Church Services This Week at Weber Heights Stake and Ogden Utah Regional Conference October 10-29-2011 and 10-30-2011

Stake Conference Adult Session
Patriarchal Blessings
A stake patriarch spoke and gave us some history of the area.  He talked about in the 70s there being a Weber College stake.

He said that he gave a patriarchal blessing to someone that was of the tribe of Juda.  They ended up tracing their genealogy back to the English royal family, which traces back to the tribe of Judah.

Most in the church are from the line of Ephraim.


“[A patriarchal blessing], given in the spirit of a father’s love, and sealed upon us in the authority of the Priesthood, becomes a power in our lives; a comfort to our days. It is a message which if read and honored aright, will become an anchor in stormy days, our encouragement in cloudy days. It states our certain destination here and hereafter, if we live by the law; and as life goes on, it strengthens our faith and leads us into truth.” ( John A Widtsoe, “Evidences and Reconciliations”, 1:74–75.)


Church Public Affairs
A couple that are called to do Church public affairs spoke.  This is not a proselyting call, but baptisms do happen.

Some of their responsibilities are to get Church services approved for hospitals, temple sites approved, and so forth.


Joy
The dictionary defines joy as the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying;

Christ has given us the plan of happiness or the good news that we might have joy.

What do we pursue to find happiness?  Joy comes from happiness for something of exceptional greatness.  Are the things we pursue of exceptional greatness?

“...you young people are being raised in enemy territory.” (President Boyd K Packer, Counsel to Youth - Ensign Nov. 2011)

Because we are in enemy territory, we must be very cautious about what we do and say.


We need to exercise our faith.  What does it mean to exercise?  When we exercise our body, we are not at rest.  We are exerting ourselves.  We are stretching our boundaries of comfort and ability.


Our testimonies need to be spiritual testimonies and not just intellectual testimonies.


3 Nephi 11: 3
 3 And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn.

In contrast Satan tries to get to us with noise.


We all know we should pray, read scriptures, do genealogy, and so on.  Each of these can help us learn the gospel, but they also provide opportunities for us to have quiet moments to hear the spirit.


It takes a while to tune our ear to understand someone speaking a foreign language, even when you know the language.  The same is true of learning to understand the spirit, even though we may know parts of the gospel in our mind.


"Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come" (D&C 87:8).

Love
The dictionary defines love as “a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.”

John 3:16 - Even though he loved us so much, he still requires us to do something to be saved.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.


Moroni 10: 32
 32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

What is all might, all mind, and all strength?


To be a successful missionary, you have to learn to love everyone.  This is also true for being a successful human.


Use appropriate pronouns when addressing heavenly father (thee, thy, thou, thine).


Sunday Morning Session
Elder Marlin K. Jensen, of the Seventy
He said that he was the first president of the Huntsville stake.


Is having the holy ghost's guidance our greatest desire?


Jacob 4:13
 13 Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old.

We perceive lots of things in out lives that aren't entirely accurate.  The holy ghost can help us see things are they really are.

John 14: 26

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, Primary General President

We must do more than physically provide and manage our children.  If we do not teach our children, the world will.


Alma 5:47
 47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.


Doctrine and Covenants 68:31
 31 Now, I, the Lord, am not well pleased with the inhabitants of Zion, for there are idlers among them; and their children are also growing up in wickedness; they also seek not earnestly the riches of eternity, but their eyes are full of greediness.


Elder Neal L Anderson
Proverbs 3: 5
 5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.


Never let your youth be an excuse.


“Had I but served my God with half the zeal I served my King, He would not in mine age have left me naked to mine enemies.” - Shakespeare's Henry VIII

"We must learn to separate need from greed." (President Thomas S Monson, Peace, Be Still, General Conference October 2002)

President Thomas s Monson 
Ephesians 2:19
 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;


People return because they see the potential in returning.

People return because they feel the love of those in the church.

Leopards can't change their spots.  We don't work with leopards.  We work with men who have the power of agency.

