Ogden Utah Weber Heights Stake Conference 3-21-09

Doctrine and Covenants 82:10
10 I, the Lord, am ^abound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no ^bpromise.

"The Lord’s storehouse is both spiritual and temporal. Through faith and obedience to the commandments, we build a spiritual reservoir of strength to meet life’s challenges. Similarly, we should follow wise principles of provident living and self-reliance to build temporal resources to meet our needs and serve others.

Provident living means not coveting the things of this world. It means using the resources of the earth wisely and not being wasteful, even in times of plenty. Provident living means avoiding excessive debt and being content with having that which is sufficient for our needs.

For example, one element of provident living is to obtain education or vocational training to prepare us for a profession that will sustain us and our families. Then we must give a full day’s effort for a full day’s pay. Such a work ethic, coupled with the qualities of integrity, character, and trustworthiness, qualify each of us as a “laborer . . . worthy of his hire” (D&C 31:5).

Another element of provident living is the ability to live joyfully within our means, avoiding excessive debt and not coveting the temporal things of this world. There seems to be a sense of entitlement in today’s culture—a feeling that we should acquire right now everything that our parents have acquired over many years. Debt can enslave us. When we become burdened with excessive debt, we have given away our precious, priceless agency and placed ourselves in self-imposed servitude, spending all of our time, energy, and means to the repayment of our debts. A mounting feeling of hopelessness from this situation builds stress which depresses us mentally, affecting our self worth, our relationship with our companion, and ultimately our feelings toward the Lord." ("Seek and attain the spiritual high ground in life", Elder Robert D. Hales, CES Broadcast to Married and Single Young Adults, March 1, 2009)

Paying the Lord first shows our gratitude.

"The work of thousands of Latter-day Saints who give of their time and resources to help others, both as individuals and as contributors in the Church, is a literal manifestation of the Prophet Joseph Smith’s counsel: 'A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.'" (Neil K. Newell, "Anxious to Bless the Whole Human Race", Ensign, April 1999)

“If the people known as Latter-day Saints had listened to the advice given from this stand by my predecessor, under the inspiration of the Lord, calling and urging upon the Latter-day Saints not to run in debt, this great depression would have hurt the Latter-day Saints very, very little. … To my mind, the main reason for the depression in the United States as a whole, is the bondage of debt and the spirit of speculation among the people.” ("Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant", Chapter 13)

Budgets are a plan on how to spend our money. It helps us distinguish between wants and needs.

Teach your family sound financial principles and a good work ethic.

“Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy” (2 Ne. 9:51)

Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their year's supply of food and clothing and were debt-free. Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse: they have at least a year's supply of debt and are food-free." (President Thomas S. Monson, "That Noble Gift—
Love at Home,” Church News, May 12, 2001, 7.)

Not all blessings come back in monetary form.

Amos 8
11 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a ^afamine of bread, nor a ^bthirst for water, but of hearing the ^cwords of the Lord:
12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall ^arun to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.

True discipleship means that we must press against our weaknesses and inadequacies.

Ether 12: 27
27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their ^aweakness. I ^bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ^cgrace is sufficient for all men that ^dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ^eweak things become strong unto them.

Real power comes from the grace of Christ. The Bible Dictionary states the following of grace:
"A word that occurs frequently in the New Testament, especially in the writings of Paul. The main idea of the word is divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ.

It is through the grace of the Lord Jesus, made possible by his atoning sacrifice, that mankind will be raised in immortality, every person receiving his body from the grave in a condition of everlasting life. It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.

Divine grace is needed by every soul in consequence of the fall of Adam and also because of man’s weaknesses and shortcomings. However, grace cannot suffice without total effort on the part of the recipient. Hence the explanation, “It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Ne. 25: 23). It is truly the grace of Jesus Christ that makes salvation possible. This principle is expressed in Jesus’ parable of the vine and the branches (John 15: 1-11). See also John 1: 12-17; Eph. 2: 8-9; Philip. 4: 13; D&C 93: 11-14."

