Pray Always

by Doctrines

I saw a quote the other day that has really made me think, “Prayer is not just for times of trouble.”1 Undoubtedly, we are living in some pretty troubled times. Invitations to join in specific days of prayer are happening with regularity. We are talking more about prayer and more people are praying. And that is a good thing! Turning to a loving Heavenly Father in times of crisis is normal. Trials almost always take us to our knees. But do we stay there when life gets better? Prayer was never intended to only be a crisis line. How would we feel if the only time someone reached out to us was if they needed something? That wouldn’t make for a very good relationship. The same is true with our Heavenly Father.

We need to make prayer a consistent and thoughtful part of each day. I believe that is the reason the scriptures teach us to “counsel with the Lord in all thy doings” and repeatedly to “pray always.” Bonnie H. Cordon recently taught, “As we consistently go to Heavenly Father in prayer, we develop a relationship with Him.”2 Bruce D. Porter said that prayer is “surely among the greatest of gifts given by our Father in Heaven to His children on earth. Prayer is the ordained means by which men and women, and even little children, come to know God. It is our channel of communication with heaven.”3

Communication is more than asking. Of course Heavenly Father wants us to ask Him for help. But an extremely important part of prayer is to express gratitude, especially in times of trial. Nothing helps us keep an eternal perspective more than recognizing the many blessings we receive from God. Let me share a personal experience. As part of my gospel study, I like to read and reread the most recent general conference talks. Not long after my daughter passed away, I read David A. Bednar’s talk, “Pray Always.” While he was serving as president of BYU-Idaho, his family learned a valuable lesson from an apostle about “the power of thankfulness in meaningful prayer.” Earlier in the day, Elder Bednar and his wife had learned that a dear friend had passed away. That evening, as he asked his wife to pray, the visiting apostle, unaware of their friend’s death, “graciously suggested that in the prayer Sister Bednar express only appreciation for blessings received and ask for nothing.”  At such a time, Elder Bednar said, “requesting blessings for our friends initially seemed to us more urgent than expressing thanks.” As Sister Bednar faithfully responded to the apostle’s request, the family “learned from that experience a great lesson about the power of thankfulness in meaningful prayer.”4

That night I decided to do the same thing. It wasn’t that I hadn’t been expressing gratitude, I definitely had been—more than ever before. But I was understandably asking for His blessings on me and my family. I cannot even begin to tell you the sweet experience I had that night. The depth of my gratitude changed as I poured out my heart to my Heavenly Father in thanksgiving. Tears flowed as I expressed my deep gratitude for His tender, loving care, for the gift of His Beloved Son and for the continual comfort and peace from the Holy Ghost. I thanked Him for the blessings of the temple and the knowledge that families are forever. I thanked Him for family and friends, whose love and support were unending, and for parents who had taught me the truths of the gospel. As I thanked Him, I was better able to recognize just how truly blessed I was and am!

 “There is a power that comes as we are generous with our gratitude,” said Sister Cordon.  I testify that is true!  She continued, “As we sincerely thank God in and through our trials, we invite Him to help us see our trials and ourselves in a different way. Thanking Him rather than asking for something to be taken away helps us accept His unceasing effort to mold us into who we are meant to become. … How would our relationship with our Father change if the passion and sincerity of our prayers did not wane after the crisis has passed? Can you imagine the truths we will discover and the wonders we will achieve as we choose to ‘pray always’ with the same fervor we plead with when we are in need?”2

That is our challenge! Heavenly Father blesses our lives every day! May we be wise enough to recognize those blessings and thank Him for them. For even on our darkest days, our blessings can and should shine bright enough to help us through our trials.

References:

1. We Never Walk Alone – Thomas S. Monson

2. Ask of God: Our Solace, Guide, and Stay – Bonnie H. Cordon

3. Did You Think to Pray? – Bruce D. Porter

4. Pray Always – David A. Bednar

What I Have Learned From the Women in My Life

by DoctrinesFamily

With Mother’s Day approaching, I’ve been thinking a lot about the incredible women who have had a powerful impact on my life.  I love this quote from Sheri Dew.  It is so true in my life! “Few of us will reach our potential without the nurturing of both the mother who bore us and the mothers who bear with us.”1

I have been blessed with the most amazing mother, grandmothers, daughters, sisters and friends! From them I have learned the true meaning of service, unconditional love, resilience, compassion, commitment, devotion, dedication and discipleship. Gratefully my circle of sisterhood continues to grow with each passing year. Although a few are no longer here with me, their influence is still very real and I know they are not very far away at all! The influence of a righteous, faithful woman lasts through eternity.

Russell M. Nelson said, “To help another human being reach one’s celestial potential is part of the divine mission of woman. As mother, teacher, or nurturing saint, she molds living clay to the shape of her hopes. In partnership with God, her divine mission is to help spirits live and souls be lifted. This is the measure of her creation. It is ennobling, edifying, and exalting.”2 How very grateful I am for the wonderful women who have helped my spirit live and who continue to lift my soul! Thank you for bearing with me on our journey together. My life is better because of you!

References:

1.  Are We Not All Mothers? – Sheri Dew

2. Woman-Of Infinite Worth – Russell M. Nelson

The Invitation to Hear Him

by DoctrinesJesus Christ

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the invitation to hear Him. How do I hear Him? Where do I hear Him? When do I hear Him?

How do I hear Him? – President Nelson teaches that we “more clearly hear Him as we refine our ability to recognize the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. It has never been more imperative to know how the Spirit speaks to you than right now. In the Godhead, the Holy Ghost is the messenger. He will bring thoughts to your mind which the Father and Son want you to receive. He is the Comforter. He will bring a feeling of peace to your heart. He testifies of truth and will confirm what is true as you hear and read the word of the Lord.”1

I love Boyd K. Packer’s explanation, “The Holy Ghost speaks with a voice that you feel more than you hear. It is described as a ‘still small voice.’ And while we speak of ‘listening’ to the whisperings of the Spirit, most often one describes a spiritual prompting by saying, ‘I had a feeling …’”2

Understanding how the Spirit speaks to us personally is so important. I reluctantly share a not-so-good personal experience. My dad’s mom was one of the sweetest women ever! I don’t ever remember hearing her complain. She was gentle and loving and giving. I learned so many valuable lessons from my grandma! Sadly, she spent her last few years battling cancer. One morning I needed to run a quick errand. At the time I had small children, so when my husband offered to go to work a minute late, I gladly accepted and told him I would hurry. On my way home, I got the impression that I should go see Grandma. I brushed the thought aside, telling myself I would go later since I really needed to let my husband get to work. Several hours later, I got a call from my sister who had gone to visit Grandma. When she arrived, Grandma was laying on the kitchen floor, unable to move. She had gone in to fix herself some breakfast and had fallen.  She laid, shivering on the cold, hard floor for hours, in and out of consciousness, with a broken hip. The prompting I had received was within minutes of her fall.  Because I ignored it, my sweet grandma endured needless hours of pain and suffering. I felt sick! I had not recognized that impression as a prompting from the Holy Ghost. That day I asked Heavenly Father to forgive me for ignoring the Spirit and promised to never do that again.  Every day I try to keep that commitment to my Heavenly Father. It takes conscious effort to hear spiritual promptings in an increasingly noisy and casual world.

Where do I hear Him? – In 3 Nephi 17:3, the Savior Himself tells us, “ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds.”3 Surely we can and will hear Him as we read, ponder and study the scriptures, and when we are on our knees in humble prayer. One of my favorite places to hear Him is in the temple. I love to be in His holy house! Remember, spiritual impressions come when we are quiet enough to hear them. They continue to come as we listen to and act upon them.

When do I hear Him? – If we prepare ourselves spiritually, we can hear Him anytime and anywhere. No matter what is going on around us, if everything is right within us, we will hear Him. President Nelson has warned us that “it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”4 He has encouraged us, even pleaded with us, to “hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly.”4 Earlier this month, he said, “I renew my plea for you to do whatever it takes increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation.”1 I think that is so significant! This isn’t just a suggestion for us, it’s a plea. 

When I think of pleading, I think of those times when I have needed Heavenly Father’s help more than anything else—when I needed something only He could give me. Our pleadings are often in our most trying times. President Nelson reminds us, “Our Father knows that when we are surrounded by uncertainty and fear, what will help us the very most is to hear His Son. Because when we seek to hear—truly hear—His Son, we will be guided to know what to do in any circumstance.”1 When we hear Him, He can heal us. When we hear Him, He can comfort us. When we hear Him, He can teach us. When we hear Him, He can guide us.

Oh how wise we will be to follow the prophet’s counsel to increase our spiritual capacity. He said, “In those two words—’Hear Him’—God gives us the pattern for success, happiness, and joy in this life. We are to hear the words of the Lord, hearken to them, and heed what He has told us! As we seek to be disciples of Jesus Christ, our efforts to hear Him need to be ever more intentional.”1

It is difficult to comprehend the peace and protection we will feel in our lives when we truly know how, where and when to hear Him.

