Sunday, April 25, 2010

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah April 4-25-2010

Training on new family search
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Numbers 12:5-9

  5 And the Lord came down in the apillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.
  6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a aprophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in abvisionand will speak unto him in a cdream.
  7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
  8 With him will I aspeak bmouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall hecbehold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
  9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed.

1 Nephi 17:41
  41 And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they ahardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying bserpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be chealed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the dsimpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.
Aaron and Miriam were stating that they were getting revelation much like some around Joseph smith had done.

"There are three basic lessons the full-time missionaries teach: the Restoration, the plan of salvation, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. How prepared are you to give witness and testimony to the truthfulness of these very basic lessons?" (Elder L. Tom Perry, The Past Way of Facing the FutureOctober 2009 General Conference)


Doctrine and Covenants 100:5-7
  5 Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; aspeak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be bconfounded before men;
  6 For it shall be agiven you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say.
  7 But a commandment I give unto you, that ye shall declare whatsoever thing ye adeclare in my name, in solemnity of heart, in the spirit of meekness, in all things.

"More and more the world is filled with chaos and confusion. Messages surround us which contradict all that we hold dear—enticing us to turn from that which is “virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy” (Articles of Faith 1:13) and embrace the thinking which often prevails outside the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, when our families are united in purpose, and an atmosphere of peace and love prevails, home becomes a sanctuary from the world." (President Thomas S. Monson, Sanctuary from the World2008 Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting)

The key to missionary work is to expand our knowledge and strengthen our testimonies.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 4-18-2010

The holy ghost is likened to the sun in that he is in one place, but his influence is felt in many places on earth at the same time.

God the Father is the ruler, the Son is the savior, and the Holy Ghost is the revelator

The Holy Ghost has a view of our lives outside ourselves and has the perspective of God's will.

Mana was a symbol of Christ.  Christ came down from heaven to give his people life much like mana came down from heaven to sustain the Israelites.  Also they partook for the mana daily, just as we should feed our spirits everyday keeping ourselves close to Christ.

They held up Moses' hands.  This is much like us sustaining our leaders to make sure they are able to do their responsibilities.


List of scriptures the instructor passed out.

1. Exodus 15:22-24
2. Exodus 17:1-3 
3. Exodus 15:25 
4. Exodus 17:4 
5. Exodus 15:25-26 
6. Exodus 17:5-7 
7. 1 Corinthians 10:4 
8. 1 Nephi 11:25 
9. John 4:14 
10. D&C 63:23 
11. Exodus 16:2-3 
12. Exodus 16:4, 11-15 
13. John 6:35 
14. John 6:48-51 
15. Exodus 17:8-13 
16. President Ezra Taft Benson said: "I am reminded how Moses up on the hill raised his arms for the victory of the armies of Israel. As long as his arms were raised, Israel prevailed, but when they dropped from weariness, then the enemy prevailed. And so Aaron and Hur 'stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side,' and Israel was victorious. So will we be victorious as we hold up the arms of the Lord's anointed servants" (in Conference Report, Apr. 1986, 98; or Ensign, May 1986, 77).
17. Exodus 18:13-18 
18. Exodus 18:19-23 

"In this Church we are not hobbyists in genealogy work." (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, "In Wisdom and in Order", Ensign June 1989)

“We can’t do everything for everyone everywhere, but we can do something for someone somewhere.” (Richard Evans’ Quote Book (1971), 51.)


"Our effort is not to compel everyone to do everything, but to encourage everyone to do something." (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, "Family History: 'In Wisdom and Order'", Ensign June 1989)


“Man who sit with legs crossed and mouth open waiting for roast duck to fly in have long hunger.” (Old Chinese Saying)
Missionary that just returned from Fukuoka, Japan spoke to us.

We have to want the blessings of paying tithing more than we want that 10% of income.  We have to want God's blessings more than earthly
pleasures.

It is impossible to do more for God than he will do for us.

Mosiah 2:24
  24 And secondly, he doth arequire that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bbless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?

“A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation.” “Those who do not make the sacrifice cannot enjoy this faith, because men are dependent upon this sacrifice in order to obtain this faith.” (Joseph Smith, cited in Lectures on Faith (1985), 69–70.)


“Real, personal sacrifice never was placing an animal on the altar. Instead, it is a willingness to put the animal in us upon the altar and letting it be consumed!” (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, “ ‘Deny Yourselves of All Ungodliness,’ ” Ensign, May 1995, 68).

Ezra Taft Benson stated, “When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power.”(in Donald L. Staheli, in Conference Report, Apr. 1998, 108; or Ensign, May 1998, 82 ).


