Sunday, July 31, 2011

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah July 7-31-2011

Primary
Obedience - why are we obedient?  We are unhappy when we disobey God because what he tells us to do is what will make us happy.  I do not think this is a punishment like God reaches down and punishes us, but as a result of not doing what makes us happy, which could be termed a punishment, but one of our own making that we inflict on ourselves.
Sacrament Service
My daughter gave a brief report on young women camp.  Apparently she didn’t have as good a time as I did.

Matthew 22:37-40
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great a commandment.
39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Why love God first?  Because He is most important?  Or is it because we must reconcile our relationship Him first and learn how to truly love before we can understand how to love others.

How do we love like God?  We live like Him.

Doctrine and Covenants 109:8 - How to establish our homes
8 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;

Recently, in a stake conference, all present were invited by the visiting authority, Elder Glen Jenson, an Area Seventy, to take a virtual tour of their homes using their spiritual eyes. I would like to invite each of you to do this also. Wherever your home may be and whatever its configuration, the application of eternal gospel principles within its walls is universal. Let’s begin. Imagine that you are opening your front door and walking inside your home. What do you see, and how do you feel? Is it a place of love, peace, and refuge from the world, as is the temple? Is it clean and orderly? As you walk through the rooms of your home, do you see uplifting images which include appropriate pictures of the temple and the Savior? Is your bedroom or sleeping area a place for personal prayer? Is your gathering area or kitchen a place where food is prepared and enjoyed together, allowing uplifting conversation and family time? Are scriptures found in a room where the family can study, pray, and learn together? Can you find your personal gospel study space? Does the music you hear or the entertainment you see, online or otherwise, offend the Spirit? Is the conversation uplifting and without contention? That concludes our tour. Perhaps you, as I, found a few spots that need some ‘home improvement’—hopefully not an ‘extreme home makeover.’” (Elder Gary E. Stephenson, Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples, General Conference April 2009)

From the Bulletin
“We Can Make Our Homes as Sacred as the Temple"
"Under the definition of 'Temple' in the Bible Dictionary, we read the following: 'It is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth,' followed by this insightful statement: 'Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.' For me this suggests a sacred relationship between the temple and the home. Not only can we turn the doors of our homes to the temple, or the house of the Lord; we can make our homes a 'house of the Lord.' "
Gary E. Stevenson, "Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples," Ensign, May 2009, 101

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah July 7-24-2011

Elders Quorum
The lesson was based on Elder David A Bednar, The Spirit of Revelation, General Conference April 2011.

Revelation comes based on your stewardship.

Revelation is to have us do something or give us comfort.

Sunday School
Luke is the author of acts and they are addressed to the same person.

The Pauline epistles are arranged by length.  They are named after who they are written to.

The general epistles are named after who wrote them.

Acts 1 - Peter stands up and addresses the apostles because he is the head if the church now that Jesus is gone.

The first order of business is to pick an apostle, since Judas apostatized and committed suicide and they have a vacancy in the twelve.  Matthias is called as the new apostle.

Acts 2 - speaking in tongues
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

Peter was able to raise the dead just like the savior, because Jesus gave him and the apostles that authority.  He does it invoking Christ's name.

From the Bulletin
"We each can learn much from our early pioneer ancestors, whose struggles and heartaches were met with resolute courage and an abiding faith in a living God. ... Youth and children were among the thousands who pulled and pushed handcarts or walked along that pioneer trail, just as they are among the Saints today who are pioneering in their own areas throughout the world. I think that there is not a member of this Church today who has not been touched by the accounts of the early pioneers. Those who did so much for the good of all surely had as their objective to inspire faith. They met the goal in a magnificent manner.
We honor those who endured incredible hardships. We praise their names and reflect on their sacrifices. What about our time? Are there pioneering experiences for us? Will future generations reflect with gratitude on our efforts, our examples? You young [people] can indeed be pioneers in courage, in faith, in charity, in determination. You can strengthen one another; you have the capacity to notice the unnoticed. When you have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to feel, you can reach out and rescue others of your age.
One sentence from the book of Acts speaks volumes: Jesus `went about doing good ... for God was with him' (Acts 10:38). ...
Jesus Christ, Savior of the world—even the Son of God—was and is the ultimate pioneer, for He has gone before, showing all others the way to follow. May we ever follow Him!"
President Thomas S. Monson

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah July 7-17-2011

Elders Quorum/High Priest Group
Eternal Marriage
Doctrine and Covenants 131:1-3
1 In the celestial glory there are three  heavens or degrees;
2 And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage];
3 And if he does not, he cannot obtain it.

Just like with baptism, one must be married by one with the authority to do so or it does not continue after this life.

Doctrine and Covenants 132
26 Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man marry a wife according to my word, and they are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, according to mine appointment, and he or she shall commit any sin or transgression of the new and everlasting covenant whatever, and all manner of blasphemies, and if they commit no murder wherein they shed innocent blood, yet they shall come forth in the first resurrection, and enter into their exaltation; but they shall be destroyed in the flesh, and shall be delivered unto the buffetings of Satan unto the day of redemption, saith the Lord God.

The highest blessings of the celestial kingdom come only to those who are married and they both qualify for that kingdom.

Marriage is a serious and sacred thing and it should be worked hard on to get it and to keep it.

By serving and blessing others, we serve and bless ourselves.

