Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 7-05-09

Announcements

• Next Sunday 7:15am priesthood meeting at Sullivan Hollow ward building.
• July 18th 5pm ward activity to plays games at the Sullivan Hollow ward building.
  

Priesthood Opening
James 1

Elders' Quorum
Priesthood Responsibilities, Elder Claudio R. M. Costa, General Conference April 2009

“Each of us has a fourfold responsibility. First, we have a responsibility to our families. Second, we have a responsibility to our employers. Third, we have a responsibility to the Lord’s work. Fourth, we have a responsibility to ourselves.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Rejoicing in the Privilege to Serve,” Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, June 21, 2003, 22)

Doctrine and Covenants 20:38-45 - Some of the duties of an elder.
38 The ^aduty of the elders, priests, teachers, deacons, and members of the church of Christ—An ^bapostle is an ^celder, and it is his calling to ^dbaptize;

39 And to ^aordain other elders, priests, teachers, and deacons;

40 And to administer ^abread and wine—the ^bemblems of the flesh and blood of Christ—

41 And to ^aconfirm those who are baptized into the church, by the laying on of ^bhands for the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, according to the scriptures;

42 And to teach, expound, exhort, baptize, and watch over the church;

43 And to confirm the church by the laying on of the hands, and the giving of the Holy Ghost;

44 And to take the ^alead of all meetings.

45 The elders are to ^aconduct the ^bmeetings as they are ^cled by the Holy Ghost, according to the commandments and revelations of God.

• Baptize
• Ordain
• Administer the sacrament
• Confirmation of the Holy Ghost
• Watch over the Church with teaching and expoundings

When running a race one should put in a consistent effort throughout the race. The same is true for life. We will be better people with that consistent effort.

Sunday School
Lesson 25: Priesthood: “The Power of Godliness” 140
Reasons to be grateful to be members of the Church:

• Temple blessings
• Community/fellowship
• Direction/revelation
• Knowledge

The priesthood was restored in roughly this order:

• Aaronic priesthood
• Melchizedek priesthood
• Bishops
• Apostles
• 70s
• Area authorities

“Sometimes, unintentionally, even certain extracurricular Church activities, insensitively administered, can hamper family life. Instructively, after the resurrected Jesus taught the Nephites, He said, ‘Go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said,’ and pray and prepare ‘for the morrow’ (3 Nephi 17:3). Jesus did not say go to your civic clubs, town meetings, or even stake centers!” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1994, 120; or Ensign, May 1994, 89).

“Those who hold the priesthood must never forget that they have no right to wield priesthood authority like a club over the heads of others in the family or in Church callings. … Any man who … seeks to use the priesthood in any degree of unrighteousness in the Church or in the home simply does not understand the nature of his authority. Priesthood is for service, not servitude; compassion, not compulsion; caring, not control” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1993, 105; or Ensign, Nov. 1993, 78).

From the Bulletin
"We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." (Declaration of Independence)

A major THEME of the Book of Mormon "... they shall prosper upon the face of this land and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And IF it so be that they shall keep HIS commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever." (2 Nephi 1:9 among many others.)

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 6-28-09

Announcements

• July 12 7am Priesthood Meeting at Sullivan Hollow meeting house.
  

Priesthood/Relief Society Joint Meeting
The bishop encouraged us to work on the Family Search Indexing project.

This meeting was to plan block parties to have with our neighbors.

At the close of the meeting someone read an excerpt from Elder Ucktdorf's conference talk

We Are Doing a Great Work and Cannot Come Down.

Does what we are doing matter most?

Sunday School
Lesson 24: “Be Not Deceived, but Continue in Steadfastness” 134
We should recognize the deceptions of Satan that can lead us into apostasy.

• Not recognizing the prophet as the source of revelation for the Church
• Pride
  
• Being critical of leaders’ imperfections
• Being offended
• Rationalizing disobedience
• Accepting the false teachings of the world

We can remain valiant in our testimonies and avoid deception.