One of the speakers referenced "The infinite atonement" by Tad Callister

Enoch and Moses both found they needed the grace of God to give them strength to overcome their weakness.

1. Ex. 4: 10
   10 ¶ And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of ^aspeech, and of a ^bslow tongue.
2. Moses 6: 31
   31 And when Enoch had heard these words, he ^abowed himself to the earth, before the Lord, and spake before the Lord, saying: ^bWhy is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people ^chate me; for I am ^dslow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?

As one studies the dealings with Enoch and Moses one can contrast how the Lord dealt with each of them.

Grace is an enabling power.

Alma 26: 12
12 Yea, I know that I am ^anothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will ^bnot boast of myself, but I will ^cboast of my God, for in his ^dstrength I can do all ^ethings; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

2 Timothy 1:7-9
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of ^afear; but of ^bpower, and of ^clove, and of a sound mind.
8 Be not thou therefore ^aashamed of the ^btestimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy ^acalling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and ^bgrace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

We overcome sin through his grace. His power. His strength.

We should not only be prepared temporally, but also spiritually to withstand temptation, worldly ideas, and the opposition of society to the things of God.

Constant prayer not just once or twice a day.

1. D&C 20: 33
   33 Therefore let the church take heed and pray always, lest they fall into ^atemptation;
2. D&C 31: 12
   12 ^aPray always, lest you enter into ^btemptation and lose your ^creward.
3. D&C 61: 39
   39 Pray always that you enter not into ^atemptation, that you may abide the day of his coming, whether in life or in death. Even so. Amen.
4. D&C 93: 49-50
   49 What I say unto one I say unto all; ^apray always lest that wicked one have power in you, and remove you out of your place.
   50 My servant Newel K. Whitney also, a bishop of my church, hath need to be ^achastened, and set in ^border his family, and see that they are more ^cdiligent and concerned at home, and pray always, or they shall be removed out of their ^dplace.
5. 3 Ne. 18: 15, 18-19, 21
   15 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and ^apray always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away captive by him.
6. D&C 10: 5
   5 ^aPray always, that you may come off ^bconqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may ^cescape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.

"The Apostle Paul taught that the Lord’s teachings and teachers were given that we may all attain 'the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ' (Eph. 4:13). This process requires far more than acquiring knowledge. It is not even enough for us to be convinced of the gospel; we must act and think so that we are converted by it. In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something."
"From such teachings we conclude that the Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become." (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, "The Challenge to Become", General Conference, October 2000)

Matt. 7: 24-27
24 ¶ Therefore whosoever ^aheareth these sayings of mine, and ^bdoeth them, ^cI will liken him unto a ^dwise man, which ^ebuilt his house upon ^fa rock:
25 And the ^arain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and ^bbeat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a ^crock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a ^afoolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that ^ahouse; and it ^bfell: and great was the fall of it.

Do we have a foundation so that when we are beat up on that we don't start to crumble or washed away?

A plant grows through imperceptible changes and so does testimony and conversion.

When one has light around them frequently when more light is given to them it can be almost imperceptible.

When things go wrong is not because God has forsaken you, but because it is just part of the earthly experience.

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 2-22-09

Priesthood Opening
Mosiah 2:16
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.

The bishop expressed that you cannot be offended by another person. No one can offend you. No one can "make" you mad. You have your choice. You have control over your own emotions and reactions.

The bishop asked us to pray for Godly love for our families that we home teach.

Elders' Quorum
The lesson was based on a talk by President Henry B. Eyring "Our Hearts Knit as One" from last conference.

Unity increases family strength, congregational strength, and community strength.

People struggle to figure out social issues that the gospel already explains to us.

What would it be like to try to find a church that fits us every time we move or visit somewhere? Do we like the preacher? Do they teach what I believe?

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we have family no matter where we go. The members of the church there will be teaching the same doctrine and have for the most part similar ideas on social issues.

