Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 Sister Andrea Munoz Spannaus How can we be faithful to God while living in a world of sin? How do you get the strength to go forward? How do you experience joy? David was much smaller than Goliath, but he chose to have faith; He had fought a lion and a bear, and he knew that God protected him and granted him victory Even though David needed only one stone to kill Goliath, he took with him five Stone of our love for God FTSOY: “God loves you … His perfect love for you can inspire you to love Him. When our love for God is foremost in our lives, decisions become easier” Stone of faith in Savior Christ took upon Himself our sins, our sorrows, our pains, and our illnesses—physical and mental The stone of Jesus Christ will help us slay any giant in our lives Stone of knowledge of true identity Children of God Children of the covenant Stone of daily repentance – “Repentance is not punishment for sin. It is the way we overcome sin. It is how we receive forgiveness and experience true change. Nothing is more important than knowing we are clean and right before God Stone of Access to God’s Power – It helps us face challenges, increases our capacity to endure. “Covenants connect you to God and increase His power in your life.” Elder Uchtdorf – “The House survives the storm because of its connection to the rock” “Look unto me in every thought, doubt not, fear not” We learn to act without fear and to reject that which is contrary to God’s teachings Knowing what we know from living our Spiritual experiences is priceless What other stones will enable us to increase our faith, our spiritual power There is joy in doing good, in being faithful to the God of the Universe, and in being a disciple of Jesus Christ 2
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 (edited) Elder Matthew Carpenter of the Seventy • His family bottled peaches: Properly preserved peaches would last many years as opposed to 2-4 days • If we make and keep covenants with God, the blessings of those covenants can expand beyond this life • The Holy Spirit of Promises seals the ordinances performed for those who remain faithful to them • “We should begin with the end in mind. … The end we would most like to achieve is to live in an exalted state in the presence of our Heavenly Father and Christ.” –Russell M. Nelson • Blessings of Exaltation ◦ Thrones, kingdoms, principalities, powers, continuation of seeds, inheriting all that the Father hath • Bonds (Russell M. Nelson): ◦ Lateral bond to our spouse ▪ Counsel together in love ▪ Prioritize relationship with spouse ▪ Be absolutely faithful ◦ Vertical bonds with God ▪ We must be true to temple covenants of obedience, sacrifice, the gospel, sacrifice, consecration ▪ Blessings of posterity, the Gospel, and Priesthood • If we are faithful, even if our spouse is not, still, we will qualify for the blessings of the covenant • Heavenly Father will ensure that we receive every blessing that our choices and our desires allow • For the Single, in the Lord’s own way and in His own time, He will reward us according to our faithfulness • Even those who have made grave mistakes who repent and return to the covenant path are forgiven • Those who remain faithful can receive blessings that are associated with covenants regardless of circumstances beyond their control Edited April 7, 2024 by Kenngo1969 2
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve “I listened carefully to your last talk, but I didn’t hear anything about aviation” Four short flights at Kitty Hawk NC changed the course of human history The Wright brothers promised their father they would never fly together. They did so only once The formerly-fearful Father Wright, on his first flight, cried, “Higher, Orville! Higher!” As thrilling as flight is, there is a way, spiritually, that we may soar, “Higher, Orville! Higher!” Happiness is much sought after, but it seems hard to find Have we been “looking for joy in all the wrong places”? Depression and other mental and emotional challenges are real: If you face such challenges, Elder Uchtdorf stands beside you “There must needs be opposition in all things”; God Himself weeps; Joy and sorrow are inseparable companions in this life Peaceful confidence comes from following the Savior and walking in His way “I am come that they might have Life, and that they might have it more abundantly” Joy is promised to the faithful We can do small, simple things such as sharing our favorite scripture, or simply by listening God will repay our kindness generously: Pressed down, shaken together, and running over Seek diligently for everyday moments of hope, peace, and joy As we do this, we will experience “the peace of God that passeth all understanding”; the dawn of Celestial light will penetrate our sorrows “Higher, Father! Higher!” 2
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 (edited) From Elder Gong's talk as reported in the Deseret News. Speaking of Christ, he said: Quote He helps heal the broken and disparaged, reconcile the angry and divided, comfort the lonely and isolated, encourage the uncertain and imperfect, and bring forth miracles possible only with God.” Those last four adjectives resonate quite a bit with me. Just sayin'! Edited April 7, 2024 by Kenngo1969 3
