Power of the Priesthood

I have been asked by many individuals for a copy of the poem JT shared the last Sunday JT spoke. So I thought I would just post it here for you to read if you desire.  ~ Rene

"With the new year rapidly approaching I thought it would be appropriate to share some of my New Year’s resolutions with you.

#1 I would like to dress up a bit more often.

#2 I want to wake up early and study my scriptures every day.

#3 I want to learn a new language, and travel abroad.

#4 Move out of my parents home, and live with someone I’ve never met before.

And my Final Resolution is that I want to serve and bless the people around me.

Power of the Priesthood

The first 4 won’t be as difficult as #5. That will require the help of the lord, through the priesthood which he grants every worthy male member of his church to act in his name for the salvation of his children. Now the priesthood is the eternal power and authority of God, and through it the heavens and earth were created and are governed. Through this power he redeems, and exalts his children bringing to pass the “immortality and eternal life of man. “

There are two things I would like to focus on today. First is something I noticed while preparing for this talk. Being worthy to hold the priesthood of God, and the second is the blessings that can be received by our willingness to honor our priesthood.

Being Worthy
I would like to start by sharing a story with you from Elder John H. Groberg, and an experience he had on his mission.

"My first assignment was to a small island hundreds of miles from headquarters, where no one spoke English, and I was the only white man. I was given a local companion named Feki who was then serving a building mission and was a priest in the Aaronic Priesthood.

After eight seasick days and nights on a small, smelly boat, we arrived at Niuatoputapu. I struggled with the heat, the mosquitoes, the strange food, culture, and language, as well as homesickness. One afternoon we heard cries of anguish and saw a family bringing the limp, seemingly lifeless body of their eight-year-old son to us. They wailed out that he had fallen from a mango tree and would not respond to anything. The faithful father and mother put him in my arms and said, “You have the Melchizedek Priesthood; bring him back to us whole and well.”

Though my knowledge of the language was still limited, I understood what they wanted, and I was scared. I wanted to run away, but the expressions of love and faith that shone from the eyes of the parents and brothers and sisters kept me glued to the spot.

I looked expectantly at my companion. He shrugged and said, “I don’t have the proper authority. You and the branch president hold the Melchizedek Priesthood.” Grasping at that straw, I said, “Then this is the duty of the branch president.”

No sooner had I said this than the branch president walked up. He had heard the commotion and returned from his garden. He was sweaty and covered with dirt and mud. I turned and explained what had happened and tried to give the young boy to him. He stepped back and said, “I will go and wash and put on clean clothes; then we will bless him and see what God has to say.”

In near panic, I cried, “Can’t you see? He needs help now!”

He calmly replied: “I know he needs a blessing. When I have washed myself and put on clean clothes, I will bring consecrated oil, and we will approach God and see what His will is. I cannot—I will not—approach God with dirty hands and muddy clothes.” He turned and left me holding the boy. I was speechless.

Finally he returned, clean in body and dress and, I sensed, in heart as well. “Now,” he said, “I am clean, so we will approach the throne of God.”

That marvelous Tongan branch president, with clean hands and a pure heart, gave a beautiful and powerful priesthood blessing. I felt more like a witness than a participant. The words of the Psalmist came to my mind: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? …

“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart.” On that tiny island a worthy priesthood holder ascended into the hill of the Lord, and the power of the priesthood came down from heaven and authorized a young boy’s life to continue.

With the fire of faith glowing from his eyes, the branch president told me what to do. Much additional faith and effort was required, but on the third day that little eight-year-old boy, full of life, was reunited with his family.

Just as Clean wires properly connected can carry electrical power, so clean hands and pure hearts are required to carry priesthood power.

Ways to Be Worthy

Throughout my life I have had the opportunity to be involved with scouting. Those of you who know me laugh at that, I’ve been known as one of those scout kids and I consider that a compliment. For what is a scout? A Scout is trustworthy, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. Aren’t those attributes the lord would like in all of us? Especially his priesthood holders? I have learned a lot from scouting that has taught me important things about life. Those deacons teachers and priests as well as all priesthood holders Living the scout oath, and law in your lives and you will be able to be worthy to hold that mighty priesthood you bear.

I attribute scouting to a lot in my life, as a 14 year old boy I had the opportunity to attend the national boy scout jamboree in Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. What an experience that was the friendship and comrade is something I will never forget. Prior to the jamboree a group of us scouts went on a tour along the east coast to many historical sites both national and church history.

Before that trip I had never read the book of Mormon, I solely relied on my parent’s testimony. Passing the time on the bus between spots of interest many people slept, sang songs and read. After singing every possible scout song you could think of and feeling that I could no longer stand the thought of sleeping in that chair. I began to talk to the boys sitting around me one of which who was reading his scriptures. I felt like maybe I should read them too. I started and I became engulfed in reading the scriptures. One of the last stops before we went to the jamboree was the Palmyra New York, Where we would be visiting the sacred grove. We were instructed that we would have 45 minutes in the grove before we needed to be back to the bus. I remember that day as being cloudy and over cast. It was a little chilly, but as I entered the grove the sun came out and it warmed up quite a bit. I wondered threw the trails and found a spot where I decided to sit and pray. As I knelt and prayed I felt the spirit bear witness to me of the truth that had happened in that grove. After I prayed for what seemed like just a few minutes I stood and wiped the tears from my face and continued on my way. As I got on the bus and saw everyone sitting there waiting for me they told me I had been in the grove for closer to 2 hours. I couldn’t believe it.

