Church Services This Week at Layton North Stake Conference Layton Utah 16-17 January 2021

Adult Session of Stake Conference

First Speaker

He talked about growing up with sheep and his experience with shepherding them.  He also shared other shepherds he had observed.

He talked of how one time in his youth he and his friends threw snowballs at the sheep.  He said that for the rest of the season, the sheep would not come to him.  As they got new lambs in other seasons he made it a point to gain their trust and never treat any of their sheep poorly again.

If we build a relationship to those we minister to they will more likely listen to our voice and follow us in good things.  We if don’t build a relationship or we treat them badly, then it is harder to help them.

We have the responsibility to be meek and mild as lambs.

Next Speaker

We don’t know who is ready for the gospel, but God does and God can soften hearts.

We to look vertically to God for truth.  If we only look horizontally to the world for truth we will never find it.

How do we hear him?  Through personal revelation.

In the world there is fear.  Fear blocks revelation.

We have many worldly influences around us in our community that we do live in a mission field, even though we are surrounded by a large number of members of the Church.

“Every good thing depends on getting and keeping the power of the Holy Ghost in our lives. Everything depends on that.” (Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge, The Way, October 2008 General Conference)

“Satan has marshaled his forces and is raging against the work of the Lord and those of us engaged in it. Because of the increasing dangers we face, our need for divine guidance has never been greater, and our efforts to hear the voice of Jesus Christ—our Mediator, Savior, and Redeemer—have never been more urgent.” (President Russell M. Nelson, Grow into the Principle of Revelation, Liahona January 2021)

Next Speaker

God loves us in our humanness.

Christ’s love is unifying.

If we share Christ’s love it can spiral and create unity.

Rock tumblers polish rocks through the rocks being tumbled in course material and water.

Matt 7:24-27

24 ¶ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish 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 house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

DnC 50:44

44 Wherefore, I am in your midst, and I am the good shepherd, and the stone of Israel. He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall.

Next Speaker

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities)

Dickens’ words also describe our day.

“Two men look out through the same bars; One sees the mud, and one the stars.” (Frederick Langridge, 1896)

If we put the things we go through in an eternal perspective, things can look differently.

Abraham 3:26

26 And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.

Our life is a little spec in eternity, but has great eternal consequences.

Next Speaker

He related the temple to an embassy in a foreign country.

He also challenged us to imagine giving a temple recommend interview to someone we love.  He talked of us preparing ourself for the interview and of preparing the environment for the interview.

“Whether for youth or adults, your temple recommend interview is not about do’s and don’ts. A recommend is not a checklist, a hall pass, or a ticket for special seating. It has a much higher and holier purpose. To qualify for the honor of a temple recommend, you must live in harmony with the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“In your interview you have the opportunity to search your soul about your personal faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement.”(Elder Ronald A. Rasband, Recommended to the Lord, October 2020 General Conference)

“Too many people consider repentance as punishment—something to be avoided except in the most serious circumstances. But this feeling of being penalized is engendered by Satan. He tries to block us from looking to Jesus Christ, who stands with open arms, hoping and willing to heal, forgive, cleanse, strengthen, purify, and sanctify us.” (President Russell M. Nelson, We Can Do Better and Be Better, April 2019 General Conference)

Serious sin retards our progress.

1-17-21

General Session of Stake Conference

First Speaker

We are to be a temple going people, but also a temple living people.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:119

119 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;

“We go to the temple to make covenants, but we go home to keep the covenants that we have made. The home is the testing ground. The home is the place where we learn to be more Christlike. The home is the place where we learn to overcome selfishness and give ourselves in service to others.” (J Ballard Washburn, The Temple Is a Family Affair, April 1995 General Conference)

“But more importantly, we should return to our homes from the temple and bring with us what we have learned and implement and apply those teachings. There can be an equivalent spiritual power in our own homes as we strive to remember the principles and patterns taught in the temple and live them.” (Elder David A Bednar, Ensign April 2020)

DnC 132:19
19 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever.