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 Since the Deseret News can summarize better than I can: https://www.thechurchnews.com/general-conference/2024/04/04/general-conference-april-2024-lds-talk-summaries-session-highlights-news-announcements/ 1
ZealouslyStriving Posted April 7, 2024 Posted April 7, 2024 12 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said: Elder Matthew Carpenter of the Seventy • His family bottled peaches: Properly preserved peaches would last many years as opposed to 2-4 days • If we make and keep covenants with God, the blessings of those covenants can expand beyond this life • The Holy Spirit of Promises seals the ordinances performed for those who remain faithful to them • “We should begin with the end in mind. … The end we would most like to achieve is to live in an exalted state in the presence of our Heavenly Father and Christ.” –Russell M. Nelson • Blessings of Exaltation ◦ Thrones, kingdoms, principalities, powers, continuation of seeds, inheriting all that the Father hath • Bonds (Russell M. Nelson): ◦ Lateral bond to our spouse ▪ Counsel together in love ▪ Prioritize relationship with spouse ▪ Be absolutely faithful ◦ Vertical bonds with God ▪ We must be true to temple covenants of obedience, sacrifice, the gospel, sacrifice, consecration ▪ Blessings of posterity, the Gospel, and Priesthood • If we are faithful, even if our spouse is not, still, we will qualify for the blessings of the covenant • Heavenly Father will ensure that we receive every blessing that our choices and our desires allow • For the Single, in the Lord’s own way and in His own time, He will reward us according to our faithfulness • Even those who have made grave mistakes who repent and return to the covenant path are forgiven • Those who remain faithful can receive blessings that are associated with covenants regardless of circumstances beyond their control I really liked this one, but I see it getting some push back and needing some clarification in his caution about cancellation of sealings.
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 Sunday Morning Session Elder Ronald A. Rasband “Words matter a lot! … They are the bedrock of how we connect” We should avoid thoughtless hasty words Words can celebrate victory, be hopeful and encouraging, and open our minds to truth The Lord’s words matter most “And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people … Try the virtue of the word of God” Often, God exercises His Power by speaking “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall endure” “Be it unto me according to thy word” “If you will study his words, your ability to be more like Him will increase.” –Russell M. Nelson The Father to Joseph Smith: “This is my beloved Son. Hear Him!” The word of God matters We should “feast upon the word”; “The words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do” The words of Prophets matter Keep on the covenant path; let God prevail; gather Israel; Think Celestial – This is “seeing things as they really are, and things as they really will be” “The obligation that we make when we raise our hands [to sustain the prophets] is a most sacred one” –George Albert Smith “I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word.” –Jacob Dedicatory prayer of Temple in Thailand already prepared: By revelation, he added, “May we think celestial … strive to be peacemakers Our own words matter – Be careful what you say and how you say it; our words can bring us together or drive us apart “Thank you” “I’m sorry” “I love you” Wherever he was in the world, he called his wife to tell her he loves her 1
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 President Susan H. Porter, Primary General President Our Heavenly Father Loves You; You are His Child; He Knows You; He Wants to Bless You Prayer is a special Gift that Our Heavenly Father Has Given Us “Ask, and Ye Shall Receive” Pray to Know “Heavenly Father, are You really there? Do you really hear and answer every Child’s prayer?” You can come to know for yourself that Your Heavenly Father is real, that He is there, that He is listening, and that He loves you Ashley: “I am not alone. I have Christ”: Her prayer was answered with someone to play with ;-D Best question to ask Heavenly Father is not “Why … ?” but “What … ?” Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father, and then listen Pray to Grow Heavenly Father loves us so much that he sent Jesus Christ loves us so much that He died so that we could repent “Praying to Heavenly Father has helped me” Pray, and then move forward Pray to Show For help to show Heavenly Father’s love to others Heavenly Father doesn’t force anyone to make a choice Her patriarchal blessing told her the best thing she could do for her family, especially her non-member father, was to be an example After her father died, the Spirit told her that he wanted to receive the ordinances of the Gospel: She started praying for that blessing as a child, and received it as a grandmother “I know He is there. I know He loves you” 1