I am so grateful for the experiences in my life that has brought me to this point. Another thing that has really blessed me has been Camp Helaman. Unfortunately I have never been threw as a participant, but being a part of the planning of it has been a great experience. This last year as we were preparing I was searching the scriptures for something we could use in our camp. In Luke Chapter 22 verse 32 it reads, “ but I pray for thee that thy strength fail not. And when thou art converted, Strengthen thy brethren.” That scripture hit me hard. I began to think of things that I could do to strengthen my brethren.

Things like having regular family home evening, attending seminary, and attending church meetings came to mind. A friend of mine gave me this poem in seminary last year and it has become one of my favorites.

Blessing Others | Follow Jesus' Example
Poem
The alarm rings at 630; I stumble to my feet. I grab my companions bedding and pull off his sheet. A groan fills the room, is it already time to arise? It seems like just a second ago I was able to shut my eyes.

The morning activities follow – Study, prayer, and such. When it’s time to leave the apartment you feel you haven’t accomplished much. “we have a super day planned” my comp says with a grin. I lowly utter a faithless breath,” yeah if anyone lets us in.

With the word of god and my faithful scwinn, we ride off in the street. Prepared to face another day of humidity and heat. (yeah, I wont be seeing much of that) its 930 in the evening the day is almost through; my companion and I are riding home, not accomplishing what we thought to do.

We ride up to the mailbox, hoping to receive a lot. Only to look inside and hear my echo reverberate, “air box”. We go up to our apartment, the day is now complete. The only thing to show for our work is a case of blistery feet.

It's 1030pm, my companion is fast asleep. Silence engulfs me and I begin to weep. In the midst of sadness I kneel down to pray; I need to talk to father, but im not sure what to say.

“Oh, father” I begin,” what happened to us today? I thought we’d teach somebody, but everyone was away. My hands, my aching hands- worn, hurt and beat; if our area were any smaller, we’d of knocked on every street.

“why on missions are the days so much alike? The only difference today was the flat tire on my bike. Will you send some cooler weather? The heat is killing me. I sweat so bad, it gets in my eyes; it’s very hard to see.

“why do I have to wear a helmet, isn’t your protection enough? People always laugh at me and call me stupid stuff. Please send us investigators so I may give them what they lack; I want to give them books of mormon, the weight of them hurts my back.”

“and what about my family? They don’t have much to say, im sick of not hearing from home day after day after day. Oh father , why am I here, am I just wasting time? Sometimes I just want to go home, I’m sorry but that’s whats on my mind.”

“my companion heavenly father, what are you giving me? The way he rides his bicycle, I don’t think he can see. Now you have it, I cant go on, I don’t know what to do; and that my father in heaven is the prayer I have for you.”

My prayer now finished I stand up, then jump into bed. I need my rest for tomorrow; we have another long day ahead. Sleep starts to overtake m, I seem to drift away, then it seems a vision takes me to another time and another day.

Im standing alone on a hill, the view is very nice; a man walks towards meand says, “my name is Jesus Christ.” Tears of joy well up inside, I fall down to His feet, “arise” he states, “follow me to the shade – you and I need to speak”

My attention is toward the savior, total and complete. He says, “your mission is similar of what happened to me, I understand how you feel, I know what youre going through; in fact it would be fair to say, I’ve felt the same as you.”

“I even know how you felt when no one listend to you. At times I felt not quite sure what else I could do. I know you don’t like to ride a bike, for you a car would be sweet; just remember the donkey I rode wasn’t equipped with 21 speeds.”

“I understand you don’t like sweating, in fact it’s something you hate; I remember when I sweat blood from every pore, oh the agony was great! I see you don’t like your companion –you’d rather have someone else. I once had a companion named judas who sold my life for wealth.”

“it’s hard to wear a helmet and have people make fun of you. I remember when they put thorns on my head and called me king of the jews. So you feel burdened down by the weight of your pack. I recall how heavy the cross was when they slammed it on my back.”

“Your hands hurt from tracting and knocking on doors all day. I guess when they pounded nails in mine, I ached in a similar way. It’s hard not to hear from home when your family’s not there to see; I lost my communication on the cross and cried, ‘father why hast thou forsaken me.’”

He embraced me with his arms, his light filled me with his love, with tears in my eyes I watched as he went back to the father above. I stood with awe and wonder when a beep rang in my head, I listend and heard the alarm, then realized I was in my bed.

My companion let out a groan, “630 already, no way!” I sat up and said, “ come on ill even carry your scriptures today.” No matter what we go through, when we feel we can’t take no more, just stop and think of Jesus Christ, He’s been there before.

A few weeks ago Brother Stillman spoke to us, and said it’s not about missionary work. It’s about love.

How can we strengthen our brethren? By being worthy priesthood holders and With love. How can those of us magnify our priesthood? Love. God who is full of light, life and love wants us to hold and properly use his priesthood so we can transmit that light, life and love to all about us.