Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 3-8-09

Priesthood Opening
2 Nephi 31:20
20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a ^asteadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of ^bhope, and a ^clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and ^dendure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have ^eeternal life.

Media Kit is being replaced by Gospel Art Book a spiral bound color booklet.

Elders' Quorum
Chapter 28: Missionary Service: A Holy Calling, a Glorious Work 327–38
In June of 1837 Joseph Smith started sending missionaries to England. The Church was only 7 years old.

"From Nauvoo, Joseph Smith continued to send missionaries throughout the world. Elder Orson Hyde landed in England in 1841 and later continued his assigned mission to Jerusalem. He carried a letter of recommendation from Joseph Smith recognizing 'the bearer of these presents, a faithful and worthy minister of Jesus Christ, to be our agent and representative in foreign lands, to … converse with the priests, rulers and Elders of the Jews.'5 On October 24, 1841, Elder Hyde knelt on Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives and petitioned Heavenly Father to dedicate and consecrate the land 'for the gathering together of Judah’s scattered remnants, according to the predictions of the holy prophets.'6 Elder Hyde then made his way to Germany, where he laid an initial foundation for the growth of the Church there."

Why is faith important for missionary work? Faith is action. Missionary work requires action.

Why is virtue important for missionary work? The spirit is necessary for conversion. Un-virtuous thoughts and actions chase the spirit away. Virtue entails a good work ethic and honesty. A person of virtue has things they hold sacred. Their attitudes are less casual.

Why is diligence important for missionary work? The work of the Lord is done line upon line little by little. We must be diligent in the work as people are prepared a little bit everyday.

Why is charity import for missionary work? You are able to look past people's short comings and have compassion and service. Being a good steward and keeper of our fellow men is charity. Being a steward or keeper does not mean lording over people, but we are to watch over them and take care of them.

Don't contend. Stay away from mysteries and things we don't know. Stick to the basics.

Sunday School
Lesson 10: “This Is My Voice unto All” 53
We many times get caught up in our our problems that we forget the promises that have been made to us.

Doctrine and Covenants 25:5
5 And the office of thy calling shall be for a ^acomfort unto my servant, [insert husband's name], thy ^bhusband, in his ^cafflictions, with consoling words, in the spirit of ^dmeekness.

“Marriage [is] an institution of heaven, instituted in the garden of Eden.” (History of the Church, 2:320; from a Joseph Smith journal entry, Nov. 24, 1835, Kirtland, Ohio.)

“It is the duty of a husband to love, cherish, and nourish his wife, and cleave unto her and none else [see D&C 42:22]; he ought to honor her as himself, and he ought to regard her feelings with tenderness, for she is his flesh, and his bone, designed to be an help unto him, both in temporal, and spiritual things; one into whose bosom he can pour all his complaints without reserve, who is willing (being designed) to take part of his burden, to soothe and encourage his feelings by her gentle voice.

“It is the place of the man, to stand at the head of his family, … not to rule over his wife as a tyrant, neither as one who is fearful or jealous that his wife will get out of her place, and prevent him from exercising his authority. It is his duty to be a man of God (for a man of God is a man of wisdom,) ready at all times to obtain from the scriptures, the revelations, and from on high, such instructions as are necessary for the edification, and salvation of his household.”(“On the Duty of Husband and Wife,” an editorial published in Elders’ Journal, Aug. 1838, p. 61; paragraph divisions altered; Joseph Smith was the editor of the periodical.)

At a meeting of Relief Society sisters, Joseph Smith said: “You need not be teasing your husbands because of their deeds, but let the weight of your innocence, kindness and affection be felt, which is more mighty than a millstone hung about the neck; not war, not jangle [quarreling], not contradiction, or dispute, but meekness, love, purity—these are the things that should magnify you in the eyes of all good men. …

“… When a man is borne down with trouble, when he is perplexed with care and difficulty, if he can meet a smile instead of an argument or a murmur—if he can meet with mildness, it will calm down his soul and soothe his feelings; when the mind is going to despair, it needs a solace of affection and kindness. … When you go home, never give a cross or unkind word to your husbands, but let kindness, charity and love crown your works henceforward.(History of the Church, 4:605–7; spelling modernized; paragraph divisions altered; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 28, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Eliza R. Snow; see also appendix, page 562, item 3.)

“[The Prophet Joseph Smith] exhorted the sisters always to concentrate their faith and prayers for, and place confidence in their husbands, whom God has appointed for them to honor.”(History of the Church, 4:604; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 28, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Eliza R. Snow; see also appendix, page 562, item 3.)

"The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen" ("Beware of Pride", President Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign May 1989)

Dictionary.com defines enmity as "a feeling or condition of hostility; hatred; ill will; animosity; antagonism."

We need to balance self reliance with humility and faith.

When talks and lessons are given and scriptures are read, dig for how it applies to us and not dwell on others you think it applies to.

Do we trust that God will do what he says? If we trust him, we will do what he asks in order that he can give us those things He has promised us. That includes things in this life as well as the next.

Sacrament Service

Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21
20 There is a ^alaw, irrevocably decreed in ^bheaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all ^cblessings are predicated—

21 And when we obtain any ^ablessing from God, it is by ^bobedience to that law upon which it is predicated.

John 14:15
15 ¶ If ye ^alove me, ^bkeep my ^ccommandments.