• We can know clearly whom the Lord has called to lead the Church
• We should study the scriptures and the doctrines of the Church
• We should recognize that the things of God will always edify us
• We should apply the Lord’s pattern for protecting ourselves from being deceived

Thomas B. Marsh took his wife's side when she was dealing dishonestly with another sister while they were sharing milk from their cows. As a result he ended up getting bitter and left the church for a time. In commenting on it President Gordon B. Hinckley stated, "What a very small and trivial thing—a little cream over which two women quarreled." (Small Acts Lead to Great Consequences, Ensign May 1984)

"After 19 years of darkness and bitterness, Thomas B. Marsh painfully made his way to the Salt Lake Valley and asked Brigham Young to forgive him and permit his rebaptism into the Church. He wrote to Heber C. Kimball, First Counselor in the First Presidency: 'I began to awake to a sense of my situation; … I know that I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight.' He then described the lesson he had learned: 'The Lord could get along very well without me and He has lost nothing by my falling out of the ranks; But O what have I lost?! Riches, greater riches than all this world or many planets like this could afford'” (quoted by James E. Faust, in Conference Report, Apr. 1996, 6; or Ensign, May 1996, 7).

Sacrament Service
4th Article of Faith
We believe that the first principles and ^aordinances of the Gospel are: first, ^bFaith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, ^cRepentance; third, ^dBaptism by ^eimmersion for the ^fremission of sins; fourth, Laying on of ^ghands for the ^hgift of the Holy Ghost.

These are the first things we need to do and then endure to the end.

Concrete is made up of so much water, so much gravel, so much sand, so much cement, and so forth. If you have more or less of any of them it does not work. Much the same is true for our lives. We have things we need to do to come out right. We need prayer, study, recreation, service, and so forth, but if things are not in the right balance in our lives it doesn't work.

The Salt Lake Temple took 40 years to build. So it is with our lives. Little by little.

Num. 27: 18, 22-23
18 ¶ And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee ^aJoshua the son of ^bNun, a man in whom is the ^cspirit, and ^dlay thine hand upon him;
• • •
22 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:
23 And he ^alaid his ^bhands upon him, and gave him a ^ccharge, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.

Deut. 34: 9

9 ¶ And Joshua the son of ^aNun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had ^blaid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel ^chearkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses.

Often members sustain our leaders with our hand while the rest of our body is doing something else like correcting a kid or sleeping. Our hands go up quickly and come down just as quickly.

"In my judgment, one of the most important acts performed at the conferences of the Church is that in which we hold up our hands before the Lord to sustain the authorities of the Church and the organization thereof as it exists. But it is one of the important things that we do which rests with little weight upon some people. In other words, some people go away after holding up their hands to sustain the authorities of the Church and think no more about it, and act in many respects as though they had merely gone through a form to which they did not attach any importance whatever. I conceive this to be a wrong principle. … Those who covenant to keep the commandments of the Lord, and then violate that covenant by failing to observe those commandments, do no more than they do who raise their hands in token of a covenant to uphold and sustain the authorities of the Church and then fail to do it. The principle is the same in both cases: it is a violation of the covenant we make." (Joseph F. Smith, Deseret News: Semi-Weekly, 14 May 1895, 1)

Sustaining our leaders does not end when our hands come down.

From the Bulletin
"I encourage you to reach out to those you serve and to love them. When you really love those you serve, they will not find themselves in that dreaded "Never, Never Land" — never the object of concern, never the recipient of needed aid. It may not be your privilege to open gates of cities or doors of palaces, but true happiness and lasting joy will come to you and to each one you serve as you take a hand and reach a heart. Should you become discouraged in your efforts, remember that sometimes the Lord's timetable does not coincide with ours.

As we succeed, as we bring a woman or man, a girl or boy back into activity, we will be answering a wife's or sister's or mother's fervent prayer, helping fulfill a husband's or brother's or father's greatest desire. We will be honoring a loving Father's direction and following an obedient Son's example (see John 12:26; D&C 59:5). And our names will forever be honored by those whom we reach." President Thomas S. Monson, Sugar Beets and the Worth of a Soul, Ensign, July 2009, 6 -7 .