From the Bulletin
Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions. And the actions which speak louder than the words. It is making the time when there is none. Coming through time after time after time, year after year after year. Commitment is the stuff character is made of, the power to change the face of things. It is the daily triumph of integrity over skepticism. - Abraham Lincoln

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Church Services This Week at Weber Heights Stake Conference Ogden Utah April 4-10-2010

Elder Charrington of the Seventy was with us at our stake conference this weekend.

"We have done very well at distributing the authority of the priesthood. We have priesthood authority planted nearly everywhere. We have quorums of elders and high priests worldwide. But distributing the authority of the priesthood has raced, I think, ahead of distributing the power of the priesthood. The priesthood does not have the strength that it should have and will not have until the power of the priesthood is firmly fixed in the families as it should be." (President Boyd K. Packer, "The Power of the Priesthood, April 2010 General Conference)

Preside derived from a Latin word meaning to guard.

Power comes from personal righteousness and faith.


Doctrine and Covenants 121:36
  36 That the arights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be bcontrolled nor handled only upon thecprinciples of righteousness.

Doctrine and Covenants 121:41
  41 No apower or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the bpriesthood, only by cpersuasion, by dlong-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;

Priesthood is exercised with exactness and respect.
"The adversary is not actively disturbing our Church meetings—perhaps only occasionally. By and large we are free to assemble as we wish without much disruption. But he and those who follow him are persistent in attacking the home and the family." (President Boyd K. Packer,
 "The Power of the PriesthoodApril 2010 General Conference)

Satan is working on us 7 days a week. Are we fortifying ourselves more than once a week?

Job 38:6-7
  6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the acorner stone thereof;
  7 When the morning stars asang together, and all the bsons of God shouted for cjoy?

Doctrine and Covenants 20:37
  37 And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who ahumble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and bcontrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them thecname of Jesus Christ, having a ddetermination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their eworks that they have received of the fSpirit of Christ unto the gremission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church.

The Missionary Training Center should be a review and not a first time instruction.

Elder Charrington - "I don't know if your stake president has ever made a mistake or has
been perfect in his calling, but I know he is called of God."

Alma 13:1-6
  1 And again, my brethren, I would cite your minds forward to the time when the Lord God gave these commandments unto his children; and I would that ye should remember that the Lord God aordained priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of his Son, to teach these things unto the people.
  2 And those priests were ordained after the aorder of his Son, in a bmanner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption.
  3 And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being acalled and bprepared from the cfoundation of the world according to the dforeknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to echoose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly greatffaith, are gcalled with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such.
  4 And thus they have been acalled to this holy calling on account of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hearts andbblindness of their minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have had as great cprivilege as their brethren.
  5 Or in fine, in the first place they were on the asame standing with their brethren; thus this holy calling being prepared from the foundation of the world for such as would not harden their hearts, being in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten Son, who was prepared—
  6 And thus being called by this holy calling, and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his arest

Elder Charrington stated that we have not been called to watch over the orderly decline of the kingdom.

"In contrast, as we look at the media today from any vantage point, I think we would have to say that Lucifer’s influence is far more prevalent than the Lord’s. We are in a war. This war is the same war that raged in the premortal world. Lucifer and his followers are committed to an evil direction." (Elder M. Russell Ballard, "Filling the World With Goodness and Truth", Ensign July 1996)

Isaiah 52:1
  1 aAwake, awake; put on thy bstrength, O cZion; put on thy dbeautiful egarments, O fJerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
What would heavenly father have me/us do to bring _________ unto Christ?

It is not your burden to do this work.  It is your privelege.


Alma 21:6
  6 Thou also sayest, except we repent we shall perish. How knowest thou the thought and intent of our hearts? How knowest thou that we have cause to repent? How knowest thou that we are not a arighteous people? Behold, we have built bsanctuaries, and we do assemble ourselves together to worship cGod. We do believe that God will save all men.

Shunning our neighbor's actions on the sabbath, doesn't help them to receive the gospel.

“We ought to have the building up of Zion as our greatest object. … The time is soon coming, when no man will have any peace but in Zion and her stakes” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 160–61).

"We do not need to adopt the standards, the mores, and the morals of Babylon. We can create Zion in the midst of Babylon. We can have our own standards for music and literature and dance and film and language. We can have our own standards for dress and deportment, for politeness and respect. We can live in accordance with the Lord’s moral laws. We can limit how much of Babylon we allow into our homes by the media of communication.

"We can live as a Zion people, if we wish to. Will it be hard? Of course it will, for the waves of Babylonian culture crash incessantly against our shores. Will it take courage? Of course it will." (Elder David R. Stone, "Zion in the Midst of Babylon", April 2006 General Conference)

We are pretty pathetic at predicting who will accept the gospel based on their appearance.

Mosiah 3:19
  19 For the anatural bman is an cenemy to God, and has been from the dfall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he eyields to the enticings of the Holy fSpirit, and gputteth off the hnatural man and becometh a isaint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a jchildksubmissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

We are spiritual men having a physical experience, not physical men looking for spiritual experiences.

