The Ordinances of Salvation

The Ordinances of Salvation

(Spanish version below)

Brothers and sisters. I have learned a lot during this month that I have served as the Bishop of the ward. Thank you for your support, patience and prayers. I am grateful to be here with President Decker and talk to you in this Conference. President Decker and I are In-laws. Evanie, who is the granddaughter we share is learning the articles of faith. Two days ago she repeated me these words "We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel". Article of faith 3.

I want to speak of is article today. Specifically, I want to talk about the Ordinances of salvation. What are the Ordinances of salvation?

We have just to participate in the sacrament. This is an Ordinance in which we renew the covenants we made at baptism. Baptism is the first Ordinance we need for salvation. When we are baptized, we covenants to always remember the Lord Jesus Christ, and take his name upon us, and keep His commandments. The Lord promises us that the will send his spirit to be with us. To be valid, the baptism must be in the Lord's way, which is by immersion, and by someone who has the authority of God. For all of us, it is important that the priesthood was restored in these latter days, to the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery under the hands of John the Baptist and Peter, James and John, who possessed this authority in the ancient times. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were also visited by others who were given other keys to administer in the Ordinances of salvation.

Doctrine and covenants 110, verses 11 to 16  we read what occurred on April 3, 1836 in the Temple in Kirtland, Ohio."

11 After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us; and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north.

12 After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed.

13 After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said:

14 Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come—

15 To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse—

16 Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.

As the scripture explains, Moses gave them the keys of the gathering of Israel, or what we call missionary work.

And Elias gave the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham. The Prophet Abraham received the blessing of the Lord that through his posterity, all the children of God would be blessed. All those who accept the Gospel become the children of Abraham and the elect of God.

And the Prophet Elijah came to turn the hearts of parents to children, and of the children to parents. What does that mean?

This refers to the power given to the Joseph Smith to seal to husband and wife, and children to their parents. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships are perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy Temples make it possible that people will return to the presence of God and the families to be United eternally. These are the Ordinances of salvation.

Many of you have had the experience to go with your families and be sealed upon the altars of the temple. Many still lack any this Ordinance and will have the opportunity to be sealed to their children or their parents in the future. I encourage you to do all you need to do in order to receive these Ordinances. I am willing to help you receive these blessings.

After receiving these Ordinances for ourselves, we have the opportunity to carry the names of our ancestors to the temple. In fact, perhaps it is more than an opportunity. Note that the Scripture says that these keys were given ¨ so that the whole world would not be smitten with a curse. ¨ I think I that this means that we have a very large responsibility of seek and find the names of our ancestors and give them the opportunity to receive the Ordinances of salvation by going to the temple and performing these Ordinances by proxy. If we don't do this, the world will be cursed in some way.

The Church has done much to carry out this great work. It has put our hands the means to search and find the information you need to find the names of our ancestors. Each year is more easy to do so. We will help you know how to use these tools in classes. If your hearts turn to your parents, you are feeling the spirit of Elijah. You are then fulfilling the prophecy that is found in the book of Malachi. You are helping your families to receive the Ordinances of salvation.

I give you my testimony of the great spirit that accompanies this work of the Lord. I have felt the joy that comes from being sealed to my spouse in the temple 35 years ago. I have felt the security of knowing that I am part of an eternal family, having lost dear relatives to physical death. I have felt joy in participating in ordinances for ancestors who names I have found. I have experienced help of heaven in finding names and doing family history.

I want to thank each of you for doing the service of the Lord. I have felt the love that you have for the Lord and his Kingdom here on Earth. In a special way, I want to thank these men that they are sitting with me as counselors and clerks for the sacrifices that they make. Especially their wives who make even a larger sacrifice. I know that the Lord will bless us for what we do and will do. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Las Ordenanzas de Salvación

Conferencia de Bario 26 Marzo 20017

Hermanos y Hermanas.  He aprendido mucho durante ésta mes que he servido como el obispo de éste bario.  Gracias por su apoyo, paciencia y oraciones.

Estoy agradecido por estar aquí con el Presidente Decker y hablarles en éste conferencia.  El presidente Decker y yo somos consuegros.  Evanie, quien es la nieta mayor de nosotros está aprendiendo los artículos de fe.  Hace dos días ella me repitió las palabras  Creemos que por la expiación de Cristo, todo el género humano puede salvarse, mediante la obediencia a las leyes y ordenanzas del Evangelio. Articulo de Fe 3.

Yo quiero hablar de esté artículo hoy.  Específicamente quiero hablar de las ordenanzas de salvación.  ¿Que son las ordenanzas de salvación?

Acabamos a participar en la santa cena.  Esta es una ordenanza en la cual nosotros renovemos el convenios que hicimos al bautizarnos.  El bautismo es el primer ordenanza que necesitamos para salvarnos.  Cuando nos bautizamos, hacemos convenio de siempre recordar el Señor Jesucristo, y tomar su nombre sobre nosotros y guardar sus mandamientos.  El Señor nos promete que el enviará su espíritu para acompañarnos. Para ser válido, el bautismo tiene que ser en la manera del Señor, que es por la inmersión, y por alguien que tiene la autoridad de Dios.

Para todos nosotros, es importante que el sacerdocio fue restaurado en estos, los últimos días, al profeta José Smith y a Oliverio Cowdery bajo las manos de Juan el Bautista y Pedro, Santiago y Juan, quienes poseyeron ésta autoridad antiguamente.   José Smith y Oliverio Cowdery también fueron visitados por otros, quienes les dieron otras llaves par administrar en las ordenanzas de salvación. 