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 6-21-09

Priesthood Opening
Alma 5:38
38 Behold, I say unto you, that the good ^ashepherd doth call you; yea, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of Christ; and if ye will not ^bhearken unto the voice of the ^cgood shepherd, to the ^dname by which ye are called, behold, ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd.

Elders' Quorum
Chapter 35: Redemption for the Dead 401–11
Those who die with a knowledge of the gospel are not automatically damned. Those who do know better will not necessarily get a second chance in the hereafter.

Sunday School
Lesson 23: “Seek Learning, Even by Study and Also by Faith” 127
D&C 88:118
118 And as all have not ^afaith, seek ye diligently and ^bteach one another words of ^cwisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best ^dbooks words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.

2 Timothy 3:6-7

6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly ^awomen laden with sins, led away with divers ^blusts,

7 Ever ^alearning, and never able to come to the ^bknowledge of the ^ctruth.

Sacrament Service
D&C 103

8 But inasmuch as they ^akeep not my commandments, and hearken not to observe all my words, the kingdoms of the world shall prevail against them.

9 For they were set to be a ^alight unto the world, and to be the ^bsaviors of men;

10 And inasmuch as they are not the saviors of men, they are as ^asalt that has lost its savor, and is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.

"Those of us who have served missions have seen the miracle in the lives of some we have taught as they have come to realize that they are sons and daughters of God. Many years ago an elder who served a mission in the British Isles said at the end of his labors, “I think my mission has been a failure. I have labored all my days as a missionary here and I have only baptized one dirty little Irish kid. That is all I baptized.”

Years later, after his return to his home in Montana, he had a visitor come to his home who asked, “Are you the elder who served a mission in the British Isles in 1873?”

“Yes.”

Then the man went on, “And do you remember having said that you thought your mission was a failure because you had only baptized one dirty little Irish kid?”

He said, “Yes.”

The visitor put out his hand and said, “I would like to shake hands with you. My name is Charles A. Callis, of the Council of the Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am that dirty little Irish kid that you baptized on your mission.” 15

That little Irish boy came to a knowledge of his potential as a son of God. Elder Callis left a lasting legacy for his large family. Serving as a mission president for 25 years and in his apostolic ministry for 13 years, he blessed the lives of literally thousands. I feel privileged to have known this great Apostle of the Lord when I was a young man." (Elder James E. Faust, Them That Honour Me I Will Honour, April 2001 General Conference)

"Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness." (Bible Dictionary, Temple)

From the Bulletin
Happy Father's Day

We, the people of the Sullivan Hollow 2nd Ward are so very fortunate to live where we live.

We live in a land foreordained by our HEAVENLY FATHER to be a land that currently still remains free for us to believe and practice what we will. With that freedom comes the blessed opportunity to fashion our future and to be accountable and blessed for all the good choices that we think, say and do.

We live in a land where, under inspiration of our First Father (God), our FOUNDING FATHERS sacrificed, in some cases, nearly all that they had in order to bring us the germinating kernels of this free country.

We have the FATHER of our ETERNAL LIVES, Jesus Christ, to thank for all that He did in the atonement to bring us peace and joy and eventually eternal life and exaltation. As we live in accordance with the commandments, He has made our eternal options endless. In truth, if Jesus had not sacrificed himself for us and literally purchased our lives through the ransoming affect of the atonement (thereby Jesus becoming the "Father" of our eternal lives), we would be forever doomed.

And then, there are our EARTHLY FATHERS. They are just "Dads". Thank goodness for just "Dads!!"

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 6-14-09

Announcements

• June 27 - 10-11:30am - Primary activity at Sullivan Hollow ward building.
• July 4 - 4th of July breakfast for the neighborhood at Sullivan Hollow ward building.
• Tuesday June 16 - 9am-9pm - Disney Train at Union Station in Ogden, promoting Disney’s A Christmas Carol which open in November.
  http://iutah.tv/event/view/147645
  http://www.theunionstation.org/
  http://www.disneynewsarchive.com/blog/2009/05/disney-rolls-out-nationwide-christmas.html
  http://www.uptake.com/blog/attractions/disney-christmas-carol-holiday-travel_4055.html
• July 12 - Priesthood meeting @Sullivan Hollow ward building.
  

