Church Services This Week at Ridge Crest Ward Northridge Stake Layton Utah 22 February 2015

Sacrament Service

What is the Godhead. Three separate beings. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost all are God, but each has different role to perform.

God the Father presides over and directs the other two.

God the son is the creator and authority over this earth and things pertaining to it. He is the Redeemer of this earth. He give immortality to all through resurrection. He gives eternal life to all those that repent and accept him daily.

God the Holy Ghost testifies of the father and the son. He testifies of all truth. He comforts. He teaches. He is differentiated as ghost or spirit because he is the only member of the Godhead who does not have a physical body.

“Spiritual truth cannot be ignored—especially divine commandments. Keeping divine commandments brings blessings, every time! Breaking divine commandments brings a loss of blessings, every time!”(Elder Russell M Nelson, Let Your Faith Show, April 2014 General Conference)

Sunday School

My lesson on What is the role of agency in learning the gospel?

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What have you learned this week in your gospel studies?

What interesting gospel discussions have you had with friends or family this week?

Do you have any questions that you have been wondering about or wanting to ask someone about the church stuff?

We talked last week about immortality and eternal life. What is the difference? Look up Moses 1:39.

What is the role of agency in learning the gospel?  How do we use our agency to learn the gospel?

Is it possible to be made to come to church by our parents or by someone else’s choice other than our own, but never really learn much because we have not used our agency to choose to learn?

When we act for ourselves and choose to do what we are taught then we understand what we are taught better.

Again think about as we talk, what is the role of agency in learning the gospel?

John 7:17

17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

Is there a difference between being taught how powerful water can be and choosing to pick up a hose and spray it at something or to watch a waterfall or massive river or the ocean?

The same is true of the gospel.  We talk about how good it is, but until you choose to act upon the things we read about discuss, then you really don’t understand the power of what we are learning.

James 1:22

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

If we choose to do what we are taught we learn more than if we just hear people’s words.  What do you think about that?

What does it mean to be hearers of the word only, deceiving our own selves?

What is the role of agency in learning the gospel?

Doctrine and Covenants 50:23

24 That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

When we receive truth and act on it, we receive more truth.

2 Nephi 2:26

26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.

What does it mean to act and not be acted upon?

Who are some people in your life or that you know of that have used their agency to increase what they know about the gospel?

"A teacher can explain, demonstrate, persuade, and testify, and do so with great spiritual power and effectiveness. Ultimately, however, the content of a message and the witness of the Holy Ghost penetrate into the heart only if a receiver allows them to enter. Learning by faith opens the pathway into the heart."-bednar

No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right … and which I should join” (Joseph Smith—History 1:10, 18).

Notice that Joseph’s questions focused not just on what he needed to know but also on what he needed to do.

What did you hear in Sacrament meeting about people using their agency?

What did you hear in Sacrament meeting about people learning?

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Elders Quorum

“The Challenge to Become”, Elder Dallin H Oaks, October 2000 General Conference

Parable about the father and son.

“All that I have I desire to give you—not only my wealth, but also my position and standing among men. That which I have I can easily give you, but that which I am you must obtain for yourself. You will qualify for your inheritance by learning what I have learned and by living as I have lived. I will give you the laws and principles by which I have acquired my wisdom and stature. Follow my example, mastering as I have mastered, and you will become as I am, and all that I have will be yours.”

“We qualify for eternal life through a process of conversion. As used here, this word of many meanings signifies not just a convincing but a profound change of nature. Jesus used this meaning when He taught His chief Apostle the difference between a testimony and a conversion.”

Charity must be a change in our character and not something we do occasionally. We need to start with checking our behavior in our home. How charitable a person are we in our private life?

The Parable of the workers. All got paid the same, but worked different hours. We should show the same love for those that take longer to figure out things in life or to gain a testimony of Christ's doctrines.

Sunday June 22, 2008 - Services Sullivan Hollow Second Ward

Priesthood Opening
2 Nephi 28:20-21

20 For behold, at that day shall he ^arage in the ^bhearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good.

21 And others will he ^apacify, and lull them away into carnal ^bsecurity, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the ^cdevil ^dcheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

When we are slow to obey the prophets words because we think we have time or because they do not apply to us then we are being lulled into security.

July 13th 7:15am - general priesthood meeting at stake center.

Elders' Quorum
Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood
Doctrine and Covenants 84

35 And also all they who receive this priesthood ^areceive me, saith the Lord;

36 For he that receiveth my servants ^areceiveth me;

37 And he that ^areceiveth me receiveth my Father;

38 And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s ^akingdom; therefore ^ball that my Father hath shall be given unto him.