En doctrina y covenios 110, versiculos 11 hasta el 16 está escrita lo que ocurrio el 3 de abril de 1836 en el templo de Kirtland, Ohio.

11 Después de cerrarse esta visión, los cielos nuevamente nos fueron abiertos; y se apareció Moisés ante nosotros y nos entregó las llaves del recogimiento de Israel de las cuatro partes de la tierra, y de la conducción de las diez tribus desde el país del norte.

12 Después de esto, apareció Elías y entregó la dispensación del evangelio de Abraham, diciendo que en nosotros y en nuestra descendencia serían bendecidas todas las generaciones después de nosotros.

13 Concluida esta visión, se nos desplegó otra visión grande y gloriosa; porque Elías el Profeta, que fue llevado al cielo sin gustar la muerte, se apareció ante nosotros, y dijo:

14 He aquí, ha llegado plenamente el tiempo del cual se habló por boca de Malaquías, testificando que él [Elías el Profeta] sería enviado antes que viniera el día grande y terrible del Señor,

15 para hacer volver el corazón de los padres a los hijos, y el de los hijos a los padres, para que el mundo entero no fuera herido con una maldición.

16 Por tanto, se entregan en vuestras manos las llaves de esta dispensación...

Como explica la escritura, Moisés les dió las llaves del recogimiento de Israel, o lo que nosotros llamamos la obra misional.

Y Elias  entregó la dispensación del evangelio de Abraham.  El profeta Abraham recibió la bendición del Señor que todo los hijos de Dios serían bendecidos por medio de sus hijos.  Todos los que aceptan el evangelio llegan a ser los hijos de Abraham y los electos de Dios.

Y El profeta Elías (otra profeta Elias, en Inglés está conocido como Elijah) vino para hacer volver el corazón de los padres a los hijos, y el del los hijos a los padres.  ¿Que quiere decir esto?

Este se refiere al poder que se dio al José Smith a poder sellar a esposas y esposos e hijos a sus padres.  El divino plan de felicidad permite que las relaciones familiares se perpetúen más allá del sepulcro. Las ordenanzas y los convenios sagrados disponibles en los santos templos hacen posible que las personas regresen a la presencia de Dios y que las familias sean unidas eternamente. Estas son las ordenanzas de salvación.

Muchos de ustedes han tenido la experiencia de ir con sus familias y ser sellados sobres los altares del templo.  Muchos todavía les faltan esta ordenanza y tendrán la oportunidad de sellarse a sus hijos o a sus padres en el futuro.  Les exhorto a que hagan lo necesario para poder recibir estas ordenanzas.  Yo estoy dispuesto a ayudarles recibir estas bendiciones.

Mas, Al recibir estas ordenanzas para nosotros mismos, tenemos la oportunidad de llevar los nombres de nuestros antepasados al templo.  De hecho, quizás es mas que una oportunidad.  Se nota que la escritura dice que estas llaves fueron dadas ¨ para que el mundo entero no fuera herido con una maldición.¨  Pienso yo que este quiere decir que tenemos una responsabilidad muy grande de buscar y encontrar a los nombres de nuestros antepasados y darles la oportunidad de recibir las ordenanzas de salvación por medio de ir al templo y hacer estas ordenanzas por proxy.  Si no lo hacemos, el mundo será  maldito de alguna manera.

La iglesia ha hecho mucho para poder llevar a cado éste gran obra.  Ha puesto a nuestros manos la manera de buscar y encontrar la información necesaria para encontrar los nombres de nuestros antepasados.  Cada año es mas fácil poder hacerlo.  Vamos a ayudarles a saber como utilizar estas herramientas en clases.  Si sus corazones vuelven a sus padres, están sintiendo el espíritu de Elías.  Están entonces cumpliendo con la profecía que se encuentra en el libro de Malaquías.  Están ayudando a sus familiares a recibir las ordenanzas de salvacion.

Yo puedo darles mi testimonio del gran espíritu que acompaña este obra del Señor.  He sentido el gozo que viene de ser sellado a mi esposa en el templo hace 35 años.  He sentido la seguridad de saber que soy parte de una familia eterna al perder queridos familiares por la muerte física.  He sentido gozo al participar en ordenanzas por antepasados quienes nombres yo había encontrado.  Yo he experimentado ayuda de los cielos en encontrar nombres y poder hacer la historia familiar.

Yo quiero agradecer a cada uno de ustedes por lo que hace en el servicio del Señor.  Yo he sentido el amor que usted tienen pare el Señor y su reino aquí en la tierra.  En una manera especial quiero agradecer a estos hombres que están sentados conmigo como consejeros y los secretarios por los sacrificios que hacen.  Especialmente a sus esposas quienes hacen aun un sacrificio mas grande.  Yo se que el Señor nos bendecirá por lo que hacemos y haremos.

Digo estas cosas en el nombre de Jesucristo.  Amen.

The Peace and Joy of Christmastime

The Peace and Joy of Christmastime

Skyline Ward December 11, 2016

Do we greet others differently on the Sabbath day?  Brother Wagner greets us all in our early morning Stake meetings with “Happy Sabbath”. I think that in other countries and cultures, a distinct Sabbath greeting is more common.  For example, my family lived in Israel for a few years due to my work.  In Israel, the common greeting on the Sabbath day is “Shabat Shalom”.  Which means peaceful Sabbath.  In fact, a normal greeting in Israel, like saying “Hello” in our culture, is “Shalom”.  Which means “Peace” or Peace be unto you.

What is Peace?  How can we experience it … especially in these times when life can be hectic, when the sins of the world can seem so pervasive, when conflict and unkindness seem so prevalent?