Next Speaker

“Today I could desire with all my heart that all within the sound of this broadcast would likewise thank God for one more day! For what? For the opportunity to take care of some unfinished business. To repent; to right some wrongs; to influence for good some wayward child; to reach out to someone who cries for help—in short, to thank God for one more day to prepare to meet God.” (Harold B Lee, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B Lee)

“...if we will enter into our covenants without reservation or apology, the Lord will protect us. We will receive inspiration sufficient for the challenges of life.” (Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple)

The power we gain in the temple is not to be left in the temple, but is to be taken home with us.  That power should be used in all aspects of our life.

Next Speaker

Matthew 3:16-17

16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

“Within the sound of my voice are many young women, young men, and children. I plead with you to be worthy, to be steadfast, and to look forward with great anticipation to the day you will receive the ordinances and blessings of the temple.” (Elder David A. Bednar, Honorably Hold a Name and Standing, April 2009 General Conference)

“Rather than simply passing through [trials], they must pass through us and do so in ways which sanctify these experiences for our good.” (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Enduring Well, Ensign April 1997)

Next Speaker

“If you really want to embrace a new normal, I invite you to turn your heart, mind, and soul increasingly to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Let that be your new normal.” (President Russell M. Nelson, A New Normal, October 2020 General Conference)

Heavenly Father has given us everything we need to make it through the times we live in.

Next Speaker

3 Nephi 18:16

16 And as I have prayed among you even so shall ye pray in my church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name. Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you.

Elvis’s song Who Am I is answered in the Primary song I Am a Child of God.  Elvis’ song wonders who are we that Jesus came to dwell with us and to bleed for us.  The song I Am a Child God speaks to that we are children of God and that is why he did those things.

The speaker talked of his father doing patriarchal things before he died.  He talked of his father formally turning over the patriarch responsibilities over to The speaker’s oldest brother.

Next Speaker

He talked of a huge error he made in a baseball game.  He talked of how one of his teammates sought him out and shook his hand and let him know that they game was not as important and the speaker was.

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 one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.

How has the pandemic affected you?  Can you see the positives that it has impacted you?

We cannot let our defending our opinions get in to way of spreading the love of Christ.  Even defending our health and/or freedom is not as important as showing Christ in our countenance.

Leave our mask driven opinions behind to prevent them from getting in the way of ministering to God’s children.

Do 3 things before next General Conference:

1. More Purposefully, more consciously follow the prophet of God.

1. Look at what our prophet and apostles do and follow them.

2. He encouraged us to review Elder Oaks’ talk Love Your Enemies and President Nelson’s talk Embrace the Future With Faith

2. Multiply your ministering efforts.

3. Pray for Unity and Charity
   John 17:20-23
   20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
   21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
   22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
   23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Continue our good works and step to the next level.

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 10 January 2021

Elders Quorum

Discussion this week on I Believe in Angels

By Elder Carlos A. Godoy You can find the link here:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/10/44godoy?lang=eng

We can be ministering angels to others, even though we are not perfect.

First Speaker

She talked of being on a family vacation and pulling some handcarts.  They got hit with mosquitoes and had to turn back because they were not prepared for that.

She said, “Our prophets and apostles today have repeatedly warned us to make sure we are prepared by daily scripture study so that when God needs us, we don’t have to turn back.”

She related the events described in 2 Kings 18 and 19, as a lesson of listening to the prophet.

Most of My Talk

I saw something on Tyler Griffin's Come Follow Me Insights YouTube channel the other day that struck me.  He shared the parable of the chickens.

There once was this ward of chickens. The bishop would see the chickens walk to church each week and he knew they could do more than walk. He gave a talk on how they were birds and they could do more than walk. As he taught them, the chickens were stretching their wings and raising up out of the pews and they could see that they could fly. 

After church, they all walked home. 