39 And this is according to the ^aoath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood.

40 Therefore, all those who receive the ^apriesthood, receive this ^boath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved.

-Priesthood - Power of God given to men to bless His children.
-Oath - Sacred promise with consequences. 100% guaranteed from God.
-Positive and negative consequences are possible.
-Covenant - Two party conditional oath. Action based contract.
-Receive - Not just take, but embrace.
-Magnify - Examine in great detail.

We can receive all the Father has. Many find this blasphemous. Many who spoke truth have been persecuted for speak that truth which others found blasphemous. Jesus was killed for saying He was the Son of God.

By ourselves we cannot succeed. this is the grace of God and also the atonement. His grace gives us strength. His atonement makes us clean to be able to return.

The bishop asked us to review a few resources on this subject. (Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood: Basic Manual for Priesthood Holders, Part B - Lesson 1: The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood p2,

Faith and the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood

by President Henry B. Eyring (April 2008),

The Key of the Knowledge of God

by President James E. Faust (October 2004))

Sunday School
Book of Mormon Lesson 23: “More Than One Witness” p. 102
Fish stories are hard to believe without more than one witness.
Missionaries go two by two. People are ordained and set apart by two or more people.
The Lord prepared Alma and also prepared Amulek to go with him as a second witness (Alma 8:8-10, 14-17, 10:1-5).

Sacrament Meeting
Youth including my daughter were asked to share experiences from youth conference last week. They went to the Manti Pagent on. They did baptisms for the dead in the Manti temple. They also stopped on the way to Manti in Salt Lake to go to temple square.

Several people shared their perspective on an experience that the bishop had with a guy that was riding his motorcycle from California back East. He had heard there was some Mormon mystery pagent going on, so he came to Manti on his way to see what it was all about. The bishop went up to him and started talking. He told him he should stop by temple square in Salt Lake City on his way. He said that he would and he gave the bishop his name and email address.

First Official Speaker
He just got back from his mission to New Mexico. He expressed that on his mission he heard from people that all churches were true and it didn't matter which one you went to. Yet some of these same people had left other churches because they did not baptize by immersion. As they taught them they expressed that if they were all true then it didn't matter how you were baptized. The point the missionaries were trying to make was that it was not institutions that were true, but the doctrine that they taught and if the doctrine was not true, then neither was the church teaching it.

The people in the early Church were disputing and changing the gospel even before the apostles died. The apostles spent a lot of time settling these disputations.

He quoted from Micah where he talks of priest teaching as an occupation and such and how Zion would be plowed under and started again.
Micah 3

11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the ^aprophets thereof divine for ^bmoney: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.

12 Therefore shall Zion for your ^asake be ^bplowed as a field, and ^cJerusalem shall become ^dheaps, and the mountain of ^ethe house as the high places of the forest.

He noted that when crops get infested with bugs and go bad, sometimes all you can do to fix it is to plow under the field and start over.

Second Speaker
He shared an experience where he had talked to someone who believed that Heavenly Father, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost were the same being. He testified to the man that They were separate beings. He asked how he knew that. He said, "because Joseph Smith prayed and God and Jesus appeared to him together as separate beings.

Sunday January 20, 2008 - Sunday Services Cumberland Ward

Sacrament Meeting
Youth Speaker
The speaker quoted Joseph F Smith. I did not get it word for word, so I paraphrase here. The more we choose good, the better we become at it and the better we are able to discern good from evil.

Moroni 7:14-16

14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is ^aevil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.

15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to ^ajudge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.

16 For behold, the ^aSpirit of Christ is given to every ^bman, that he may ^cknow good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

2nd Speaker
She quoted from Cecil Samuelson. Again I paraphrase. Some people have intellect and and have no wisdom. Some are unschooled and yet are wise.

James 1:5
5 ^aIf any of you lack ^bwisdom, let him ask of God, that ^cgiveth to all men liberally, and ^dupbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Third Speaker
Peculiar People
Exodus 19:5-6

5 Now therefore, if ye will ^aobey my voice indeed, and keep my ^bcovenant, then ye shall be a ^cpeculiar ^dtreasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

6 And ye shall be unto me a ^akingdom of ^bpriests, and an ^choly ^dnation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

Deuteronomy 14:2

2 For thou art an ^aholy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a ^bpeculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

Deut 26:18-19

18 And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his ^apeculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments;

19 And to make thee ^ahigh above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an ^bholy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken.