When Christ was born in Bethlehem, an Angel appeared unto the shepherds in the fields and declared,  “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord ...And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men.”  If you remember in the time of the Savior’s birth, the country was not at peace politically.  They were under the rule of the Romans, who had conquered them and ruled over them.  I’m sure the declaration of Peace to them was comforting.  

Jesus brought peace to the world.  He life was a life of service, and love.  He showed us how to live and treat others.  He showed us how to have personal peace in our lives.  By following His example, we can have peace in knowing that we are living as he would have us live and that will give us peace.

He also provided us Peace by atoning for our sins.  His suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross allows us to be free from the guilt and suffering of our sins if we will repent.  He invited us… “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

And then he declared, “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

This is the great message of Christmas...The Jesus Christ was born and has born our sins.  Through His atonement, we can live again and be cleansed from our sins and have eternal life with our Father in Heaven.  

President Monson spoke to us in the last conference about the Plan of Happiness.  I think that when the Prophet knows that he can only give a short talk, that the message he give is truly the most important message that we need at this time.  This is what he said,”From the depths of my soul and in all humility, I testify of the great gift which is our Father’s plan for us. It is the one perfect path to peace and happiness both here and in the world to come.”

Notice that the prophet mentioned that the plan of happiness is the perfect plan to peace.

When Christ was preparing to ascend to heaven, after teaching the apostles as a resurrected being he said, ... “the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Even when the world is in turmoil all around you, you can receive the blessing of inner peace. This blessing will continue with you as you stay true to your testimony of the gospel and as you remember that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you and watch over you.

Related to Peace, is Joy

“Joy to the World, the Lord is come.  Let earth receive it’s King.”

How can we experience that Joy that comes from receiving the Lord?

President Nelson spoke to us about Joy in his last conference message.  He talked about the perilous times that we live in and that we should not be surprised when we see the prophecies fulfilled.  

These are the latter days, so none of us should be surprised when we see prophecy fulfilled. A host of prophets, including Isaiah, Paul, Nephi, and Mormon, foresaw that perilous times would come,1 that in our day the whole world would be in commotion, that men would “be lovers of their own selves, … without natural affection, … lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God,” and that many would become servants of Satan who uphold the adversary’s work. Indeed, you and I “wrestle … against the rulers of the darkness of this world, [and] against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

As conflicts between nations escalate, as cowardly terrorists prey on the innocent, and as corruption in everything from business to government becomes increasingly commonplace, what can help us? What can help each of us with our personal struggles and with the rigorous challenge of living in these latter days?

He reminded us that the prophet Lehi stated that “Men are that they might have joy.

He then gave an example of when the saints were being driven from Missouri and 80 of them spent a bitter cold night in a cabin that was only 20 feet square.  Most of them sat or stood all night.  But there wasn’t any complaining.  They even sang hymns.

He said “That’s it! Saints can be happy under every circumstance. We can feel joy even while having a bad day, a bad week, or even a bad year!

My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.

When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation, which President Thomas S. Monson just taught us, 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. We feel it at Christmastime when we sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” And we can feel it all year round. For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is joy!”

Is this not the most wonderful time of the year?  The way people treat each other with kindness and love. The way we reach out to help each other and have the spirit of giving. This makes this time of year special.

Elder Nelson concluded with this “Anything that opposes Christ or His doctrine will interrupt our joy. That includes the philosophies of men, so abundant online and in the blogosphere, which do exactly what Korihor did. If we look to the world and follow its formulas for happiness, we will never know joy. The unrighteous may experience any number of emotions and sensations, but they will never experience joy! Joy is a gift for the faithful. It is the gift that comes from intentionally trying to live a righteous life, as taught by Jesus Christ. He taught us how to have joy. When we choose Heavenly Father to be our God and when we can feel the Savior’s Atonement working in our lives, we will be filled with joy.

Every time we nurture our spouse and guide our children, every time we forgive someone or ask for forgiveness, we can feel joy.

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.”

I bear testimony of the Peace and Joy that come through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

On Making Choices

On Making Choices

September 18, 2016

Patterson Ward

In a recent fireside, Elder Hamula, of the quorum of the seventy shared his experience in working in Church Headquarters.  He talked about how the standards of the world are departing so dramatically from the standards that the Lord has set and that we should not fear...if we follow the living prophet.

President Monson’s message in the past conference was about making choices.  His talk wasn’t very long and I will be quoting most of it in my talk today.  He said, “It has been said that the door of history turns on small hinges, and so do people’s lives. The choices we make determine our destiny.

When we left our premortal existence and entered mortality, we brought with us the gift of agency. Our goal is to obtain celestial glory, and the choices we make will, in large part, determine whether or not we reach our goal.

May we choose to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith which will be our most effective defense against the designs of the adversary—a real faith, the kind of faith which will sustain us and will bolster our desire to choose the right. Without such faith, we go nowhere. With it, we can accomplish our goals.

Although it is imperative that we choose wisely, there are times when we will make foolish choices. The gift of repentance, provided by our Savior, enables us to correct our course settings, that we might return to the path which will lead us to that celestial glory we seek.”

Have you ever made a bad choice?

I’d like to share a personal experience about making choices that perhaps we can learn from.  This is actually a bit embarrassing, but I share to make a point so that we can learn from it.