My talk today is on something Sister Jean B Bingham said, “What does ministering look like? ... It looks like becoming part of someone’s life and caring about him or her.”

As with most talks and lessons I give, this talk is mostly things I need to learn, but you all are welcome to listen in.

With the change from home and visiting teaching to ministering a while back, we may still be kind of stumped as to what this "holier way" that President Nelson talked about looks like. 

Out of administrative necessity, the organization of the Church has had home and visiting teachers and now ministering brothers and sisters as assignments that are given out.  That can be kind of a cold way to look at it, and if ministering is merely defined as an assignment then it can be less warm. 

We call them ministering brothers and sisters, and while they have people assigned to them, I would argue that ministering is not an assignment and is not limited to those whose names are on a list one has been given.  Ministering is not a task one performs because the Elders Quorum or Relief Society assigned them to do it.  Ministering is not a calling, in the sense that a member of the bishopric calls one to minister.  

True ministering does not look like an assignment. 

“What does ministering look like? ... It looks like becoming part of someone’s life”

As we learned about a few weeks ago, I think it was in one of our 2nd hour classes, Hope grows into Faith and Faith grows into Charity and Charity is the pure love of Christ.  I believe ministering is the application of the pure love of Christ.  Not an assignment.

So what is pure love and what does it look like?  We may deeply love our parents.  We may deeply love our grandparents.  The love of our children is also pure, unconditional, and very deep and strong.  These are pure love… and they are often pure joy.

Jacob tells us in 2 Nephi 2:25, “Men are that they might have joy.”

That feeling of love and joy for our family members...is that maybe part of what Jacob was trying to tell us?  “Men are that they might have joy.”  Perhaps he was trying to make us remember how that feels?

Have you ever had a friend, that you have felt this same kind of pure love for?  A friend that you love so deeply.  The kind of friend, that when you see them, after being apart for a while, you hug them so tightly... and you feel such joy.

Is this what Jacob was trying to show us?  “Men are that they might have joy.”

What do you do with people that you love so deeply?  Do you go to lunch or dinner with them?  Do you invite them to your home?  Do you watch your favorite movies or TV shows with them?  Do you go to the mall with them or a car show or an air show or hiking, biking, or skiing?  Do you go to their kids events?

“What does ministering look like? ... It looks like becoming part of someone’s life”

I think there is sometimes a culture in the Church, where some feel that if someone is ministering to them, it is because they were given an assignment.  Or they might feel that if someone in their quorum or class is spending time with them, it must be because they were given a calling.  ---- Is that joy? ---- Is that love? ---- Is that ministering?

I have witnessed this first hand as I have worked to build true friendships with members of the Church over the years. I have, at times, had people ask me verbally, point blank, or with their body language if someone assigned me to spend time with them.

“What does ministering look like? ... It looks like becoming part of someone’s life.”

I grew up in a small town in Northern Indiana with the Amish.  One small seed of ministering that was done in my small town, was when a car would pass by, one would wave.  If not a wave, a tip of the hat or a nod if you didn’t have a hat.---More often than not that passing car was a horse and buggy.

If a person passed anyone on the sidewalk or in the store they'd say, “Mornin’” or “Evnin’” or “Afternoon”.  I ain’t very good at such things, since I am sometimes a little insecure and possibly self absorbed, but I am trying to do better.

One would also say yes ma’am or no ma’am when responding to a woman.  Didn’t matter the age of the woman, because you’re never too young to be spoken to with respect.

----------------------

It doesn’t matter the age of the woman... because...you are never too young...to be spoken to with respect.

----------------------

Does greeting those around us bring joy?  Is talking to someone with respect pure love?

What does ministering look like?

I joined the Church when I was 14 years old.  My dad was raised Catholic and my mom went to a protestant church with her aunt sometimes.

When I was ten my baby brother was born sick and died 8 months later. We had many people and churches bring us food and we attended many different churches.

