Eyring then talked about his bishop and how he watched out for President Eyring and the other young men in their ward:
The bishop had a system. Every adviser of every quorum was to contact every young man he had not spoken to that Sunday. They were not to go to bed until they had either talked to the boy who had been missing, to his parents, or to a close friend. The bishop promised them that he would not turn out his light until he had heard a report about every boy. I don't think he gave them an order. He simple made it clear that he did not expect their lights to go out until they had given that report.
He and those who served under him were doing far more than watching over us. They were showing us by example what it means to care for the Lord's sheep. I have no idea whether they thought any one of us was going to be anything special. But they treated us as if they did by being willing to pay any personal price to keep us from losing faith.
When the call came, I was ready. The preparation was far more than having consecrated oil close at hand. It must begin long before the crisis which requires priesthood power. Those who are prepared will be ready to answer.
The preparation begins in families, in Aaronic Priesthood quorums, and mostly in the private lives of young men. The quorums and the families must help, but the preparation that counts will be made by the young men making choices to rise to their great destiny as priesthood servants of God.
The destiny of the rising generation of priesthood holders is far more than to be ready to bring God's power down to heal the sick. The preparation is to be ready to go and do whatever the Lord wants done as the world is preparing for His coming. None of us know exactly what those errands will be. But we know what it will take to be ready, so each of us can prepare.
He then talked about "two of the things you will need and the preparation it takes to be ready."
The first is to have faith. So you must have faith that God lives and that you have won the confidence to allow you to use the power for His purposes.
He also added a caution: Not all of the youth choose to prepare. That choice must be their own. They are responsible for themselves. That is the Lord's way in His loving plan. But many young men have little or no support from those who could help as they prepare. Those of us who can help will be held accountable by the Lord.
The second thing they will need is confidence that they can live up to the blessings and the trust which God has offered them.
Young men need to listen to the Spirit, even when their peers and others around them are suggesting they choose sin: If young men choose sin, those messages from God will become more faint. We can help them even more by our example of a faithful and inspired servant.
President Eyring then talked about his bishop and how he watched out for President Eyring and the other young men in their ward:
The bishop had a system. Every adviser of every quorum was to contact every young man he had not spoken to that Sunday. They were not to go to bed until they had either talked to the boy who had been missing, to his parents, or to a close friend. The bishop promised them that he would not turn out his light until he had heard a report about every boy. I don't think he gave them an order. He simple made it clear that he did not expect their lights to go out until they had given that report.
He and those who served under him were doing far more than watching over us. They were showing us by example what it means to care for the Lord's sheep. I have no idea whether they thought any one of us was going to be anything special. But they treated us as if they did by being willing to pay any personal price to keep us from losing faith.
Revealed Quorum Principles - Brother Michael A. Neider sat am
As bearers of the holy priesthood, we should see that the sisters are not the only examples of virtue.
This is a reference to the recent Young Women's addition of 'virtue' as one of their Young Women's values. Priesthood holders need to value virtue just as much.
Brother Neider sets the topic for the young men by stating:
I invite young men ages 12-18 and their quorum presidencies to listen, for we will be discussing scripture the Lord has directed to you. (That's one of the remarkable things about this church, that young men are entrusted with some much responsibility and given so many opportunities as early as age 12.) I emphasize the principle of study, or obtaining God's word. We should be earnest students of revealed priesthood and quorum principles. Our goal is to correctly use inspired direction from God and His prophets to maximize the virtues and blessings of the quorum and strengthen young men and their families. The work of the quorum is to increase faith in Christ, prepare and save young men, and eliminate mistakes and sloth in implementing God's will.
This is great direction for the young men and should be part of leadership training, especially the 'work of the quorum':
- increase faith in Christ
- prepare and save young men
- eliminate mistakes and sloth in implementing God's will.
Once again, this is excellent leadership training material for quorum presidencies and quorum members. It is not enough to just be in a quorum. We should understand what a quorum is and what it does.
Verse 85 of section 107 (of the Doctrine and Covenants) instructs a deacons quorum president how to minister to his quorum members: "And again, verily I say unto you, the duty of a president over the office of a deacon is to preside over twelve deacons, to sit in council with them and to teach them their duty, edify one another, as it is given according to the covenants."
More training material for quorum presidencies, specifically deacons:
- Preside over twelve deacons
- sit in council with them
- teach them their duty
- edify one another
I invite quorum presidencies to ask the following questions and seek other questions the Spirit will inspire: What does an Aaronic Priesthood quorum president do to preside over a quorum? What are his duties? What does he do as he sits in council with quorum members? How and when does he teach? What are the covenants referenced in the verses? And what do the quorum adviser and the bishopric member do as each assists the president in his duties and in his use of priesthood keys of presidency?
These are all good questions for all presidencies and should be part of leadership training. I like the idea that this is just a start, or suggestion, and that the presidency should seek by inspiration other questions they should be asking themselves. He does suggest some other questions that (I would add) might be good for PPIs and presidency meetings:
Does my quorum operate as described by the Lord in scripture? If not, why not? And what should I do to appropriately implement revealed quorum principles in my quorum? As a presidency prays for help and guidance, the Spirit, the bishopric, advisers, and the quorum will help and be sure to regularly use the inspired Church handbooks.
More youth leadership can then be exerted by quorum presidencies, while advisers can spend more time in support and leadership training. As we focus on quorum duties, the frequency of regular quorum presidency meetings usually increases for better preparation and leadership opportunity.
This is how it should be happening. This is a good indicator or milepost for quorum advisors.
Many tools have been given by the Lord and our Brethren to assist in the work of the Aaronic Priesthood quorum, including mighty prayer of faith, fasting, scripture study, "For the Strength of Youth", Duty to God, the quorum instruction manual, "Preach My Gospel" as a resource, varied activities, and Scouting.
This is a great list of resources. I found it very interesting that the first three mentioned were not manuals.
The quorum is expected to help parents strengthen their sons spiritually and in every other facet of their character, activity, and personal lives.
This is a good description of the parent-auxiliary relationship. This was a very powerful and instructive talk for boys, parents, and advisors.
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