I worked for 17 years in the mining industry.  Mining can be a dangerous business and the company is continually stressing safety.  Every meeting, even for the accounting staff includes a discussion about safety.  I try and remember those safety discussions when I a working around the house.  I do some of the work on my own cars.  A couple of months ago my wife and I took a trip to Utah.  As we were leaving our driveway, I heard a grinding sound from our van.  I was pretty sure that I needed to replace the brake pads.  Since the sound just started, I decided to drive to Utah and then check the brakes the next day.  We stayed at my brother and sister-in-law’s house that night in Utah.  The next morning, I checked the brakes, and the van did need new pads.  I went to the auto supply store and bought the pads and returned to the house to do the work.  My brother-in-law, Gary had cleared out his garage for me and I pulled into the garage.  Normally, when I do this job at home, I use an hydraulic jack to raise the front end.  I asked Gary if he had one that I could borrow.  He said he doesn’t do much work on his own vehicles and did not have a jack.  So I used the scissor jack that comes with the vehicle and raised the front end.  Normally, when I do this job at home, I place jack stands under the car to hold it up.  I asked Gary if he had any jack stands.  He did not.  I looked around for something big and strong that I could use as a support and couldn’t find anything.  I knew that that night we were going to be staying at my brother-in-law Paul’s house.  And I knew that he had all the tools necessary to do the job.  I reasoned in my mind that I would just do the one side at Gary’s house, the minimum to stop the grinding and then I would finish the job at Paul’s.  So, I proceeded to change the brakes while the car was being supported only by the scissor jack.  The job went pretty quickly and smoothly, until… as I was sitting next to the car with my legs under it, tightening the last bolt, the car slipped off the jack and the front end landed on my leg.  For those of you who haven’t had the experience, having a car fall on your leg is very painful.  My Brother-in-law Gary quickly retrieved the jack and was able to jack the van up within a few minutes.  I received a free trip to the hospital in an ambulance.  Words can’t describe the pain I felt when the car landed on my leg.  I also can’t describe the feeling of regret for doing something that I knew I shouldn’t do.  I knew better than to put my legs under a car that wasn’t supported properly. Fortunately, although I did get a nice sized slice in my calf, somehow, there were no broken bones, no severing of the muscles, and I walked out of the hospital with a few stitches.

What can we learn from this experience?  I knew better than to choose to work on that car without the proper safety precautions.  Doing that was out of my character.  Do we ever say to ourselves “Just this once”, “Just a little bit”, or “Just for a little while?”.

Those questions remind me of President Monson’s talk in the last October General conference.  He said “I plead with you to avoid anything that will deprive you of your happiness here in mortality and eternal life in the world to come. With his deceptions and lies, the adversary will lead you down a slippery slope to your destruction if you allow him to do so. You will likely be on that slippery slope before you even realize that there is no way to stop. You have heard the messages of the adversary. He cunningly calls: Just this once won’t matter; everyone is doing it; don’t be old-fashioned; times have changed; it can’t hurt anyone; your life is yours to live. The adversary knows us, and he knows the temptations which will be difficult for us to ignore. How vital it is that we exercise constant vigilance in order to avoid giving in to such lies and temptations.”

Being aware of how the adversary tempts us will help us avoid those pitfalls...by making the right choices.

Elder Ballard gave some additional council in his last conference talk.  He spoke of Family Councils.  He spoke of several type of Family Councils and said that “The third type of family council is a limited family council. Here, both parents spend time with an individual child in a formal or an informal setting. This is an opportunity for a discussion on making decisions in advance about such things as what he or she will and will not do in the future. When such decisions are made, he or she may want to record them for future reference if needed.”

Did you catch what he said about making choices.  If we can decide what we are going to do before the situation comes, then it will help us.  We are all going to have to make choices on whether we are going to obey the word of wisdom, the law of tithing, the law of chastity, and so forth.  Let us decide beforehand what we will do when those situations arise.

The prophet Nephi shows us how to make correct choices in the way he reacted to his father’s prophecies and commandments.  His prophet father Lehi had received the vision of the Tree of Life and Lehi had shared that vision with his family.  This is what Nephi did “For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord…” (1 Nephi 11:1)

Now let’s consider how Laman & Lemuel chose to react.  “And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been carried away in the Spirit, and seen all these things, I returned to the tent of my father.  And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were disputing one with another concerning the things which my father had spoken unto them. For he truly spake many great things unto them, which were hard to be understood, save a man should inquire of the Lord; and they being hard in their hearts, therefore they did not look unto the Lord as they ought...And it came to pass that after I had received strength I spake unto my brethren, desiring to know of them the cause of their disputations.  And they said: Behold, we cannot understand the words which our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the olive tree, and also concerning the Gentiles.  And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord? And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us. (1 Nephi 15:1-3,6-9) Did Laman & Lemuel know that God lives?  Did they know that the Lord answers prayers?  I suggest they did.  They had just witnessed the miracle of obtaining the plates of brass.  They had seen angels.  However, despite the things they knew and saw, they didn’t have faith to ask of the Lord.

That leads me to the second part of what President Monson said… I’ll repeat it..  “Although it is imperative that we choose wisely, there are times when we will make foolish choices. The gift of repentance, provided by our Savior, enables us to correct our course settings, that we might return to the path which will lead us to that celestial glory we seek.”

Isn’t it comforting to know that when we do make wrong choices, all is not lost?

I liked the encouragement that Elder Holland gave us in his talk.  “When there was a controversy in the early Church regarding who was entitled to heaven’s blessings and who wasn’t, the Lord declared to the Prophet Joseph Smith, “Verily I say unto you, [the gifts of God] are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep … my commandments, and [for them] that seeketh so to do.”6 Boy, aren’t we all thankful for that added provision “and … seeketh so to do”! That has been a lifesaver because sometimes that is all we can offer! We take some solace in the fact that if God were to reward only the perfectly faithful, He wouldn’t have much of a distribution list.