References:

1.  Hear Him – Russell M. Nelson

2.  Personal Revelation: The Gift, The Test and the Promise – Boyd K. Packer

3.  3 Nephi 17:3

4.  Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives – Russell M. Nelson

Sunday Will Come

by DoctrinesJesus Christ

I always look forward to general conference, but this time I felt a greater anticipation. In October, President Nelson said that this general conference would be different. He also promised that if we would prepare ourselves, it would be memorable and unforgettable.  Sometimes when we are so excited for something to happen, when it is over, we feel a little let down. Not so with this general conference! It was indeed memorable and unforgettable for me!  

Palm Sunday is the commemoration of Jesus Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. On this special day, He was greeted by the people waving palm branches and shouting hosanna, “bearing testimony of our Lord’s divine Sonship. In plain language they [were] hailing Jesus as the Son of David, the Deliverer of Israel, their Savior and Redeemer, the promised Messiah, the Son of God. And they [were] doing it wittingly, deliberately using the sacred expression, Hosanna, … [which] means literally, save now, or save we pray, or save we beseech thee.”1

One particularly sacred moment during conference was the opportunity to stand in my home with my family and acknowledge Jesus Christ as my Savior and my Redeemer, the promised Messiah. I was overwhelmed as I tried to imagine joining with millions of members of the Church across the world in a united plea to God to save.

The prophet has again invited us to unitedly petition our Heavenly Father on Friday for relief from the devastating affects of the coronavirus pandemic. I am humbled at being a part of such a great cause.  This Friday – Good Friday – we are being asked to make an incredibly small sacrifice to fast and pray that the Lord will bless the world on the very day the world commemorates the Savior’s ultimate sacrifice.

Easter season is a glorious time – a time to reflect on the eternal truth that, because of Jesus Christ, there are always better days ahead.

 One of my favorite Easter talks was given by Joseph B. Wirthlin many years ago.  He taught, “I think that of all the days since the beginning of this world’s history, that Friday was the darkest. But the doom of that day did not endure. The despair did not linger because on Sunday, the resurrected Lord burst the bonds of death.  

“He ascended from the grave and appeared gloriously triumphant as the Savior of all mankind. And in an instant the eyes that had been filled with ever-flowing tears dried. The lips that had whispered prayers of distress and grief now filled the air with wondrous praise, for Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God, stood before them as the firstfruits of the Resurrection, the proof that death is merely the beginning of a new and wondrous existence.

“Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.

“But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. … No matter how dark our Friday, Sunday will come.”2 

Because of the Savior, Jesus Christ, we have hope even when things around us may seem hopeless!

There is so much for us to consider during this week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.  Jeffrey R. Holland reminds us, “As we approach this holy week—Passover Thursday with its Paschal Lamb, atoning Friday with its cross, Resurrection Sunday with its empty tomb—may we declare ourselves to be more fully disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, not in word only and not only in the flush of comfortable times but in deed and in courage and in faith, including when the path is lonely and when our cross is difficult to bear. This Easter week and always, may we stand by Jesus Christ ‘at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death,’ for surely that is how He stood by us when it was unto death and when He had to stand entirely and utterly alone.”3 

I am so very grateful for my Savior!  I love Him!  I boldly declare my devotion to Him!

References: 

1.  The Triumphal Entry  – New Testament Manual

2.  Sunday Will Come – Joseph B. Wirthlin

3.  None Were With Him – Jeffrey R. Holland

Commandments

by CommandmentsDoctrines

September’s doctrinal topic was commandments.  “Commandments are the laws and requirements that a loving Heavenly Father gives His children to bless them, protect them, and guide them back to Him. When we keep the commandments, we show our love for Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. As we obey the commandments and continually repent, we become more like the Savior and we are blessed with happiness, peace, testimony, and the companionship of the Holy Ghost.”1  As I have studied what President Nelson has taught us about commandments, I thought about his gentle reminder to “do better and be better.”2   I also could hear his plea for us to do things in a higher and holier way.  Imagine the great blessings that can be ours if we keep God’s commandments in a holier and higher way.  How blessed we are to have a prophet who is encouraging us to be more faithful and faith-filled.  His loving counsel is to be more obedient to God’s commands, continuously improving our lives to qualify for the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and ultimately qualifying us to return home to our Father in Heaven.


Russell M. Nelson once said, “The ultimate objective in our mortal journey has been revealed by our Creator, who said, ‘If you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.’ … When we covenant to follow the Lord and obey His commandments, we accept His standards in every thought, action, and deed. Living the Lord’s standards requires that we cultivate the gift of the Holy Ghost. That gift helps us understand doctrine and apply it personally.”3 

Think for a moment about some of the words used in that quote—commandments, covenant, standards, doctrine.  Each of these words describes what our loving Heavenly Father has given us because He loves us and wants us to return home to Him.  He has given us the Holy Ghost to teach us, to guide us and to warn us.  He has also given us a living prophet to help us on our journey.


President Nelson once said, “Know and obey the relevant teachings of the Lord. Some of His timeless truths are applicable generally, such as the commandments not to steal, not to kill, and not to bear false witness. Other teachings or commandments are also general, such as those regarding the Sabbath, the sacrament, baptism, and confirmation.  Some revelations have been given for unique circumstances, such as Noah’s building of the ark or the necessity for prophets like Moses, Lehi, and Brigham to lead their followers in arduous travel. God’s long-established pattern of teaching His children through prophets assures us that He will bless each prophet and that He will bless those who heed prophetic counsel.”4 


Consider the prophetic counsel President Nelson gave us in the general conference he was sustained as our prophet, and which has been repeated quite often, “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”  He then pleaded with us to “increase your spiritual capacity. … Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly.”5  That spiritual work includes keeping commandments, honoring covenants, living God’s standards, and knowing His doctrine.  


And as surely as we try to do the necessary spiritual work, the adversary will try to discourage us. President Nelson taught, “Because the evil one is ever at work, our vigilance cannot be relaxed—not even for a moment. A small and seemingly innocent invitation can turn into a tall temptation which can lead to tragic transgression. Night and day, at home or away, we must shun sin and ‘hold fast that which is good.’”6


Think of some of the other prophetic counsel we have been given over the last few years.  We have been warned that there will be much discontent in the world.  We have been encouraged to take a personal inventory to determine where we can make improvements to safeguard against the evils of our day.  We are being encouraged to make our study time and our worship time more of a priority.  It seemed to me that much of our recent general conference was a reminder to make the Savior the center of our lives.


President Nelson spoke to us of personal temple worthiness, which of course includes obedience to God’s commandments, reading the temple recommend questions, which “have recently been edited for clarity.”  He said, “Each temple is a holy place; each temple patron strives to become more holy. … All requirements to enter the temple relate to personal holiness. Individual worthiness requires a total conversion of mind and heart to be more like the Lord, to be an honest citizen, to be a better example, and to be a holier person.  I testify that such preparatory work brings innumerable blessings in this life and inconceivable blessings for the life to come.”7  Some of the sweetest interviews I have had have been with my bishop or a stake presidency member to renew my temple recommend.  What an incredible experience it is to vocalize my commitment to follow God’s commands and to give an accounting of my actions.  We know that at some future time we will likewise give an accounting, for one day “each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts.”8       

President Nelson once shared, “When the Prophet Joseph Smith faced death, he said, ‘I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer’s morning; I have a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men.’  Now is the time to prepare for your own ultimate interview. You might ask yourself: ‘Do I pay tithing with a willing heart? Do I obey the Word of Wisdom? Is my language free from obscenities and swearing? Am I morally righteous? Am I truly grateful for the Atonement that makes my resurrection a reality and eternal life a possibility? Do I honor temple covenants that seal loved ones to me forever?’”9 

Alma 34:32 teaches us that “this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.”10   President Nelson said that “our sojourn in mortality is a period of probation, a time of trial and testing to see if we will do whatever the Lord commands us to do.”  He encouraged us to “keep all the commandments of God, knowing that they are given to bless His children and bring them joy.”  And he warned that we “will encounter people who pick which commandments they will keep and ignore others that they choose to break. I call this the cafeteria approach to obedience. This practice of picking and choosing will not work. It will lead to misery. To prepare to meet God, one keeps all of His commandments. It takes faith to obey them, and keeping His commandments will strengthen that faith.”  I love what he says next! “Obedience allows God’s blessings to flow without constraint.”11


Whenever we do what our Heavenly Father asks us to do, He blesses us!  In the second chapter of Mosiah, King Benjamin reminds his people over and over to keep the commandments.  He teaches them that the Lord “has promised that if you would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you. … He doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you.”12  King Benjamin ends his preaching with these beautiful words, “And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.  For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.  O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.”13 

   
President Nelson has reminded us, “Spiritual truth cannot be ignored—especially divine commandments. Keeping divine commandments brings blessings, every time! Breaking divine commandments brings a loss of blessings, every time!”14 

In a world that has lost its moral bearings, we need to be examples of morality.  Keeping God’s commandments, honoring covenants, living His standards and knowing His doctrine will provide us incredible moral strength.  Specifically to the women of the Church, the prophet recently said, “From the dawning of time, women have been blessed with a unique moral compass—the ability to distinguish right from wrong. This gift is enhanced in those who make and keep covenants. And it diminishes in those who willfully ignore the commandments of God.  I hasten to add that I do not absolve men in any way from God’s requirement for them also to distinguish between right and wrong. But my dear sisters, your ability to discern truth from error, to be society’s guardians of morality, is crucial in these latter days. And we depend upon you to teach others to do likewise. Let me be very clear about this: if the world loses the moral rectitude of its women, the world will never recover.”15

May we each take a moment to evaluate our lives and find places where we can do better and be better. As we make a more concerted effort to keep the commandments of God, I know we will be blessed!   Even those commandments we feel we are keeping well, I pray we can live in a higher and holier way.