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Twelve “Hubris never bodes well” – He paddled a kayak on a lake. He kayaked in Oahu; capsized He found himself out of breath, had to be towed “Mr. Renlund, if you just keep paddling, maintaining your momentum, I think you will do just fine” The momentum allowed him to mitigate the effect of waves hitting him from the side Similarly, we must maintain spiritual momentum by rowing continually toward the Savior “Enduring to the end” is not a separate step: We don’t “hunker down, grit our teeth, and wait to die.” Instead, it is reapplying the previous steps—faith, repentance, etc.—iteratively Our direction, not just our speed, matters We must live the Gospel—daily! We can’t simply “binge on the Gospel” [my phrase] on Sunday The Doctrine of Christ must become central to the purpose of our lives Repentance enables us to get back onto our kayaks after capsizing While baptism is a singular event, we renew the covenants we make at baptism each time we partake of the Sacrament As we keep baptismal covenants, as the Sacrament prayers say, we always have His Spirit to be with us Covenants themselves are not the Source of Power: God and Christ are the Source of power, covenants are conduits of power God isn’t just a cheerleader or a person who is judgmental and who provides unhelpful advice: If we will let Him, He will help us actively “Remember, after we are reconciled to God, that it is only in and through the Savior that we are saved” “Unto such shall ye continue to minister …” The Savior’s job is to heal; our job is to love 2
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 Elder Paul B. Pieper of the Seventy “The Crazy Trust Exercise” Trust is the foundation of all relationships “Can I trust you?” is a foundational question Our relationship with God is built only as we trust Him “That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, are in me …” God desires a relationship with us that is so close that He can share all He is, and all He has, with us He reviewed the Plan of Salvation Heavenly Father allows us to make the choices that will enable us to reach our divine potential Our goal with our children—as God’s goal is with us—should not be only that they do what is right, but that they choose to do what is right Leonid struggled to pray, but, gradually and increasingly, built his trust in God: He patiently continued to learn about Heavenly Father, His character, His attributes, and His purposes Can we learn to trust God simply by trusting Him—by falling backward and trusting that He will catch us “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart”; We show our trust in God by turning to Him first when faced with life challenges He described an experience in which he fell backward when it seemed that no one was there to catch him—moving for a new job, facing downsizing, etc.; He learned to trust God simply by trusting Him However we have trusted God in the past, we can be sure that further trust-stretching exercises lie ahead Book of Mormon teaches God’s pattern for stretching us: Nephi and his brother return to Jerusalem to get the plates; his brothers wanted to give up, but he persisted until he got them; Did that experience cause Nephi to trust God when he broke his bow and when he was commanded to build a ship? Even if we have chosen not to trust God in the past, we can choose to trust Him in the future Nephi – “O, Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in Thee forever” 1
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 Elder Patrick Kearon of the Twelve It is a great honor to serve the Savior “Behind every Apostle stands an astonished mother-in-law” Police officer took perverse satisfaction in turning away traffic at a roadblock, but our Heavenly Father does not do that: He is as welcoming as He possibly can be We are given the opportunity to use our moral agency to choose God, and God sent His Son to help us when we The Atonement removes every roadblock that would prevent us from returning home to Our Father It is the Plan of Redemption, the Plan of Mercy, the Great Plan of Happiness, and the Plan of Salvation—its intent is for our happiness, and not to cause us worry and fear; its intent is Our Redemption The Plan extends mercy, it does not deny mercy nor inflict pain and sorrow One of Christ’s most persistent pleas in mortality is that we change, a radical reorientation of selfish and prideful impulses and of the Natural Man “I came down from Heaven not to do mine own will, but the Will of Him that sent me” “Infinite means infinite”—yes, even for you “He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world, for He loveth the world” He is not willing that any should perish “Any that are afflicted in any manner, bring them hither, and I will heal them” He removes roadblocks and barriers, he does not erect them; he does not keep you out, he welcomes you in As incomprehensible as it might be, still, we can comprehend the saving power of the Atonement; we must turn to Him, trust Him, and take His yoke upon us With God’s grace, it is possible for us to change, to be healed, to receive peace 2