"The gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to change. 'Repent' is its most frequent message, and repenting means giving up all of our practices—personal, family, ethnic, and national—that are contrary to the commandments of God. The purpose of the gospel is to transform common creatures into celestial citizens, and that requires change.

John the Baptist preached repentance. His listeners came from different groups, and he declared the changes each must make to 'bring forth . . . fruits worthy of repentance' (Luke 3:8). Publicans, soldiers, and ordinary people—each had traditions that had to yield to the process of repentance.

The teachings of Jesus also challenged the traditions of different groups. When the scribes and Pharisees complained that His disciples 'transgress[ed] the tradition of the elders" by omitting the ritual washings, Jesus replied that the scribes and Pharisees "transgress[ed] the commandment of God by [their] tradition' (Matthew 15:2–3). He described how they had 'made the commandment of God of none effect by [their] tradition' (v. 6). 'Hypocrites' is what He called those whose adherence to their traditions kept them from keeping the commandments of God (v. 7).

Again, in modern revelation the Lord declares that the 'wicked one' takes the innocent children of God away from light and truth 'through disobedience . . . and because of the tradition of their fathers' (D&C 93:39).

The traditions or culture or way of life of a people inevitably include some practices that must be changed by those who wish to qualify for God's choicest blessings." ("Repentance and Change", Elder Dallin H. Oaks, General Conference, Oct 2003)

If we focus too much on the steps of repentance we can lose focus of the purpose, which is to change our hearts and life. Though, the steps of repentance are necessary.

If we are spiritually self-reliant, the better prepared we are to face adversity in our lives.

To be spiritually self-reliant we must work.

"Much of life’s misery centers in the lack of using common sense." ("Becoming Self-Reliant—Spiritually and Physically", Elder M. Russel Ballard, Ensign, March 2009)

The parable of the 10 virgins. Is about spiritual self-reliance.

“The oil of spiritual preparedness cannot be shared. ” (A Time of Urgency, Marvin J. Ashton, General Conference, April 1974)

When we take the sacrament we witness to God that we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ.

We talked about Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's talk from October 1995 General Conference“This Do in Remembrance of Me”

The sacrament is our Passover. We are marking our lives each week with the blood of the Lamb.

The sacrament does not cleanse us. Repentance cleanses us. We get dirty everyday and should repent every day

From the Bulletin
"The great prophet Amulek taught, 'And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.' (Alma 34:16)" (Elder Earl C. Tingey, "The Great Plan of Happiness", Ensign, May 2006, 72-73)

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 3-1-09

Announcements
March 21 7PM – Adult Session of Stake Conference – At Stake Center
March 22 Noon – Sunday Session of Stake Conference – At the Ogden Tabernacle

Priesthood Opening
Doctrine and Covenants 93:12
12 And I, John, saw that he received not of the ^afulness at the first, but received ^bgrace for grace;

Elders’ Quorum
We talked about how to consecrate oil. We were reminded that we are consecrating the oil and not the container. We talked of the oil not being medicinal and not to drink it or apply it to wounds. We stated that even though the oil is consecrated it is still just oil and will go bad and should be replaced occasionally.

We talked about being a good husband and father.

Some Characteristics of a Good Father

• Honest
• Hard Working
• Worthy/Spiritual
• Good Example
• Even Tempered
• Loves His Wife (Will show it his children how to treat her and other women and girls by the way he treats her)
• A Friend
• Available
• Teachable
• Continually Learning(spiritual and temporal)
• Provide, Preside, Protect
• “By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.” (The Family: A Proclamation to the World)
• Keep up with current events in the kid world as well as the “adult” world.
• Doctrine and Covenants 93:12
• 25 And again, inasmuch as ^aparents have children in Zion, or in any of her ^bstakes which are organized, that ^cteach them not to understand the ^ddoctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when ^eeight years old, the ^fsin be upon the heads of the parents.

It is the husband’s responsibility to see that family home even, family prayer, and family scripture study happens.

Start doing family home evening, scripture study, and prayer. If you are waiting for your wife to do it then your relationship is upside down.

Characteristics of a Good Husband

• Gives Time
• Sacrifices
• Sensitive
• Listens (2 ears, not 1 ear and a TV)
• Courtship
• Worthy Priesthood Holder
• Good Father List
• Grateful
• Encourages Wife to Nurture Her Talents
• Does Not Feel That He is “Baby-Sitting” whenever he has to stay hold alone with his kids.

“God will hold us accountable for how we treat His precious daughters.” (“Honor the Priesthood and Use It Well”,
Elder Richard G. Scott Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2008 General Conference)

Sunday School
Lesson 9: “The Only True and Living Church” 48
What does it mean to live? Or to be Alive? A rock vs a tree.

• A tree grows and progresses.
• A tree produces something.

Prophesies fulfilled or started to be fulfilled in 1830

• Isaiah 11:11-12 – Israel shall be gathered.
  11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the ^asecond time to ^brecover the ^cremnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the ^dislands of the sea.
  12 And he shall set up an ^aensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
  
• Isaiah 29:13-14 – Commencing the marvelous work restoring God’s wisdom.
  13 ¶ Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people ^adraw near me with their ^bmouth, and with their lips do ^chonour me, but have ^dremoved their ^eheart far from me, and their ^ffear toward me is taught by the ^gprecept of men:
  14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a ^amarvellous ^bwork among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the ^cwisdom of their wise men shall ^dperish, and the ^eunderstanding of their ^fprudent men shall be hid.