We have been taught processes to help those in need (job loss, house fire, natural disaster) mostly by just being taught to serve one another and seeing how that is done by those around us in the Church. Our people know how to organize in a disaster situation. We have an organization, a priesthood chain (home teachers, elders' quorum president, bishop, stake president) and a strong women's organization (the relief society).

Elder Eyring shared this, "A second principle to guide our progress to become one is to be humble. Pride is the great enemy of unity. You have seen and felt its terrible effects. Just days ago I watched as two people—good people—began with a mild disagreement. It started as a discussion of what was true but became a contest about who was right. Voices become gradually louder. Faces became a little more flushed. Instead of talking about the issue, people began talking about themselves, giving evidence why their view, given their great ability and background, was more likely to be right."

Sunday School
Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Lesson 8: The Restoration of the Priesthood 41
Keys unlock things whether it is a code like on a map or a puzzle or something that is encrypted whether it is something that has a physical that you have to remove to open a door or that must be unlocked to engaged the power of a vehicle.

Priesthood keys unlock the mysteries and powers of heaven.

Joseph and Oliver were reading about baptism and had questions. They went and prayed for answers. As a result of that John the baptist came to them and gave them the Aaronic Priesthood.
D&C 13: 1
1 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I ^aconfer the ^bPriesthood of Aaron, which holds the ^ckeys of the ministering of ^dangels, and of the gospel of ^erepentance, and of ^fbaptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of ^gLevi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in ^hrighteousness.

Sacrament Service
Prepare for the second coming temporally and spiritually.  Temporally for disasters that will come before.  Spiritually that we may not be shaken by the temporal things to come.  Spiritually that we may be able to assist in his work before and also after he arrives.

Doctrine and Covenants 29:34
  34 Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a ^alaw which was ^btemporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created.

Even our work is spiritual, even though it is necessary for temporal needs.  We should approach everything we do spiritually.  We should also choose an honorable career and jobs within that career that honor our spirits.

Preparations

• Education
• Live Within Our Income
• Save Some Money, Food, and Water for Times of Trial
• Avoid Unnecessary Debt

“We have a great welfare program with facilities for such things as grain storage in various areas. It is important that we do this. But the best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings. The best welfare program is our own welfare program. Five or six cans of wheat in the home are better than a bushel in the welfare granary.” (President Gordon B. Hinckley, “To Men of the Priesthood”, October 2002 General Conference)

Many find food storage so overwhelming that they do nothing.  Do something even if it is just a little.  Start with enough for several weeks.  Once you have reached that goal, build on it to a month’s storage and so on.

“Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their year’s supply of food … and were debt-free. Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse: they have at least a year’s supply of debt and are food-free.” (Thomas S. Monson, “That Noble Gift—Love at Home,” Church News, May 12, 2001, 7)

From the Bulletin:
"Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to “prepare every needful thing” so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops as they care for others.

We encourage Church members worldwide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings.

We ask that you be wise as you store food and water and build your savings. Do not go to extremes; it is not prudent, for example, to go into debt to establish your food storage all at once. With careful planning, you can, over time, establish a home storage supply and a financial reserve." - The First Presidency, All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage, Feb. 2007, 1.

Sunday March 11, 2007

Sacrament Meeting
One would be lost on a journey without consulting an authoritative map. Yet, many go through life's unfamiliar journey using maps that only have partial information (Oprah, mediums, scholars) and refuse to consult the complete map (scriptures, prayer, prophets).

Scriptures are not designed to be a history.

Sunday School
Some think that religion is a burden and heavy. Because it requires us to limit our activities. Even though it frees us from the worries and troubles that can come with not limiting yourself.

Priesthood
Chapter 5 Spenser W Kimball manual - Prayer the Passport to Spiritual Power
-Prayer is not an optional activity.
-A brother shared what I think he said was a Japanese saying. When we pray our feet should be moving.
-"We are to live the gospel as honestly and earnestly as we pray." (Spencer W. Kimball Ensign, Oct. 1981, 6)