Priesthood Opening
The bishop said that ward's only stay cohesive is if we have social and service activities. He recommended that we each plan with our LDS neighbors.

Elders' Quorum
Chapter 34: The Power of Forgiving 390–400
Mercy is a principle that we all should be practicing. "Justice delivers what we deserve; mercy delivers a charity we do not deserve." (Elder Lance B. Wickman, “'Friends Again at Last': Justice and Mercy in the Warming Glow of Charity", Ensign June 2000)

“Ever keep in exercise the principle of mercy, and be ready to forgive our brother on the first intimations of repentance, and asking forgiveness; and should we even forgive our brother, or even our enemy, before he repent or ask forgiveness, our heavenly Father would be equally as merciful unto us.” (As referenced in Chapter 34 of Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith originally from History of the Church, 3:383; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on July 2, 1839, in Montrose, Iowa; reported by Wilford Woodruff and Willard Richards.)

Why do we find it hard to forgive others? Perhaps because we do not have the love we ought to for mankind in general. If our children wrong or offend us, how quickly do we forgive them? Contrast that with how slowly we forgive others for similar offenses.

We find it difficult to sacrifice our feelings in order to be right or in order to hold a grudge. If we are one with Christ we will forgive as He would forgive personal offenses against himself.

Sunday School
Lesson 22: The Word of Wisdom: “A Principle with Promise” 121
The food Pyramid was created in 1980. The Word of Wisdom, which is very similar in the parts about food, was given by God as a code of health by God in 1833.

We could perhaps use the pyramid model to create a plan for how to use our time to be spiritually healthy. For example, we could put junk uses of time at the top, smallest part of the pyramid like we do for junk food on the food pyramid.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

16 Know ye not that ye are the ^atemple of God, and that the ^bSpirit of God dwelleth ^cin you?

17 If any man ^adefile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is ^bholy, which temple ye are.

1 Corinthians 6: 19
19 What? know ye not that your ^abody is the ^btemple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your ^cown?

D&C 89: 4
4 Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of ^aevils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of ^bconspiring men in the last days, I have ^cwarned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation—

Some thoughts on D&C 89:4 and the rest of the section as well:

• Cigarette companies place warnings on their product advising that it causes cancer. They sell products to get off of their other products because they are so addictive.
• We tend to focus on the cigarette and alcohol companies as the conspiring men, but we should recall that the word of wisdom is not just for abstaining from Cigarettes and alcohol. It is also not just about abstaining for coffee and tea, but also about our diet. There is great marketing effort put into getting us to eat junk.

The things that we are counseled to not put in our bodies have legitimate used. For example, tobacco for bruises.

“Drunken with strong drink, men have lost their reason; their counsel has been destroyed; their judgment and vision are fled. … Drink has brought more woe and misery, broken more hearts, wrecked more homes, committed more crimes, filled more coffins, than all the wars the world has suffered” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1942, 8).

D&C 49:21
21 And wo be unto man that ^asheddeth blood or that ^bwasteth ^cflesh and hath no need.

D&C 89:12-17

12 Yea, ^aflesh also of ^bbeasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used ^csparingly;

13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be ^aused, only in times of winter, or of cold, or ^bfamine.

14 All ^agrain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;

15 And ^athese hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.

16 All grain is good for the ^afood of man; as also the ^bfruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground—

17 Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.

Sacrament Service
Article of Faith 11

"We claim the ^aprivilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the ^bdictates of our own ^cconscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them ^dworship how, where, or what they may."

Isaiah 41:29
29 Behold, they are all ^avanity; their works are nothing: their molten ^bimages are wind and confusion.

How are our idols of today (TV, movies, cars, sports) a wind and confusion?

