Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 3-29-09

Combined Priesthood/Relief Society Meeting

Become more deliberate in your life. Become men and women of God. Intertwine the two together

Unity-Being one.

What's the difference between 211° 212°?

• 1°.
• 211 is hot-water.
• 212 is boiling water.
• 211 cooks an egg.
• 212 moves a train.
• If you are off the mark by 1° it can make a big difference. On a course that is wrong by 1° can get you lost or crash a plane.

The bishop handed out three booklets:

• Providing in the Lord's Way: A Leader's Guide
• All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage
• All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances

Sunday School
Lesson 12: “The Gathering of My People” 63
The gathering of Israel started with the restoration and sending forth of missionaries.

Spiritual gathering-missionary work. Someone proposed the sealing ordinance was part of the spiritual gathering.

Physical gathering-setting up stakes of Zion. Someone proposed the setting up of Israel as a nation was also part of the physical gathering. I have thought of that as part of the physical gathering also, but maybe that is a red herring.

When people come together there is strength in numbers. Be unified in spirit, but also physically.

Members of the church have to be a people people. They need to be those who reach out. Today we have all the entertainment in our homes, so perhaps there is more of a tendency to draw within ourselves.

April 3, 1836-the keys of the gathering of Israel is restored by Moses.

Doctrine and Covenants 38:27
27 Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be ^aone; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.

We can't get through life successfully on our own.

From the Bulletin
Can I get to where I want to go spiritually, intellectually, physically sitting right where I am?

In the process of "becoming" as our Savior is, we must INTENTIONALLY and DAILY evaluate where we are and DO what it takes to get to where we want to be. (Please re-read that.) That is the CRITICAL PIECE of faith that so many people miss.

Unless we study what and where our targets are and make necessary course corrections along the way, we may be off by a degree... and miss our desired short-term and eternal goals. God is very ordered and very deliberate in what He does. If we wish eventually to be where He is and do what He does, we must exert our best efforts to do similarly here... in our probation, or in our "test drive." There is no other time in the eternities designated for this. The time is NOW.

Specific plans of action must be set, acted upon, reviewed, evaluated, adjusted, acted upon again and again. Truly, BECOMING as they are will not happen without focused intentions, purpose, action, evaluation, adjusting, more action, repentance and so forth.(The bishop)

"There is a danger in the word someday when what it means is 'not this day.' 'Someday I will repent.' 'Someday I will forgive him.' 'Someday I will speak to my friend about the Church.' 'Someday I will start to pay tithing.' 'Someday I will return to the temple.' Someday …'

The scriptures make the danger of delay clear. It is that we may discover that we have run out of time. The God who gives us each day as a treasure will require an accounting. We will weep, and He will weep, if we have intended to repent and to serve Him in tomorrows which never came or have dreamt of yesterdays where the opportunity to act was past. This day is a precious gift of God. The thought “Someday I will” can be a thief of the opportunities of time and the blessings of eternity."(This Day, Henry B. Eyring, General Conference April 2007)

Ogden Utah Weber Heights Stake Conference 3-22-09

Choral Edition was the choir that sang for this session of conference.

Matthew 12
36 But I say unto you, That every ^aidle ^bword that men shall ^cspeak, they shall give ^daccount thereof in the day of ^ejudgment.

37 For by thy ^awords thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Eph. 4: 29
29 Let no corrupt ^acommunication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Just like we should be careful what comes out of us, we should be careful what we put in (movies, music, websites...).

Make good choices.

Rev. 3: 21
21 To him that ^aovercometh will I grant to ^bsit with me in my ^cthrone, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

When we go to the temple we can make sense of what is going on in the world.

The speaker said that the word religion comes from the Latin root "to be bound again." He also stated that the word of reconciliation comes from the Latin root "to be seated with again"

It is devotedly Christian to do work for the dead.

1 Peter 3:12
12 For the ^aeyes of the Lord are over the ^brighteous, and his ears are open unto their ^cprayers:

Job 38:7
7 When the morning stars ^asang together, and all the ^bsons of God shouted for ^cjoy?

Rev. 12: 7
7 And there was ^awar in heaven: ^bMichael and his ^cangels fought against the dragon; and the ^ddragon fought and his angels,

The plan of salvation is also called the plan of redemption and also the great plan of happiness.

If we don't water and nurse our testimony it dies.