The Lord called the Church "True and Living". It is a alive, growing, producing, receiving...
Doctrine and Covenants 1:30
30 And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have ^apower to lay the foundation of this ^bchurch, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of ^cdarkness, the only true and living ^dchurch upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well ^epleased, ^fspeaking unto the church collectively and not individually—

Christ did and is doing much more than die for us.

From the Bulletin:
"Everybody can be great because everybody can serve." (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together." (Vincent van Gogh)

"By small and simple things, great things are brought to pass." (Alma 37:6,7)

Hope is critical to both faith and charity. When disobedience, disappointment, and procrastination erode faith, hope is there to uphold our faith. When frustration and impatience challenge charity, hope braces our resolve and urges us to care for our fellowmen even without expectation of reward. The brighter our hope, the greater our faith. The stronger our hope, the purer our charity. ("The Infinite Power of Hope", President Dieter F. Uchtdorf Second Counselor in the First Presidency, November 2008 Ensign)

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.

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 2-15-09

Priesthood Opening
1 Nephi 3:7
7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I ^awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no ^bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall ^cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

Elders' Quorum
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith Chapter 27: Beware the Bitter Fruits of Apostasy 315–26
We may be tempted to think of what others are doing in apostasy, which is perhaps good to be aware of, but we should also be aware of things that we ourselves where our actions and ideas are not in tune with true doctrine.

The manual states, "Losing confidence in Church leaders, criticizing them, and neglecting any duty required by God lead to apostasy."
A couple of things to remember with this quote.
-Neglecting our duty can lead to apostasy. Selfishness breeds apostasy.
-Not criticizing our leaders doesn't mean we don't pray about what they tell us and gain our own testimony of what they say. Those who blindly follow are easily swayed this way and that. Those who pray and get a testimony are strong within themselves. They continue to build on their foundation and less easily swayed by ideas that come by that are not of God.
-Complaining in general tends to make a negative atmosphere and make us negative people. It chases away the spirit in any aspect of our life.

Putting our own knowledge about the Lord's also leads to apostasy.

Sunday School
Lesson 7: “The First Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel” 35
Sinning is like writing with your eyes closed. You lose where you are at and you have trouble making sense of what you are doing and communicating.

"If we place any condition on our willingness to serve the Lord with all our hearts, we diminish our faith." ("Lord, Increase Our Faith", Elder John K. Carmack, Ensign March 2002)

Faith is trust. Faith is action. Hebrews 11:1 talks of the ability to follow through, even when we haven't seen everything.
1 Now ^afaith is the ^bsubstance of things ^choped for, the ^devidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 12:2
2 Looking unto Jesus the ^aauthor and ^bfinisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him ^cendured the cross, despising the ^dshame, and is set down at the right hand of the ^ethrone of God.

He authors our faith and then finishes it after we do our best.
2 Nephi 25:23
23 For we labor diligently to write, to ^apersuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by ^bgrace that we are saved, after all we can ^cdo.

D&C 58: 26
26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is ^acompelled in all things, the same is a ^bslothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

Don't look for the reward. Look for the next thing the Lord would require of us.

True repentance involves a change of heart and not just a change of behavior (see Alma 5:13)” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 71).

Sacrament Service
Missionary Work
The 40 day fast for missionary work was presented. This was for missionary efforts in our ward and in our lives. It was also for opening up missionary work where the work is currently not allowed to happen.

Charity
Moroni 7:47
47 But ^acharity is the pure ^blove of Christ, and it endureth ^cforever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

Matthew 22:36-39

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt ^alove the Lord thy God with all thy ^bheart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy ^cmind.

38 This is the first and great ^acommandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt ^alove thy neighbour as thyself.

Charitable Contributions
One speaker talked of paying tithing, helping the poor through a generous fast offering, and supporting the missionary effort throughout the world through donations to the missionary fund.

From the Bulletin
"Tithing is a principle that is fundamental to the personal happiness and well-being of the Church members worldwide, both rich and poor. Tithing is a principle of sacrifice and a key to the opening of the windows of heaven. In Primary I memorized the tithing poem, 'What is tithing ? I will tell you every time. Ten cents from a dollar, and a penny from a dime.' But I did not understand it fully until it was taught by Grandfather and President Henry D. Moyle.

The law of tithing is simple: we pay one-tenth of our individual increase annually. Increase has been interpreted by the First Presidency to mean income. What amounts to 10 percent of our individual income is between each of us and our Maker. There are no legalistic rules. As a convert in Korea once said: 'With tithing, it doesn't matter whether you are rich or poor. You pay 10 percent, and you don't have to be ashamed if you haven't earned very much. If you make lots of money, you pay 10 percent. If you make very little, you still pay 10 percent. Heavenly Father will love you for it. You can hold your head up proud.'

Some may feel that they cannot afford to pay tithing, but the Lord has promised that He would prepare a way for us to keep all of His commandments. To pay tithing takes a leap of faith in the beginning, but as Jesus said, 'If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine.' We learn about tithing by paying it. Indeed, I believe it is possible to break out of poverty by having the faith to give back to the Lord part of what little we have.