My mom became friends with a lady in town.  Because of that lady’s friendship, my mom convinced my dad to meet with the missionaries.  Not because that lady gave her a Book of Mormon, which she did, and which my mom did not read, but because they became true friends.

We met with the missionaries many times without saying much about religion.  The missionaries got to know my parents and became friends with them.  My dad eventually asked them, “Do you believe in Jesus or what?”

Because he was friends with them he felt comfortable to ask what was on his mind and start taking the lessons.  We went through several sets of missionaries as they all played with us kids and built a friendship with my parents.  After two years we were baptized, because we built friendships, which allowed us to feel more deeply and opened our hearts to learn.  After we were baptised, I went to my youth activities because people built friendships with me.  I went to Sunday school because I had friends there.  I left my house before the sun was up and walked across town in the dark and cold to go to early morning seminary every day before school because I had friends there.  I have several life long friends that I made in that ward.

“What does ministering look like? ... It looks like becoming part of someone’s life”

I will close with something that contrasts this.

There have been others I have tried to keep strong friendships with or build new friendships with who are always very, very busy.  It is very difficult to maintain friendships like that.  Some I haven’t communicated with in years.

Even people that are very important to us can slip away from us if we don’t put in the time before we are assigned and after we are released.

“What does ministering look like? ... It looks like becoming part of someone’s life...”

In the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Utah East Area Devotional

Elder Evan A Smoots

Three historical instances where the Savior appeared to both men and women,

1. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene.

1. We see how carefully Mary served.

2. We do not pray to someone that does not know us.  God the Father and Jesus know us by name.

2. Jesus appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emaus.

1. Jesus walks with us and sometimes withholds himself from us to allow us to have an experience with the Holy Spirit.

3. Jesus appeared to the apostles, including Thomas after 8 days.

1. We should choose to believe and not refuse to believe until we have all the proof laid out in front of us before we believe.

Next Speaker

Why do we need a church?

“There is a second major reason the Savior works through a church, His Church, and that is to achieve needful things that cannot be accomplished by individuals or smaller groups. One clear example is dealing with poverty. It is true that as individuals and families we look after the physical needs of others, “imparting to one another both temporally and spiritually according to their needs and their wants.”23 But together in the Church, the ability to care for the poor and needy is multiplied to meet the broader need, and hoped-for self-reliance is made a reality for very many.” (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “Why the Church”, October 2015 General Conference)

Our members of the Church are the Lord’s storehouse.

March 12th  Countries’ borders almost all closed.  Airports closed.  In spite of this, 31,000 missionaries were returned back to their home countries.

John 17:20-21

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Next Speaker

DnC 121:33

33 How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.

“Imagine the miracle of it! Whatever our Church calling, we can pray to our Heavenly Father and receive guidance and direction, be warned about dangers and distractions, and be enabled to accomplish things we simply could not do on our own. If we will truly receive the Holy Ghost and learn to discern and understand His promptings, we will be guided in matters large and small.”

...

“Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will ‘grow into the principle of revelation.’” (President Russell M Nelson, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives, April 2018 General Conference)

Elder D Todd Christofferson

We need to love each other.  We need to do hard things.  We need to love those that are sometimes a little prickly.

3 Nephi 9:19-20

19 And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.

20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

What the Savior wants as an offering is ourselves.  A better self.  The higher law is, to become something.

What can we remove from our lives or a characteristic that we should develop to be a more worthy offering?

Doctrine and Covenants 88:124

124 Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.

DnC 4:1-7

1 Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.

2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.

3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;

4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.

6 Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.

7 Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.

2 Peter 1:4-8

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wouldn’t it be nice to walk through the doors of the new Layton temple a holier person than we are today.

The Lord does not just give you a witness one time.  You get small witnesses through all your life.

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 3 January 2021

Sacrament Service - Testimony Meeting

New Year is a good time to recommit.  We should take time at several times during the year to recommit.

Relationships improve by having meaningful spiritual conversation.