References:

  1.  Commandments – Come, Follow Me-For Young Women

  2.  We Can Do Better and Be Better – Russell M. Nelson

  3.  Living By Scriptural Guidance – Russell M. Nelson

  4.  Ask, Seek, Knock – Russell M. Nelson

  5.  Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives – Russell M. Nelson

  6.  Set in Order Thy House – Russell M. Nelson

  7.  Closing Remarks – Russell M. Nelson

  8.  The Living Christ

  9.  Personal Priesthood Responsibility – Russell M. Nelson

10.  Alma 34:32

11.  Face the Future With Faith – Russell M. Nelson

12.  Mosiah 2:22, 24

13.  Mosiah 2:41

14.  Let Your Faith Show – Russell M. Nelson

15.  Spiritual Treasures – Russell M. Nelson

Marriage & Family

by DoctrinesTemple

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints firmly we know that “marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.”1  As I have studied Russell M. Nelson’s words concerning the doctrine of marriage and family, which was August’s doctrinal topic, I am grateful for his wise counsel and his prophetic teachings.  


President Nelson once said, “Marriage is protected by an absolute commitment to make it successful.”2  In his first BYU Devotional address in 1974 his example of an absolute commitment to his marriage and family is clear.  He said, “I cannot seek the kingdom of God without loving and honoring first that family he has given to me. I cannot honor that family without loving and caring first for my wife! I love her. She is my highest priority, and our eternal marriage in the temple is our highest commitment. We love our children and their children born and yet unborn. This love we are building in the sanctuary of our home. Here is where we have learned the power of love, and I testify that it is a real, dynamic, all-encompassing power!”3 


He has also referred to “the home [as] the great laboratory of love.”4  One daughter said that when her father was at home, he was 100% at home. His wife and children knew they were loved! What a wonderful example President Nelson is of one who is a loving, committed husband and father!


Here are a few things he has taught over the years that we can do to be more loving and committed in our family relationships:


“Family life will provide your most enduring rewards. As partners, you and your spouse will work together to achieve mutual goals and enjoy the fruits of your labors. … There is great power in a strong partnership. True partners can achieve more than the sum of each acting alone. With true partners, one plus one is much more than two.  In marriage, a husband and wife can form the most significant partnership of all—an eternal family. … Great partners are completely loyal. They suppress personal ego in exchange for being part of creating something larger than themselves. Great partnerships are dependent upon each individual developing his or her own personal attributes of character.”5 


“Our Heavenly Father wants husbands and wives to be faithful to each other and to esteem and treat their children as an heritage from the Lord.  In such a family we study the scriptures and pray together. And we fix our focus on the temple. There we receive the highest blessings that God has in store for His faithful children.”6 


“Marriage—especially temple marriage—and family ties involve covenant relationships. They cannot be regarded casually. With divorce rates escalating throughout the world today, it is apparent that many spouses are failing to endure to the end of their commitments to each other. And some temple marriages fail because a husband forgets that his highest and most important priesthood duty is to honor and sustain his wife. The best thing that a father can do for his children is to ‘love their mother.’”7 


During one particular stake conference, President Nelson reminded the women of the power they have to make a substantial difference in their husbands’ lives. One of the things he told them was, “A man’s perception of his own worth can be shaped by his wife’s attitude.” Another was, “With the help of the Lord and a supportive wife, a man can do infinitely more than he could ever do without that support.” To the men, he counseled, “Your highest priesthood duty is to care for your wife. That is an eternal charge entrusted to you. …The best thing you can do for your children is to love and care for their mother. Let that love show. … Help her to achieve the full measure of her creation. Help her to realize her divine destiny—with you!”8 


“You and your companion should resolve never, never to make uncomplimentary comments about one another to anyone at anytime. Good habit patterns are best established during your courtship. Never stoop to demeaning words that hurt. Together, resolve now to make of your home a place of prayer. Make it a sanctuary of faith where servants of the Lord are always welcome and where scriptures are read and discussed together. You will both want to grow in true spiritual symmetry.”9 


Last year he once again asked us to transform our homes into sanctuaries of faith. He promised if we would “diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, … the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease.”10 


In a recent Instagram post President Nelson said, “Our families are meant to help us in our individual efforts to become more like Jesus Christ. Thanks to God’s great plan of happiness, families can stay together forever. Exaltation is a family affair!”11


Just as he has taught us the importance of making our marriage and family a priority, President Nelson has also reminded us of our responsibility to defend this doctrine. Here are a few of his proclamations defending the doctrine of marriage and family. They are powerful!

 
“Marriage and family are ordained of God. The family is the most important social unit in time and in eternity. Under God’s great plan of happiness, families can be sealed in temples and be prepared to return to dwell in His holy presence forever. That is eternal life! It fulfills the deepest longings of the human soul—the natural yearning for endless association with beloved members of one’s family.”12 


“There is spiritual safety in the circle of the family—the basic unit of society.  The family is a sacred institution.  The gospel was restored to the earth and the Church exists to exalt the family.  The earth was created that each premortal spirit child of God might have this mortal experience, gain a physical body, choose a companion, form a family, and have that family sealed eternally in a temple of the Lord.  If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted.  Scriptures stress that doctrine time and time again.”13 


In an address given at the 2009 World Congress of Families V, President Nelson declared, “Nothing, absolutely nothing, compares with the companionship between a husband and a wife. And nothing, absolutely nothing, can provide the joy and growth that come from happy children who make a family circle. Throughout my life, I have answered to many titles, including doctor, captain, professor, and elder. But the titles I revere most are those of husband, father, and grandfather.


“On all sides, the family is under attack. Many wonder if the institution is no longer needed. Our response is certain. If there is any hope for the future of nations, that hope resides in the family. Our children are our wealth; our children are our strength; our children are indeed our future!
“In the past 50 years, the birthrate has dropped in nearly every nation of the world. … What would happen to the future of nations if the next generation failed to appear in significant numbers? The answer is alarming! Yes, we would be poorer economically, but even poorer spiritually.


“Spiritual concerns are of great importance. Spiritually, we need children as much as they need us. They are our spiritual wealth. Children teach us the joy of building goodness that will outlive our own. They teach us the joy of loving someone more than self. That love lifts one to give from the abundance of one’s own life to help a child. …


“Future happiness and even the future of nations is linked to children. Families with children need to be re-enthroned as the fundamental unit of society. We simply must value children more than we do! Without a new generation to replace the old, there is no wealth; without families, there is no future.”14
 

His boldness in defending the family is extraordinary. He has encouraged such boldness in us as members of the Church. “In the Church, we stress the significance of marriage, children, and the family because we know the doctrine. And we … know that the adversary incessantly aims attacks at the family.  In the past fifty years the birth rate has dropped in nearly every nation of the world. Marriages are being postponed until later in life, and families are getting smaller, even in the Church. Our task to defend the family is not an easy one. Trends in the world diminish the significance of the family. … In reality, we are raising our children in enemy-occupied territory. The homes of our members must become the primary sanctuaries of our faith, where each can be safe from the sins of the world. Our Master depends upon us to live according to His truth. … Marriage is ordained of God. It is doctrinally based and eternally significant.”15 


President Nelson has warned, “God’s marriage pattern cannot be abused, misunderstood, or misconstrued”16 and has given us a charge to be defenders of marriage. “You will likely encounter increasing debate about the definition of marriage. Many of your neighbors, colleagues, and friends will have never heard logical and inspired truths about the importance of marriage as God Himself defined it. You will have many opportunities to strengthen understanding of the Lord’s side of that argument by the eloquence of your examples, both as individuals and as families.”5