He pulled one of the definition of Peculiar from the dictionary. Along with being distinctive and all that he also found that peculiar had this definition which may be applicable in the context that we are discussing. "a property or privilege belonging exclusively or characteristically to a person." Most of his talk talked about our distinctiveness, but he gave us the aforementioned definition to let us ponder.

He quoted from the October 2007 General Conference talk by Elder M Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He quoted Elder Ballard's thoughts on the growing interest in the Church and sharing the gospel effectively.

He talked of the confusion that some have about the Church because all they know us as are Mormons. He tries to always state that he belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and not just say that he is a Mormon. I think that being call Mormons many times has a feeling of mystery that can give impressions that are untrue.

In what ways are we peculiar - Continuing revelation, plan of salvation, dress standards.

Respect our bodies through dress and appearance. Recognize that they are gifts from God.

Sunday School
Book of Mormon Lesson 3
Vision of the tree of life
Fruit of the tree - Eternal life
-White
-Most sweet
-Desirable above all other fruit
-Joyous to the soul
-The greatest of all the gifts of God
The tree - Christ and the love of God
Rod of Iron - Word of God
-Back then iron was the strongest metal known.
-Even if we are holding the rod we could be holding in different ways. We could hold with both hands firmly. We could hold with one hand and be messing with oth things with our other hand. We could be distracted by things in the grass and just touching the rod with our finger tips.
Filthy water - Evil
-The fifth runs with you the entire length of the rod.
Mist of darkness - worldly ideas and temptations.
Spacious building - Imaginations and pride of man.

Nephi did not immediately understand the vision. He had to ask God and study it out.

Four categories of people Lehi and Nephi saw.
1. Reached tree and tasted fruit and fell away.
2. Partook and did not fall away.
3. Lost in midst of darkness.
4. People in the building that never tried.

There was some discussion as to whether the tree of life if the final destination of life or just baptism. Whether those who go inactive are those who have partaken and then were ashamed.

Priesthood
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith - Chapter 2 - God the Eternal Father
Joseph's brother William related that his parents prayed with them as a family and were very serious about the children acting properly during prayer.

The lesson touched on characteristics of God. "When we comprehend the character of God, we comprehend ourselves and know how to approach Him."

The members of the Godhead are three distinct beings. Peter and Stephen both testified of having seen Jesus of the right hand of God.

Sunday November 11, 2007 - Sunday Services Cumberland Ward

Sacrament meeting
A young man that just returned from a mission to Florida and Alabama spoke. He talked about approaching missionary work like a doctor. When a doctor works with a patient they ask them where it hurts. Missionary work is also about listening to people and finding out what they need.

A stake high councilman spoke to us.

He stated that there is a difference between participation and commitment. This applies to membership in the church and to marriage.

Sunday School
1 and 2 Timothy and Titus
Lesson 41
We need to recommit our lives all the time. We can not just say that we believe one time and get complacent. I think this what repentance is about. It is our chance to recommit. The sacrament goes along with that as well. Partaking of the sacrament every week helps us to remember our covenants and recommit or increase our commitment. As new people are called in the church and we raise our hand to sustain them we get the chance to recommit. As we go to the temple we get the chance to think about our covenants and recommit.

Even if we are committed if we are not progressing we are not moving closer to God.

Paul taught Timothy to be an example to others by word, conversation and conduct, charity, spirit, faith, and purity.

The love of money is evil as Paul said, not money itself. The lesson manual pointed out that "Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught: “There is nothing inherently evil about money. The Good Samaritan used the same coinage to serve his fellowman that Judas used to betray the Master.""

Priesthood
Spencer W Kimball manual Ch 21
What did Joseph Smith know after the first vision that he didn't know before?
-God and Jesus had bodies.
-They were two different beings.
-None of the churches on the Earth were God's church.

We should be a tool in God's hand. Let's not be too locked into what type of tool we are that we fail to perform when asked to do other tasks. One brother noted that a diaginal wirecutter is not a nail puller, but it works very well in that capacity.

Many made accusations against Stephen and later he was stoned. Joseph also had many accusation and then a mob killed him as well.

Saturday October 6, 2007 - Afternoon Session of General Conference

Saturday Afternoon Session of the 177th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

M. Russell Ballard - Apostle
Faith, Family, Facts, and Fruits (Text, Audio, Video)

He spoke of the increased attention the Church has been receiving due to its "rapid growth, by events like the Winter Olympics here in Salt Lake City, and by the prominence in their chosen professions of many of our individual members."