Please remember tomorrow, and all the days after that, that the Lord blesses those who want to improve, who accept the need for commandments and try to keep them, who cherish Christlike virtues and strive to the best of their ability to acquire them. If you stumble in that pursuit, so does everyone; the Savior is there to help you keep going. If you fall, summon His strength. Call out like Alma, “O Jesus, … have mercy on me.”7 He will help you get back up. He will help you repent, repair, fix whatever you have to fix, and keep going. Soon enough you will have the success you seek.”

I’ll close with another quote from President Monson.  “May we maintain the courage to defy the consensus. May we ever choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong.

As we contemplate the decisions we make in our lives each day—whether to make this choice or that choice—if we choose Christ, we will have made the correct choice.”

May we always try to make the proper choices.

I testify that these principles are true.  In the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

I Am a Child of God

I Am a Child of God

Noble Ward

May 15, 2015

Who are you?  How do you identify yourself?

Several week ago, my wife and I went to a movie.  I noticed that there was a Senior discount offered so I asked the lady in the ticket booth what the qualifications were for the Senior discount.  She said it was for those that were 65 or older.  I didn't qualify on that basis, but I told her that I felt like a Senior and identified myself as a Senior.  She promptly gave me the Senior discount...and my wife, who does not identify as a Senior.

We identify ourselves in different ways.  Before my recent retirement, my job title at the large mining company that I worked for was "Business Manager of Financial Shared Services and Global Business Continuity."  Nobody really understood much of what that meant so whenever anyone asked me my profession, I just said that I was an Accountant.  I recently updated my profile on the LinkedIn to describe what I currently do.  It reads "Tax Consultant, Spreadsheet Developer, Chicken Farmer, Pool boy, Gardener, Landscaper, Handyman, Genealogist, Indexer, Temple Patron, Taxi Driver, Grandpa, Book Reader, Accountant, Publicist, Volunteer, Gofer and Squirrel Trapper."

Elder Donald L. Hallstrom spoke in General Conference about this topic.  He said,

"Here on earth, we identify ourselves in many different ways, including our place of birth, our nationality, and our language. Some even identify themselves by their occupation or their hobby. These earthly identities are not wrong unless they supersede or interfere with our eternal identity—that of being a son or a daughter of God."

I would like us to consider how important it is to identify ourselves as children of God and what that means to us.  How we live, and the choices we make.

One of my favorite TV programs is "Who do you think you Are?" This program follows famous people through the process of finding out about their ancestors.  They learn about who their ancestors are and about their ancestor's life experiences.  They often learn about the trials and hardships that their ancestors had to endure. By learning about their ancestors, they always state that they know more about themselves than before and that the experience has changed their lives.

Elder Hallstrom talked about the importance of knowing who we are.

"A correct understanding of our heavenly heritage is essential to exaltation. It is foundational to comprehending the glorious plan of salvation and to nurturing faith in the Firstborn of the Father, Jesus the Christ, and in His merciful Atonement.⁷ Further, it provides continual motivation for us to make and keep our indispensable eternal covenants."

"In real life, we face actual, not imagined, hardships. There is pain—physical, emotional, and spiritual. There are heartbreaks when circumstances are very different from what we had anticipated. There is injustice when we do not seem to deserve our situation. There are disappointments when someone we trusted failed us. There are health and financial setbacks that can be disorienting. There may be times of question when a matter of doctrine or history is beyond our current understanding.

We live in a world that can cause us to forget who we really are. The more distractions that surround us, the easier it is to treat casually, then ignore, and then forget our connection with God."

Knowing that we are children of God can give us confidence that he knows us personally and that he cares about us and would like to hear from us.  I've always been impressed as Joseph Smith recorded his experience in the Sacred Grove, that when he called upon God, in prayer, and received his vision of the Father and the Son, that the Father "called him by name."  He knew Joseph's name, and he knows ours.

My mother lives in Utah.  Each Sunday, if I haven't spoken to her during the week, she expects me to call her to check in.  In fact, I've learned from experience that when I don't call her, she's disappointed and I hear about it later.  She wants to hear from me because I am her child.  She loves me.

In the same way, being children of our Heavenly Father should affect the way that we pray to Him and how we spend our time on the Sabbath day.  What message do we send to Him by our actions?

Do we remember that day and keep it Holy?  Do we rest from our labors?  Do we put away the cares of the world and dedicate the day to Him and His work?  Remembering that we are children of God will help us decide how to spend our Sabbath day.

Knowing that we are children of God helps us in this life because we know that he loves us, always, no matter what we do.  When we go through tough times he will be there for us. 

In Mosiah chapter 24 we read about the people of Alma who were going through tribulations  They had been captured by the Lamanites and subjected to hard work and labor.  They were even forbidden from praying.

But, the people of Alma knew that they were children of God.  They "did pour out their hearts to him and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.

And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions"

The result was that their burdens were made light, the Lord did strengthen them so that they could bear the burdens with ease.  And ultimately, he delivered them from bondage so they were able to join the Nephites in liberty.

Elder Halstrom asks us to consider, "When difficult things occur in our lives, what is our immediate response? Is it confusion or doubt or spiritual withdrawal? Is it a blow to our faith? Do we blame God or others for our circumstances? Or is our first response to remember who we are—that we are children of a loving God? Is that coupled with an absolute trust that He allows some earthly suffering because He knows it will bless us, like a refiner’s fire, to become like Him and to gain our eternal inheritance?"

Moses also learned of the significance of being a child of God.  We read in Moses 1

that " Moses was caught up into an exceedingly high mountain, " And he saw God face to face, and he talked with him, and the glory of God was upon Moses; therefore Moses could endure his presence.