A story was related about a Cherokee father, who was teaching son said that inside us all there are two wolves that fight.  One good and one evil. The son asked which one wins.  The father responded with, "The one you feed."

One once said that he knows his Father in Heaven is a happy being, because they are happy when they obeys Father.

Elder Charrington
Matthew 13:44-46
  44 ¶ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto atreasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
  45 ¶ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
  46 Who, when he had found one apearl of great price, went and sold ball that he had, and bought it.

The first wasn't looking for it.  The other sought for it and found it.  Either way we must be willing to give everything.  We may not be asked for everything, but we must be willing.

Alma 7:7-10
  7 For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all—for behold, the atime is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people.
  8 Behold, I do not say that he will come among us at the atime of his dwelling in his mortal tabernacle; for behold, the Spirit hath not said unto me that this should be the case. Now as to this thing I do not know; but this much I do know, that the Lord God hath power to do all things which are according to his word.
  9 But behold, the Spirit hath said this much unto me, saying: Cry unto this people, saying—aRepent ye, and prepare the way of the Lord, and walk in his paths, which are straight; for behold, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and the Son of God bcometh upon the face of the earth.
  10 And behold, he shall be aborn of Mary, at bJerusalem which is the cland of our forefathers, she being a dvirgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and econceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

Faith without repentance means very little.  In fact it is not faith at all.

The lord knows what it is like to be me and to be you, perfectly.

Doctrine and Covenants 27:18
  18 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my aSpirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you, and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall bebcaught up, that where I am ye shall be calso. Amen.

Stepping stones can appear as stumbling blocks depending on our perspective.

"No one is exempt from the storms of life." (Elder Quentin L. Cook, "We Follow Jesus Christ", April 2010 General Conference)

"To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else." (Elder David A. Bednar, "And Nothing Shall Offend Them", October 2006 General Conference)

Obedience - Latin
Ob - look unto

Sacrifice - Latin - to become sacred

Consecration - Latin - done with holiness - consegrar

Reverence - Latin - to see god again


God could explain every answer, but he gives comfort that we may learn and grow.

“When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power” (cited from Staheli, in Conference Report, Apr. 1998, 108; or Ensign, May 1998, 82).

We should do nothing to detract from another person's reverence.  In the temple, the chapel, or at home.

Monday, April 05, 2010

Sunday Afternoon Session of General Conference April 4, 2010

Elder Russle M. Nelson - Generations Linked in Love
New Family Search


"An equally important part of fulfilling our parental duty to God is teaching our children the gospel and preparing them to participate fully in the Savior’s restored Church. Remember the lesson of King Benjamin’s people. As a result of his teachings, many of the adults had a mighty change of heart (see Mosiah 5:2). But then it says that “there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of King Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and they did not believe. . . . And their hearts were hardened” (Mosiah 26:1, 3)."


Elder Bradley D. Foster - Mother Told Me
“There is no greater good in all the world than motherhood. The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation” (President James E. Faust, “Fathers, Mothers, Marriage, Liahona andEnsign, Aug. 2004, 3)

"After several hours of gathering up stray calves and with sweat running down my face, I yelled to the calves in frustration, 'Just follow your mothers! They know where they’re going! They’ve been down this road before!' Their mothers knew that even though the road was hot and dusty now, the end would be better than the beginning."


Elder James B. Martino - All Things Work Together for Good
"We may never know in this life why we face what we do, but we can feel confident that we can grow from the experience."


"First, He sought not to do His will but only the will of His Father. He remained committed to His sacred mission even through the trial. As He fell to His face in the Garden of Gethsemane, He asked, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”3 Sometimes we pass through pain and sorrow that we might grow and be prepared for potential trials in the future. I ask a question to you mothers: “Would you ever do something that would cause pain and bring tears to your children when they have done nothing wrong?” Of course you would! When mothers take young children to the doctor to receive immunizations, almost every child leaves the doctor’s office in tears. Why do you do that? Because you know that a small amount of pain now will protect them from possible pain and suffering in the future. Our Father in Heaven knows the end from the beginning. We need to follow the example of the Savior and trust in Him."

Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer - Developing Good Judgment and Not Judging Others"There are many characteristics of people who have developed good judgment. I would offer four guides for developing such judgment in making important decisions.

First, put your own personal standards in alignment with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Second, listen to the messages of the living prophet.
Third, cultivate with the Holy Spirit a relationship of listening.
Fourth, keep the commandments."


"How many poor financial judgments would have been avoided had we listened to the years of advice given through our prophets about avoiding risky speculation and following a careful budget to avoid consumer debt? How many marriages would have been saved by using good judgment in avoiding media that lead to pornographic addiction and heartache?"