He has also warned that opposition will come. “Life will not be comfortable for true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. … Each of us will be put to the test. … The day is gone when you can be a quiet and comfortable Christian. Your religion is not just about showing up for church on Sunday. It is about showing up as a true disciple from Sunday morning through Saturday night—24/7! There is no such thing as a ‘part-time’ disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus invited anyone who wants to be His disciple to take up His cross and follow Him. Are you ready to join the ranks? Or will you be ashamed of the gospel? Will you be ashamed of your Lord and His plan? Will you yield to voices of those who would have you join them on the popular side of contemporary history? No! … Be courageous and proclaim God’s truth with clarity and kindness, even when His truth is politically unpopular! … Disciples of the Lord are defenders of marriage. We cannot yield. History is not our judge. A secular society is not our judge. God is our judge! For each of us, Judgment Day will be held in God’s own way and time. The future of marriage and of countless human lives will be determined by your willingness to bear solemn witness of the Lord and live according to His gospel.”5


For many of us, we never had to teach our children that God’s pattern of marriage is between a man and a woman because that was how marriage was defined everywhere. There was nothing pushing against that doctrine. But for young families now, their children will grow up with different alternatives being accepted and normalized.  It will be even more important to follow the prophet who has taught that it is “God … who ordained marriage as the union of a man and a woman. Marriage was not created by human judges or legislators. It was not created by think tanks or by popular vote or by oft-quoted bloggers or by pundits. It was not created by lobbyists. Marriage was created by God! … Social and political pressures to change marriage laws are resulting in practices contrary to God’s will regarding the eternal nature and purposes of marriage. Man simply cannot make moral what God has declared to be immoral. Sin, even if legalized by man, is still sin in the eyes of God.”5


While asking for boldness, President Nelson also counsels us to be Christlike in our actions toward others. He continues, “Undergirded by incontrovertible truth, proclaim your love for God! Proclaim your love for all human beings ‘with malice toward none, with charity for all.’ They as children of God are our brothers and sisters. We value their rights and feelings. But we cannot condone efforts to change divine doctrine. It is not for man to change. … The burden of discipleship is heavy. As disciples of the Lord you will stand as defenders of marriage. And as you are true and faithful, not only will He help you and protect you, He will bless your families.”5 


How grateful I am to belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose doctrine on the family brings me incredible peace in this life and gives me reassuring hope for the eternities. My family is the greatest blessing in my life! How grateful I am for our prophet and his marvelous example. May we follow him in living and defending the glorious doctrine of marriage and family.

References:

  1.  The Family:  A Proclamation to the World

  2.  Teachings of Russell M. Nelson, page 203

  3.  Four Lessons From One Life – Russell M. Nelson

  4.  Our Sacred Duty to Honor Women – Russell M. Nelson

  5.  Disciples of Jesus Christ–Defenders of Marriage – Russell M. Nelson

  6.  Salvation and Exaltation – Russell M. Nelson

  7.  Endure and Be Lifted Up – Russell M. Nelson

  8.  Teachings of Russell M. Nelson, pages 199–200

  9.  Reflection and Resolution – Russell M. Nelson

10.  Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints – Russell M. Nelson

11.  Instagram Post, LDS Living Article

12.  Thanks Be To God – Russell M. Nelson

13.  Teachings of Russell M. Nelson, page 114

14.  The Family:  The Hope for the Future of Nations – Russell M. Nelson

15.  Teachings of Russell M. Nelson, pages 201-202

16.  Decisions for Eternity – Russell M. Nelson

Ordinances and Covenants

by DoctrinesTemple

Because we live in the dispensation of the fulness of times, we have the great blessing of having the saving ordinances of the gospel available to us.  They include baptism, confirmation, the temple endowment, and the marriage sealing.  Also included for men is ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood.  True to the Faith teaches, “All the saving ordinances of the priesthood are accompanied by covenants.”1  “Ordinances and covenants help us remember who we are.  They remind us of our duty to God.  The Lord has provided them to help us come unto Him and receive eternal life.”2 

I think it is very significant that the first thing Russell M. Nelson said to the members of the Church as our new prophet was, “Keep on the covenant path.  Your commitment to follow the Savior by making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women, and children everywhere.”3

As we discuss baptism and the ordinances of the temple, think of the spiritual blessings that have come into your life as you have kept and continue to keep the covenants you have made with the Lord.

Baptism is the first essential step we make on the covenant path.  President Nelson said, “Covenants made at baptism and renewed when we partake of the sacrament fortify our courage and commitment to the truth. … With that kind of courage, we literally have nothing to fear.  We know that while we will experience incessant opposition, we are also protected by His divine promise.  This scripture is offered to each one of us:  ‘Be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy.’ (D&C 98:14)”4  

When we are baptized, we promise to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, to keep His commandments and to do His will, or in other words, to serve Him.  To have our commitment to the truth fortified as we renew our baptismal covenants by worthily and intentionally partaking of the sacrament is an incredible spiritual blessing.  When we are baptized, we also make the commitment to “stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.”5   Can you see the spiritual blessing of having our courage fortified as we strive to fulfill that commitment?

Some of us made our baptismal covenants a long time ago.  Yet each week we are privileged to renew those sacred covenants.  Spiritual blessings are available to us as we continue to keep our baptismal covenants.  As we take the sacrament, we renew our commitment to always remember the Savior.  One powerful spiritual blessing is that the Holy Ghost will be our constant companion.  Oh how we need the Holy Ghost as we continue on the covenant path!

To continue on the covenant path, we need what President Nelson calls a heartfelt commitment to endure with the Savior.  “Baptism is an extremely important ordinance. But it is only initiatory.  The supreme benefits of membership in the Church can only be realized only through the exalting ordinances of the temple.  These blessings qualify us for ‘thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers’ in the celestial kingdom.”6 

Most recently, President Nelson said, “The Savior invites all to follow Him into the waters of baptism and, in time, to make additional covenants with God in the temple and receive and be faithful to those further essential ordinances.”7

Explaining the blessings of those further essential ordinances, President Nelson said, “Temple ordinances, covenants, endowments, and sealings enable individuals to be reconciled with the Lord and families to be sealed beyond the veil of death. Obedience to temple covenants qualifies us for eternal life, the greatest gift of God to man. Eternal life is more than immortality. Eternal life is exaltation in the highest heaven—the kind of life that God lives.”8 

And at the dedication of the St. Louis Missouri Temple, he taught, “In the temple we make covenants not only with one another but with God.  He fixes the terms, which we are free to accept.  He offers principles and ordinances, which we receive by covenant.  This places each of us under strong obligation and responsibility to honor that commitment.  You need not fear such a pledge, however, because it is never a sacrifice on your part or on mine.  Quite to the contrary.  Obedience to a divine covenant qualifies each of us for great blessings and joy beyond our present comprehension.”4 

Joy beyond our present comprehension—that is quite an amazing spiritual blessing!  President Nelson reminds us, “When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives.  Joy comes from and because of Him.  He is the source of all joy. … Just as the Savior offers peace that ‘passeth all understanding,’ He also offers an intensity, depth, and breadth of joy that defy human logic or mortal comprehension. … His joy is constant. … How, then, can we claim that joy?  We can start by ‘looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith’ ‘in every thought.’  We can give thanks for Him in our prayers and by keeping covenants we’ve made with Him and our Heavenly Father.  As our Savior becomes more and more real to us and as we plead for His joy to be given to us, our joy will increase. … Every day that you and I choose to live celestial laws, every day that we keep our covenants and help others to do the same, joy will be ours.”9 

In his last moments with his daughter Wendy, in what he called his farewell daddy-daughter conversation, it is obvious the importance President Nelson places on covenant keeping.  He shared this, “I held her hands and told her how much I loved her and how grateful I was to be her father. I said: ‘You married in the temple and faithfully honored your covenants.  You and your husband welcomed seven children into your home and raised them to be devout disciples of Jesus Christ, valiant Church members, and contributing citizens.  And they have chosen spouses of that same caliber.  Your daddy is very, very proud of you.  You have brought me much joy!’  She quietly responded, ‘Thank you, Daddy.’  It was a tender, tearful moment for us.  During her 67 years, we worked together, sang together, and often skied together.  But that evening, we talked of things that matter most, such as covenants, ordinances, obedience, faith, family, fidelity, love, and eternal life.”7 

Death has a way of bringing what is truly important to the forefront.  While it tests us to the core, it seems to put things in perspective.  Our covenants truly are things that matter most!  There is an indescribable peace that comes from knowing you have made and are keeping sacred covenants with God.  Surely peace and joy are tender spiritual blessings that come to us as covenant keepers. 