Mal. 3: 10
10 Bring ye all the ^atithes into the storehouse, that there may be ^bmeat in mine house, and ^cprove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not ^dopen you the ^ewindows of heaven, and pour you out a ^fblessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

D&C 59: 9
9 And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself ^aunspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of ^bprayer and offer up thy ^csacraments upon my ^dholy day;

A member of the stake presidency talk of avoiding shopping and sporting events on Sunday.

Keep the commandments; keep the commandments!
In this there is safety; in this there is peace.
(Keep the Commandments, Children’s Songbook of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

Each week when taking the sacrament we have the opportunity to evaluate our lives.

The Savior gave us apostles and prophets to guide us. He gave us covenants to remind us.

All roads in this church lead to the temple.

The temple endowment is a personal gift from God.

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 3-15-09

Announcements
March 29 – Fast Sunday

Priesthood Opening
Mosiah 23:10
10 Nevertheless, ^aafter much ^btribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an ^cinstrument in his hands in bringing ^dso many of you to a knowledge of his truth.

Elders’ Quorum
Chapter 29: Living with Others in Peace and Harmony 339–48
Why should we treat each others well?

• It changes society and eventually comes back to us.
• It changes our hearts and character.

What is the difference between cowardice and humility? When you're humble you show your enemies you mean them no harm. Humility teaches a person's spirit more about Christ than than wearing a cross around our neck.

We have righteous desires to defend our families and religion, but the natural man pushes us to anger, aggression, and justice instead of mercy.

Sunday School
Lesson 11: “The Field Is White Already to Harvest” 58
If we always just do missionary work only because we are supposed to it stunts our growth.

We need to always be prepared to share the gospel. If we're watching, doing, thinking, or saying what we should not, then we are not prepared. If we're not studying, pondering, and praying about the gospel we are not prepared. Always be prepared because you never know when you will receive a missionary opportunity.

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.

Thrust in your sickle. Don't just stand there swinging it around.

Sacrament Service
A missionary that returned from a mission to Taiwan. He rented to many people who have no concept of God. That was difficult for him to relate to.

The Church does not claim to be a Christian church. It claims to be the Church of Jesus Christ.

The church is either what it claims to be or the greatest fraud ever perpetrated.

One can believe the Church is true and never do anything about it. Belief is not faith. Faith is action.

The walk from Egypt to Israel is not like walking across the street, but it isn't far enough to take a generation to get there. God used the journey to prepare His people. What things in our lives, that appear to be going on too long are to prepare us?

From the Bulletin
What is the cost of discipleship? It is primarily obedience. It is the forsaking of many things. But since everything in life has a price, it is a price worth paying, considering that the great promise of the Savior is for peace in this life and eternal life in the life to come. It is a price we cannot afford not to pay. (President James E.Faust, “The Price of Discipleship,” Ensign, April 1999, 2)

Ward Priesthood Meeting Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah 3-8-09

We watched the movie Fireproof and discussed it a little. I had been skeptical since I knew it was another Kirk Cameron religious movie. I like Kirk Cameron as an actor and maybe even as a person, but the Left Behind series, while entertaining, left me with doubts about the soundness of some of the doctrines it was based on.

It turned out that the doctrines were much more...neutral. Is that the right word? The story was a pretty good story and very touching.

As the main character changes their ways and is acting different their spouse notes something like, "this is not normal" or "you're not acting normal". The main character responds with, "This is the new normal."

The bishop had a couple of handouts for us. The first contained several talks by prophets, apostles, and general authorities, which I am listing below.

• Consecrate Thy Performance -Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, December 2008
• The Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood - Elder Carlos E. Asay, General Conference, October 1985
• Celestial Marriage - Elder Russell M. Nelson, General Conference, October 2008
• Marriage Is Essential to his Eternal Plan - Elder David A. Bednar, Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting: Supporting the Family - February 2006
• A Solemn Responsibility to Love and Care for Each Other - Elder L. Tom Perry

Below is the content of the second hand out.

Our Reason For Being on Earth
To fulfill the mission our Father has created for all of His children – namely to be tried, tested and proven worthy to receive immortality and exaltation...and to do it joyfully.

Goal: To Become Godly Men With Deliberate Plans to Become Such.
A. Those who bear the priesthood of God truly are a royal priesthood—even a chosen generation, as the Apostle Peter declared (see 1 Pet. 2:9).
B. Godly men choose to be and make themselves free from the blood and sins of this generation.
C. "Sow a thought, reap an act. Sow and act and reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character and reap an eternal destiny."
D. From "Joy in Christ," President Ezra Taft Benson, Liahona, October 1986

In his Lectures on Faith, the Prophet Joseph Smith listed six divine attributes of God that men must understand in order to have faith in Him. The Book of Mormon bears constant witness that Christ possesses all these attributes.