Members of the Church who do not tithe do not lose their membership, they only lose blessings. Through Malachi the Lord asks, 'Will a man rob God?...But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.' If we will trust in the Lord, He will open the windows of heaven to us as we give back to Him the one-tenth He asks of us.

The ultimate offering was that offered by the Savior Himself in giving His very life. It causes each of us to wonder, 'How many drop of blood were shed for me?' "(President James E. Faust, General Conference, 1998)

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 2-8-09

Priesthood Opening
1 John 4:16-21

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that ^adwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he ^ais, so are we in this world.

18 There is no ^afear in ^blove; but perfect ^clove casteth out fear: because fear hath ^dtorment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

19 We ^alove him, because he first loved us.

20 If a man say, I love God, and ^ahateth his ^bbrother, he is a ^cliar: for he that loveth not his ^dbrother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not ^eseen?

21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who ^aloveth God love his brother also.

Elder's Quorum
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith
Chapter 26: Elijah and the Restoration of the Sealing Keys 306–14
Elijah appeared in the Kirtland temple restoring the sealing keys, fulfilling the prophecy of Malachi.

Malachi 4:5-6

5 ¶ Behold, I will ^asend you ^bElijah the prophet ^cbefore the coming of the ^dgreat and dreadful ^eday of the Lord:

6 And he shall ^aturn the ^bheart of the ^cfathers to the ^dchildren, and the heart of the ^echildren to their fathers, lest I come and ^fsmite the ^gearth with a ^hcurse.

Some refer to Matthew 17:10-13 as stating that Elijah has already returned.

10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, ^aElias truly shall first come, and ^brestore all things.

12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they ^alisted. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Yet, in verse 11 Jesus states that he "shall first come" indicating a future event. He then follows with stating that John had come and was also a forerunner to the coming of Christ. There are things in Malachi's prophecy that John did not fulfill.

Just as John prepared the way of Christ during his first coming to earth, Elijah has come to prepare the way for his second coming.

Sunday School
Lesson 6: “I Will Tell You in Your Mind and in Your Heart, by the Holy Ghost” 29

The Holy Ghost is how we receive revelation. In order to receive revelation we have to prepare, ask,sincerely, listen, continue to ponder and research. Through research and pondering we may get an answer in something we read or in a stupor of thought or in a burning or warm feeling inside you or in someone we talk to. In some cases it can be as intense as a vision. Sometimes we don't get everything all at once. Sometimes he gives us a little piece to chew on and gives us more later. Are we living our lives in a way that we can hear the spirit? Are we ready act on and accept what God has given us?

In order to make sense of impressions write them down.

Sacrament Service
Someone spoke on reaching our full potential. President Gordon B. Hinckley stated, "Just do the best you can, but be sure it is your very best." (“A Challenging Time—a Wonderful Time” (An Evening with President Gordon B. Hinckley, Feb. 7, 2003), 5)

Someone spoke on justice and mercy.

The bishop stated that we often get casual in our thoughts, words, deeds, prayers, and scripture study. He counseled us to be more deliberate and diligent.

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

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

Yet, happily, many would not be overcome. And many would not be deceived." (Gifts of the Spirit for Hard Times, Elder Henry B. Eyring, Ensign June 2007)

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 2-1-09

Priesthood Opening
John 7:18
17 If any man will ^ado his ^bwill, he shall ^cknow of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

Elders' Quorum
Home Teaching
Dropping by and having a brief conversation on the doorstep of the families you teach is good, but people will not open up to someone who just pops in on them briefly each month, so it makes it hard to know if there is anything they need your help with. You have to build a relationship of trust with them first.

A better way is to plan before you go visit. Pray, prepare a lesson, and think of things you can invite them to do (like studying some scriptures you have shared with them in your lesson).

At your next visit follow-up on those things you talked about last time and anything you may have invited them to do.

Sunday School
Lesson 5: “This Is the Spirit of Revelation” 24
Doctrine and Covenants 6, 8, 9
The Bible Dictionary states, "Without revelation, all would be guesswork, darkness, and confusion. "

Write down every impression you receive and see how involved the Lord is in your life. Perhaps we would recognize revelation more.

Doctrine and Covenants 9:8
8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must ^astudy it out in your ^bmind; then you must ^cask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your ^dbosom shall ^eburn within you; therefore, you shall ^ffeel that it is right.

By studying, making a decision, and asking God if it is right we learn. We learn in life how to make good decisions on our own, rather than having God do everything for us, much like we do with our own children.

Most of the revelations recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants were received when someone was pondering the scriptures.

Elder Boyd K. Packer said, “No message appears in scripture more times, in more ways than ‘Ask, and ye shall receive’ ” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1991, 26; or Ensign, Nov. 1991, 21).

From the Bulletin

• Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. (Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890)
• By small and simple things, great things are brought to pass. (Alma 37:6, 7)

10 Husband -Wife Relationship Tips:

1. Seek Help Early - Average couples wait six years before seeking help.
2. Edit Yourself - Avoid saying every critical thought.
   
3. Eliminate Demands. Make Gentle Requests - Humbly ask him/her, "Would you be willing to..."
4. Soften "Start Up" - Bring up problems gently and without blame.
5. Accept Influence - How well are you accepting sudden changes?
6. Have High Standard - ...but have a level of tolerance for bad behavior.
7. Repair and Exit Arguments - Happy couples know how to repair the situation before an argument gets completely out of control.
8. The Bright Side - Say positive statements to and about each other in public and in private situations.
9. Making Changes in the Other Person - Start with yourself. You cannot change anyone else.
10. "Where love is, there is God also."
    

