The Word of God is Quick and Powerful

With General Conference coming up I thought I would direct my thoughts towards this event. Helaman 3:29-30 says that those who "hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful... [will] lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course... [and] their souls...[will be placed] at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven." All the speakers at General Conference will be speaking the Word of God. In fact, they will be sharing the same messages that Christ would share if he were here because their talks are inspired by the Holy Ghost. Although, they may use different stories and allegories to get their message across.

Today in church, both of the speakers spoke about sustaining the prophet and apostles as prophets, seers and revelators. They said that the current prophet is more relevant than the scriptures or past prophets. They are speaking to us in our day. And they are telling us those things that are most important for us. Their words truly are quick and powerful. 

I think it is easy to focus on our favorite speaker and then zone out when other people are talking. They have all been fasting and praying about what the Lord wants them to say. I found that I often get distracted by my nieces and nephews, or I fall asleep- so I am going to try and re-read the conference talks this year to figure out what the Lord wants me to know.

I know that if you go to conference with questions, the Lord will answer those questions, often with a very specific talk. But he will also speak to you with the spirit and you will be able to hear the word of God that is specific to you. The worlds standards are getting further and further away from the church's standards, so it is so important at this time to hear the words of the prophets and follow their counsel. I know that the prophets speak the words of God, and that these words will lead us in the straight and narrow way so that we can live with Heavenly Father and Jesus again. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ: Baptism

In 2nd Nephi 9:23 it says that we are commanded to repent and be baptized. I had the opportunity this week to teach in primary about Baptism. Because they are only 7 years old, I had to simplify it down to the basics, and it was kind of challenging. I kept thinking of all the elaborate stories that I heard in Sunday School and Relief Society, but I couldn't talk about it because they wouldn't understand.

I boiled baptism down to a couple things: Why are we baptized? We are baptized because it is a commandment and by following this commandment we are able to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again. Where are we baptized? Most people are baptized in a font, but you can be baptized in a lake or river. How are we baptized? We are baptized by immersion. This step is so important that if a toe or hair or even part of your clothes comes out of the water, you have to be baptized again. I like this rather than getting sprinkled with water. I think it shows how important the ordinance is. It requires special clothes and witnesses and the prayer has to be just right and you have to go all the way under. There are very few times that we are totally immersed in water (unless we are swimming). 

Who baptizes us? A man with the priesthood authority.This was a big part of our lesson as this is what distinguishes us from other churches. Even if someone were to be baptized by immersion with the same prayer, it would not be a valid ordinance unless the baptizer had the priesthood. Some people are so upset that woman can't have the priesthood. First- I would say that women can't be ordained to an office of the priesthood- but we definitely operate under that same priesthood power. Secondly I am so grateful that my husband has the priesthood, we really need each other to get through this life. 

I am so grateful to be able to focus on the basics of the gospel while having this calling. We do not have to get into deep doctrine all the time. I feel like sometimes that pure and simple truths are lost when we focus on all these crazy stories and "what if's." Take some time to just ponder the gospel in its most simplest terms, I know my testimony has been strengthened because of it. 

The Matchless Gift of His Divine Son

One of my favorite Book of Mormon stories is the story of Alma the Younger. I am so grateful that we have his story in Mosiah, and then we have it again in Alma 36. Alma tell his son Helaman about what happened during the 3 days that he was passed out. It was during this time that he was able to reach out to the Savior and really accept the gift of the atonement. Alma remembers the words of his father the prophet and says, "I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me" (Alma 36:17-18). As soon as Alma reaches out to Christ, he is saved from that hell and he is filled with JOY!
This same experience can happen to us. Although we probably wont be visited by an angel for persecuting the church, we can find ourselves feeling very low and distanced from the Lord. Whether we are struggling with physical, mental or emotional trials in our own lives or the lives of those we love, we can turn to the Lord. I recently gave a visiting teaching message about the atonement. One of the questions was, "How can we express our gratitude and love to God and to Jesus Christ for the gift of our Savior’s Atonement?" We can express our gratitude by partaking of the atonement. How can we do this? We can repent of our sins and partake of the saving power of the atonement in that way. We can also partake of the atonement by using the enabling power. What might this look like? For me recently I have been frustrated and stressed. Whatever bad feelings we are feeling, we can give them to the Lord. In my prayers I have said to the Lord that I am feeling all these negative feelings and I don't want to feel them anymore, so I'm giving them to Christ (who already knows what I am feeling) and I ask that my negative feelings may be replaced with feelings of joy, love and comfort. This is just one way to partake of the atonement and let it change you.
But it will be different for everyone. A couple of weeks ago, I attended a different ward for a baby blessing. During the sacrament I was sitting on the front row and the deacon stopped in front of each person individually and allowed them to partake of the bread and water fully before moving on to the next person. This reminded me of how individual the atonement is. Christ suffered for me and for you and He did it one at a time. He went through my whole life and suffered my sins and afflictions, He felt my heart ache and my broken leg. He knows exactly what I am going through because He went through it with me, and He did it for you to.
So during your times of trial and hardship, TURN TOWARDS CHRIST. I testify that He can bring us from the galls of bitterness and feel us with joy. We have to do it with Him. I know Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know He lives and He loves me. In the words of The Living Christ "God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine son."

Covenants

In Mosiah 24:14-15, the Lord tells us that as we strive to keep our covenants, He will help us keep our covenants. He wants us to stand as a witness of Him, to proclaim His gospel and testify of His very existence. As we do this and show our love for Him, He will make our burdens so light that "even you cannot feel them upon your backs." The Lord does not take away our burdens, we need our trials to help us grow, to teach us to rely on the Lord and to teach us. But, the Lord makes us stronger so that we can bear them better.
Have you ever noticed that when you put the Lord first, your day gets a little easier? It is because the Lord makes it easier for us to keep our covenants when we are diligent in keeping them. So when you are tight for money, spend your tithing. When you are tight with time, read your scriptures or serve and you will be amazed that you are able to finish everything that you needed to get done. The Lord doesn't want us to fail, but He does want us to use our agency. From these many examples, it is easy to see that using your agency to follow the Lord makes it easier to follow the Lord.
One of the biggest covenants we make is in the temple, where we are blessed with this strength to keep our covenants. I have had a lot of challenges in my life since I have gone through the temple. But as I continue to keep my covenants and continue to go to the temple, I am strengthened and blessed. It is amazing how much the Lord can help us with our schoolwork. It seems like such a secular thing to do well on the church. But if we seek to learn by the spirit, the Lord can help us to do well in our schooling. And even if we don't do well, we can be reminded of what really matters in our lives.
These covenant keeping blessing come before the temple too. In our baptismal covenants, we promise to bear one another burdens, mourn with those who mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort (Mosiah 18). As we do these things for other people, the Lord blesses us to be able to serve more people. The Lord also blesses us by having others help bear our burdens, mourn with us and comfort us. The Lord loves us so much and He wants us to keep our covenants and so He blesses us so that we can continue to keep our covenants.