Consider these spiritual blessings President Nelson describes that come from making covenants.  “With each ordinance is a covenant—a promise. A covenant made with God is not restrictive, but protective. Such a concept is not new.  For example, if our water supply is not clean, we filter the water to screen out harmful ingredients.  Divine covenants help us to filter out of our minds impurities that could harm us.  When we choose to deny ourselves of all ungodliness, we lose nothing of value and gain the glory of eternal life.  Covenants do not hold us down; they elevate us beyond the limits of our own power and perspective.”8  

The analogy of keeping our water supply clean by continually filtering out impurities is so applicable to the temple.  We all need the ongoing purification that regular temple attendance offers.  It is not meant to bless us only once.  It can be a constant blessing to us, while also blessing our ancestors and others for whom we do the proxy work.  President Nelson stated, “We know that our time in the temple is crucial to our salvation and exaltation and to that of our families.  After we receive our own temple ordinances and make sacred covenants with God, each one of us needs the ongoing spiritual strengthening and tutoring that is possible only in the house of the Lord.  And our ancestors need us to serve as proxy for them.”10

One of the spiritual blessings our temple covenants can give us is eternal perspective.  President Nelson said, “[Eternal] perspective helps us to maintain fidelity to covenants made.  President Boyd K. Packer emphasized that ‘ordinances and covenants become our credentials for admission into [God’s] presence.  To worthily receive them is the quest of a lifetime; to keep them thereafter is the challenge of mortality.’ … One day we will meet our Maker and stand before Him at Judgment.  We will be judged according to our ordinances, covenants, deeds, and the desires of our hearts.  Meanwhile, in this world smitten with spiritual decay, can individuals prepared for temple blessings make a difference?  Yes! Those Saints are ‘the covenant people of the Lord, … armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.’  Their example can lift the lives of all humankind.”8 

President Nelson has said, “The greatest compliment that can be earned here in this life is to be known as a covenant keeper.  The rewards for a covenant keeper will be realized both here and hereafter.”11

We can be those examples!  We can be covenant keepers!  As we stay on the covenant path, we can be a shining light in this ever-darkening world. 

Many years ago during a speech given at a graduation ceremony, President Nelson issued the following invitation.  It is an invitation we all would be wise to accept.  As we do, we will more easily recognize the spiritual blessings and privileges promised to covenant keepers. “Whoever you are and wherever you go, I invite you to come to the outstretched arms of Jesus.  Wherever else you think you may be going, come unto Him first.  You will find your greatest success and happiness when yoked with Him.  In His love, your precious families can be linked together forever, according to the eternal ordinances and covenants that He has established.  I invite you to learn of Him, to follow Him, and love Him as I do.”12

References:

  1.  True to the Faith:  Covenant

  2.  True to the Faith:  Ordinances

  3.  As We Go Forward Together – Russell M. Nelson

  4.  Teachings of Russell M. Nelson, pg. 71

  5.  Mosiah 18:9

  6.  Endure and Be Lifted Up – Russell M. Nelson

  7.  “Come, Follow Me” – Russell M. Nelson

  8.  Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings – Russell M. Nelson

  9.  Joy and Spiritual Survival – Russell M. Nelson

10.  Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints – Russell M. Nelson

11.  Covenants – Russell M. Nelson

12.  Love of the Lord in Language and Living – Russell M. Nelson

Priesthood

by Doctrines

June’s doctrinal topic for study was the priesthood.  The priesthood can and should bless our lives every day.  We often hear about priesthood keys, priesthood authority and priesthood power, but do we truly understand what they can mean to us personally?  Russell M. Nelson has taught, “Priesthood is the authority of God delegated to man to minister for the salvation of men.  ‘The power of directing these labors constitutes the keys of the Priesthood.’”1

“Priesthood authority has existed in many dispensations, such as those of Adam, Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, the meridian of time, the Jaredites, the Nephites, and others.  All previous dispensations were limited in time, as each ended in apostasy.  They were also limited to small segments of planet Earth. In contrast, our dispensation—the dispensation of the fulness of times—will not be limited in time or place.  Globally, it will host a whole, complete, and perfect union, welding together dispensations, keys, powers, and glories from the days of Adam even to the present time.   The Aaronic Priesthood was restored May 15, 1829, by John the Baptist; the Melchizedek Priesthood was restored shortly thereafter by Peter, James, and John.  Other heavenly messengers conveyed specific keys of the priesthood. Moroni held keys of the Book of Mormon.  Moses brought keys of the gathering of Israel and the leading of the ten tribes.  Elias conveyed keys of the restoration of all things, including the Abrahamic covenant.  And Elijah conferred keys of the sealing authority.”2 

I have heard President Nelson say on more than one occasion that salvation is an individual matter.  Have you thought about how the priesthood helps you on that journey?  The prophet declared, “The restoration of the priesthood of God, including the keys of the priesthood, opens to worthy Latter-day Saints the greatest of all spiritual blessings.”4  With the Aaronic Priesthood, we are able to partake of the sacrament each week.  The Melchizedek Priesthood is necessary to accomplish missionary work, family history work and the perform the ordinances of the temple.   Each of these has the power to change our lives and bless us in dramatic ways.  

Speaking of priesthood power, in her book Women and the Priesthood, Sheri Dew explains, “Priesthood power heals, blesses, protects, and inoculates all of the Father’s righteous sons and daughters against the powers of darkness.  It has the power to separate and safeguard us from the world, to subdue the adversary and help us surmount obstacles, to enlarge our physical and spiritual capacity and enable us to hear the voice of the Lord, to strengthen marriages and families and bind us to each other and to the Lord and to allow us to triumph over mortality and come unto Him.”3 

Those are some pretty incredible blessings!  But they don’t just come to us, we must do something to earn them. 

A year ago, President Nelson voiced this concern, “Too many of our brothers and sisters do not fully understand the concept of priesthood power and authority. They act as though they would rather satisfy their own selfish desires and appetites than use the power of God to bless His children.  I fear that too many of our brothers and sisters do not grasp the privileges that could be theirs.”4

To fully understand the concept of priesthood power and authority we must not only learn but we must act on what we learn.  President Nelson gives some specific things we can do.  He said, “We … increase the Savior’s power in our lives when we make sacred covenants and keep those covenants with precision. Our covenants bind us to Him and give us godly power. As faithful disciples, we repent and follow Him into the waters of baptism. We walk along the covenant path to receive other essential ordinances. … Covenant-keeping men and women seek for ways to keep themselves unspotted from the world so there will be nothing blocking their access to the Savior’s power.”5 

Several years ago, President Nelson shared an experience he had while he was trimming the hedges and vines around his home.  “I was at work with my electric clippers and long extension cord. I had done this often, each time reminding myself of the need to use these clippers with great care in order to avoid cutting things that I shouldn’t. 

“Suddenly the blades became jammed. Caught between them was the power cord itself. Because I had not seen it in the thicket I was trimming, I had cut into the very line that was providing the power to work.  ‘Isn’t that one of life’s great lessons?’ I thought. ‘Power, if misused, can cut into the very source of that power.’

“Just as the careless use of electrical power can sever the source of that power, so is it possible to misuse spiritual power to sever our spiritual power line. We would then lose that which enables us to generate success in our lives.

“… Like cutting the cord with clippers, it is possible to use spiritual power so carelessly as to destroy one’s very connection to that power.

“… Worship strengthens our power line to deity. There can be no true worship without sacrifice, and there can be no true sacrifice without a cause. The cause that earns our love and priority is the cause of Jesus Christ. … As we carefully and prayerfully protect the spiritual power line that links us to the Savior, we become more like him!”6

Our lives are increasingly busy.  If we are not careful, we can temporarily lose sight of what really is important and sever our spiritual power line.  If we fill our lives with too many little things, we may jam our spiritual line.   If we overload our lives with things having only temporal significance, there will be no time for things of eternal significance.  We have a sacred responsibility to ourselves and to our families to keep our spiritual line clear, allowing us to enlarge our spiritual capacity and drawing us closer to the Source of spiritual power.  We are to be men and women of God not men and women of the world.  He is counting on us!

Speaking to the women President Nelson said, “The women of this dispensation are distinct from the women of any other because this dispensation is distinct from any other. This distinction brings both privileges and responsibilities.”

He gave quite a list of responsibilities!

“We need women who know how to make important things happen by their faith and who are courageous defenders of morality and families in a sin-sick world.  We need women who are devoted to shepherding God’s children along the covenant path toward exaltation; women who know how to receive personal revelation, who understand the power and peace of the temple endowment; women who know how to call upon the powers of heaven to protect and strengthen children and families; women who teach fearlessly.

“… Attacks against the Church, its doctrine, and our way of life are going to increase. Because of this, we need women who have a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ and who will use that understanding to teach and help raise a sin-resistant generation. We need women who can detect deception in all of its forms. We need women who know how to access the power that God makes available to covenant keepers and who express their beliefs with confidence and charity.”7

To the men, he said, “I urgently plead with each one of us to live up to our privileges as bearers of the priesthood. In a coming day, only those men who have taken their priesthood seriously, by diligently seeking to be taught by the Lord Himself, will be able to bless, guide, protect, strengthen, and heal others. Only a man who has paid the price for priesthood power will be able to bring miracles to those he loves and keep his marriage and family safe, now and throughout eternity.

