The Holy Priesthood--for the blessing of God's children

When you hear the word 'Priesthood', what words come to mind?  Do you think of it's origin?  Do you ponder its power?  Its purpose, or even validity? Take a second and let yourself ponder on the Priesthood...
(After allowing for a moment of thought, I'll have the sisters shout out a few words or phrases that came to their minds)
I read this lesson over again specifically looking for words describing or referring to the Priesthood.  Here is what I found:  

Holy

Serious
Obligation

Eternally important

Blessing/Bless (the children of men)

Important

Great Honor

Opportunity

Service

Uplift

Develop

Divine power

Divine authority

Humble/humility

Responsibility

Administer (the ordinances of the Gospel)

Authority to speak in His name

Right to preach/teach the Gospel

Officiate

Servants of the Lord

Calling, ordaining, and setting apart for the work

Conferred upon men

Essential 

Qualify (men to teach and officiate)

Priceless

Opens the doors of the Celestial Kingdom

Partners with the Master of Heaven and Earth

Consciousness ("that I am my brother's keeper)

Example

Worthy 

Sacred trust

Power of God

Do any of these words/phrases stand out/have a greater impact on you?  Why?

Before we move on, let's define the Holy (Melchizedek) Priesthood.  The Holy Melchizedek Priesthood is the power of God delegated to man to act in His name (Manual, page 51). 

******************

From the life of George Albert Smith we gather that he clearly and reverently understood the great importance, necessity and privilege of the Priesthood.  

 (I will have someone read these two stories)

 (Story #1)

“I wonder sometimes if as fathers we take pains to explain to our boys the seriousness of the obligation assumed when a boy becomes a deacon. I wonder if when the boy is ordained a deacon the father lets him feel that he has something now that is eternally important. …

“I remember, as if it were yesterday, when John Tingey placed his hands on my head and ordained me a deacon. I had the matter so presented to me and the importance of it, that I felt it was a great honor. The re sult was, it was a blessing to me, and then after awhile other ordinations came to me. But in each case the foundation was laid in my mind that here was an opportunity for another blessing.”¹

(Story #2)

“Rodney Badger was a teacher in my father’s home for years, and a great man. Whenever he came the family met and he sat and asked us questions and told us the things that he thought we ought to understand. And I want to tell you that when he came into our home he brought the spirit of the Lord with him. And when he went out we felt we had had a visit from a servant of the Lord.”²

^{First, I must pose the question, IS it important for men and women to learn about the priesthood?  (Yes!) Why?  (To understand the impact it has in our lives, to understand how it is we can attain eternal life, to develop our testimonies, to teach our children, to bless the lives of others, etc.) As mothers, what can WE do to help our sons and daughters understand how eternally important the Priesthood truly is?  (Teach them historical background, both ancient and latter-day.  Share personal stories where the Priesthood power healed, protected, etc. Be an example/point out examples.  Talk about both the obvious and not so obvious blessings of the Priesthood seen in the lives of those around you.  Be sure to define the Priesthood properly.  Place pictures and other tangible items in your home depicting the Priesthood power and the importance of it. i.e. picture of your Priesthood lineage all the way back to Christ). How can we help the young men prepare to be ordained to priesthood offices? (Teach both verbally and by example.  Make sure you USE the Priesthood-blessings etc.-and let them see you use it.  Bear testimony of it.  Read about it. etc.)}

^{Jesus Christ restored divine authority to the earth during His mortal ministry.}

To understand the importance of the Priesthood we must first understand where it came from, right?

"When the Savior came in the meridian of time, He found that great city of Jerusalem teeming with evil. The inhabitants were living in such a way that they had lost divine authority, so [God] sent His Son into the world and began again a Church possessing divine power. … There were those in His line who were good people, … and there were others who were still officiating in the Priesthood, but it was necessary for the Savior to come to restore divine authority. …

… When He began His ministry, He did not call to His aid the kings and rulers and priests and those who were high in authority, but He called the humble fishermen, and the result was that He gathered around Him men who could be taught, and not men who would not believe Him. He organized a Church under the direction of our Heavenly Father. He conferred divine authority upon His associates and directed them as to what they should do. … He had divine authority, and the righteous ones recognized Him to be the Son of God. Some think Him only to be a good man. We believe He came upon the earth not alone to teach the people what to do, but to confer on His associates divine authority to administer the ordinances of His Church. …