Elder Francisco J. Viñas - Things Pertaining to Righteousness
"Parents play an essential role in helping their children to understand the things pertaining to righteousness. In the Book of Mormon we find that Alma the Younger, being grieved because of the iniquity, the wars, and the contentions that existed and distressed by the hardness of heart of his people, 'caused that his sons should be gathered together, that he might give unto them every one his charge, separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness' (Alma 35:16; emphasis added).

"It is interesting to notice that he taught and gave his children their charge separately, adapting his instructions to each son, according to that son’s needs. He bore testimony and taught them doctrine and principles, preparing them to preach those same principles to others."


Elder Neal L. Anderson - Tell Me the Stories of Jesus

"After her husband passed away, Sister Stella Oaks raised her three young children (including Elder Dallin H. Oaks35) as a single mother. She once said: 'I was given to know that the Lord loved me and that I would be made equal to my mission. I felt an encircling love . . . [and knew] he [would sustain us] through the opposition that [would] arise.'36"

"If a child is not listening, don’t despair. Time and truth are on your side. At the right moment, your words will return as if from heaven itself. Your testimony will never leave your children."
“Remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, . . . [he] shall have no power over you to drag you down . . . because of the rock upon which ye are built.” (Helaman 5:12)
He shared a two quotes from Elder Daniel Forrest's father.  One of them was, "Two men can do anything as long as one of them is the Lord"

President Thomas S. Monson - A Word at Closing
Proverbs 3:5–6

  5 ¶ aTrust in the Lord with all thine bheart; and lean not unto thine cown dunderstanding.

  6 In all thy ways aacknowledge him, and he shall bdirect thy cpaths.

"My counsel for all of us is to look to the lighthouse of the Lord. There is no fog so dense, no night so dark, no gale so strong, no mariner so lost but what its beacon light can rescue. It beckons through the storms of life. The lighthouse of the Lord sends forth signals readily recognized and never failing."

Sunday, April 04, 2010

Sunday Morning Session of General Conference April 4, 2010


President Deiter F. Uchtdorf - “You Are My Hands”

"It is not good to make others feel as though they are deficient."

"One woman who had been through years of trial and sorrow said through her tears, 'I have come to realize that I am like an old 20-dollar bill—crumpled, torn, dirty, abused, and scarred. But I am still a 20-dollar bill. I am worth something. Even though I may not look like much and even though I have been battered and used, I am still worth the full 20 dollars.'"

"True love requires action."
Elder Richard G. Scott - He Lives! All Glory to His Name!
“Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth. Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered” (2 Nephi 2:6–7).

Elder Donald L. Hallstrom - Turn to the Lord
"Throughout the world and among the membership of the Church, there is great joy and great pain. Both are part of the plan. Without one, we cannot know the other. "

“My soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain” (Alma 36:20).

“fools shall have thee in derision, . . . if thou art called to pass through tribulation; . . . if thine enemies fall upon thee; . . . if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, . . . and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:1, 5–7).

“The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?” (verse 8).

"Never let an earthly circumstance disable you spiritually."

“Clearly, those of us who have been entrusted with precious children have been given a sacred, noble stewardship, for we are the ones God has appointed to encircle today’s children with love and the fire of faith and an understanding of who they are” (“Behold Your Little Ones,” Tambuli, Oct. 1994, 40; “Great Shall Be the Peace of Thy Children,” Ensign, Apr. 1994, 60).
Elder Quintin L. Cook - We Follow Jesus Christ
"Ordinances and doctrines of great importance were initiated at the Last Supper."


John 13:34-35
  34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye alove one another; as I have loved you, that ye also blove one another.

  35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have alove one to another.

"It is appropriate to disagree, but it is not appropriate to be disagreeable."

"...we need to be civil in our discourse and respectful in our interactions."

President Thomas S. Monson - He Is Risen!
Acts 10:38
  38 How God aanointed Jesus of Nazareth with the bHoly Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were coppressed of the devil; for dGod was with him.

"Last summer, not long after Jason’s 15th birthday, he was once again admitted to the hospital. On one of his visits to see Jason, his father found him with his eyes closed. Not knowing whether Jason was asleep or awake, he began talking softly to him. 'Jason,' he said, 'I know you have been through a lot in your short life and that your current condition is difficult. Even though you have a giant battle ahead, I don’t ever want you to lose your faith in Jesus Christ.' He said he was startled as Jason immediately opened his eyes and said, 'Never!' in a clear, resolute voice. Jason then closed his eyes and said no more.

His father wrote: “In this simple declaration, Jason expressed one of the most powerful, pure testimonies of Jesus Christ that I have ever heard. . . . As his declaration of ‘Never!’ became imprinted on my soul that day, my heart filled with joy that my Heavenly Father had blessed me to be the father of such a tremendous and noble boy. . . . [It] was the last time I heard him declare his testimony of Christ.'"