We as members are so proud of what we have and want everyone we know to have it. "Even questions on one specific aspect can be difficult to answer because every question seems to be connected to other questions." When someone says, "Tell me a little about your church." They mean little not, “Tell me everything you know and then send others to tell me everything else.”

He gave several simple statements that could be shared on the topics of Facts, Faith, Family, and Fruits.

An example of a fact is:

Mormon is a nickname. Saint means member.

An example of faith is:
"And we believe in the Book of Mormon and other books of scripture which support and authenticate the Bible and testify of the ministry and divinity of Christ and of God’s ongoing revelation to man. Indeed, the Book of Mormon is “Another Testament of Jesus Christ.” "

An example of family is:
"Latter-day Saint families are encouraged to hold family home evenings weekly, usually on Monday nights. This provides a regular and predictable time for parents to teach values to their children and to have fun together. We invite those not of our faith to adopt this practice with their own families. "

An example of fruits is:
"...those who are married in and attend the temple regularly have a divorce rate far below the national and world average."

Joseph B. Wirthlin - Apostle The Great Commandment (Text, Audio, Video)

Elder Wirthlin began to shack a bit during his talk. The shaking increased as he spoke, but he finished his remarks. Elder Nelson got up and stood with him for most of the talk to make sure he was ok.

He spoke of the discord that was happening in the Church in the first century. He quoted Paul, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not ^acharity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. " (1 Corinthians 13:1)

"The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of transformation. It takes us as men and women of the earth and refines us into men and women for the eternities.

"The means of this refinement is our Christlike love. There is no pain it cannot soften, no bitterness it cannot remove, no hatred it cannot alter."

"Brethren and sisters, as you prayerfully consider what you can do to increase harmony, spirituality, and build up the kingdom of God, consider your sacred duty to teach others to love the Lord and their fellowman."

Bruce D. Porter - Seventy A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit (Text, Audio, Video)

Broken heart and a contrite spirit is what is necessary as an offering to God.

What does a broken heart mean? It means to do the will of God and not your own. That your heart is dedicated to God. In that state our heart is totally open to hear and listen to God. A broken heart can be molded by God.

What does a contrite spirit mean? It means that we are humble and teachable.

Eric W. Kopischke - Seventy Preach My Gospel—the Unifying Tool between Members and Missionaries (Text, Audio, Video)

He talked of the manual "Preach My Gospel" that the missionaries use to teach the Gospel. He said that if we wanted to be able to help the missionaries we should be familiar with how they teach. He also stated that we could use it to learn how to teach our own families the principles that the missionaries teach people new to the Church.

Michael J. Teh - Seventy Out of Small Things (Text, Audio, Video)

Am I my brother's keeper. Alma said, “And now, . . . ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

“Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.”(Mosiah 18:8–9)

Service should be regardless of race, standing, and relationships.

He quoted one of the Hymns,

Has anyone’s burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?
Then wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,
A blessing of duty and love. (“Have I Done Any Good?” Hymns, no. 223)

Keith K. Hilbig - Seventy
Quench Not the Spirit Which Quickens the Inner Man (Text, Audio, Video)

He quoted 1 Thes 5:19 - "Quench not the Spirit." He spoke of living in such a way that the spirit can always be there to guide us. He said, "...we too must be careful not to hinder, disregard, or quench the Spirit in our lives."

As I looked up verse 19 I noticed verse 20 that says "Despise not prophesyings." It seems as though these days people are immediately skeptical of anything you say came from a prophet.

To say that the Holy Ghost quickens us means "enlightens and enlivens" what is inside of us.

He list a few things we can measure how much effort we are putting into keeping the spirit with us or how much effort we are putting into quenching it.

1. Do I spend more time with sports than Church attendance or callings?
2. If I have a free day, do I choose to attend the temple or to visit the mall?
3. Do I resort to computer games or surfing the Internet rather than offering meaningful service to others in my home and community?
4. Do I read the newspaper religiously but find it difficult to read the scriptures daily?

Elder Jeffery R. Holland - Apostle The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent (Text, Audio, Video)
He opened by stating how we are often concerned that others see us as Christians. I still sometimes wonder if Christian really mean follower of Christ today or if it is just a title meaning protestantism with the foundation of creeds and such that Elder Holland touches on in his talk.

He discusses two main things that generally have people calling us non-Christian. "...our view of the Godhead and our belief in the principle of continuing revelation leading to an open scriptural canon."

He quoted the first Article of Faith, “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” (Articles of Faith 1:1)

He had some good things to say about God The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost being one in "every significant and eternal aspect imaginable except believing Them to be three persons combined in one substance,". He sighted lots of scriptures that show them as separeate beings.