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 1-25-09

Priesthood Opening
Matthew 6:24
24 ¶ ^aNo man can ^bserve two ^cmasters: for either he will ^dhate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and ^emammon.

Elders’ Quorum
Temples
-Who builds them? We do.
-Who goes? Worthy members of the Church.
-How are they built? With tithing funds. At times local members paid or supplied labor and materials in addition to their tithing responsibilities.
-Why are they built? So we have a place to go home to.
-What are they for? To Fulfill the plan of God to give everyone the opportunity to enter @ the gate, even when they had no opportunity on earth to hear the gospel.
-What temples are in the bible? The portable temple of Moses. The temple of Solomon.
-When are they built? When they are enough worthy members.

We discussed points from the pamphlet Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple, which is based on President Boyd K. Packer's book "The Holy Temple".

2 Nephi 12:2
2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, ^awhen the ^bmountain of the Lord’s ^chouse shall be established in the top of the ^dmountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it.

People flow to the temple to be taught. Worthy members of the Church after they are dedicated, but also people who are not members of the Church come to open houses before their dedication to learn about temple and about the Church.

We are taught by symbols in the temple. If we prepare we can understand more of those symbols. Christ also taught with symbols through the use parables. Those who had not prepared did not understand.

Sunday School
Lesson 4: “Remember the New Covenant, Even the Book of Mormon” 16
The Lord can see the whole picture. We often get caught in the moment and what is happening right now. Often we don't care about the blessing around the corner.

Sacrament Service
The testimonies of three witnesses are at the beginning of the Book of Mormon states, "

Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken. And we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen.

Oliver Cowdery
David Whitmer
Martin Harris"

The Encyclopedia of Mormonism states referring to David Whitmer's witness of the Book of Mormon, "Shortly before his death, Whitmer repeated once more, for the Richmond Conservator, what he had written in the Address: "I have never at any time denied that testimony or any part thereof, which has so long since been published with that Book, as one of the three witnesses. Those who know me best, well know that I have always adhered to that testimony." He died in Richmond, Missouri, on January 25, 1888, bearing testimony again on his deathbed of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon."

From the Bulletin
The Book of Mormon

"There are three great reasons why Latter-day Saints should make the study of the Book of Mormon a lifetime pursuit.

The first is that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. This was the Prophet Joseph Smith's statement. He testified that 'the Book of Mormon was the more correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion.' (Introduction to the Book of Mormon) A keystone is the central stone in an arch. It holds all the other stones in place, and if removed, the arch crumbles."

"The second great reason why we must make the Book of Mormon a center focus of study is that it was written for our day."

"The third reason that the Book of Mormon is of such value to Latter-day Saints is given in the same statement by the Prophet Joseph Smith cited previously. He said, 'I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.' (Introduction to the Book of Mormon.) That is the third reason for studying the book. It helps us draw nearer to God. Is there not something deep in our hearts that longs to draw nearer to God, to be more like Him in our daily walk, to feel His presence with us constantly? If so, then the Book of Mormon will help us do so more than any other book. (Ezra Taft Benson, "The Keystone of Our Religion," Ensign, Jan 1992, 2.)

In Moroni 10:4-5 we find the Promise of the Book of Mormon.
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ^aask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not ^btrue; and if ye shall ask with a ^csincere heart, with ^dreal intent, having ^efaith in Christ, he will ^fmanifest the ^gtruth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may ^aknow the ^btruth of all things.

Moroni promises us that if you will ask God to know if the Book of Mormon is true He will give us an answer.

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 1-18-09

Priesthood Opening
Mosiah 4:30
30 But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not ^awatch yourselves, and your ^bthoughts, and your ^cwords, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and ^dcontinue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.

Elders’ Quorum
Chapter 25: Truths from the Savior’s Parables in Matthew 13 292–305
A thorough knowledge of the scriptures allows us to teach other as opportunities come up without having to search around. It also gives us perspective and teach us as things come up in our lives.

Bearing testimony of Christ brings the spirit. The scriptures testify of Christ authoritatively and can bring to us and those we teach the spirit very powerfully.

Sunday School
Lesson 3: “I Had Seen a Vision” 11
What is the great apostasy? The mixing of Man’s teachings with the teachings of God in Church teachings. The removing the teachings of God from the Church.

In the 1300s the renaissance began and out of that came the reformation. There were not many advances in man’s knowledge and inventions before then. After that point God allowed man to move forward.

William Tyndale worked to get the Bible translated into English. He commented to the scholars of his day, "If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plow to know more of the Scriptures than thou dost."

The common man was not given access to the scriptures before the reformation. God is the god of the common man.

On the one hand we had the pre-reformation church where they wanted their people to be ignorant and read the scriptures to them. On the other hand we have The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today. The Church today constantly admonishes people to read the scriptures and teach them to their children. They also work to translate the scriptures into many many languages that more people would have the option to read them.

Why to start the Church in the United States? (See talk "Why 1820", Hyrum W. Smith,Rick's college, September 27, 1988) The United States was one of the only countries if not the only country that didn't have a state religion. It was the only place where a free thinking religion could get a foothold.