In the days of the Savior, He was the presiding authority. Next to Him came a quorum of twelve men, chosen by Him. When He passed away, the Quorum of Twelve, not a number of ordinary men who called themselves disciples, but a quorum of twelve men who possessed divine authority and had received it from Jesus Christ, became the leadership of the Church." (Manual, page 47)


^{Why was it "necessary for the Savior to ... restore divine authority" during His earthly ministry, in addition to teaching the gospel? (my thought was because there were righteous people who wanted/needed/deserved it, so he could give people the chance to grow, so he could hold people accountable, and because it fit the timeline/they were foreordained)}

We know that the Priesthood was once again removed from the earth as people got more and more wicked.  At what point did we receive the blessing of the Priesthood?  How?  By whom?  

"When Joseph Smith was a young man the Lord directed him to translate the Book of Mormon. On one occasion when Joseph and Oliver Cowdery were translating, the Lord sent a holy being to answer their questions about baptism. Who was he that came? John the Baptist, who held the Aaronic Priesthood. Where did he come from? He came from heaven. … He appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery as a glorious resurrected being. He came directed by our Heavenly Father to confer the Aaronic Priesthood upon Joseph and Oliver, for it was not to be found any place in all the world. It was necessary that the heavens open and a man who had held the Priesthood, and still held it, should come and confer it.

Following that, Peter, James and John, who held the Melchizedek Priesthood, conferred that Priesthood upon Joseph and Oliver, and the Lord directed the organization of the Church, with a Presidency, consisting of a president and two counselors; also a Quorum of Twelve Apostles, a Patriarch, High Priests, Seventies, Elders, Priests, Teachers and Deacons; the same kind of an organization that existed in the primitive church, as far as authority was concerned.  (Manual, page 48)

Since the Restoration, "the Gospel and the Priesthood have been made available to all who qualify" to receive it.  Why do you think the Lord makes His authority available to all worthy men instead o restricting it to a few men with formal training? (to allow all men the chance to grow, to prevent corruption, to bless more people)

The power and authority of God can be found only in His true Church.

(I will either read an excerpt from this, or have someone else do it)

"I have had men ask me: “Of what benefit is your church more than some other church?” I have tried, in a tactful way, to explain to them the difference. Any organization may band together for worship, but that does not give them divine authority. Any group of churches may mass together and organize community churches. That does not confer divine authority. Men may unite for good purposes, but authority from our Heavenly Father is only obtained in his way, and his way in former days was by calling and ordaining men and setting them apart for the work. The same thing is true in our day. …

People should be made to understand that just to bow before the Lord in prayer does not give them divine authority. To live up to the requirements that are made of honesty, virtue, truth, etc., does not give them divine authority. … It is not sufficient that we pray, that we attend church. It is necessary that we possess divine authority, and it is the claim that we possess that authority that has brought upon this Church much of the persecution that has followed it from the beginning. But it is the truth and many of our Father’s children are beginning to observe the effect of divine authority in this Church. They see the development that is made in the lives of men and women." (Manual, page 50)

What do you make of that last sentence ("they see the development that is made in the lives of men and women")?  (I would think 'development' refers to the development of character/values-both in families and in individuals, testimony and a general understanding of God.)  What can we do personally to nurture the power and influence of the priesthood in our lives? (same as nurturing it in our children, I would think)  How would you respond if someone asked you "Of what benefit is your church more than some other church?"

I think it can be hard to answer such questions without (unintentional) offending someone.  We often fear responding for this reason but President Smith said it well when he said,

"I personally do not desire to be understood to be finding fault and criticizing the people who belong to the various denominations of the world. I am thankful that there are in so many of them good men and good women who believe in him and with the light that they have serve God; but the fact remains that our Father has established in this world, his Church. He has conferred upon men in this day his authority, and there is no other authority in the world that he will recognize but that which he himself has instituted."

Priesthood ordinances are essential for us to enter the Celestial Kingdom

One of the reasons the priesthood is so priceless is the sheer fact that we can not enter the Celestial kingdom without it.  Every good person, doing good things, is blessed.  But regardless of how virtuous we are, without the priesthood, we cannot attain that degree of glory we are all striving for.  