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 Elder Brian K. Taylor of the Seventy Christ to Bartomeus – “Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole” Miracle at Bethesda – He wasn’t healed instantaneously We may not know the “Why,” but we know He loves us: “Thine adversity and thine affliction shall be but a small moment” Orson F. Whitney: “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience, is wasted” “For when I am weak, then am I strong” (Paul); Even Christ was made perfect through His suffering “As we look at all things with eternal perspective, it will significantly lighten our load” –Russell M. Nelson “My hands are not the hands that save. Those hands belong to the Savior.” –Mother whose hands were burned in a fire after her unsuccessful attempt to save her son Without God, life’s trials lead to despair and bitterness Three keys Stronger Faith comes by putting Jesus Christ first Greater power comes by focusing on joy Brighter hope comes by envisioning our eternal destiny Christ took upon himself not only our sins, but our pains, sicknesses, etc. “I do not know why we have trials, but the reward is so great that we may say, ‘Is that all that was required?’” Christ’s words – “Come unto ye, all that are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest”; “I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you”’ “I will ease the burdens that are put upon your backs …” 1
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 President Dallin H. Oaks How does your Church differ from others? 1932 – Church membership 700K – 7 Temples; Today: 17M, 170 nations, 189 dedicated temples, 146 more in planning and construction A covenant is a commitment to fulfill certain responsibilities A vocal minority opposes institutional authority and insists that they should be free from constraints on individual freedom Judges, military, medical personnel, firefighters all make a commitment, formalized by oath, to perform their assigned duties Distinctive clothing signifies that the wearer is under covenant: Clothing is a reminder of the special responsibility that the wearer has assumed Covenants are a foundation for the regulation of individual lives; this applies especially in religion; the Abrahamic Covenant is fundamental to several religions Covenants always have played a fundamental role in Israelite worship Books of Nephi often refer to Abrahamic Covenant and to the Covenant People, Israel Fullness of everlasting Gospel include “promises made to the fathers” Book of Mormon is Restoration’s main source for fullness of the Gospel, and is filled with covenants Hebrews: Christ is “the Mediator of the New Covenant”; The New Testament = The New Covenant Persons “shall be received by baptism into the Church after they witness that they have truly repented of all their sins and have taken upon themselves the name of Christ, having a determination to serve Him to the end” “That they witness unto thee … that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son … and keep His commandments which He has given then …” Joseph Smith called because people “have strayed from mine ordinances and broken mine everlasting covenants” Each person baptized has entered into a covenant; each time he or she partakes of the Sacrament, one renews that covenant Ultimate significance of temple covenants: “All things are theirs, and they shall dwell in the presence of God and Christ forever” Garment reminds endowed members of covenants made and of promises of the Temple When we remove the garment when it is unnecessary to do so, do we remove the covenant? The Church of Jesus Christ is known as a Church that facilitates its members making covenants with God – Baptism is a requirement for salvation, and Temple covenants are requirements for exaltation 3
BeNotDeceived Posted April 7, 2024 Posted April 7, 2024 19 hours ago, GoCeltics said: Has anyone else besides Joseph Smith received a pillar of light, as mentioned in this song? https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2020/04/pillar-of-light?lang=eng#title1
Okrahomer Posted April 7, 2024 Posted April 7, 2024 On 4/6/2024 at 12:01 PM, Kenngo1969 said: Elder Jack N. Gerard of the Seventy “If thou be wiling, let this cup pass from me” “Suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, to bleed from every pore, and would that I might not drink the bitter cup and shrink” Christ was true to God, to each of us, and to His Divine Identity He lived a life of integrity, and so must we Because we love God, we are true to Him at all times “Do what is right, let the consequence follow” Elder Uchtdorf reorganizing a stake, asked him if there was anything that, if it came to the attention of the public, would bring discredit upon him or upon the Church Is there consistency between his words and his deeds? Integrity is being true to God Daniel was true to God, even in the lion’s den: In the morning, he was playing with the nice kitties! The King came to know God through Daniel’s integrity: Others come to know God through ours “In the world, ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world” Trust the doctrines of Christ more than the philosophies of men We must not walk after the image and likeness of our own god, who is in the image of the world Integrity is not perfection, but it is striving, every day, foremost, to be true to God, and, in so doing, to be true to others Ethical rules may not be rooted in absolute truth The Church must become the face of the true and living God at all times and in all places We must avoid actions that serve our own self interest or demonstrate favoritism for one over another A life of integrity requires us to be true to our Divine Identity Korihor: “I always knew that there was a God” Joseph: “I knew it, I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it” Hyrum Smith: “I, the Lord, love him for the integrity of his heart” We must be true to God, to ourselves, and to each other I will be teaching about Elder Gerard's message next week in our Elders' Quorum. I appreciate your summary more than you know! :) 1