There had been a lot of learning, stretching, and growing last year.

Sunday School

The Doctrine and Covenants is for the whole Earth:

Doctrine and Covenants 1:6

6 Behold, this is mine authority, and the authority of my servants, and my preface unto the book of my commandments, which I have given them to publish unto you, O inhabitants of the earth.

“The societies in which many of us live have for more than a generation failed to foster moral discipline. They have taught that truth is relative and that everyone decides for himself or herself what is right. Concepts such as sin and wrong have been condemned as ‘value judgments.’ As the Lord describes it, ‘Every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god’ (D&C 1:16).

“As a consequence, self-discipline has eroded and societies are left to try to maintain order and civility by compulsion.” (Elder D Todd Christofferson, Moral Discipline, October 2009 General Conference)

Elder Christofferson said this in 2009.  These days truth is characterized as hate speech.

“I teach them correct principles and they govern themselves.” (Joseph Smith as quoted in Messages of the First Presidency, comp. James R. Clark, 6 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965–75, 3:54.)

How to search the Doctrine and Covenants:

• Have an idea, established with prayer, on what to search for.

• Pray before you read.

• Maybe follow a topic instead of just pounding out the sections.

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 27 December 2020

Sacrament Service

The speaker talked about “The Living Christ”.

He said that our faith in Christ is the seed that we plant.  Hope is the plant that grows out of it.  Charity is the fruit that Faith and Hope produces.

1 Corinthians 13:!3

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Moroni 7:41

41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

“Too many people consider repentance as punishment—something to be avoided except in the most serious circumstances.”(President Russell M. Nelson, We Can Do Better and Be Better, April 2019 General Conference)

Elder Quorum

The discussion this week will be on We Talk of Christ By Elder Neil L. Andersen

The talk can be found here:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/10/45andersen?lang=eng

“During this period of uncertainty, I have felt an unusual gratitude for my sure and certain knowledge that Jesus is the Christ.”

Sure:  Confident in what one thinks or knows; having no doubt that on is right.

Certain:  Known for sure; established beyond doubt.

Knowledge:  Facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education.

“Like a guiding star in a clear, dark sky, Jesus Christ lights our way.”

“He is the anchor of our souls”

D&C 88:96-98

96 And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened and be caught up to meet him.

97 And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven—

98 They are Christ’s, the first fruits, they who shall descend with him first, and they who are on the earth and in their graves, who are first caught up to meet him; and all this by the voice of the sounding of the trump of the angel of God.

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 20 December 2020

Sacrament Service

Moroni 7:40-42

40 And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning ahope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope?

41 And what is it that ye shall ahope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have bhope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

42 Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.

Jesus makes our journey possible.  Do we make our journey harder than it needs to be?

Life is not pass or fail.  It is about what we have become.

The speaker shared how his grandson made a FaceBook video called Baseball and the gospel. https://fb.watch/2vHIX_YcxH/

“Do Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly with God

By Elder Dale G. Renlund

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

To do justly means acting honorably. We act honorably with God by walking humbly with Him. We act honorably with others by loving mercy.

“As followers of Jesus Christ, and as Latter-day Saints, we strive—and are encouraged to strive—to do better and be better.1 Perhaps you have wondered, as I have, ‘Am I doing enough?’ ‘What else should I be doing?’ or ‘How can I, as a flawed person, qualify to ‘dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness’?’

“The Old Testament prophet Micah asked the question this way: ‘Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God?’ Micah satirically wondered whether even exorbitant offerings might be enough to compensate for sin, saying: ‘Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten [thousand] … rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for … the sin of my soul?’

“The answer is no. Good deeds are not sufficient. Salvation is not earned.5 Not even the vast sacrifices Micah knew were impossible can redeem the smallest sin. Left to our own devices, the prospect of returning to live in God’s presence is hopeless.