And God spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years; and is not this endless?

And, behold, thou art my son"

Later on we learn that Satan came tempting him, saying: Moses, son of man, worship me.

"And it came to pass that Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee?

For behold, I could not look upon God, except his glory should come upon me, and I were transfigured before him. But I can look upon thee in the natural man. Is it not so, surely?

Blessed be the name of my God, for his Spirit hath not altogether withdrawn from me, or else where is thy glory, for it is darkness unto me? And I can judge between thee and God; for God said unto me: Worship God, for him only shalt thou serve.

Get thee hence, Satan; deceive me not"

Thus, like Moses, being children of God, we can distinguish truth from error.  We can judge between right and wrong and we can overcome temptations that might come our way.

Remembering that we are children of God can help us keep our covenants.  In the book of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon we read about the righteous King Benjamin, who called al of the people of his kingdom together as he was getting old and taught them from a tower that he had erected.

He taught them of the importance of work and of service to others and to care for the poor.  He taught them that we are continually indebted to God because he blesses us as we obey him.  He taught them of Jesus Christ and his suffering and that salvation comes because of the Atonement.

After he was finished speaking he asked them if they believed the words that he had spoken to them.  They all cried out with one voice that they did believe, and they know of the truthfulness of the words by the spirit, and that they had received a change of heart, and had no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.

"And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days...
And now, these are the words which king Benjamin desired of them; and therefore he said unto them: Ye have spoken the words that I desired; and the covenant which ye have made is a righteous covenant.

And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters"

Like the people of King Benjamin's time, Remembering that we are children of our Heavenly Father can give us strength to keep the covenants that we have made.  It is those covenants that bind us to him.

President Thomas S. Monson testified: “We are sons and daughters of a living God. … We cannot sincerely hold this conviction without experiencing a profound new sense of strength and power."

I don't like to dwell on the negative, but for a brief moment, I'd like you to think back to the time that you felt most discouraged in your life.  It might be a time that you lost of loved one, or a time that you felt lonely, or a failure...or a time that a relationship didn't go as you expected or you were hurt by the actions of others.  Did you get through that time by remembering that you are a child of God?  In the future, you might have another time like that.  If you remember to identify yourself as a Child of God, that will give you strength to endure that time in your life.

One last quote from Elder Hallstrom:  "In today’s world, no matter where we live and no matter what our circumstances are, it is essential that our preeminent identity is as a child of God. Knowing that will allow our faith to flourish, will motivate our continual repentance, and will provide the strength to “be steadfast and immovable” throughout our mortal journey."

I testify that we are all children of God.  He cares about us and loves us.  May we always make that our preeminent identity in our lives.  May this knowledge help us to reach out to him, to receive strength through the trials that come in our life, and to help us keep the covenants that we have made with Him.

In the name of Jesus Christ,

Amen.

The Ward Mission Leader Responsibilities

The Ward Mission Leader Responsibilities

Stake Priesthood Leadership Meeting

February 16, 2013

 The Stake Presidency has asked me to speak about the Ward Mission leader’s role in the Ward Council.  The Church Handbook states that the Ward Mission Leader is responsible for coordinating the missionary work in the Ward and with the full-time missionaries.  This includes finding, teaching and baptizing investigators.

Of course, it’s not just the Ward Mission Leader’s responsibility.  The Handbook outlines the Ward Council responsibilities.

Ward Council

Member missionary work is most effective when ward council members are fully engaged in the missionary effort. In quorums and auxiliaries, they encourage members to participate in missionary work in the following ways:

      1.  Find and prepare people to be taught.

      2.  Assist the missionaries when they teach (in members’ homes, if possible).
      3.  Fellowship investigators.
      4.  Prepare themselves and their children to serve as full-time missionaries

Finding people to Teach is a Challenge.

Speaking of the gathering work in the last days the prophet  Jeremiah described it in these terms:
Jeremiah 16:16 ¶Behold, I will send for many ^afishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.

I would like to use a mining analogy of finding.  I work in the mining industry.  In mining we are looking for deposits of ore.  This is a sample of ore from one of our mines in North America.  It weighs about 3 pounds.  This ore is about .3 percent copper…one-third of one percent copper.  The average home has about 450 pounds of copper in it.  In order to mine enough copper to provide the copper needed for your house about 100 tons of ore would need to be mined. 

So miners are constantly exploring and seeking out ore deposits around the world that are richer in copper so they can extract is more cheaply and easily.  Putting in great efforts in exploration, we have found rich deposits around the world.  In South America we have found deposits of about 1% copper.  In Indonesia we have found an enormous deposit that contains about 2% copper and a rich gold by-product.  In Africa we have found a deposit that contains about 4% copper.  The more we explore, the more deposits we can identify.

In the same way that mining companies are exploring for copper, we are called to explore our ward boundaries to fish and hunt for those of the Lord’s children that are prepared to receive the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  We need to work together.

Our Church leaders have presented to us the Ward Council Process.  This begins by the ward council gathering a Master List of potential investigators.  The list would include the friends and neighbors of all the members of the ward that the members have identified that they are getting to know.  Our Stake Presidency has encouraged each of us to identify friends or neighbors that we can work with and have a “Next Step” in inviting them to learn and know more.  Merely getting to know your neighbors is the beginning of the finding process.  I hope that you are all working on establishing a next step in your missionary work.  And that a Master List has been established of all those potential investigators in the Ward.  It is important that all of the auxiliaries of the ward participate and that the list of potential investigators be gathered so the Ward Council can consider them.