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 (edited) President Dallin H. Oaks -- Sorry! President Oaks got trapped in the editor! When I came back, he was singing plaintively, "Please release me! Let me go!" How does your Church differ from others? 1932 – Church membership 700K – 7 Temples; Today: 17M, 170 nations, 189 dedicated temples, 146 more in planning and construction A covenant is a commitment to fulfill certain responsibilities A vocal minority opposes institutional authority and insists that they should be free from constraints on individual freedom Judges, military, medical personnel, firefighters all make a commitment, formalized by oath, to perform their assigned duties Distinctive clothing signifies that the wearer is under covenant: Clothing is a reminder of the special responsibility that the wearer has assumed Covenants are a foundation for the regulation of individual lives; this applies especially in religion; the Abrahamic Covenant is fundamental to several religions Covenants always have played a fundamental role in Israelite worship Books of Nephi often refer to Abrahamic Covenant and to the Covenant People, Israel Fullness of everlasting Gospel include “promises made to the fathers” Book of Mormon is Restoration’s main source for fullness of the Gospel, and is filled with covenants Hebrews: Christ is “the Mediator of the New Covenant”; The New Testament = The New Covenant Persons “shall be received by baptism into the Church after they witness that they have truly repented of all their sins and have taken upon themselves the name of Christ, having a determination to serve Him to the end” “That they witness unto thee … that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son … and keep His commandments which He has given then …” Joseph Smith called because people “have strayed from mine ordinances and broken mine everlasting covenants” Each person baptized has entered into a covenant; each time he or she partakes of the Sacrament, one renews that covenant Ultimate significance of temple covenants: “All things are theirs, and they shall dwell in the presence of God and Christ forever” Garment reminds endowed members of covenants made and of promises of the Temple When we remove the garment when it is unnecessary to do so, do we remove the covenant? The Church of Jesus Christ is known as a Church that facilitates its members making covenants with God – Baptism is a requirement for salvation, and Temple covenants are requirements for exaltation Edited April 7, 2024 by Kenngo1969
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 1 hour ago, Okrahomer said: I will be teaching about Elder Gerard's message next week in our Elders' Quorum. I appreciate your summary more than you know! Certainly, Sir! Happy to be of Service!
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 Sunday Afternoon Session Elder D Todd Christofferson of the Twelve Revelation of the Three Degrees of Glory Through Lamb’s glory and triumph, all but a very few are redeemed in one of these three kingdom Even Telestial glory passes all understanding, but Father hopes we will choose the highest, the Celestial In which kingdom will each of our decisions made in this life place us in the next Distinguishing characteristic is how each individual reacts to Christ Valiant in the testimony of Jesus Not valiant Reject it outright This is the testimony, last of all, that we give of Him: That he lives Focus of the valiant is their pursuit of a testimony of Christ People of Ammon were “distinguished for their zeal toward God” “The arms of mercy were extended toward you, but ye would not” Valiant Nurturing and strengthening testimony Prayer, scripture study, repentance, Sabbath observance, worship in the House of the Lord, etc. “Let god prevail” Be open, public about your witness: Stand as witness at all times, in all things, and in all places Heed his messengers Encouraging others by word, example Do we “skim over the surface rather than deepening our discipleship”\ Small equivocations produce large deviations Offended man: “This is not the Branch President’s church. We will go back” Individual pursuit of holiness They did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in the faith of Christ 1