Elder Russle M. Nelson - Apostle
Scriptural Witness (Text, Audio, Video)

He talked on people disregarding scripture. People do this with modern day scripture, but I have also seen people doing it to the Old Testament as well. Some read it, but mostly ignore what is in it for more than just inspirational stories, since they feel that it is mostly irrelevant to us because Christ did away with it all.

He sited verses 6-8 of 2 Nephi 29, but I think the entire chapter is so powerful that I quote it all here.

THE SECOND BOOK OF NEPHI

CHAPTER 29

Many gentiles shall reject the Book of Mormon—They shall say: We need no more Bible—The Lord speaks to many nations—He will judge the world out of the books thus written. Between 559 and 545 B.C.

1 But behold, there shall be many—at that day when I shall proceed to do a ^amarvelous work among them, that I may remember my ^bcovenants which I have made unto the children of men, that I may set my hand again the ^csecond time to recover my people, which are of the house of Israel;

2 And also, that I may remember the promises which I have made unto thee, Nephi, and also unto thy father, that I would remember your seed; and that the ^awords of your seed should proceed forth out of my mouth unto your seed; and my words shall ^bhiss forth unto the ^cends of the earth, for a ^dstandard unto my people, which are of the house of Israel;

3 And because my words shall hiss forth—many of the Gentiles shall say: A ^aBible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible.

4 But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a ^aBible; and it shall proceed forth from the ^bJews, mine ancient covenant people. And what ^cthank they the ^dJews for the Bible which they receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles?

5 O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have ^acursed them, and have ^bhated them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people.

6 Thou fool, that shall say: A ^aBible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?

7 Know ye not that there are more ^anations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the ^bisles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the ^cearth beneath; and I bring forth my ^dword unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?

8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the ^atestimony of ^btwo nations is a ^cwitness unto you that I am God, that I remember one ^dnation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two ^enations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.

9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the ^asame yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my ^bwords according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one ^cword ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my ^dwork is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.

10 Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my ^awords; neither ^bneed ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.

11 For I command ^aall men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall ^bwrite the words which I speak unto them; for out of the ^cbooks which shall be written I will ^djudge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written.

12 For behold, I shall speak unto the ^aJews and they shall ^bwrite it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall ^cwrite it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto ^dall nations of the earth and they shall write it.

13 And it shall come to pass that the ^aJews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the ^blost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews.

14 And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the ^ahouse of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the ^blands of their possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in ^cone. And I will show unto them that fight against my word and against my ^dpeople, who are of the ^ehouse of Israel, that I am God, and that I ^fcovenanted with ^gAbraham that I would remember his ^hseed ⁱforever.

He also quoted from Ezekiel 37:16–17 which talks about the record of Judah (the Bible) and the record of Joseph (The Book of Mormon).

16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one ^astick, and ^bwrite upon it, For ^cJudah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and ^dwrite upon it, For ^eJoseph, the ^fstick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:

17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become ^aone in thine hand.

Sunday January 21, 2007

Sacrament Meeting
One of the youth talked of the members of the Godhead being separate, distinct beings. She sites scripture and then testified that they were separate beings with one purpose. The speaker that followed her expounded on that thought.

A member of the bishopric spoke last and he also talked about the Holy Ghost. He went down the road of how we can have the spirit with us more. He talked about cleaning the junk out of our lives, both spiritually and physically.

He also talked about that we don't need to be entertained all the time. We don't need to have the TV on all the time. We don't need to have a CD going or the radio on when we travel. He said that sometimes just a quiet time to think is enough. Might be a good time for light meditation and pondering.

He said that we also need to keep our hobbies from eatting up all our time. What if service was our hobby?

Sunday School
We touched on Jesus' remarks when his mother found him teaching int he synagog. Yes he was about his father's business, as he should be, and it was a reminder to his parents of his purpose. On the other hand, even though Jesus was perfect, in that he never committed sin, did not mean that he didn't learn line upon line and precept upon precept. He wasn't sinning because he hadn't been mindful of where his parents were, but maybe he just didn't entirely understand and needed to be taught.

Priesthood
Chapter 2 in the Spencer W Kimball manual.
Tragedy was with Spencer early in his life when before the age of 12 he lost 2 sisters and his mother to death. Did the Lord cause these deaths? Does he cause the deaths of those that die in car wrecks, plane crashes, and such? President Kimball said he didn't know. The Lord takes some he needs, but others go when it is their time. Perhaps when they have accomplished all that they could here.

We didn't come to earth to be protected or for a life of ease. We came for trials and tests.