Sunday Lesson: July 27th

Kendra Mauger was our 4th Sunday guest teacher this past Sunday. The lesson came from two talks; one by Elder Dallin H. Oaks from April 2014 General Conference and the other by Elder M. Russell Ballard from April 2013 General Conference. Both of the talks can be found HERE and HERE.

Sister Mauger started out by asking us all this questions: What words do you associate with the priesthood?

Some of the words shared were, power, authority, men, quorum, restoration, and blessings.

President Packer says that the priesthood is, “The consummate power on this earth. The power by which we will be resurrected and proceed to eternal life.”

The priesthood is divided into offices – these were written on the board.

First there are two parts – Aaronic & Melchizedek

Aaronic – Deacon, Teacher, Priest, Bishop

“A bishop is ordained and set apart to preside over the Aaronic Priesthood in a ward. He is the president of the priests quorum. When he is acting in his Aaronic Priesthood office, a bishop deals primarily with temporal matters, such as administering finances and records and directing care for the poor and needy.

A bishop is also ordained a high priest so he can preside over all members in the ward. A bishop is a judge in Israel and interviews members for temple recommends, priesthood ordinations, and other needs. It is his right to have the gift of discernment.” Gospel principles Chapter 14

Melchizedek – Elder, High Priest, Patriarch, Seventy, Apostle (senior apostle is president of church)

Now that we know the offices of the priesthood, let’s talk about the Keys –

“Priesthood keys are the authority God has given to priesthood holders to direct, control, and govern the use of His priesthood on earth” – OAKS, May 2014

---it’s our checks and balances in the church

WHO HAS KEYS???

These were written on the board – SEPARATE LISTProphet (senior apostle)– only man, on the earth, who holds them all, he can then delegate portions of this power to anotherPresident of a templePresident of a stakeBishopPresident of missionPresident of quorum (Elder's teachers & deacons)

Every priesthood ordinance is recorded on the records of the church, so a 12 year old boy being ordained to deacon is written down, as is baptism, temple covenants, and even sacrament is recorded every week. A person who holds the priesthood cannot officiate in a priesthood ordinance unless he is given proper authority by one who holds keys.

So, if I am unable to go to church and would like the sacrament administered in my home, my husband can’t just bless and pass it to me. He would have to obtain permission from the bishop first.

---checks and balances

“Every act or ordinance performed in the church is done under the direct or indirect authorization of one holding the keys for that function” – OAKS, May 2014

“There is no up or down in the service of the Lord, there is only forward or backward, and that difference depends on how we accept and act upon our releases and our callings.” – OAKS, May 2014

So, What does this mean for us? -

“ President Joseph Fielding Smith said, “While the sisters have not been given the Priesthood, it has not been conferred upon them, that does not mean that the Lord has not given unto them authority…A person may have authority given to him, or a sister to her, to do certain things in the Church that are binding and absolutely necessary for our salvation.”

So women are given priesthood authority when working under the direction of our bishop, just as men are given priesthood authority. The Relief Society President, has priesthood authority to watch over the women of this ward, just like the Young Men’s president has authority to watch over the young men of this ward. The authority is given, but it is up to them to have access to the powers of the priesthood.

Priesthood power and priesthood authority are very different things.

My husband likens priesthood authority and power to a driver’s license and a car with gas. When given priesthood authority it is like you are given a driver’s license, but in order to really make things happen you need a car with gas. This car is the priesthood power, and it only comes through righteousness.

Priesthood power is something that we want.

“Our Father in Heaven is generous with His power. All men and all women have access to this power for help in our own lives. All who have made sacred covenants with the Lord and who honor those covenants are eligible to receive personal revelation, to be blessed by the ministering of angels, to commune with God, to receive the fulness of the gospel, and, ultimately, to become heirs alongside Jesus Christ of all our Father has.” BALLARD, 2013

As Spider Man’s uncle says, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

D&C 121:36-27 “The rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, … but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.”

HOW DO I HAVE ACCESS TO THIS PRIESTHOOD IF I DON”T HAVE A CALLING< OR LEADERSHIP CALLING?

“Those who have priesthood keys… literally make it possible for all who serve faithfully under their direction to exercise priesthood authority and have access to priesthood power.” BALLARD 2013, BYU education week

Through home teaching and visiting teaching we also have access to the priesthood.

We can also faithfully serve and follow leaders… you can receive the power of the priesthood by agreeing to give a talk in sacrament, or pray….

HOW DO I ACCESS THE PRIESTHOOD WHEN I DON”T HAVE A PRIESTHOOD HOLDER AT HOME?

-know who your home teacher is.

- “When men and women go to the temple, they are both endowed with the same power, which by definition is priesthood power. While the authority of the priesthood is directed through priesthood keys, and priesthood keys are held only by worthy men, access to the power and the blessings of the priesthood is available to all of God’s children.” Ballard, 2013

In our Heavenly Father’s great priesthood-endowed plan, men have the unique responsibility to administer the priesthood, but they are not the priesthood. Men and women have different but equally valued roles. Just as a woman cannot conceive a child without a man, so a man cannot fully exercise the power of the priesthood to establish an eternal family without a woman. . . . In the eternal perspective, both the procreative power and the priesthood power are shared by husband and wife. BALLARD April 2013