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah October 10-23-2011

Elders Quorum Signs of the Second Coming:

• Elijah returns - fulfilled
• Wars and rumors of wars -all around us
• Men lovers of self - Selfishness and entitlement abounds

Things That Will Happen at Second Coming:

• Cleansed by fire
• Judgement - separating righteous from wicked - righteous will be resurrected.  The wicked will have to wait.
• 1000 years of peace will begin
• We will know our ancestors back to Adam.  “Then [children] will be sealed to [parents] until the chain is made perfect back to Adam, so that there will be a perfect chain of Priesthood from Adam to the winding-up scene” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young [1997], 333–34)
• Jesus will establish his government and govern the people in peace for a thousand years.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:114
114 Nevertheless, let the bishop go unto the city of New York, also to the city of Albany, and also to the city of Boston, and warn the people of those cities with the sound of the gospel, with a loud voice, of the desolation and utter abolishment which await them if they do reject these things.

“You will say: That was in the days when Presidents Benson and Maughan presided over us; that was before New York was destroyed by an earthquake; it was before Boston was swept into the sea, by the sea heaving itself beyond its bounds; it was before Albany was destroyed by fire; yea, at that time you will remember the scenes of this day. Treasure them up and forget them not.’ President Young followed and said: ‘What Brother Woodruff has said is revelation and will be fulfilled.’” (In Lundwall, Temples of the Most High, pp. 97–98.)

Sunday School
Bible dictionary - Paul's Epistles

Ephesians is an epistle written by Paul while in house arrest in Rome.

Ephesians 2:8
 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Sometimes it is missed that accepting Christ is a daily event, not a one time event.

When Paul says works he generally means the law of Moses. The people he is addressing are having trouble understanding that there is no redemption in the law of Moses.  It was a  preparatory law to help teach us of Christ.


The atonement is like a math formula - debt = (sin * my partaking of sin) -
(my repentance * atonement)
My partaking of sin amplifies it's effects.  The atonement amplifies my efforts of repentance.  If my level of partaking of sin is 0 then sin = 0.  If my repentance = 0 then my forgiveness is zero.  Atonement = effects of sin that we are repenting of.  Without the atonement my efforts are of no effect.  If I do not reach out to Christ and partake of the atonement through repentance then I deny his sacrifice.

Works are not repentance.


Ephesians 2:19
 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

Paul was a citizen of Rome and had certain rights and privileges.  We as saints also have rights and privileges.

Pastors = bishops
Evangelists = patriarchs
Teacher = every member of the church

Sacrament Service
"From every man, young and old, who bears the priesthood, I ask for a stronger and more devoted voice, a voice not only against evil and him who is the personification of it, but a voice for good, a voice for the gospel, a voice for God. Brethren of all ages, unbind your tongues and watch your words work wonders in the lives of those “who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.”" ( Doctrine and Covenants 123:12)


Through service to others, the Lord's work is done.


Mosiah 2:17
 17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.


Service helps us overcome selfishness.


From the Bulletin
“Fill your minds with truth.  Fill your hearts with love.  Fill your lives with service.”  President Thomas S. Monson

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah October 10-16-2011

Elders Quorum The flood and the burning at the second coming are symbolic of baptism and confirmation.

Revelation 20:4-5
 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.


Just like with the flood, things were rough, but He had a plan for the righteous.  There was hard work for the righteous to do, but they were protected.  The same is true for the second coming.  There is a lot of work to do and the righteous will be protected.

How do you think Noah prepared his family in addition to building the ark?


“While this generation will be comparable in wickedness to the days of Noah, when the Lord cleansed the earth by flood, there is a major difference this time: [it is that] God has saved for the final inning some of His strongest … children, who will help bear off the kingdom triumphantly.” (Ezra Taft Benson, “In His Steps” (Church Educational System fireside, Feb. 8, 1987); see also “In His Steps,” in 1979 Devotional Speeches of the Year: BYU Devotional and Fireside Addresses (1980), 59)

Sunday School
Acts 20-28
When Paul talks of suffering temptations he is talking about having gone through trials.


Acts 20:24
 24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.


Acts 20:29-31
 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.


who paid for Paul's mission?  Paul


The Jews gave Paul hassle for taking a Greek to the temple.

Sacrament Service
Mosiah 4:11
 11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.


“I refer to the relationship between obedience and knowledge. Members who have a testimony and who act upon it under the direction of their Church leaders are sometimes accused of blind obedience.