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 Elder Taylor Godoy of the Seventy “Ask, seek, knock”—call, don’t fall “How is it that he cannot instruct me that I should build a ship?” –Nephi God’s ways are not our ways –Isaiah 55:8-9 Moses called upon God when the Israelites faced the Red Sea, Abraham called upon God when asked to sacrifice Isaac “Why didn’t you tell me you were from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?” Seeking marriage license They got a dog along with their marriage license; official asked where he could get a dog like that; they gave him their dog so they were able to get married Always think of the Lord as your first option for help “Call, don’t fall” Do all you can yourself Realize that God answers prayers in His own time and in His own way Stay on the covenant path
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 Elder Gary B. Stevenson of the Twelve He spoke of the engineering underlying the Golden Gate Bridge Each bridge element has support from symmetrical towers, piers “Master, what is the great commandment in the law?” “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God …” – 1st Tower This is the essence of the law; to love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind “If ye love me, keep my commandments” He spoke of collecting fast offerings from a blind German sister – It was the widow’s mite “I would desire that ye consider on the blessed and happy state of those who keep the commandments” “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” – 2nd Tower We seek out those who are hurt and broken—the marginalized. We lift up the hands that hang down, and strengthened the feeble knees “How I would love to hear the things the Lord says to you for how you have strengthened us temporally and spiritually” “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” We should not allow our love for others to crowd out our love for God, nor should we allow our love for God to crowd out our love for others: These need to be balanced. We need to be not excessively judgmental, as well as not excessively tolerant
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 Elder Matthias Held of the Seventy He was trapped on a highway with no way to turn around When we find ourselves in a similar situation in life, we must be humble and patient, and we must repent We learn, develop, and progress toward eternal life Lehi’s teachings to Jacob: “The Lord gave unto man that he should act for himself”; “There must needs be opposition in all things”; “We have been instructed sufficiently, and we all have the Light of Christ” Do we choose to develop trust in God, or do we anticipate consequences fearfully We can always choose to receive comfort through the divine gift of repentance We are free to choose how to react whatever our circumstances: Health, sickness; peace, war; labor, rest; winter, summer; we can “adjust our sails” to the new reality; we can choose to turn on our light; “adjust,” “seek,” “learn,” “choose” are all verbs; we were created to act and not to be acted upon “Whosoever will come unto him, him will he receive, and blessed are those who come unto him” There must needs be opposition in all things: Things don’t exist apart from their opposites: Truth, lies, pleasure, pain, etc. Having a family has brought great joy, but also occasional sorrow and distress, but we are never alone in the latter moments; these moments have shaped us in wonderful ways “God shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain” “All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” Christ experienced unimaginable suffering, but also brought about the Atonement, enabling us to return to Father in Heaven Christ has taught us to trust in Him, to “look unto [Him] in every thought, doubt not, fear not” Be patient in affliction; when in sorrow, trust that happiness around the corner; there are positive aspects to every challenge; never forget to be grateful; be mindful of God’s plan 1
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 (edited) Neil L. Andersen of the Twelve The Lord is strengthening his Saints in every land as they come to His House 95 year old taught by missionaries for 70 years said, “I want to go to the Temple with you” “Knowledge and power of God are expanding. The veil over the Earth is beginning to burst!” The Manila Temple dedicated in 1984. Cebu city Temple in 2010. Eleven more Temples being constructed in Philippines All things in commotion, confusion abounds, men’s hearts are failing them Don’t despair even if those you love temporarily have fallen away: “With God, nothing is impossible” Lord is bringing more of his temples closer to us because amid temptation, Lord has promised to strengthen, comfort, and protect His Saints Joseph’s powerful supplications in dedicatory prayer on Kirtland Temple are fulfilled by Saints who go to Temples throughout the world today We are armed with the power of God We take His name more fully upon us We promise, through covenants, to follow him forever The Lord promised that “angels would have charge over His Saints” Temple ordinances hold the promise that life continues beyond the veil Angels do have charge over us He went from Florida to Atlanta and went through the Temple there, serving as proxy in initiatory for a gentleman; served as proxy for the same gentleman in endowment the next day, then met a family friend who asked him to serve as proxy for sealing of her father—who turned out to be the gentleman whose ordinances in which he had served as proxy His house will preserve us, protect us, and prepare us for His Second Coming Edited April 7, 2024 by Kenngo1969
