Sunday, March 11, 2012

Priesthood - for the blessing of God's Children lesson summary

Sis. Kirksey taught the lesson today - Chapter 5 - The Holy Priesthood - for the blessing of the God's Children.

What is the Priesthood? 
The manual says: "Joseph Smith, Jr. was called by God to be His prophet and through him was restored to the earth the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood which is the power of God delegated to man to act in His name. Through this Priesthood every ordinance of the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ, necessary for the salvation of the children of man, is authoritatively administered."


The Priesthood is a blessing given directly form the Lord. We need to actively seek and receive the Priesthood in our lives. 

Elaine Jack in the Daughters of my Kingdom book is quoted as saying - " We sisters were organized under the Priesthood and can be blessed by it."

Priesthood blessings give us direction, encourage us, inspire and we are need to be spiritual partakers of these blessings.


Elder Bruce R. McConkie gave a talk on 10 blessings of the Priesthood:
1. We are members of the true and living church. 
2. We have received the Holy Ghost. 
3. We can be sanctified by the Spirit. 
4. We are disciples of Christ. 
5. We are a Child of God. 
6. We have the blessing of eternal families. 
7. We have the power to govern spiritual and temporal things. 
8. We have the blessing of eternal life. 
9. We can be sealed up on the presence of God. 
10. We have the privilege to see the face of God.

Sis. Kirksey asked us how the Priesthood has blessed our own lives and what can we do to nurture the power and influence of the Priesthood in our lives? 
Thank you to all the sisters who shared such moving and personal stories. We are truly blessed to have access to the Priesthood in our lives.

The manual says:
The priesthood … is a blessing that, if we are faithful, will open the doors of the celestial kingdom and give us a place there to live throughout the ages of eternity. Do not trifle with this priceless blessing.


How beautiful it is to realize that men who are worthy may receive [the] priesthood, and in the authority that is given them, do so many things that are a blessing to our Father’s other children.
You cannot go out into the world in any other Church or in all other Churches and find … men holding divine authority. Do not forget that. You belong to a choice body of men, … having had hands laid upon them, and receiving divine authority, making you partners with the Master of Heaven and Earth. I do not mean that you can’t laugh, smile, and enjoy life, but I do mean that there should be deep in every soul a consciousness that “I am my brother’s keeper. I hold authority from the Lord Jesus Christ—I am a bearer of the Holy Priesthood."

Thank you Sister Kirksey!

- Sister Pyrah