In the Ward Council Process, the Ward Council then is to meet together and then prayerfully select those from the master list that are ready to be invited to listen to the missionary discussions.  When these are identified, the Ward Council then decides who would be the best person to invite these people to hear the discussions and to have them in their home.  The invitations are made and the missionaries then would teach those people with a member present at all the lessons.

In the last General Priesthood Meeting of the Church President Monson encouraged us to see others as they may become.  He told about a missionary that had experienced a lot of success in his mission.  When asked what led to his success, he states that he envisioned everyone that he met as a candidate for baptism.  He pictured them in white clothes and ready to make those sacred covenants with the Lord.

“We have the responsibility to look at our friends, our associates, our neighbors this way. Again, we have the responsibility to see individuals not as they are but rather as they can become. I would plead with you to think of them in this way.”

 I would suggest that we can even take this vision a little further.  Many of those that we work with are part member families or those that have been less-active for some time.  I would hope that we can envision them dressed in white and being sealed in the temple as a forever family. 

I have had those feelings.  I remember not too long ago teaching a family the missionary lessons and explaining to them that the Lord desires that they would be sealed together as a family.  That vision will be a reality for that family in the next couple of months.

We are called to be those fishers and hunters in the last days.

Doctrine and Covenants 18:10-16

Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;
For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.
And he hath arisen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.
And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!
Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people.
And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

Get Up and Win the Race

Get Up and Win the Race

Ellsworth Ward, January 30, 2012

            It’s become rather popular to have stickers on the back of your car and in your back window.  Those window stickers tell a little bit about the person or the family that are inside.  Recently, I was behind a car that had stickers of a series of numbers inside circles.  The numbers were 13.1, 26.2 and 140.6.  I figured out that the 26.2 was the distance of a marathon, and 13.1 was a half marathon.  This person was a distance runner.  I couldn’t figure out what the 140.6 was so I googled it.  I learned that 140.6 miles is the distance of an Ironman Triathlon.

            Many of you probably already know this, but an Ironman is the ultimate endurance event where contestants begin by swimming 2.4 miles, usually in a lake or the Ocean.  I remember as a Boy Scout completing the Mile swim in a swimming pool.  A mile is a long way to swim.  I have no idea how anyone can swim 2.4 miles in a lake.  In the triathlon, after contestants complete the swim, they get on their bikes and cycle for 112 miles.  I’ve helped Scouts complete their Cycling merit badge by completing a series of rides, the longest of which is 50 miles.  I can tell you that 50 miles is a long way to go at one time.  I can’t imagine biking 112 miles.  After the cycle leg, the triathletes then run a 26.2 mile marathon.  Athletes that complete these three endurance events back to back are called “Ironmen”.

            I remember watching in 1982 as Julie Moss, a graduate student raced in the world triathlon championship in Hawaii.  Julie claimed that she didn’t do any special training for the event, but nevertheless found herself way ahead in the women’s competition.  But just a couple of miles before the finish line, she collapsed due to dehydration.  She got back up and began walking and then running and started to wobble again and then fell again.  She continued to rise and walk and wobble her way toward the finish line.  And after falling just yards before the line, she crawled and drug herself toward the line.  She was passed by another runner.  There were people around her that wanted to help her, but they could only encourage her to keep going.  With all her might she finally crawled across the line.  Her struggle inspired many others to train for triathlons.

            I would like to liken a triathlon to doing our duty to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Missionary work is like a triathlon.  Just like the triathlon consists of different activities, our efforts to share the gospel need to include different methods.  Just as a triathlon includes constant, enduring effort, so should our sharing the gospel be constantly on our minds and in our prayers.

            Recently, we were discussing in Gospel Principles class about sharing the gospel and a sister commented that she had tried, a lot, and struck out.  My thoughts were that this baseball metaphor does not pertain to missionary work.  There is no “three strikes and your out” rule.  It’s more like T-ball, when you’re coaching your own kids.  They get to swing until they hit the ball.  In our last Stake Conference that was broadcast from Salt Lake Elder Holland mentioned that we have to look to new ways to do missionary work.  The world is changing and so we need to change the way we reach out to others.  We no longer live in a world where it is easy for our missionaries to walk from house to house and be received.  Most people are very cautious about who they will open their doors to.  People will only receive the gospel when they are listening.  They will listen when they are in a safe and receiving environment.  YOU will not convert anyone.  God’s Children are converted when they receive answers to their prayers through the Holy Ghost.  Our responsibility is simply to be friends and invite all to come to Christ.

            This is a time of year that we like to set goals for ourselves.  I would like to suggest a couple of goals related to missionary work.  Most of you know that our Ward Mission Plan is that every family have and execute their own Family Mission Plan.  As a Ward Council we agreed that we would expand our Ward Mission Plan to ask each family to included these two goals in their Family Mission Plans:  1)  to invite a non-member friend or family to your home for a family home evening  or family activity and 2) to invite a non-member friend or family member to a Church meeting or activity.

            In the last General Conference, Elder M. Russell Ballard gave a talk about honeybees and the changes that we could make if we work together.  He said: “How do we make this change? How do we ingrain this love of Christ into our hearts? There is one simple daily practice that can make a difference for every member of the Church, including you boys and girls, you young men and you young women, you single adults, and you fathers and mothers.

            That simple practice is: In your morning prayer each new day, ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of His precious children. Then go throughout the day with your heart full of faith and love, looking for someone to help. Stay focused, just like the honeybees focus on the flowers from which to gather nectar and pollen. If you do this, your spiritual sensitivities will be enlarged and you will discover opportunities to serve that you never before realized were possible.”