“… In these latter days, we know there will be earthquakes in diverse places. Perhaps one of those diverse places will be in our own homes, where emotional, financial, or spiritual ‘earthquakes’ may occur. Priesthood power can calm the seas and heal fractures in the earth. Priesthood power can also calm the minds and heal fractures in the hearts of those we love.  Are we willing to pray, fast, study, seek, worship, and serve as men of God so we can have that kind of priesthood power?”8

Why is it so important for us to be those men and women?  Because, as President Nelson warned, “Difficult days are ahead. Rarely in the future will it be easy or popular to be a faithful Latter-day Saint. Each of us will be tested. The Apostle Paul warned that in the latter days, those who diligently follow the Lord ‘shall suffer persecution.’  That very persecution can either crush you into silent weakness or motivate you to be more exemplary and courageous in your daily lives.

“… Available to each of you brethren and sisters are blessings obtained through the power of the holy Melchizedek Priesthood. These blessings can change the circumstances of your lives, in matters such as health, companionship of the Holy Ghost, personal relationships, and opportunities for the future.”9

My hope is that we can more fully appreciate and incorporate the power of the priesthood in our lives.  It will bless our lives now and throughout eternity.  Of course it will take effort to access this power, but it will be worth every effort we make.  And I believe we will have heaven’s help as we sincerely try.  President Nelson testified, “The gospel of Jesus Christ is filled with His power, which is available to every earnestly seeking daughter or son of God. It is my testimony that when we draw His power into our lives, both He and we will rejoice.”5 

References:

1.  Keys of the Priesthood – Russell M. Nelson

2.  Personal Priesthood Responsibility – Russell M. Nelson

3.  Women and the Priesthood – Sheri Dew, pg. 125

4.  Ministering With the Power and Authority of God – Russell M. Nelson

5.  Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives – Russell M. Nelson

6.  Protect the Spiritual Power Line – Russell M. Nelson

7.  A Plea to My Sisters – Russell M. Nelson

8.  The Price of Priesthood Power – Russell M. Nelson

9.  Face the Future with Faith – Russell M. Nelson

Prophets & Revelation

by DoctrinesProphets

While studying May’s doctrinal topic of Prophets and Revelation, I have thought many times about the ninth Article of Faith, which states, “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”1  As a young girl, I memorized the Articles of Faith in Primary.  Yet how often have I recited those words without giving much thought to what they really mean?  Through ancient and modern scriptures, we have access to what God has previously revealed.  Think about the exciting changes we have seen over the last year or so.  Surely these changes are what God is now revealing to our prophet.  And President Nelson has been quite clear that there is more coming.  He has also been very clear that we need to know how to receive personal revelation and strengthen our testimonies if we are going to withstand the challenges that will come our way, thus allowing us to believe all the “many great and important things”1 that will yet be revealed.


Russell M. Nelson once taught, “God’s long-established pattern of teaching His children through prophets assures us that He will bless each prophet and that He will bless those who heed prophetic counsel.”2  Think about those words as I share some comments made by two Samoan dignitaries, who are not members of the church, who attended the devotional in Samoa, one of the stops on President Nelson’s recent nine-day Pacific Tour.  


After hearing the prophet speak, a man who is a member of a Pentecostal church said, “I was very interested to attend when I heard the prophet is coming to Samoa.  It was good to hear [President Nelson] speak on faith and the challenges we are facing now. … We have to be strong in the faith to know we are to live by faith and depend on God. This will make us stronger people and make us better citizens of the world and also for eternity. It helped me as a leader to listen to such wisdom. I learned a lot.”3  


Another man said, “[If we follow his counsel], I think we will have a peaceful Samoa.  What the Church of Jesus Christ [of Latter-day Saints] is doing in our country is amazing. …  I’m a Catholic, but I know he’s God’s prophet, that he brings peace to us.  Hearing [President Nelson has] really filled my heart. I probably am going to use it in my own family, to teach my kids to be brave for what’s going to happen in the future. It’s good that he gave us that warning to help our kids because [our kids are] our future.”3  


I find it so interesting that both of these men knew they were listening to a prophet of God.  President Nelson is not just the prophet for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but indeed the prophet for the whole world.  We are so blessed to have a living prophet to lead and guide us in these latter days!


A few years before becoming the prophet, President Nelson said, “Often we sing, ‘We thank thee, O God, for a prophet.’  Do you and I really understand what that means?  Imagine the privilege the Lord has given us of sustaining His prophet, whose counsel will be untainted, unvarnished, unmotivated by any personal aspiration, and utterly true!”4  Do we appreciate the privilege of receiving untainted and true counsel that comes to us from the Lord through His prophet?  Wasn’t this the experience the two men had while listening to the prophet in Samoa?  I believe it was.  


He continued, “If the Restoration did anything, it shattered the age-old myth that God had stopped talking to His children. Nothing could be further from the truth. A prophet has stood at the head of God’s Church in all dispensations, from Adam to the present day. Prophets testify of Jesus Christ—of His divinity and of His earthly mission and ministry.  We honor the Prophet Joseph Smith as the prophet of this last dispensation. And we honor each man who has succeeded him as President of the Church.”4


President Nelson personally knew ten of the sixteen Presidents of the Church who preceded him. Surely the interactions with and tutelage of these men helped prepare President Nelson.  Shortly after being set apart as the 17th President of the Church, he said, “I’ve served in the Quorum of the Twelve under five previous Presidents of the Church. I have watched each President receive revelation and respond to that revelation. The Lord always has and always will instruct and inspire His prophets. The Lord is at the helm. We who have been ordained to bear witness of His holy name throughout the world will continue to seek to know His will and follow it.”5 


Speaking at a member meeting in Kenya shortly after being sustained as the prophet, President Nelson reminded them, “God always taught His children upon the earth through prophets.  There has never been an exception.  Now, there have been times in between prophets, when there hasn’t been a prophet upon the earth because of wickedness of the people.  They stoned the prophets and disobeyed the commandments and lost that teaching opportunity. … You know the prophets of the Old Testament. Nephi was a prophet, Lehi was a prophet, Joseph Smith was a prophet.  Now I have that great responsibility.  You may wonder, ‘What is it like?’  I’m just finding out. … I testify to you that revelation is real and that it is no different for me than it is for you.  You can receive personal revelation for your own circumstances just as actually as I can for my circumstances.  You get it for your family and for yourself; I get it for the whole Church.”6


Through personal revelation, we can know that Russell M. Nelson truly is God’s prophet. That knowledge is crucial if we are going to honor and sustain him and follow his counsel and teachings.  Each general conference, stake conference and ward conference we attend, we have the privilege of raising our hand to sustain the prophet.  President Nelson helps us better understand what it means to sustain the prophet.  He said, “Our sustaining of prophets is a personal commitment that we will do our utmost to uphold their prophetic priorities. Our sustaining is an oath-like indication that we recognize their calling as a prophet to be legitimate and binding upon us.  Twenty-six years before he became President of the Church, then-Elder George Albert Smith said: ‘The obligation that we make when we raise our hands … is a most sacred one. It does not mean that we will go quietly on our way and be willing that the prophet of the Lord shall direct this work, but it means … that we will stand behind him; we will pray for him; we will defend his good name, and we will strive to carry out his instructions as the Lord shall direct.’”4 


Nearly three decades ago, President Nelson taught, “Learn to listen, and listen to learn from Church leaders. Faithful members love the Savior and honor His servants, having faith in the Lord’s declaration that ‘whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.’ Gratefully we thank God for a prophet to guide us in these latter days. But many turn a deaf ear to his teachings, oblivious to his prophetic position. They do so at great risk, for scriptures contain this warning: ‘A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you … ; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. … Every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.’  President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., said, ‘We do not lack a prophet; what we lack is a listening ear.’  Words of the Lord are taught by His disciples.  Wise members listen to learn from Church leaders.”7 


President Nelson once said, “My experience is that once you stop putting question marks behind the prophet’s statements and put exclamation points instead, and do it, the blessings just pour. I never ask myself, ‘When does the prophet speak as a prophet and when does he not?’ My interest has been, ‘How can I be more like him?’”8 


President Nelson has a listening ear!  He has shown us that he would do what a prophet asked him to do, without questioning.  Here are two perfect examples. 


In 1979 while serving as the General President of the Sunday School, he attended a meeting where President Spencer W. Kimball asked the congregation to pray that all nations would open their doors to the preaching of the gospel.  He specifically mentioned China, telling them that they should learn that language.  President Nelson went home and said to his wife, “President Kimball asked us in that meeting to learn Chinese! And I did not hear him say, ‘Everyone except Brother Nelson!’ So, would you be willing to study Mandarin Chinese with me?”9 She agreed and they were both tutored in Mandarin.  That decision has blessed his life in many ways, both professionally and in his church responsibilities.  