D. Todd Christofferson's talk from last conference was referenced.

God sets the terms of our covenants. If we keep those covenants we are blessed and benefit from those covenants.

From the Bulletin
"With all of our uniqueness, we all have some things in common. We are all in the probationary test of mortality. And, wherever we live, that test will become increasing difficult. We are in the last dispensation of time. God's prophets have seen these times for millennia. They saw that wonderful things were to happen. There was to be a restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The true Church was to be brought back with prophets and apostles. The gospel was to be taken to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. Most marvelous of all, the true Church and its members are to become worthy for the coming of the Savior to His Church and to His purified disciples.

But the true prophets also saw that in the last days Satan would rage. There would be wars and rumors of wars. That would inspire fear. The courage of many would fail. There would be great wickedness. And Satan would deceive many.

Yet, happily, many would not be overcome. And many would not be deceived."

'"The Holy Ghost Is the Key.... For all of us there will be at least three requirements. None of them can be gained and retained from a single experience. All of them must be constantly renewed.... First, receiving the Holy Ghost takes faith in our Heavenly Father and in His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.... A second requirement for frequent companionship and direction from the Holy Ghost is to be clean.... A third requirement for the companionship of the Holy Ghost is pure motive. If you want to receive the gifts of the Spirit, you have to want them for the right reasons."
Elder Henry B Eyring, "Gifts of the Spirit for Hard Times", Ensign, June 2007, 18 — 24.

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 6-7-09

Priesthood Opening
Doctrine and Covenants 33:16
16 And the Book of Mormon and the holy scriptures are given of me for your ^ainstruction; and the power of my ^bSpirit ^cquickeneth all things.

Elders Quorum
"Those handcart pioneers who said they came to know God in their extremities ..." (Elder Bruce C. Hafen, The Atonement: All for All, General Conference April 2004)
As we are beat upon in our daily lives we also learn to know God.
Brigham Young sent help. When those around us are beat upon, we are to be there for them.

After we have a time consuming calling or get old, we don't pull back our level of service. We are to endure to the end.

The Lord has paid large debts for us as we are slothful at times and sin. We should give liberally to our fellow men with our time and talents. It is a small thing compared to the debts that have been paid for us and blessings we will continue to receive.

Sunday School
Lesson 21: “Looking Forth for the Great Day of the Lord to Come” 115
“How do you prepare for the Second Coming? Well, you just do not worry about it. You just live the kind of life that if the Second Coming were to be tomorrow you would be ready. Nobody knows when it is going to happen. … Our responsibility is to prepare ourselves, to live worthy of the association of the Savior, to deport ourselves in such a way that we would not be embarrassed if He were to come among us. That is a challenge in this day and age” (Church News, 2 Jan. 1999, 2, President Gordon B. Hinckley)

Watch for the signs of the second coming -"If ye are prepared ye shall not fear" (D&C 38:30)

• Gospel restored and sent to all nations.
• Elijah and other prophets return. Keys of priesthood restored.
• Iniquity will abound.
• Plagues
  

Testimony Meeting

From the Bulletin
Tomorrow's joy OR tomorrow's despair [emphasis added] has it roots in decisions we make today. Perhaps some people think to themselves: 'I know I need to change some things in my life. Maybe later, but not now.' Those who stand at the threshold of life always waiting for the right time to change are like the man who stands at the bank of a river waiting for the water to pass so he can cross on dry land. Today is the man who stands at the bank of a river waiting for the water to pass so he can cross on dry land. "Today is the day of decision." (Josh. 24:15) [from Joseph B Wirthlin, "Three Choices", Ensign, November 2003, 78.]

If we are truly serious about our eternal inheritance and having blessings here and now, we must obey God's guidance (commandments, prophets, etc.) here, now and continuously. Even with what little we do in comparison to all that is given by HIM to us, it must be this way because love cannot be one-sided, or as in human relationships, the relationship will not exist for very long. This is why Jesus says in John 14:15, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." Obedience is the way we show and reciprocate His love toward us. It's just that simple.