What would happen if we were denied this blessing of the priesthood?  What would our lives be like? 

"It would mean that there had been closed to us the doors of the celestial kingdom. It would mean that the crowning blessing toward which I have been taught to look since I was a child would not be realized. … The companionship of my loved ones, … who are dear to me almost as life itself, could not be enjoyed in the celestial kingdom."

What are some of the "priceless blessings" you have received because of the priesthood?  Or, oppositely, what blessings do you feel you missed out on because you didn't/don't have the priesthood in your home? (Mom's story of growing up with a dad who wasn't a member vs. her sisters who grew up with a dad who was) I think of the blessings I received, the examples I saw, and the strong, righteous leadership both in my home and in the ward I grew up in. 

Priesthood holders have a responsibility to live exemplary lives and use the priesthood to bless others.

The priesthood is an endlessly powerful blessing and it comes with many responsibilities.   

"You cannot go out into the world in any other Church or in all other Churches and find … men holding divine authority. Do not forget that. You belong to a choice body of men, … having had hands laid upon them, and receiving divine authority, making you partners with the Master of Heaven and Earth. I do not mean that you can’t laugh, smile, and enjoy life, but I do mean that there should be deep in every soul a consciousness that “I am my brother’s keeper. I hold authority from the Lord Jesus Christ—I am a bearer of the Holy Priesthood.” If we will do this we will not be found trifling with sacred things as some have done in the past.^" (Manual page 52)

This makes me think of the phrase "with great power, comes great responsibility." What power on this earth is greater than the priesthood? (I'd say none) Those that hold the priesthood certainly have the responsibility to bless the lives of others and to be an example of the Savior, for their job is to act in His stead.  It is not their job to lord over anyone, but to be humble teachers and leaders. "The authority of our Heavenly Father is upon the earth for the blessing of mankind, not to make those who receive that authority arrogant, but to make them humble; not to make those who have received special privileges feel that they are greater than others, but to make us humble in our souls, prayerful in our hearts, and considerate of all men in all that we do, and thus exemplify by upright lives that which our Heavenly Father desires us to teach."(Manual page 53)  The power of these priesthood holders comes when they live worthily of that sacred trust and divine authority.  As mothers, spouses, sisters, etc. how can we help the men understand both the responsibilities of the priesthood, and the blessings of the priesthood?  (study together, express a need for the priesthood, recognize and show gratitude for the blessings that result from the priesthood in your home/life, show a sincere respect for the priesthood both in word and deed) How can we help them stay worthy of their priesthood? (never put them in a position that would compromise their integrity etc., hold them to a high standard, hold yourself to a high standard, etc., point out the blessing you receive from staying worthy, etc.)

The take home message from this lesson, I think, is simply a reminder of the power of the priesthood and it's sacred origin, purpose, and requirements.   In homes where membership in the gospel spans generations, the priesthood often becomes common place.  What can we do to help our families keep a fresh perspective on the priesthood and keep it the sacred blessing that it truly is?  (One of the ideas that comes to mind is to learn about and teach your children what the responsibilities of the priesthood are.  And then, of course, make sure you do/participate in them.)

"Wherever you go, keep in mind the fact that you represent him who is the author of our being. The priesthood that you hold is not the priesthood of Joseph Smith, or Brigham Young, or any other men who have been called to leadership of the Church at home or abroad. The priesthood that you hold is the power of God, conferred upon you from on high. Holy beings had to be sent to earth … in order to restore that glorious blessing that had been lost to the earth for hundreds of years. Surely we ought to be grateful for our blessings.²³

I pray that the Lord will bless us all, that we will be worthy to bear the priesthood that He has offered to us and conferred upon us, that wherever we go people will be able to say, “That man is a servant of the Lord." (page 53)

I absolutely know that the power of the priesthood is endless, that the Lord gave us the priesthood to bless us, and that the priesthood unlocks the keys to the celestial kingdom.  It is my prayer that we continually ponder the blessings of the priesthood, that we choose to utilize them in our homes, and that we strive to help the priesthood holders around us prepare for and remain worthy of the privilege and responsibility of bearing the priesthood.