“Without the blessings that come from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, we can never do enough or be enough by ourselves. The good news, though, is that because of and through Jesus Christ we can become enough. All people will be saved from physical death by the grace of God, through the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And if we turn our hearts to God, salvation from spiritual death is available to all “through the Atonement of [Jesus] Christ … by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”9 We can be redeemed from sin to stand clean and pure before God. As Micah explained, ‘[God] hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?’”(Elder Dale G. Renlund, Do Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly with God, October 2020 General Conference)

Sunday School

Some gifts of the Spirit we are likely born with.

“These are not simply three good things on a list. In a certain sense, they are the most important three things in the world. They are the foundational Christian virtues. Each is a trait of character to be cultivated and developed. Each is a set of attitudes and beliefs to guide thought and action. Each is a choice. Each is a gift from God.

Faith, hope, and charity may be likened to the three legs of a stool. As a boy visiting my grandmother’s farm, I was impressed with the three-legged stool used for milking cows. Just as the stool’s three legs enabled it to rest firmly on uneven ground, if we are grounded in faith, hope, and charity, we too will be on solid footing, even when the ground beneath us is rough or bumpy. Just as a one- or two-legged stool will teeter precariously, we too will be vulnerable to toppling over if we neglect any of these three virtues.

In my study of this topic, I’ve noticed several things. First, faith, hope, and charity are mutually reinforcing. An increase in one tends to result in an increase in the others. If we are feeling weak with respect to one, we can gather strength by focusing on the other two.

There is also a temporal dimension to the relationship. Faith is rooted in the past—in Christ’s death and resurrection and in His Atonement for our sins. Hope is focused on the future—in the promise that through Christ’s Atonement and by the covenants we make and keep, we can return to the presence of our Father in Heaven. And charity is enacted in the present—because it is only here and now that we can really love.

There is also a dimension of progression and culmination: faith and hope lead to charity, and it is charity—Christ’s love for us—that never fails.5 If we desire to develop and be endowed with this Christlike love, it will be by traveling the road of faith and hope.” (BRETT G. SCHARFFS, The Most Important Three Things in the World, May 12, 2009, https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/brett-g-scarffs/important-three-things-world/)

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 13 December 2020

Sacrament Service

First Speaker

Moroni 7:12-13

12 Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.

13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.

Luke 22:32

32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Second Speaker

The speaker shared that the document “The Living Christ” is a very appropriate document for Christmas time.

The speaker read “The Living Christ”.

Are the scriptures more than just pleasant fables?  If they are then think about and remember how you know.

Alma 30:44

44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.

2 Peter 1:16-19

16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

The children’s song My Heavenly Father Loves Me illustrates what Alma was saying to Korihor.

Elders Quorum

Lesson based on talk Let God Prevail By President Russell M. Nelson

Someone suggested that to understand the gathering of Israel.

“So imagine my delight when I was led recently to a new insight. With the help of two Hebrew scholars, I learned that one of the Hebraic meanings of the word Israel is “let God prevail.” Thus the very name of Israel refers to a person who is willing to let God prevail in his or her life. That concept stirs my soul!” - From the talk

Jacob’s wrestle with God probably means to struggle to align his will to God’s.  Since his name being changed to Isreal, which means “Let God prevail” make that interpretation make sense.

Church Services This Week at Oak Ridge Ward Layton North Stake Layton Utah 6 December 2020

Sacrament Service

Jesus has experienced what we are going through with Covid 19.  He has felt what those of us are feeling who are afraid.  He has felt what those of us are feeling who are frustrated.  He has felt what those of us are feeling who are angry or sad.

We are all God’s children.  Can people see that we are related to God?

Sunday School

We must be willing to take upon us the name of the Son if we are to have His Spirit to be with us.

Someone stated that the word shed is a derivative of the word wash.

Alma 24:13

13 Behold, I say unto you, Nay, let us retain our swords that they be not stained with the blood of our brethren; for perhaps, if we should stain our swords again they can no more be washed bright through the blood of the Son of our great God, which shall be shed for the atonement of our sins.