The Lord goes on further to state that as we obey Him, He will bless us. Indeed, by eternal law. He is required to bless us. (D&C 82:10) Much like planting seeds in fertile soil and obeying the laws of nature, we eventually reap the fruits of our labors even though we do so little in comparison to what God does to nourish the plants to maturity.

If we wish to have specific blessings, we must keep the commandments associated with those blessings. (D&C 130:20, 21) It is all very simple.

The Bishop

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 5-31-09

Priesthood Opening
Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs at Dee Events Center at Weber State University on July 15th. Tickets are free and available for ages 8 and up. Limit six per family.

3 Nephi 11:5-11
5 And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did ^aopen their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came.

6 And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which they heard; and it said unto them:

7 Behold my ^aBeloved Son, ^bin whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.

8 And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they ^asaw a Man ^bdescending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.

9 And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:

10 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

11 And behold, I am the ^alight and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter ^bcup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in ^ctaking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the ^dwill of the Father in all things from the beginning.

Elders' Quorum
The instructor referenced a talk by Elder Richard G. Scott from April 2009 General Conference, Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need.

"I strive to participate in all the different ordinances available in the temple." (Elder Scott)

Here are some bullet points Elder Scott shared in his talk (emphasis added):

• Understand the doctrine related to temple ordinances, especially the significance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.¹
• While participating in temple ordinances, consider your relationship to Jesus Christ and His relationship to our Heavenly Father. This simple act will lead to greater understanding of the supernal nature of the temple ordinances.
• Always prayerfully express gratitude for the incomparable blessings that flow from temple ordinances. Live each day so as to give evidence to Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son of how very much those blessings mean to you.
• Schedule regular visits to the temple.
• Leave sufficient time to be unhurried within the temple walls.
• Rotate activities so that you can participate in all of the ordinances of the temple.
• Remove your watch when you enter a house of the Lord.
• Listen carefully to the presentation of each element of the ordinance with an open mind and heart.
• Be mindful of the individual for whom you are performing the vicarious ordinance. At times pray that he or she will recognize the vital importance of the ordinances and be worthy or prepare to be worthy to benefit from them.
• Recognize that much of the majesty of the sealing ordinance cannot be understood and remembered with one live experience. Substantial subsequent vicarious work permits one to understand much more of what is communicated in the live ordinances.
• Realize that a sealing ordinance is not enduring until after it is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. Both individuals must be worthy and want the sealing to be eternal.

The best way to get the most out of the temple is to not go there and feast and then fast for a month or two before going back.

There are musts, coulds, and shoulds. If we don't set conscious priorities the coulds and shoulds will take the time from the musts.

Sunday School
Lesson 20: The Kingdoms of Glory 110
John 5:28-29

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the ^agraves shall ^bhear his voice,

29 And shall ^acome forth; they that have done good, unto the ^bresurrection of life; and they that have done ^cevil, unto the resurrection of ^ddamnation.

Joseph Smith was translating the Bible and he had some questions.

The teacher passed out the following talks:

• Consecrate Thy Performance, Elder Neal A. Maxwell, General Conference April 2002
• "These remarks are addressed to the imperfect but still striving in the household of faith. As always, my immediate audience is myself."
• "Spiritual submissiveness is not accomplished in an instant, but by the incremental improvements and by the successive use of stepping-stones. Stepping-stones are meant to be taken one at a time anyway."
• "We may, for instance, have a specific set of skills which we mistakenly come to think we somehow own. If we continue to cling to those more than to God, we are flinching in the face of the consecrating first commandment. Since God lends us "breath . . . from one moment to another," hyperventilating over these distractions is not recommended! (Mosiah 2:21)."
• "But if we lack proportion, the next few yards can seem so formidable. Though aware of how God blessed ancient Israel to escape from mighty Pharaoh and his hosts, myopic Laman and Lemuel still lacked faith in God to help them with a mere local Laban."