This land has been opened up several times as a sanctuary for religious people and then the people were destroyed when they turned their back on God (Jaredites, Lehites, and now the United States).

There is no way that the United States should've won the revolutionary war based on warfare of the time.

Sacrament Service
Virtue and Moral Excellence

”Live right by embracing virtue. Virtues are more than values—much more. Virtues mean not only excellence, but moral excellence. Virtuous men and women not only do good; they are goodness.”  (Bishop Keith B. McMullin - Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, “Signposts for Your Future“, New Era January 2000)

“You precious young women, to begin with you must practice virtue in its highest sense. Virtue has many definitions, such as moral excellence, right action and thinking, goodness of character, or chastity in women.” (James E. Faust - Second Counselor in the First Presidency, “How Near to the Angels”, Ensign May 1998)

Mosiah 5:15
  15 Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in ^agood works, that Christ, the ^bLord God Omnipotent, may ^cseal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who ^dcreated all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen.

Modesty represents who we are and is a statement to others.

Actions are more powerful than words.

A missionary that just returned from the Baltimore mission spoke.

Prayer is not to change the will of God.

“I long have been impressed with the truth that meaningful prayer requires both holy communication and consecrated work. Blessings require some effort on our part before we can obtain them, and prayer, as ‘a form of work, … is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings’ (Bible Dictionary, ‘Prayer,’ 753). We press forward and persevere in the consecrated work of prayer, after we say ‘amen,’ by acting upon the things we have expressed to Heavenly Father.” (Elder David A. Bednar Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Ask in Faith”, Ensign May 2008)

From the Bulletin
Simply stated, “As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part” (Bible Dictionary, “Prayer,” 752).

We are promised that if we pray sincerely for that which is right and good and in accordance with God’s will, we can be blessed, protected, and directed (see 3 Nephi 18:20;D&C 19:38).

Revelation is communication from Heavenly Father to His children on earth. As we ask in faith, we can receive revelation upon revelation and knowledge upon knowledge and come to know the mysteries and peaceable things that bring joy and eternal life (see D&C 42:61). The mysteries are those matters that can only be know and understood by the power of the Holy Ghost (see Harold B. Lee, Ye Are the Light of the World [1974], 211).

The revelations of the Father and the Son are conveyed through the third member of the Godhead, even the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the witness of and messenger for the Father and the Son. He is part of THE Godhead.

Prayer is and should be a key part of the spiritual preparation for our day. During the course of the day, we keep a prayer in our heart for continued assistance and guidance -- even as Alma suggested: "Let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord" (Alma 37:36).

Prayer becomes more meaningful as we counsel with the Lord in all of our doings, as we express heartfelt gratitude, and as we pray for others with real intent and a sincere heart.

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 1-11-09

Priesthood Opening
Matthew 20:25-28

25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be ^agreat among you, let him be your ^bminister;

27 And whosoever ^awill be chief among you, let him be your ^bservant:

28 Even as the ^aSon of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to ^bgive his life a ^cransom for many.

Elders' Quorum
Chapter 24: Leading in the Lord’s Way 281–91
The manual stated, "The Prophet Joseph Smith, who was living in Kirtland, was deeply concerned about the sufferings of the Saints in Missouri, and he longed to help them. In February 1834, the Lord revealed to him that he should organize a group of Saints to march to Jackson County. This group, called Zion’s Camp, was to help recover the lands and property illegally taken from Church members. (See D&C 103:21–40.) The camp was officially organized on May 6, 1834, and eventually included over 200 people. The marchers, who were armed and organized as a military body, arrived near Jackson County in the middle of June, after traveling more than 900 miles.

The members of the camp walked long distances each day, often in oppressive heat with only inadequate food and bad water to sustain them. The close association with one another over many weeks of travel, accompanied by weariness and hunger, led some of the men to quarrel with one another and criticize the Prophet.

Despite all the problems of this dangerous and difficult trip, Joseph Smith taught the members of the camp important principles of leadership as he led them day by day. Wilford Woodruff, a member of Zion’s Camp who later became the fourth President of the Church, declared: “We gained an experience that we never could have gained in any other way. We had the privilege of beholding the face of the Prophet, and we had the privilege of traveling a thousand miles with him, and seeing the workings of the Spirit of God with him, and the revelations of Jesus Christ unto him and the fulfillment of those revelations.”1

After the group arrived in Missouri, they began negotiations with state officials, but these attempts at peaceful resolution failed. When armed conflict seemed inevitable, the Prophet prayed for guidance and, on June 22, 1834, received a revelation disbanding the camp and declaring that Zion could not be redeemed at that time (see D&C 105). Concerning the members of the camp the Lord said, “I have heard their prayers, and will accept their offering; and it is expedient in me that they should be brought thus far for a trial of their faith” (D&C 105:19).

Zion’s Camp did not accomplish its political objectives, but it had long-lasting spiritual results."