Sunday School
1 Corinthians 15:4-6
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

Cephus is Peter and he was appeared to first because he was either the head of the church and prophet or head of the 12 apostles.  Did he appear to Peter and then the 12 apostles or did he appear to people and the rest of the 12?  Was the 12 just called that because it is the group of apostles that should be 12 or were there actually 12 at that time?

As the savior walks with the apostles on the road, he allowed them to grow and process everything while reasoning it out and feeling the spirit on their own.

Luke 24:39-43
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

The Lord eats after being resurrected.  People touched the savior.  He said that he was of flesh and bone.  Resurrected beings are tangible, made of flesh and bones, and can eat.

We see Thomas doubting, but we don't know the reaction of the other apostles who hadn't seen him.

Jesus keeps appearing and leaving until the apostles start to get it.

Sacrament Service
Missionary that recently returned from the Korea Seoul mission spoke to us.

My daughter told me that the returned missionary's brother was in her seminary class and the returned missionary came and spoke to her seminary class as well.
“To the man or woman who goes through the temple, with open eyes, heeding the symbols and the covenants, and making a steady, continuous effort to understand the full meaning, God speaks His word, and revelations come. The endowment is so richly symbolic that only a fool would attempt to describe it; it is so packed full of revelations to those who exercise their strength to seek and see, that no human words can explain or make clear the possibilities that reside in temple service. The endowment which was given by revelation can best be understood by revelation; and to those who seek most vigorously, with pure hearts, will the revelation be greatest.” (John A. Widtsoe, “Symbolism in the Temples,” 168)

From the Bulletin:
"We face many challenges in the world today, but I assure you that our Heavenly Father is mindful of us. He loves each of us and will bless us as we seek Him through prayer and strive to keep His commandments." President Thomas S. Monson, At Parting, General Conference, April 2011.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah July 7-10-2011

Stake General Priesthood Meeting
Elder Lynn L. Summerhays spoke to us.

The spirit allows us to be and do things that we could not otherwise be and do.

Doctrine and Covenants 8:2
2 Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.

Doctrine and Covenants 11:13
13Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;

We know that God is a happy and pleasant being, because when we feel the spirit, which communicates Him to us, we are happy and pleasant.

Moroni 7:47
 47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

The holy ghost speaks to the heart and to the mind.  The world tries to separate the intellect and spiritual things; science and religion.  They are both necessary and help each other to grow.

The last time a seventy was here he gave us opportunities to have revelations.  He had asked us as he prayed to see what name came to mind as who we should work on sharing the gospel with.  This time, this seventy kept stopping and asking for people to tell him what they were feeling and thinking.  Elder Summerhays told us this time that the 12 encourages them to have revelatory sessions with the membership of the church.

Primary
The lesson was on families.

Matthew 18:18
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

If it is not sealed on earth by one with authority then it is not sealed in heaven.

Sacrament Service

“For prayers to be efficacious, they must be in harmony with the plan of heaven. The prayer of faith bears fruit when such harmony exists, and this harmony exists when prayers are inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit manifests what our petitions should be.21 Absent this inspired guidance, we are inclined to ‘ask amiss,’22 to seek only our will and not ‘Thy will.’23 It is as important to be guided by the Holy Spirit while praying as it is to be enlightened by that same Spirit while receiving an answer to prayer. Such prayer brings forth the blessings of heaven because our Father ‘knoweth what things [we] have need of, before [we] ask him,’24 and He answers every sincere prayer. Ultimately, it is the Father and the Son who promise, ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’25” (Bishop Keith B. McMullin, Our Path of Duty, April 2010 General conference)


1 Corinthian 13:11
 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

“The scriptures were one of the ways God spoke to me—even when I was a child—about my needs, my situation, and my life. They still are. Since our needs change over a lifetime, God has different things to tell us at different times.
Sometimes I go to the scriptures for doctrine. Sometimes I go to the scriptures for instruction. I go with a question, and the question usually is “What would God have me do?” or “What would He have me feel?” Invariably I find new ideas, thoughts I have never had before, and I receive inspiration and instruction and answers to my questions.” (President Henry B. Eyring, A Discussion on Scripture Study, Ensign July 2005)

"Crash courses are not nearly so effective as the day-to-day reading and application of the scriptures in our lives." (President Thomas S. Monson, “Be Your Best Self,” Ensign, May 2009, 68)

Luke 22:32
32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Alma 23:6
 6 And as sure as the Lord liveth, so sure as many as believed, or as many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through the preaching of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit of revelation and of prophecy, and the power of God working miracles in them—yea, I say unto you, as the Lord liveth, as many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away.

Teacher Development
Know, Do, Feel, Become

Doctrine and Covenants 50 - Gospel Teaching
V13-14 - We are called as instructors or advisers in the church not teachers.  We tell the class stuff, but they are responsible for learning.

V17-20 - Teach by the spirit.  If some other way it is not of God.

V21-22 - If the teacher and the student are both prepared with the Spirit, then they are both edified.

Ask questions in teaching/instructing that don't have wrong answers or rather have many right answers.

From the Bulletin
"As disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility to care for and serve our brothers and sisters. In relating the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus Christ not only confounded His enemies but also taught a great lesson to all who sought to follow Him. We need to enlarge the circle of our influence. Our service to others should be independent of race, color, standing, or relationships. After all, the commandment to 'succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees' (D&C 81:5) did not come with qualifications." Michael J. Teh, "Out of Small Things," Ensign, Nov. 2007, 35