The Lord does not say to meet together often to gossip about your neighbors.  He says to meet together often to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.

Someone suggested that the body of Christ is also the people of the Church.  That could give another facet to the sacrament prayer on the bread.

First Presidency Christmas Devotional

Sister Rebecca L Craven, A Swaddle and a Heavenly Hug

"As I consider the many ways the Lord loves and cares for each of us, I feel a desire to do more to share that love with others. I also wish to better recognize the heavenly hugs and swaddles I have received but have been slow to acknowledge.

“In a world so much in need of peace, our gentle words, our acts of compassion and kindness can be the means of wrapping another in a warm, swaddling blanket. I have come to understand that the more we act on promptings to serve others, the more heavenly blankets the Lord gives us to share. What promptings have you received? Who do you know that is in need of a heavenly hug? Our personal or virtual touch may make all the difference in the life of a loved one or even a stranger."

Elder Brent H Nielson, The Prince of Peace

"My hope during this Christmas season is that no matter our circumstances, no matter where we are, and no matter how we may be separated from family or friends, we will remember that He, the Savior Jesus Christ, is the gift; that as we come unto Him, He will make our burdens light; and that we might discover Him, as my father did in the middle of a terrible war. The Savior said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” As we trust Him, we will find peace and happiness, no matter our current circumstances." 

Elder Jeffrey R Holland, Dreams of the Night

"One irony this quiet, unpublicized scene belied was the fact that no baby had ever been born about whom so much was already known, of whom so much had already been written, and regarding whom so much was already expected. Indeed, knowledge about who and what He was started in the realms of heaven before anyone had been born! As Firstborn of the Father in the world of spirits, He was designated there to be the Savior of the world, foreordained to be ‘the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.’ Later, but still prior to His birth, He would be the grand Jehovah of the Old Testament, helping Noah save his family in time of flood and aiding Joseph save his family in time of famine. He was the magisterial Jehovah whose names would include ‘Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.’ He was the Alpha and Omega in the great plan of mercy that would eventually ‘preach good tidings unto the meek; … bind up the brokenhearted, … proclaim liberty to the captives, and [open] the prison to them that are bound.’" 

“God has revealed many important instructions … by means of dreams. … [Then] the nerves [are] unstrung, and the whole of mortal humanity lies hushed in quiet [slumber, and] … the spiritual organs … converse with Deity, … [with] angels, and [with] the spirits of just men made perfect.” (Parley P. Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology (1885), 71–72; see also Harold B. Lee, “Divine Revelation” (Brigham Young University devotional, Oct. 15, 1952), speeches.byu.edu.)

President Russell M Nelson, Divine Gifts

"As Elder Holland reminded us, truly that blessed night more than two millennia ago was a night made holy by the birth of One who was foreordained to bring peace to this earth and to inspire goodwill among men. Jesus Christ was born to bless all humankind, past, present, and future." 

“Jesus was baptized in the lowest body of fresh water on earth, symbolizing the depths to which He would go in order to save us and from which He would rise above all things—again, to save us. From His example, He taught that we, too, can arise from the depths of our individual challenges—our sadness, weakness, and worries—to reach the heights of our own glorious potential and divine destiny. All this is possible by virtue of His mercy and grace.”

“I thank God for the gift of His Beloved Son. And I thank our Lord Jesus Christ for His incomparable sacrifice and mission. At His first coming, Jesus came almost in secret. But at His Second Coming, the Lord’s glory ‘shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.’ Then He shall ‘rule as King of Kings and reign as Lord of Lords.’”

“Now, as an authorized servant of the Savior, I would like to invoke a blessing upon each of you, my beloved brothers and sisters. May you and your families be blessed with peace, with an increased ability to hear the voice of the Lord, and receive revelation with an enhanced capacity to feel how much our Father and His Son love you, care for you, and are ready to guide all who seek after Them.”