Neal A. Maxwell said, "We can allow for the reality that God is more concerned with growth than with geography."(Notwithstanding My Weakness, Ensign, November 1976)

The manual continued, "In February 1835, when the Prophet organized the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the Quorum of the Seventy, nine of the Twelve Apostles and all of the Seventy had served in Zion’s Camp. As recalled by Joseph Young, one of the original members of the Seventy, the Prophet explained to a group of these brethren: 'God did not want you to fight. He could not organize His kingdom with twelve men to open the Gospel door to the nations of the earth, and with seventy men under their direction to follow in their tracks, unless He took them from a body of men who had offered their lives, and who had made as great a sacrifice as did Abraham.'2

It was in Zion’s Camp that Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Wilford Woodruff, and others gained practical training that enabled them to lead the Saints from Missouri to Illinois in 1839 and later to the Salt Lake Valley. From their experience with the Prophet, these brethren had learned to lead in the Lord’s way."

A good leader helps people learn, as Joesph Smith said, “correct principles, and they govern themselves.” (“The Organization of the Church,” Millennial Star, Nov. 15, 1851,339) Which goes along with D&C 58: 26
"26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is ^acompelled in all things, the same is a ^bslothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. "

People are taught and expected to do good on their own, rather than be instructed on every little point.

We struggle to teach children to think before they act. Have we sufficiently learned that lesson as we stumble into our sins.

Sunday School
The Doctrine and Covenants testifies of Christ and that he is our Savior.
Doctrine and Covenants 50:41-44

41 ^aFear not, little ^bchildren, for you are mine, and I have ^covercome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath ^dgiven me;

42 And none of them that my Father hath given me shall be ^alost.

43 And the Father and I are ^aone. I am ^bin the Father and the Father in me; and inasmuch as ye have received me, ye are in me and I in you.

44 Wherefore, I am in your midst, and I am the ^agood ^bshepherd, and the ^cstone of Israel. He that buildeth upon this ^drock shall never ^efall.

Doctrine and Covenants 76:22-24

22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the ^atestimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he ^blives!

23 For we ^asaw him, even on the ^bright hand of ^cGod; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only ^dBegotten of the Father—

24 That by ^ahim, and through him, and of him, the ^bworlds are and were created, and the ^cinhabitants thereof are begotten ^dsons and daughters unto God.

Doctrine and Covenants 19:16-19

16 For behold, I, God, have ^asuffered these things for all, that they might not ^bsuffer if they would ^crepent;

17 But if they would not repent they must ^asuffer even as I;

18 Which ^asuffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might ^bnot drink the bitter cup, and shrink—

19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and ^afinished my preparations unto the children of men.

The pain was going to be so bad that even a god was scared of it.

He suffered for our sins AND our pains. He understands everything we go through and can uniquely succor us through our trials and anguish.

The Savior's path is constant. It does not change. We can choose to not obey Him, but that is not His path and will not get us to where He is. In order to get where we have to come back to His path.

Sacrament Service/Ward Conference
The gospel is not a spectator sport.

We may know how to live the gospel, but if we don't put it in action we will not understand the gospel. If we do put it in action we will be able to make sense of many other things in our life.

Do not pause on the path to look at the spacious building. Turn off the TV, Internet, texting, and find your family.

From the Bulletin So Simple: All cooks who really want tasty meals would NOT purposely omit any ingredient to step. All athletes who really want to achieve desired goals would not omit developing and repeatedly practicing basic fundamentals. And so it is with our desire to return back to Heavenly Father. We, too, must DELIBERATELY use and practice the basics consistently and with exactness. There is no shortcut.

Alma 37:6, 7:
"By small and simple things great things are brought to pass..."

THE key to happiness (Mosiah 2:41):
"...I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those who keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven..."

We move towards that which we think of. Great people don't just have characteristics that make them great, they also DO things differently to achieve their dreams. Heance, set goals of things you wish to achieve. THEN cut those goals into daily smaller goals. Just like many small pieces are needed to make a bridge to cross rivers, so do many small goals make up our bridges to reach goals.

Let us set goals that stir our blood, excite our hearts, and invigorate our minds. Let us go forth boldly in our desires to be obedient so that the Lord cannot withhold any blessings. Please see D&C 82:10 and D&C 130:20, 21. Miracles, big and small, are hanging on the edge of Heaven, ready to leap into our laps.

Weber Heights Stake General Priesthood Meeting 1-11-09

Carl B. Cook spoke to us.

Experiences were shared about the Auckland, New Zealand mission. Many of the missionaries were from the pacific islands. One of those islands was Vanuatu. I recently watched a season of survivor that was played out on Vanuatu. I had never heard of that island before Survivor. Survivor makes their locations out as if they are deserted other than a few natives, but to think about the Church having a presence there and sending out missionaries was interesting.

“As the Lord’s servant, you are to do His work in His way and by His power. Some
missionaries feel confident that they know how to be successful. Others lack such confidence.
Remember, however, that your confidence and faith should be in Christ, not in yourself.
Rely on the Spirit rather than your own talents and abilities. Trust the Spirit to guide you
in every aspect of your work.” (Preach My Gospel. P97)

Helaman 10:7
  7 Behold, I give unto you ^apower, that whatsoever ye shall ^bseal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people.

The Preach My Gospel manual states under the topic of Faith in Jesus Christ Preach My Gospel, “Your faith will increase through diligent study, prayer, dedicated service, and obedience
to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and the commandments.” (Preach My Gospel, p116)

John 20:27-31
  27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and ^athrust it into my side: and be not ^bfaithless, but ^cbelieving. 
  28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 
  29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast ^aseen me, thou hast believed: ^bblessed are they that have not seen, and yet have ^cbelieved. 
  30 ¶ And many other ^asigns truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not ^bwritten in this book: 
  31 But these are ^awritten, that ye might ^bbelieve that Jesus is the ^cChrist, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have ^dlife through his ^ename.