After becoming the prophet Ezra Taft Benson gave specific assignments to the members of the Twelve. President Nelson’s assignment was to open the countries of Eastern Europe for the preaching of the gospel.  He explains, “That was 1985. During those politically frigid years that we refer to as the Cold War, not only did a literal wall divide the city of Berlin, but all of Eastern Europe was under the oppressive yoke of communism. Churches were closed, and religious worship was strictly limited.  I had spent much of my professional life opening hearts to perform life-saving operations, but I had no experience that would lead me to believe I could open countries for the preaching of the gospel. And yet, a prophet had given me an assignment, so I set out to do what seemed utterly impossible.  From the outset, obstacles were placed in my way. … But the Lord is able to do His own work, and I was privileged to watch the unfolding of one miracle after another—always, and only, after I had brought my best thinking, my most courageous efforts, and my most fervent prayers to the task.  Recognition of the Church was granted by some of those countries before the Berlin Wall came down. Others came later. In the year 1992, I was able to report to President Benson that the Church was now established in every country in Eastern Europe!”9


President Nelson declares, “It is my testimony that when we follow through with whatever the prophet of God asks us to do, the way will be opened and lives will be changed.”10


Will we have a listening ear?  Will we follow through with what the prophet asks?  We have the privilege of listening to or reading the words of the prophet often.  At general conference, his directions are given to the church as a whole.   At other times, he speaks to groups of specific ages or in specific regions. Since becoming the prophet, President Nelson has been very busy!  He “undertook the most ambitious first-year travel schedule by a new president in Church history, based on information published by Church Newsroom and discussions with Church historians—55,000 air miles with stops on five continents. He spoke to enormous crowds in an American professional football stadium, a professional baseball stadium, an NBA stadium, and at other arenas and convention centers and meetinghouses in 16 countries. That all happened since last April 2018.”11 


We would be wise to have a listening ear to whatever the prophet says—no matter where or when he says it!  We know that “our greatest safety lies in strictly following the word of the Lord given through His prophets, particularly the current President of the Church.”12  


On his recent tour, the prophet admonished the Fijian Latter-day Saints to study the scriptures, pay their tithing and serve in the temple.13  To the Samoan Saints he cautioned, “There are difficult days ahead.  Please protect your children. Help them to know the Lord and love Him and keep His commandments and be free from the shackles of addiction and bondage.”3  And to the Saints in Tahiti he said, “There’s trouble ahead.  Prepare for attacks from the adversary. Please protect yourself from Satan’s traps, including harmful drugs and pornography.”14


President Nelson has explained, “Prophets see ahead. They see the harrowing dangers the adversary has placed or will yet place in our path. Prophets also foresee the grand possibilities and privileges awaiting those who listen with the intent to obey. I know this is true! I have experienced it for myself over and over again.”9 


To the Saints in the Pacific, President Nelson was warning against the “harrowing dangers of the adversary.”  Heeding his counsel will offer safety for them and for all who will listen.  Safety also comes because, “The Lord has promised us that He will never allow the prophet to lead us astray.”  Then quoting President Harold B. Lee, President Nelson continued, “You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord Himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.”9 


Neil L. Andersen offered a similar admonition on the morning we had the privilege of sustaining President Nelson as our new prophet.  He said, “The prophet’s voice, while spoken kindly, will often be a voice asking us to change, to repent, and to return to the Lord. When correction is needed, let’s not delay. And don’t be alarmed when the prophet’s warning voice counters popular opinions of the day. The mocking fireballs of annoyed disbelievers are always hurled the moment the prophet begins to speak. As you are humble in following the counsel of the Lord’s prophet, I promise you an added blessing of safety and peace.  Don’t be surprised if at times your personal views are not initially in harmony with the teachings of the Lord’s prophet. These are moments of learning, of humility, when we go to our knees in prayer. We walk forward in faith, trusting in God, knowing that with time we will receive more spiritual clarity from our Heavenly Father.”15  


Elder Andersen also reminded us that “the prophet’s voice brings spiritual safety in very turbulent times. … Anchoring our souls to the Lord Jesus Christ requires listening to those He sends.”15


Unfortunately there will be those who mock us for following the prophet.  They will accuse us of not thinking for ourselves or blindly following.  Elder Andersen said, “We listen to the Lord’s prophet with the faith that his words are ‘from [the Lord’s] own mouth.’ Is this blind faith? No, it is not. We each have a spiritual witness of the truthfulness of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. By our own will and choice, we raised our hand this morning, declaring our desire to sustain the Lord’s prophet with our ‘confidence, faith, and prayer[s]’ and to follow his counsel. We have the privilege as Latter-day Saints to receive a personal witness that President Nelson’s call is from God.”15


President Nelson offered this promise, “You may not always understand every declaration of a living prophet. But when you know a prophet is a prophet, you can approach the Lord in humility and faith and ask for your own witness about whatever His prophet has proclaimed.”9 


A personal witness of President Nelson’s call as a prophet of God is imperative to survive the days ahead.  There may be times when the prophet will tell us things that are hard to hear.  Other times he may ask us to make changes that seem too difficult.  Prophets definitely tell us things that are contrary to the world’s view.  When this happens, some will insist they love the Lord but find it too hard to follow the prophet.   Many years ago, President Nelson warned, “Loyalty to the Lord carries an obligation of loyalty to those called by the Lord to lead His Church. He has empowered that men be ordained to speak in His holy name. As they guide His unsinkable boat safely toward the shore of salvation, we would do well to stay on board with them. ‘No waters can swallow the ship where lies / The Master of ocean and earth and skies.’  Nevertheless, some individuals want to jump ‘out of the boat’ before reaching land. And others, sadly, are persuaded out by companions who insist that they know more about life’s perilous journey than do prophets of the Lord.”16


Of course this is nothing new.  There will always be impatience and opposition.  This has always been the case.  You will find example after example in the scriptures. That is why it is imperative to know for yourself that there are prophets and apostles on earth today.  There is great protection in following God’s prophets.  That protection comes because, as President Nelson reminds us, “The living Lord leads His living Church! The Lord reveals His will for the Church to His prophet. … We sustain 15 men who are ordained as prophets, seers, and revelators. When a thorny problem arises—and they only seem to get thornier each day—these 15 men wrestle with the issue, trying to see all the ramifications of various courses of action, and they diligently seek to hear the voice of the Lord. … The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles counsel together and share all the Lord has directed us to understand and to feel individually and collectively. And then we watch the Lord move upon the President of the Church to proclaim the Lord’s will.”4

I find it very insightful to go back and read what the prophets and apostles have warned the Saints about five, fifteen, twenty, even fifty years ago.  It is amazing to see how their prophesies have been or are being fulfilled.  Speaking to the young single adults, President Nelson shared some thoughts about each of the ten Presidents of the Church he had known and extended this challenge, “I believe that the finest leaders to have walked the earth are the prophets of God.  I urge you to study the lives and teachings of these 16 prophets of God. That study will change your life.”17  We certainly should add President Nelson’s life and teachings to that list.  I hope we will all accept that challenge.  Our lives will be changed because we will come to understand in a more profound way “all that God has revealed,” “all that He does now reveal,” and we will be better prepared to understand and accept the “many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God”1 that will be revealed. 


I cannot even begin to imagine what my life would be like without my testimony of living prophets.  I am so grateful to know that a loving Heavenly Father continues to speak to us through His prophets.  I know that Russell M. Nelson is God’s prophet on the earth today.  I know our lives will be blessed here and hereafter as we follow his prophetic counsel.  He is an incredible example of love and loyalty to our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ.  May we strive to not only follow the prophet’s counsel but his example as well.