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 Mark L. Pace, Sunday School General President Your daily connection with God and with His Word through “Come, Follow Me” has profound consequences The Holy Ghost fills our souls with joy and converts us into lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ In every dispensation, God has restored His Gospel, which is followed with joy for a time by His Children Dispensations: Enoch, Abraham, Moses, Noah, others This dispensation, however, will not end in apostasy, and will usher in the Second Coming of Christ The Scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, are key While there will never again be a general apostasy, we need to guard against individual apostasy Sometimes reading the Book of Mormon is simply about being nourished, strengthened and fortified for the challenges of the day, or being healed from the wounds of the day We improve our teaching at church by improving our learning at home: “Both are edified and rejoice together” “Preserve these plates”; “We obtain a hope and our faith becometh unshaken” We obtained records and searched them, and found that they were of great worth unto us and unto our children Just as it was wisdom for Lehi’s children to have the scriptures, the same is true for us The most important copy of the Book of Mormon is the personal copy that we read Lehi’s vision of the tree of life: “They stood as though they knew not whither they should go”; “They did come unto me and partake of the fruit” “Mark, do you know for yourself by the Holy Ghost that the Gospel is true?” “I needed to act and to know for myself” “Heavenly Father wants you to know for yourself, but you must put in the effort … Heavenly Father will answer your prayers” “It was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry the records with us” We can all come to the Tree of Life by holding fast to the Rod of Iron: President Russell M. Nelson has so promised us
Kenngo1969 Posted April 7, 2024 Author Posted April 7, 2024 President Russell M. Nelson Presidents Oaks and Nelson were called together into the Twelve forty years ago, April 7, 1984 There were six functioning Temples in the Church of Jesus Christ when Pres. Nelson was born The Kirtland Temple has unusual significance in the Restoration; events occurred there that were prophesied for millennia Visitations at the Kirtland Temple dedication The Savior: “I Am the First and the Last, I am He who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father” “I will manifest myself unto My people in mercy in this House”; This promise applies to every dedicated temple today Moses – Conferred upon Joseph the keys of the Gathering of Israel, restoration of Lost Ten Tribes Elijah’s appearance fulfilled Malachi’s promise: He conferred keys of sealing power upon Joseph Smith Priesthood keys constitute the authority and power of presidency; they govern how the Lord’s power may be used to bring to pass His purposes Keys of Gathering of Israel Keys of Gospel of Abraham Keys of Sealing Power These keys authorize Gathering of Israel on both sides of the veil Power of Priesthood Keys is infinite and breathtaking Without keys: Endowment would be impossible Church would be only a teaching and humanitarian organization No access to ordinances and covenants that bind us to each other and to God Many organizations make life better in mortality, but only one can open the gateway to blessings after death Let us rejoice that Priesthood keys are once again on the earth Evidence of God’s Love The gathering of Israel is evidence that God loves His children The Gospel of Abraham is further evidence that God loves all of his children everywhere The Sealing power is supernal evidence of how much God loves all of His children everywhere, and wants all of them to return to Him We should study Kirtland Temple Dedicatory Prayer in Section 109 House of prayer, fasting faith, glory, order, God This is a promise of what will happen to those who worship in the Temple Many blessings will come to you as you attend the Temple: Time in the Temple will help you “Think Celestial” and to be reminded of who you really are, who you can become In the Temple, we are promised a fullness of the Holy Ghost What courage does it give you to know that angels will help you? No combination of wickedness will prevail over those who worship in the House of the Lord Nothing will help you more to hold fast to the iron rod than worshiping in the Temple as frequently as your circumstances will permit; nothing will open the Heavens more … Nothing! Temples – French Polynesia, Chihuaha, Florianopolis, BZ Rosario, Brisbane AUS, Victoria BC, Yuma AZ, Houston TX South, Des Moines IA, Cincinatti OH, Honolulu HI, West Jordan UT, Lehi UT, Maracaibo VZ 1
InCognitus Posted April 8, 2024 Posted April 8, 2024 On 4/6/2024 at 6:35 PM, GoCeltics said: Has anyone else besides Joseph Smith received a pillar of light, as mentioned in this song? https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2020/04/pillar-of-light?lang=eng#title1 It seems Paul had a similar experience: "At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me." (Acts 26:13) 1
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