• Be Valiant in the Fight of FaithElder Bruce R. McConkie, General Conference October 1974
• "Members of the Church who have testimonies and who live clean and upright lives, but who are not courageous and valiant, do not gain the celestial kingdom. Theirs is a terrestrial inheritance. Of them the revelation says, 'These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.' (D&C 76:79.)
  
  As Jesus said, 'No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.' (Luke 9:62.)"

James 1: 22-23

22 But be ye ^adoers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a ^ahearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a ^bglass:

Celestial is to be one with Christ as he is one with the Father. Vote how he would vote. Do what he would do. Say what he would say.

Those who are not valiant and do not do their duty to the fullest are like a soldier that does not do all of his duty. For example, if a soldier's duty is to guard the camp and he doesn't do all of his duty he could be killed and perhaps jeopardize others. A soldier like that will not be given more responsibilities or rewards and will likely be disciplined.

Sacrament Service
Mosiah 2:16-18

16 Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.

17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn ^awisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the ^bservice of your ^cfellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

18 Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to ^aserve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?

"Those who serve will strive to ennoble, build, and lift their fellowmen; therefore, they will find the good in others, and they will not find reason or have time to become offended. They develop the virtue of praying for those who criticize. They don’t expect recognition or reward. They possess the love of Christ." (Elder Carlos A. Amado, Service, a Divine Quality, General Conference April 2008)

Alma 53:20
20 And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for ^acourage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all—they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.

The Lord knows who will be faithful, but often we have to learn about ourselves.

The Terrestrial kingdom includes lukewarm members of the Church. Those who were not valiant in their testimony. Those that know, but don't do.

From the Bulletin
"In October 1856, during a general conference, President Young learned that two hand-cart companies, the Martin company and the Willie company, were traveling late in the season and would face harsh winter weather on the plains of the western United States. He stood at the pulpit as a prophet of God and declared: 'Many of our brethren and sister are on the plains with hand­carts.... And they must be brought here, we must send assistance to them...This community is to send for them and bring them in...'

'That is my religion; that is the dictation of the Holy Ghost that I possess, it is to save people... I will tell you all that your faith, religion, and profession of religion, will never save one should of you in the celestial kingdom of our God, unless you carry out just such principles as I am now teaching you. Go and bring in those people now on the plains.'

As a result of President Young's call to action, wagons with teams of mules, men to drive them and flour and other supplies were immediately sent to rescue the people stranded on the plains." Bishop Richard Edgley, "This Is Your Phone Call", Ensign April 2009, 53 — 55

As we hear council from our church leaders, we need to remember that any request large or small is a call, not from the person giving the council, but from God. Sustaining our leaders means following council we are given by them after praying to know the truthfulness of the things they teach us. This is particularly relevant when it comes to fundamentals such as daily scripture study, daily prayer and family home evening. Your salvation will be largely determined by the things you are doing when only our Heavenly Father is watching.

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 5-24-09

Priesthood Opening
Doctrine and Covenants 11:12-13

12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your ^atrust in that ^bSpirit which ^cleadeth to do ^dgood—yea, to do ^ejustly, to walk ^fhumbly, to ^gjudge righteously; and this is my Spirit.

13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall ^aenlighten your ^bmind, which shall fill your soul with ^cjoy;

Elders' Quorum
Chapter 33: The Spiritual Gifts of Healing, Tongues, Prophecy, and Discerning of Spirits 379–89
Every gift of the spirit must be cultivated. It is not enough to just be given them.

From the manual:
"

“We crossed the public square, and entered Brother [Elijah] Fordham’s house. Brother Fordham had been dying for an hour, and we expected each minute would be his last. I felt the power of God that was overwhelming his Prophet. When we entered the house, Brother Joseph walked up to Brother Fordham, and took him by the right hand. … He saw that Brother Fordham’s eyes were glazed, and that he was speechless and unconscious.

“After taking hold of his hand, [the Prophet] looked down into the dying man’s face and said: ‘Brother Fordham, do you not know me?’ At first he made no reply; but we could all see the effect of the Spirit of God resting upon him.

“[Joseph] again said: ‘Elijah, do you not know me?’ With a low whisper, Brother Fordham answered, ‘Yes!’ The Prophet then said, ‘Have you not faith to be healed?’