 References:

  1.  The Articles of Faith 1:9

  2.  Ask, Seek, Knock – Russell M. Nelson

  3.  President Nelson Admonishes Samoans to Protect Their Children – churchofjesuschrist.org

  4.  Sustaining the Prophets – Russell M. Nelson

  5.  As We Go Forward Together – Russell M. Nelson

  6.  Teachings of Russell M. Nelson, pages 309-310

  7.  Listen to Learn – Russell M. Nelson

  8.  Russell M. Nelson: A Study in Obedience

  9.  Becoming True Millennials – Russell M. Nelson

10.  Hope of Israel – Russell M. Nelson

11.  President Nelson’s Remarkable First Year – ldsliving.com

12.  Gospel Topics: Prophets

13.  Church News – Pacific Ministry Tour / Fiji

14.  Church News – Pacific Ministry Tour / Tahiti

15.  The Prophet of God – Neil L. Andersen

16.  Endure and Be Lifted Up – Russell M. Nelson

17.  Prophets, Leadership, and Divine Law – Russell M. Nelson

The Apostasy and the Restoration

by DoctrinesProphets

During the month of April, I have been studying the doctrinal topic of the Apostasy and the Restoration. Russell M. Nelson explained, “Prior to His Crucifixion, the Lord Jesus Christ had established His Church. It included apostles, prophets, seventies, teachers, and so forth.  And the Master sent His disciples into the world to preach His gospel.  After a time the Church as established by the Lord fell into spiritual decay.  His teachings were altered; His ordinances were changed.  The Great Apostasy came as had been foretold. … This Great Apostasy followed the pattern that had ended each previous dispensation. The very first was in the time of Adam. Then came dispensations of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others. Each prophet had a divine commission to teach of the divinity and the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ.  In each age these teachings were meant to help the people.  But their disobedience resulted in apostasy.  Thus, all previous dispensations were limited in time and location.  They were limited in time because each ended in apostasy.  They were limited in location to a relatively small segment of planet earth.  Thus a complete restoration was required.  God the Father and Jesus Christ called upon the Prophet Joseph Smith to be the prophet of this dispensation.  All divine powers of previous dispensations were to be restored through him.  This dispensation of the fulness of times would not be limited in time or in location.  It would not end in apostasy, and it would fill the world.”1


This explanation helps us understand that neither the apostasy nor the restoration were one-time events.  So how do they each apply in our lives today?  


When we hear that we live in the dispensation of the fulness of times, do we appreciate the significance of it?  While disobedience caused each previous dispensation to end in apostasy, meaning the loss of true doctrine, ordinances, priesthood power and the gift of the Holy Ghost, with the Restoration came the reality that there would never be another time when the blessings of the gospel would be unavailable to God’s children.  Of course wickedness will continue to exist as it always has, and maybe even more, so we must always be vigilant in guarding against personal apostasy.  We have been told that in the last days even the elect will be deceived.  Safety is found in cherishing and honoring our covenants, studying and living the doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ, hearing and heeding the Holy Ghost and following the prophet.


The Bible Dictionary defines restoration as “a reestablishment of the gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth in the last days, with the powers, ordinances, doctrines, offices, and all things as they have existed in former ages.  It means a gathering together of the house of Israel from its scattered condition.  Thus it is frequently spoken of as the restitution (or restoration) of all things, as in Acts 3:19–21.  The time in which all these things are accomplished is called the dispensation of the fulness of times.”2 


President Nelson taught, “As prophesied by Peter and Paul, all things were to be restored in this dispensation. Therefore, there must come, as part of that restoration, the long-awaited gathering of scattered Israel.  It is a necessary prelude to the Second Coming of the Lord.  This doctrine of the gathering is one of the important teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The Lord has declared: ‘I give unto you a sign … that I shall gather in, from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again among them my Zion.’  The coming forth of the Book of Mormon is a sign to the entire world that the Lord has commenced to gather Israel and fulfill covenants He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  We not only teach this doctrine, but we participate in it.”1


When we talk about gathering Israel, we most often think about missionary work.  And while that certainly is an important aspect, there is another.  Since becoming our prophet, I have been intrigued at how often President Nelson uses the words on both sides of the veil.  However, he hasn’t only been using that expression recently.  The concluding sentence for the paragraph quoted above says, “We do so as we help to gather the elect of the Lord on both sides of the veil.”1  As I have studied his talks, it has been very clear to see the importance President Nelson places on gathering all our Heavenly Father’s children.  Last year he said, “Our message to the world is simple and sincere: we invite all of God’s children on both sides of the veil to come unto their Savior, receive the blessings of the holy temple, have enduring joy, and qualify for eternal life.”3


Several years ago, he reminded us that it is our responsibility to “help fulfill the Abrahamic covenant.  Ours is the seed foreordained and prepared to bless all people of the world. … After some 4,000 years of anticipation and preparation, this is the appointed day when the gospel is to be taken to the kindreds of the earth.  This is the time of the promised gathering of Israel.  And we get to participate!  Isn’t that exciting?  The Lord is counting on us. … The Book of Mormon is a tangible sign that the Lord has commenced to gather His children of covenant Israel.  This book, written for our day, states as one of its purposes that ‘ye may know that the covenant which the Father hath made with the children of Israel … is already beginning to be fulfilled. … For behold, the Lord will remember his covenant which he hath made unto his people of the house of Israel.’  Indeed, the Lord has not forgotten!  He has blessed us and others throughout the world with the Book of Mormon.  One of its purposes is for ‘the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ.’  It helps us to make covenants with God.”4 


Speaking to the youth last year President Nelson said, “Every prophet commencing with Adam has seen our day.  And every prophet has talked about our day, when Israel would be gathered and the world would be prepared for the Second Coming of the Savior.  Think of it!  Of all the people who have ever lived on planet earth, we are the ones who get to participate in this final, great gathering event.  How exciting is that! … [T]he gathering of Israel ultimately means offering the gospel of Jesus Christ to God’s children on both sides of the veil who have neither made crucial covenants with God nor received their essential ordinances.  Every child of our Heavenly Father deserves the opportunity to choose to follow Jesus Christ, to accept and receive His gospel with all of its blessings—yes, all the blessings that God promised to the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who, as you know, is also known as Israel.  My dear extraordinary youth, you were sent to earth at this precise time, the most crucial time in the history of the world, to help gather Israel.  There is nothing happening on this earth right now that is more important than that.  There is nothing of greater consequence.  Absolutely nothing.”5

The only way one can accept and receive the gospel of Jesus Christ with all its blessings is to have access to the ordinances of the temple.  It is evident that this is important to President Nelson.  Since becoming the prophet, he as announced the building of 27 new temples!  He once taught that the doctrine of salvation for the dead is “a pivotal part of the promised ‘restitution of all things.’ … This doctrine and its ordinances are laden with love and are intended to perpetuate the sweetest of all relationships—in families forever. … No mortal mind could have conceived this divine work. It is evidence of the restoration of the gospel in its fulness.”6 


In a recent interview after the dedication of the Concepción Chile Temple, President Nelson said, “The Book of Mormon teaches over and over again that you need to have the ordinances.  And of course, that’s why we have temples so that all the potential that God has in store for His children can become a fact, a reality. … No one else can offer perpetuation of the family unit beyond the grave.  And that, according to our Heavenly Father, is the greatest gift that He can give to His children.”7


President Nelson also said, “We’re witnesses to a process of restoration.  If you think the Church has been fully restored, you’re just seeing the beginning. There is much more to come. … Wait till next year. And then the next year.  Eat your vitamin pills.  Get your rest.  It’s going to be exciting.”7  

This shouldn’t come as a surprise.  The ninth Article of Faith states, “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”8  The prophet reminded us in our last general conferences that “revelation continues in this, the Lord’s Church. It will continue until ‘the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.’”9  He said virtually the same thing last October.  


This next quote is powerful!  Think for a moment about what it means to you personally, especially as it applies to our topic of apostasy and restoration.  “Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again.  We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory.”10  No wonder President Nelson says it’s going to be exciting!  To me, this clearly indicates there will be on-going revelation and restoration.  He continues, “But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”10  Surviving spiritually is the opposite of apostasy.  And what greater safeguard can we have against personal apostasy than the constant influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives?


It is a glorious blessing to live in the dispensation of the fulness of times!   We have a living prophet to lead and guide us.  I love him and know he is truly a prophet of God. With proper priesthood authority, the ordinances of the gospel can bless our lives daily, including the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.  There are now temples all around the world, with more being built.  Temple blessings are unmatched! 


We are so very blessed!  And with such incredible blessings come significant responsibilities.  We have a great work to do in preparing ourselves and the world for the Second Coming of the Savior, Jesus Christ. President Nelson shared how.  He said, “Anytime you do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel.  It is as simple as that. … Pray daily that all of God’s children might receive the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  You and I are living to see, and will continue to see, Israel gathered with great power.  And you can be part of the power behind that gathering!”5 


He also gave us a challenge at the end of our last general conference, “God’s objective should be our objective.  He wants His children to choose to return to Him, prepared, qualified, endowed, sealed, and faithful to covenants made in holy temples. … May we dedicate and rededicate our lives to serving God and His children—on both sides of the veil.”9 

 
As we do our part to serve God and His children, we have been promised we “will be blessed now and forever.”4  

References:

  1.  The Gathering of Scattered Israel – Russell M. Nelson

  2.  Restoration – Bible Dictionary

  3.  Let Us All Press On – Russell M. Nelson

  4.  Covenants – Russell M. Nelson

  5.  Hope of Israel – Russell M. Nelson

  6.  The Spirit of Elijah – Russell M. Nelson

  7.  October 30, 2018 News Release

  8.  The Articles of Faith 1:9

  9.  Closing Remarks – Russell M. Nelson

10.  Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives – Russell M. Nelson