When a missionary goes to the MTC it should not be a revelation.  It should be a review.

Alma 7:11
  11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and ^aafflictions and ^btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ^ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 1-4-09

Announcements

• Wednesdays at 9pm - Basketball
• January 11, 2009 7:15am - Weber Heights Stake General Priesthood Meeting
  

Priesthood Opening
Alma 57:25-27

25 And it came to pass that there were two hundred, out of my two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, and to our great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was ^anot one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds.

26 And now, their ^apreservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous ^bpower of God, because of their exceeding ^cfaith in that which they had been taught to believe—that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power.

27 Now this was the ^afaith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are ^bfirm, and they do put their trust in God continually.

Elders' Quorum
Our lesson was to focus on the basics in our lives. What are the basics?

• Scripture Study
• Prayer
• Repentance/Atonement
• Family Home Evening
• Missionary Work
• Temple Attendance
• Home Teaching
• Attending Our Meetings (Sunday, General Conference, Priesthood, and So Forth)
• Service

These basics are simple and yet they get skipped. There are examples in scriptures of people being asked to do simple things and resisting them as well.

Alma 33:18-20

18 But behold, this is not all; these are not the only ones who have spoken concerning the Son of God.

19 Behold, he was spoken of by ^aMoses; yea, and behold a ^btype was ^craised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live.

20 But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would ^aheal them.

2 Kings 5:9-13

9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and ^awash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be ^bclean.

11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some ^agreat thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?

If we could be involved in some great thing that would change the course of history, would we do it? We have those opportunities in our homes all the time and we neglect to do them.

Sunday School
We talked about the video The Mountain of the Lord which culminates in placing the cap stone on the Salt Lake temple.

"The Book of Mormon is the 'keystone' of our religion, and the Doctrine and Covenants is the capstone, with continuing latter-day revelation. The Lord has placed His stamp of approval on both the keystone and the capstone." (Ezra Taft Benson, "The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants," Ensign, May 1987, 83)

"The keystone and the capstone teach us about the cornerstone of our religion, which is the Savior." (L. Tom Perry, "The Doctrine and Covenants-- The Capstone of Our Religion," Fireside at Brigham Young University on 4 March 2001)

Cornerstone - Can't build a building foundation without it.
Keystone - Can't have an opening in a building without it.
Capstone - A building is not complete without it.

"The book of Doctrine and Covenants is one of the standard works of the Church in company with the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Pearl of Great Price. However, the Doctrine and Covenants is unique because it is not a translation of an ancient document, but is of modern origin and was given of God through his chosen prophets for the restoration of his holy work and the establishment of the kingdom of God on the earth in these days. In the revelations one hears the tender but firm voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, speaking anew in the dispensation of the fulness of times; and the work that is initiated herein is preparatory to his second coming, in fulfillment of and in concert with the words of all the holy prophets since the world began."

(Explanatory Introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants, third paragraph)

The Doctrine and Covenants is a unique book of scripture in that it was not translated, but the words of a prophet recorded in the language they were received.

The sections of the Doctrine and Covenants are answers to prayers...detailed answers to prayers. Revelation to the Church did not end with the last section of the Doctrine and Covenants. We have living prophets that speak to us every six months in general conference and each month in our magazines.

Who are the messages of the Doctrine and Covenants for? Everyone.
Doctrine and Covenants 1:1-4

1 ^aHearken, O ye people of my ^bchurch, saith the voice of him who dwells on high, and whose ^ceyes are upon all men; yea, verily I say: Hearken ye people from afar; and ye that are upon the islands of the sea, listen together.

2 For verily the ^avoice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to ^bescape; and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ^cear that shall not hear, neither ^dheart that shall not be penetrated.

3 And the ^arebellious shall be ^bpierced with much ^csorrow; for their iniquities shall be ^dspoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed.

4 And the ^avoice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have ^bchosen in these ^clast days.

Doctrine and Covenants 1:25
25 And inasmuch as they ^aerred it might be made known;

That we might know our errors. Some of those errors might be our misinterpretation of scripture.

Doctrine and Covenants 1:26
26 And inasmuch as they sought ^awisdom they might be ^binstructed;

That we might learn if we seek it.

Doctrine and Covenants 1:27
27 And inasmuch as they sinned they might be ^achastened, that they might ^brepent;

That we might be chastened and repent, not be chastened and be punished.

From the Bulletin

• The "8W" formula: Work Will Win When Wishy Washy Wishing Won't
• Ponder on this for a while. When we go to the temple, we trade in commandments for covenants.
• We must be very DELIBERATE about our lives and HONEST with God to have improvements and success in our lives. Plan. Do. Check. Adjust. Not just because this is a new year, but due to eternal principles, people who have specific goals based on righteous, daily-lived principles are happy, achieve many things, receive abundant blessings, and so forth.
• When we live in HIS commandments, we are blessed. When we choose not to live His commandments, we are not blessed. (Summary of D&C 82:10)
• When we want a specific blessing, we must live the laws that trigger the release of those blessings. (Summary of D&C 130:20,21)