“Of course, we have leaders, and of course, we are subject to their decisions and directions in the operation of the Church and in the performance of needed priesthood ordinances. But when it comes to learning and knowing the truth of the gospel—our personal testimonies—we each have a direct relationship with God, our Eternal Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, through the powerful witness of the Holy Ghost. This is what our critics fail to understand. It puzzles them that we can be united in following our leaders and yet independent in knowing for ourselves.” (Elder Dallin H Oaks, “Testimony”, April 2008 General Conference)

Church Services This Week at Sullivan Hollow Second Ward Weber Heights Stake Ogden Utah October 10-9-2011

Ward Council

Doctrine and Covenants 98:1-3
1 Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks;
2 Waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded with this seal and testament—the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted.
3 Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name’s glory, saith the Lord.


Elders Quorum
The lesson was based on Elder W. Christopher Waddell’s general conference talk from October 2011, The Opportunity of a Lifetime

“Satan cannot directly take a life. That is one of many things he cannot do. But apparently his effort to stop the work will be reasonably well served if he can just bind the tongue of the faithful. Brethren, if that is the case, I am looking tonight for men young and old who care enough about this battle between good and evil to sign on and speak up. We are at war, and for these next few minutes, I want to be a one-man recruiting station.” (Elder Jeffrey R Holland, We Are All Enlisted, General Conference October 2011)

2 Nephi 1:23
23 Awake, my sons; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust.


“ I am looking tonight for missionaries who will not voluntarily bind their tongues but will, with the Spirit of the Lord and the power of their priesthood, open their mouths and speak miracles.” (Elder Jeffrey R Holland, We Are All Enlisted, General Conference October 2011)


Be proactive.  If we don't make things a priority, they don't get done.


Doctrine and Covenants 52:40
40 And remember in all things the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted, for he that doeth not these things, the same is not my disciple.



“Great priesthood trainers have shown me how to build that strength: it is to form a habit of pushing on through the fatigue and fear that might make you think of quitting. The Lord’s great mentors have shown me that spiritual staying power comes from working past the point when others would have taken a rest.” (President Henry B Eyring, Preparation in the Priesthood: “I Need Your Help”, October 2011 General Conference)


“As holders of the priesthood of God, it is essential that we are able to face—with courage—whatever challenges come our way. Remember the words of Tennyson: ‘My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure.’ (Alfred, Lord Tennyson, “Sir Galahad,” in Poems of the English Race,sel. Raymond Macdonald Alden (1921), 296)”


Sunday School
Hebrews
The title is not on the Greek text, but was added hundreds of years later.

Hebrews may not be an epistle.

Modern revelation states Hebrews was written by Paul.  The rest of the Christian world debates this. Joseph Smith did not question this when he translated the Bible.


Hebrews 6:1-2
 1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Article of Faith 4
4 We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.


Hebrews 3:1
 1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Apostles testify of Christ.  Christ testifies of Christ.  An apostle
is one sent forth.  Christ seen forth by his Father.

Christ is THE high priest and THE apostle.

Before Christ the great high priest the people looked to was Moses. Moses was a servant of god and Christ was the son.  A servant may have stewardship and authority, but not to the level of a son.


Hebrews 5:4
 4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.


Alma 13 - priesthood

Hebrews 7 - Melchizedek

Abraham paid tithing to Melchizedek and also received the priesthood from him.

Lineage is import to the Jews.  All the tribes pay to Levi.  Abraham paid to Melchizedek, who was not a Levite, because Levi was not born yet, so this guy must have been pretty important.

What did Melchizedek do with this tithing?  He would've had to have been a leader in the church of God.


Aaronic priesthood is responsible for outward ordinances.


Hebrews 7:19-21
19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)

The Melchizedek priesthood has the oath and covenant.  The Aaronic priesthood has no oath.


Hebrews 9:5
 5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.


Testimony Meeting
When we complain about our trials do we step back and get perspective on how much worse they could be?  Do we consider the blessings we have.

We should ask ourselves, what does Jesus mean to me?


From the Bulletin
“Peace in this life is based upon faith and testimony.”  President James E Faust, “Hope, an Anchor of the Soul”, Ensign, November 1999, 60