            As we look for opportunities to help others we should consider their potential.  President Monson told a story about how we should look at others. “In one particular meeting, N. Eldon Tanner, who was then an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve, had just returned from his initial experience of presiding over the missions in Great Britain and western Europe. He told of a missionary who had been the most successful missionary whom he had met in all of the interviews he had conducted. He said that as he interviewed that missionary, he said to him, “I suppose that all of the people whom you baptized came into the Church by way of referrals.”

The young man answered, “No, we found them all by tracting.”

Brother Tanner asked him what was different about his approach—why he had such phenomenal success when others didn’t. The young man said that he attempted to baptize every person whom he met. He said that if he knocked on the door and saw a man smoking a cigar and dressed in old clothes and seemingly uninterested in anything—particularly religion—the missionary would picture in his own mind what that man would look like under a different set of circumstances. In his mind he would look at him as clean-shaven and wearing a white shirt and white trousers. And the missionary could see himself leading that man into the waters of baptism. He said, “When I look at someone that way, I have the capacity to bear my testimony to him in a way that can touch his heart.”

            We have the responsibility to look at our friends, our associates, our neighbors this way. Again, we have the responsibility to see individuals not as they are but rather as they can become. I would plead with you to think of them in this way.

            Elder Hales talked about how we can follow Christ’s council to “Feed his sheep”.  This is the call of Christ to every Christian today: “Feed my lambs. … Feed my sheep”—share my gospel with young and old, lifting, blessing, comforting, encouraging, and building them, especially those who think and believe differently than we do. We feed His lambs in our homes by how we live the gospel: keeping the commandments, praying, studying the scriptures, and emulating His love. We feed His sheep in the Church as we serve in priesthood quorums and auxiliary organizations. And we feed His sheep throughout the world by being good Christian neighbors, practicing the pure religion of visiting and serving the widows, the fatherless, the poor, and all who are in need.

I found the poem “The Race” by D.H. Groberg inspiring.

“Quit!” “Give up, you’re beaten!” they shout at me and plead,
“There’s just too much against you now, this time you can’t succeed.”
And as I started to hang my head in front of failure’s face,
My downward fall is broken by the memory of a race.
And hope refills my weakened will as I recall that scene.
For just the thought of that short race rejuvenates my being.
A children’s race, young boys, young men; now I remember well.
Excitement, sure, but also fear; it wasn’t hard to tell.
They all lined up so full of hope. Each thought to win the race
Or tie for first, if not that, at least take second place.
And fathers watched from off the side, each cheering for his son,
And each boy hoped to show his dad that he would be the one.
The whistle blew and off they sped, as if they were on fire
To win, to be the hero there, was each boy’s desire.
And one boy in particular, his dad was in the crowd,
Was running near the lead and thought, “My dad will be so proud.”
But as he speeded down the field, across the shallow dip,
The little boy who thought to win lost his step and slipped.
Trying hard to catch himself, his arm flew out to brace,
And ‘mid the laughter of the crowd, he fell flat on his face.
So, down he fell, and with him, hope. He couldn’t win it now.
Embarrassed, sad, he only wished he’d disappear somehow.
But, as he fell, his dad stood up and showed his anxious face,
Which to the boy so clearly said, “Get up and win the race!”
He quickly rose, no damage done, behind a bit, that’s all.
And ran with all his mind and might to make up for the fall.
So anxious to restore himself, to catch up and to win,
His mind went faster than his legs. He slipped and fell again.
He wished he had quit before with only one disgrace.
“I’m hopeless as a runner now, I shouldn’t try to race.”
But, in the laughing crowd he searched and found his father’s face.
That steady look that said again, “Get up and win the race!”
So, he jumped up to try again, ten yards behind the last;
“If I’m to gain those yards,” he thought, “I’ve got to run real fast!”
Exceeding everything he had, he regained eight or ten,
But trying so hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again.
Defeat! He lay there silently, a tear dropped from his eye.
“There’s no sense running more. Three strikes, I’m out…why try?”
The will to rise had disappeared, all hope had fled away.
So far behind, so error-prone, a loser all the way.
“I’ve lost, so what’s the use?” he thought, “I’ll live with my disgrace.”
But, then he thought about his dad, who soon he’d have to face.
“Get up,” an echo sounded low, “Get up and take your place.
You weren’t meant for failure here; get up and win the race.”
With borrowed will, “Get up,” it said, “You haven’t lost at all,
For winning is no more than this–to rise each time you fall.”
So up he rose to win once more. And with a new commit,
He resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn’t quit.
So far behind the others now, the most he’d ever been.
Still, he gave it all he had, and ran as though to win.
Three times he fallen, stumbling, three times he rose again.
Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.
They cheered the winning runner, as he crossed the line, first place,
Head high and proud and happy; no falling, no disgrace.
But, when the fallen crossed the finish line, last place,
The crowd gave him the greater cheer for finishing the race.
And even though he came in last, with head bowed low, unproud,
You would have thought he won the race, to listen to the crowd.
And to his dad, he sadly said, “I didn’t do so well.”
“To me you won,” his father said, “You rose each time you fell.”
And now when things seem dark and hard and difficult to face,
The memory of that little boy helps me in my race.
For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all.
And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
“Quit!” “Give up, you’re beaten!” They still shout in my face,
But another voice within me says, “Get up and win the race!”

May we all seek for inspiration to make and carry out goals to become better people this year.  My we include in those goals, goals to share the gospel with others.

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true.  That is contains the power and authority and covenants and ordinances to execute God’s plan for His children.  That plan is that we will all have joy – in this life and for eternity.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.