First, God is the Creator and upholder of all things. King Benjamin said, "He created all things, ... he has all wisdom, and all power." (Mosiah 4:9.)

Second, God is distinguished by the excellency of His character, His mercy, long-suffering, and goodness. Alma testified that Christ is "full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering." (Alma 9:26.)

Third, God changes not. Mormon revealed that "God is not ... a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity." (Moro. 8:18.)

Fourth, God cannot lie. The brother of Jared declared, "Thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie." (Ether 3:12.)

Fifth, God is no respecter of persons. Mormon testified that "God is not a partial God." (Moro. 8:18.) He commands us to become as little children -- "repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in (His] name" (3 Ne. 11:37). The childlike qualities the Lord had reference to are developed by yielding to "the enticings of the Holy Spirit," so as to become "submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." Truly, such a person "becometh a saint" as spoken by Mosiah (Mosiah 3:19).

Sixth, God is a God of love. Of this divine attribute Nephi wrote that the Lord "doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life." (2 Ne. 26:24.)

We must be silent before we can listen.
We must listen before we can learn.
We must learn before we can prepare.
We must prepare before we can serve.
We must serve before we can lead.

Marriage

From "The Family: A Proclamation to the World"

"Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other..."

Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.

We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets. 1 Jn. 3: 15 4 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. D&C 121:37, 39 37 That they [Priesthoods] may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man. 39 We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.

· Consider the difference — "Church-going man" and a "Godly man?"

· The closer you are to the Savior, the closer you are to your spouse.

· How does selfishness versus selflessness make a difference?

· God does not judge by our standards, but by His.

· Have you truly and fully submitted to Heavenly Father?

· Have you REALLY accepted Jesus into your life? Really.

· What does it mean to STUDY your spouse?

· Among other things, porn says this to your spouse, "When did I cease being good enough for him?" It is a serious violation of your covenants with God and your spouse.

· Christ says that He is the husband and the Church is His wife. What did He do for the Church? This metaphor is symbolic of where our intentions should be. Indeed, President David 0. Mckay said that the first question the Lord will ask us is how we treated our wives.

· How do you show love over and over to someone who may reject you? Ask the Savior. How many times do we reject Him, His counsel, His leaders' guidance and yet He still reaches out to us. For marriage to work, love must be given without ANY conditions.

· How do I lead my heart? Your heart follows where you invest your time, money, & energy. Hmmm. Be aware of your heart. Guard against temptations. Don't wait until you FEEL LIKE IT or the time may never come. Choose to take your heart off of the wrong things and put it onto the right things. Pour your heart into your relationship with God, your wife and your children.

You cannot let your heart lead you. You must lead your heart. "Choose ye this day..."

"Let my assure you, Brethren, that some day you will have a personal Priesthood interview with the Savior, Himself. If you are interested, I will tell you the order in which He will ask you to account for your earthly responsibilities.
First, He will request an accountability report about your relationship with your wife. Have you actively been engaged in making her happy and ensuring that her needs have been met as an individual?
Second, He will want an accountability report about each of your children individually. He will not attempt to have this for simply a family stewardship but will request information about your relationship to each and every child.
Third, He will want to know what you personally have done with the talents you were given in the pre-existence.
Fourth, He will want a summary of your activity in your church assignments. He will not be necessarily interested in what assignments you have had, for in his eyes the home teacher and a mission president are probably equals, but He will request a summary of how you have been of service to your fellowmen in your Church assignments.
Fifth, He will have no interest in how you earned your living, but if you were honest in all your dealings.
Sixth, He will ask for an accountability on what you have done to contribute in a positive manner to your community, state, country, and the world."
— David O. McKay

"We have been reserved in the spirit world for thousands of years, to stand in the flesh in the latter days, and to take God’s kingdom and build it up. Understanding these things then, what are we, as Latter-day Saints, thinking about? We have got a great warfare to fight. Lucifer, the son of the morning, and all his hosts, are united against us. We are but a little handful, compared with the inhabitants of the earth. There never were but few men and women, in any age of the world, who were independent enough to reject evil and to serve the Lord. But we have been counted worthy to be numbered as His people. It is time, therefore, that we arose, that we awoke, and that, clothed upon with the power of God and the Holy Priesthood, we should magnify this Priesthood and obtain the blessings belonging thereto." (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, Chapter 3: The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times, 25)

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)