Stake Conference Layton North Stake Layton Utah 15 January 2017

General Session of Stake Conference 

A counselor in the stake presidency spoke.

In nature and in human life, discomfort and pain often comes before growth. Lobsters experience discomfort, pain, and vulnerability as it sheds its shell, in order to grow.  If they do not go through that and shed that shell, they will not grow. 

“In some ways suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice,” (Viktor Frankl, Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist as well as a Holocaust survivor.)

A young woman spoke to us. 

Doctrine and Covenants 122:7

  7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

Joshua 1:9

9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

A sister spoke to us. 

“Exaltation is our goal; discipleship is our journey.”(President Dieter F Uchtdorf, “It Works Wonderfully”, October 2015 General Conference)

“The future is as bright as your faith” (President Thomas S Monson, “Be of Good Cheer”, April 2009 General Conference)

A young man spoke to us. 

3 Nephi 18 - The entire chapter is about the sacrament.

A sister spoke to us. 

“And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations” (Book of Mormon Title Page)

2 Nephi 25:26

  26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

“The golden question of the Book of Mormon is ‘Do you want to learn more of Christ?’” (Ezra Taft Benson, The Book of Mormon Is the Word of God, April 1975 General Conference)

“As we speak to others, we need to remember that an invitation to learn more about Jesus Christ and His gospel is preferable to an invitation to learn more about our Church.” (Dallin H Oaks, Sharing the Restored Gospel, October 2016 General Conference)

“My beloved brethren and sisters, today I would like to speak about one of the most significant gifts given to the world in modern times. The gift I am thinking of is more important than any of the inventions that have come out of the industrial and technological revolutions. This is a gift of greater value to mankind than even the many wonderful advances we have seen in modern medicine. It is of greater worth to mankind than the development of flight or space travel. I speak of the gift of the Book of Mormon, given to mankind 156 years ago.” (Ezra Taft Benson, The Book of Mormon, October 1986 General COnference)

3 Nephi 11:14

14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may athrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may bfeel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the cGod of Israel, and the God of the whole dearth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

Alma 7:12

12 And he will take upon him adeath, that he may bloose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to csuccor his people according to their infirmities.

“Now, my beloved brethren and sisters, let us read the Book of Mormon and be convinced that Jesus is the Christ. Let us continually reread the Book of Mormon so that we might more fully come to Christ, be committed to Him, centered in Him, and consumed in Him.” (Ezra Taft Benson, Come Unto Christ, October 1987 General Conference)

The stake president spoke to us. 

Helaman 14:11-12

11 And ye shall ahear my words, for, for this intent have I come up upon the walls of this city, that ye might hear and know of the judgments of God which do await you because of your iniquities, and also that ye might know the conditions of repentance;

12 And also that ye might know of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the aFather of heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and that ye might know of the signs of his coming, to the intent that ye might believe on his name.

Mormon 8:35

35 Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.

We are blessed to have been seen by prophets for millenium. 

Choose to be positive.

Stake Conference This Week at Layton North Stake Layton Utah 14 January 2017

Adult Session of Stake Conference 

The Mission President’s Wife

She recapped some things that happened in Conference the last time they were here. 

2 Nephi 5:26-27

26 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land of my people.

27 And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.

Prayers are seldom answered they way we expect. 

President of the Utah Ogden Mission 

Tonight ask ourselves who, when, and how. 

Who will we invite, as missionaries? 

When will we invite them?

How will we do it? 

Then ask these questions to the Lord. 

A high councilman spoke to us

Some one might ask you about a product or service or place and ask if you would recommend it to others or refer others to it. 

Would you recommend or refer someone to the Church. 

Acts 3:6

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

A senior missionary couple spoke to us. 

The stake patriarch spoke to us. 

A member of the stake presidency spoke to us. 

Alma 34:38

38 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.

Carry your own weather. 

Dnc 59:7,23

7 Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.

23 But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.

“Keep your eyes open to your mercies. The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life.” -  Robert Lewis Stevenson

“I am asking that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight.” (Gordon B Hinckley, Ensign, Apr. 1986, 2–4).

 2 Nephi 5:27

27 And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.

“Here is a simple but powerful truth: living righteously and keeping God’s commandments make us happy.” (Marlin K Jensen, Living after the Manner of Happiness, Ensign December 2002)

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah and Fireside 8 January 2017

Sunday School - teaching in the Savior's way

Love those you teach.

Pray for those you teach by name.

Get to know your class members. Check out their Facebook page if they have one.  Know their family members’ names.

Elders Quorum

Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Gordon B Hinckley, Chapter 1

Young Adult Devotional

Sister Wendy W Nelson, “Love and Marriage”

“ So, here are Aunt Wendy’s four truths about love and marriage:

Truth #1: Truths about love and marriage are brought to you by the Holy Ghost from our Heavenly Father

Truth #2: Personal purity is the key to true love.

Truth #3: As an important part of the expression of their love, the Lord wants a husband and wife to partake of the wonders and joys of marital intimacy.

Truth #4: For true marital intimacy, the Holy Ghost needs to be involved.

President Russell M Nelson, “Prophets, Leadership, and Divine Law”

“You are the future leaders of the Lord’s Church! Are you ready to take the reins of leadership?”

“When I spoke to you a year ago, I challenged you to rise up as the true millennials you were born to be. You are to help prepare the world for the millennial reign of the Savior by helping to gather the elect from the four quarters of the earth, so that all who choose to do so may receive the gospel of Jesus Christ and all of its blessings. Tonight I want to speak to you about how you can prepare.”

President Nelson stated that he had known 10 of the 16 presidents of the Church.  He talked about several things of each of them.