“The answer, which was a little plainer than before, was: ‘I am afraid it is too late. If you had come sooner, I think I might have been.’ He had the appearance of a man awaking from sleep. It was the sleep of death. Joseph then said: ‘Do you not believe that Jesus is the Christ?’ ‘I do, Brother Joseph,’ was the response.

“Then the Prophet of God spoke with a loud voice, as in the majesty of the Godhead: ‘Elijah, I command you, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, to arise and be made whole!’"

Do we ourselves find that our trials have gone on too long and get hopeless that God will not help?

Faith applies to not just being healed from physical illness, also from spiritual weaknesses that continually work on us. Just like an illness may not be removed from us, so it is with spiritual weakness. We may have to continue to endure them to make us stretch our faith and our character.

Sunday School
Lesson 19: The Plan of Salvation 105
How does knowing the plan of salvation help us to make big decisions in our lives? It may be hard, but we have made decisions to do hard things before (when Father gave us the choice to choose the plan of salvation and come to earth to be tested).

Someone shared that they had a tattoo that they hoped was removed in the resurrection. We all have tattoos on our souls. The goal is to stop injecting ink into them and to repent in order to have the atonement fade them off our soul.

Sacrament Service

“ ‘The teacher’s duty is to watch over the church always, and be with and strengthen them’ (D&C 20:53). This is the mandate of the Lord. I hope that home teachers and visiting teachers will experience two things: first, the challenge of the responsibility that is in their great calling, and second, the sweetness of results from their work, particularly with those among us who are less active. I hope that these teachers will get on their knees and pray for direction, and then go to work to bring these wandering prodigals back into the fold of the Church. If home and visiting teachers respond to this challenge, I honestly believe that they will taste the sweet and wonderful feeling which comes of being an instrument in the hands of the Lord in leading someone back into activity in His church and kingdom.

“I am making a plea for us to reach out to our brethren and sisters who have known the beauty and the wonder of this restored gospel for a brief season and then for some reason have left it.

“May all home teachers recognize that they have an inescapable responsibility to go into the homes of the people and teach them to live the gospel principles more faithfully, to see that there is no iniquity or backbiting or evil speaking, to build faith, to see that the families are getting along temporally. That is a very serious responsibility; it really is. But it is not a heavy burden—it just takes a little more faith. It is worthy of our very best effort.” (Instruments of the Lord, Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign May 1997)

“Remember, both quality and quantity home teaching are essential in being an effective home teacher. You should have quality visits, but you should also make contact with each of your families each month. As shepherds to all of your families, both active and less active, you should not be content with only reaching the ninety and nine. Your goal should be 100 percent home teaching every month” (Ensign, May 1987, 51).

From the Bulletin
This weekend and this month we celebrate and honor both our heroes, ancestors, and the restoration of the Priesthood of God.

On this weekend and beyond, let us remember those many persons who have gone before us-those who paid the price for our freedoms and religion-and on whose shoulders we stand. If we are to retain our freedoms and opportunities, we must seek consistent and exacting obedience to our Father in Heaven-for He holds nations in His hands and so Eagerly Yearns to Bless the Obedient.

Though said every week and though we may almost become numb to the message sometimes, exacting and consistent obedience to God's laws and principles will bring us peace, power, capacity, healing, and joy. There is no other way. Through exacting obedience, we will be optimistic and healing, and joy. There is no other way.

Through exacting obedience, we will be optimistic in the face of all issues since we know we are completely on the Lord's side and HE will support us.

Hence, with this REAL optimism and faith built on consistent obedience, we will be aware of problems, but recognize solutions; know about difficulties but, believe

they can be overcome; see negative, but accentuate positives; be exposed to the worst, but expect the best; have reason to complain, but choose to smile.

Know is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. (Johan Wolfgang von Goeth)

THANK YOU to all who understand sacrifice NOW so that others may stand on your shoulders. I am humbled to be numbered among you, the noble and great ones.

The Bishop