Good afternoon sisters. Didn't our choir do a
wonderful job with their rendition of Come, come Ye Saints?
THOUGHT: “With continuing priesthood counsel and with
Relief Society leaders who are called of the Lord by inspiration, the women of
the Church have a divine source of direction for the work that is theirs to do,
and the Society provides a means to accomplish that work.”
Barbara B. Smith (DIMK pg. 136)
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Bro. Rob Fisher is home
and unfortunately they were told it is inoperable. Please continue to keep
them in your prayers, because we know that Heavenly Father is aware of our
situations.
- A big thanks to the
wives of all the YM leaders who went on the Scout camps this week.
- Change of date: Sarah's class has been
changed to August 9th at 7 pm at her home. “Connecting your
family, things that matter most” will provide a packet of ideas for all
ages of your family. It will be fun.
- Sept. 13th, Jed Norwood's
presentation on Preparedness at 7 pm.
- Don't forget BYU
Education Week, Aug. 13th – 17th.
- August 2nd at
6:30 is the Annual RS Summer picnic in the back yard of Melissa Brady.
BIRTHDAYS: Happy Birthday to Heather Fillmore, July 25th
and Whitney Carpenter (works in Primary), July 28th. Hope you both
have a great day.
Today's lesson is taken from President Monson's
address to the Priesthood, “Willing and Worthy to Serve” and was
presented by Darla.
“Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am
not yet ascended to my Father:...”
Have we ever thought of the self control that
the Savior had in not returning to his Father immediately. Here he had been
separated three days and they had not seen each other. Why were they separated?
The thought came to me that it was because He was doing his Priesthood
business.
I have given you 6 quotes that were contained in
President Monson's talk. Also two questions. One is 'How can we support bearers
of the Priesthood? And 'How will we be blessed if we do?' I have put 6 pictures
of latter-day prophets and you are to tell me which quote goes with what
prophet.
Quote 1: “It is your duty first of all to learn what
the Lord wants and then by the power and strength of His holy Priesthood to
[so] magnify your calling in the presence of your fellows .. that the people
will be glad to follow you.” George Albert Smith
President Monson said, “How blessed we are to
be here in these last days, when the priesthood of God is upon the earth. How
privileged we are to bear that priesthood. The priesthood is not so much a gift
as it is a commission to serve, a privilege to lift, and an opportunity to
bless the lives of others.
“With these opportunities come responsibilities
and duties. I love and cherish the noble word duty and all that it implies.”
“Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty,
and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.”
“As er perform our duties and exercise our
priesthood, we will find true joy. We will experience the satisfaction of
having completed our tasks.”
Quote 2 read by Cheryl: “The
priesthood... is ...the power of God delegated to man by which man can act in
the earth for the salvation of the human family, in the name of the Father and
the Son and the Holy Ghost, and act legitimately; not assuming that authority,
nor borrowing it from generations that are dead and gone, but authority that
has been given in this day in which we live by ministering angels and spirits
from above, direct from the presence of almighty God.” Joseph Fielding
Smith
This quote tells us how we are connected to the
priesthood.
Quote 3 read by Luone: “The Holy Priesthood
is the channel through which God communicates and deals with man upon the
earth; and the heavenly messengers that have visited the earth to communicate
with man are men who held and honored the priesthood while in the flesh; and
everything that God has caused to be done for the salvation of man, from the
coming of man upon the earth to the redemption of the world, has been and will
be by the virtue of the everlasting priesthood.”
Wilford Woodruff
I need to preface my behavior and blame Melissa
Barton for my tears. It's her fault as she spoke of her father, how he honors
his priesthood, his work ethic, etc. Amen to her comments. And also to the
youth speakers, and the choir and her husband.
Quote 4: “When one becomes a holder of the
priesthood, he becomes an agent of the Lord. He should think of his calling as
though he were on the Lord's errand.” Harold B. Lee
President Monson called him one of the great
teachers in the Church.
He then tells the story of “During World War
II, in the early part of 1944, an experience involving the priesthood took
place as United States marines were taking Kwajalein Atool, part of the
Marshall Islands and located in the Pacific Ocean about midway between
Australia and Hawaii. What took place in this regard was related by a correspondent—not
a member of the Church—who worked for a newspaper in Hawaii. In the 1944
newspaper article he wrote following the experience, he explained that he and
other correspondents were in the second wave behind the marines at Kwajalein
Atoll. As they advanced, they noticed a young marine floating facedown in the
water, obviously badly wounded. The shallow water around him was red with his
blood. And then they noticed another marine moving toward his wounded comrade.
The second marine was also wounded, with his left arm hanging helplessly by his
side. He lifted up the head of the one who was floating in the water in order
to keep him from drowning. In a panicky voice he called for help. The
correspondents looked again at the boy he was supporting and called back, “Son,
there is nothing we can do for this boy.”
“Then,” wrote the correspondent, “I saw
something that I had never seen before.” This boy, badly wounded himself, made
his way to the shore with the seemingly lifeless body of his fellow marine. He
“put the head of his companion on his knee... What a picture that was—these two
mortally wounded boys—both...clean, wonderful-looking young men, even in their
distressing situation. And the one boy bowed his head over the other and said,
'I command you, in the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of the priesthood,
to remain alive until I can get medical help.'” The correspondent concluded his
article: “The three of us [the two marines and I] are here in the hospital. The
doctors don't know [how they made it alive], but I know.”
President Monson continues: Miracles are
everywhere to be found when the priesthood is understood, its power is honored
and used properly, and faith is exerted. When faith replaces doubt, when
selfless service eliminates selfish striving, the power of God brings to pass
His purposes.