“I work as hard as I can and do everything within my power. And I try to keep the commandments. Then I let the Lord make up the difference.” (Ezra Taft Benson, in Dew, Ezra Taft Benson, viii.)

“I promise that as you keep God’s commandments, as you live by His laws, you will become increasingly free. This freedom will unveil to you your divine nature and allow you to prosper personally.”

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 1 January 2017

Sacrament Service

Abraham 3:22-23

22 Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;

23 And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.

Genesis 17 is the Abrahamic covenant.

Mark 16:15

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Jacob 1:19

19 And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:34

34 They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God.

Doctrine and Covenants 133 -  The new and everlasting covenant.

Is a college education wasted on a stay at home mom?

God makes covenants with man.  Man is the only one that can break it.  God will not.

To live a covenant you have to understand it.

Sunday School

The instructor recommended the book “Revelations in Context”.  It is the “The stories behind the sections of the Doctrine and Covenants “.  It is available on the lds.org and in the Gospel Library app. They also recommended the Joseph Smith Papers project.

“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.” ( President Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants”, April 1987 General Conference)

Ephesians 2:20

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

The Book of Mormon is the keystone. The Doctrine and Covenants is the capstone. Christ is the cornerstone.

We talked about the introduction to Our Heritage: A Brief History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We talked about the introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants.

“The fulness of times is the final dispensation and began with the revelation of the gospel to Joseph Smith. It is a dispensation of restoration and of fulfillment of the Lord’s plans and purposes since the world began. There are also things reserved for the fulness of times that have not been revealed previously (D&C 121:26–32; 124:41). It is a glorious time, the time in which we live today (see Acts 3:19–21; D&C 27:13; 110:11–16; 112:14–32; 128:18–21; 136:37–40).”

The Doctrine and Covenants bring many clarifications of doctrines and about the nature of God.

Doctrine and Covenants 130:2

2 And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy.

“What's on the Other Side?” By Brent Topp was recommended by one of the class members.

Elders Quorum

Self reliance - the ability, commitment, and effort to provide the spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family.

“There will be occasions in each of our lives when we will be called upon to explain or to defend our beliefs. When the time for performance arrives, the time for preparation is past.” (President Thomas S Monson, “Our Sacred Priesthood Trust”, April 2006 General Conference)

“On a daily basis we witness widely fluctuating inflation; wars; interpersonal conflicts; national disasters; variances in weather conditions; innumerable forces of immorality, crime, and violence; attacks and pressures on the family and individuals; technological advances that make occupations obsolete; and so on. The need for preparation is abundantly clear. The great blessing of being prepared gives us freedom from fear, as guaranteed to us by the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants: “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30).” (Elder L Tom Perry, “If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear”, October 1995 General Conference)

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 18 December 2016

Sacrament Service

Having gratitude and not expressing it is like having a gift and not unwrapping it.

A sister missionary that just returned from the Guatemala South Mission spoke.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:45-47

45 For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

46 And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.

47 And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit cometh unto God, even the Father.

We are put in the paths of the people that we are to be a light to.

If we strike a match and leave it without adding more fuel, it will eventually die.  The same is true for our light and testimony. If we don’t keep working on it and feeding it, it goes out.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:11-13

11 And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;

12 Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—

13 The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.

“Therefore, the only measure of true greatness is how close a man can become like Jesus. That man is greatest who is most like Christ, and those who love him most will be most like him.” (Listen to a Prophet’s Voice, Ezra Taft Benson, October 1972 General Conference)

A high councilman spoke.

“Here it is: Whatever level of spirituality we now enjoy in our lives; whatever degree of faith in Jesus Christ we now have; whatever strength of commitment and consecration, whatever degree of obedience or hope or charity is ours; whatever level of professional skill and ability we may have obtained, it will not be sufficient for the work that lies ahead.”

“Brothers and sisters, you and I need to be much better than we are now.”

Sunday School

The scriptures often say “And it came to pass”, not “And it came to stay”.  Things in our life eventually pass and turn into memories. Take advantage of good times because they will pass. Don't get weighed down by trials, because they will also pass.

“No member of this Church can stand approved in the presence of God who has not seriously and carefully read the Book of Mormon “ (Joseph Fielding Smith,In Conference Report, Oct. 1961, 18.)

Try reading the doctrine and Covenants as if you are reading these revelations and doctrines for the first time.

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 11 December 2016

Sacrament Service

1st Speaker

“Service to others is an important characteristic of a disciple of Jesus Christ. A disciple is willing to bear other people’s burdens and to comfort those who need comfort. Often Heavenly Father will meet the needs of others through you.” - (Topic “Service”, “For the Strength of Youth”)

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.

“As you devote yourself to serving others, you will draw closer to Heavenly Father.” (Topic “Service”, “For the Strength of Youth”)

2nd Speaker

A young person that recently returned from a mission to Stockholm, Sweden spoke.

Psalms 27:1

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Matthew 18:3

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Talk to people about the gospel using everyday topics to relate them back to the gospel.

Sunday School

Ammoron gave Mormon the charge to keep the records. Ammoron was one of the sons of Nephi. Nephi was one of the 12 the Savior called when he visited the Americas after he was resurrected.

Ammoron also told him where all the records that had been kept by the Nephites since they left Jerusalem.

Mormon was only ten when he was called.

The Lord visited Mormon when he was fifteen.

Mormon was commanded when he was in his twenties to go get the records.

Mormon 3:22

 22 And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.

Elders Quorum

Howard W Hunter Chapter 23

Alma 48:17,19

17 Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.

19 Now behold, Helaman and his brethren were no less serviceable unto the people than was Moroni; for they did preach the word of God, and they did baptize unto repentance all men whosoever would hearken unto their words.

Give silent service whenever possible.

What is our motivation for serving?  Do we give our all or just enough.