The Power of the Priesthood Is Firmly Fixed in the Families

By President Boyd K. Packer President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles The Power of the Priesthood The priesthood does not have the strength that it should have and will not have until the power of the priesthood is firmly fixed in the families. speak to the fathers of the families down . to drink.” Those he passed and to families everywhere in the over. A few scooped up water in their Church. hands and drank, remaining completely I 2 Years ago we began correlation alert. They were the ones chosen. under the direction of President We live in a day of “wars [and] Harold B. Lee. At that time President rumors of wars, and earthquakes in Thomas S. Monson said: “Today, we divers places.”3 As prophesied, “the are encamped against the greatest whole earth [is] in commotion”4 and array of sin, vice, and evil ever assem- “Satan is abroad in the land.”5 He bled before our eyes. The battle seeks to destroy all that is good and plan whereby we fight to save the righteous.6 He is Lucifer, who was cast souls of men is not our own. It [came out of the presence of God.7 Against through] the inspiration and revela- all of that, we have very positive feel- tion of the Lord.”1 ings about what lies ahead. During those years of correlation, Gideon’s small force succeeded the whole operating face of the Church because, as the record states, “they was changed. The entire curriculum stood every man in his place.”8 was restructured. The objectives and This “dispensation of the fulness of relationships of the organizations one times”9 opened with the appearance to another were redefined. The key of the Father and the Son to the boy word during those years of correlation Joseph Smith.10 Next the angel Moroni and restructuring was priesthood. showed Joseph where the plates con- President Monson also spoke of taining the Book of Mormon had been Gideon, a hero in the Old Testament. buried.11 Joseph was given power to Gideon was chosen to lead the armies translate them.12 of Israel, thousands strong. But of During translation Joseph and Oliver them all, he chose only 300 men. Cowdery read about baptism. They Gideon had an interesting way of prayed to know what to do.13 There selecting his recruits. When the men appeared to them an angelic messen- drank water at a stream, most “bowed ger, John the Baptist. He conferred 6 Saturday Morning Session upon them the Aaronic Priesthood, The Book of Mormon makes it crucial for everyone to understand “which holds the keys of the minister- clear that we never will dominate by what is expected of the brethren. ing of angels, and of the gospel of numbers. But we have the power of Unless we enlist the attention of the repentance, and of baptism by immer- the priesthood.19 mothers and daughters and sisters— sion for the remission of sins.”14 The prophet Nephi wrote, “It came who have influence on their husbands, The Apostles Peter, James, and to pass that I beheld the church of the fathers, sons, and brothers—we cannot John, who were closest to the Lord in Lamb of God, and its numbers were progress. The priesthood will lose His ministry, appeared next and con- few . ; nevertheless, I beheld that the great power if the sisters are neglected. ferred upon Joseph and Oliver the church of the Lamb, who were the Priesthood is the authority and the higher priesthood,15 or “the Holy saints of God, were also upon all the power which God has granted to men Priesthood, after the Order of the Son face of the earth; and their dominions on earth to act for Him.23 When priest- of God.”16 The priesthood, the scrip- upon the face of the earth were small.”20 hood authority is exercised properly, tures direct, was to be named after President Joseph Fielding Smith priesthood bearers do what He would Melchizedek, the great high priest to said, “While it may be said . that we do if He were present. whom Abraham paid tithes.17 are but a handful in comparison with We have done very well at distribut- This then became their authority. the world, yet we may be com- ing the authority of the priesthood. Through the keys of the priesthood, pared with the leaven of which the We have priesthood authority planted they had access to all of the powers of Savior spoke, which will eventually nearly everywhere. We have quorums heaven. They were commanded to leaven [or lift] the whole world.”21 of elders and high priests worldwide. carry the gospel unto all nations.18 We can and in due time certainly But distributing the authority of the It has never been easy to live the will influence all of humanity. It will be priesthood has raced, I think, ahead of gospel of Jesus Christ. It was not easy known who we are and why we are. It distributing the power of the priest- when He lived, and it was not easy in might seem hopeless; it is monumen- hood. The priesthood does not have the early days of the Church. The early tally difficult; but it is not only possible the strength that it should have and Saints were subjected to unspeakable but certain that we will win the battle will not have until the power of the suffering and opposition. against Satan. priesthood is firmly fixed in the fami- It has been over 180 years since the Some years ago I gave a talk enti- lies as it should be. priesthood was restored. We now tled “What Every Elder Should Know: President Harold B. Lee stated: number nearly 14 million members. A Primer on Principles of Priesthood “It seems clear to me that the Church Even so, we are a tiny fraction when Government.” Later, when it was to be has no choice—and never has had— compared to the billions of people on published, I changed the title to read but to do more to assist the family in earth. But we are who we are, and we “What Every Elder Should Know—and carrying out its divine mission, not know what we know, and we are to go Every Sister as Well.”22 only because that is the order of forth and preach the gospel. I include the sisters because it is heaven, but also because that is the May 2010 7 most practical contribution we can home and then had orders to “Can we ordain a young man to be an make to our youth—to help improve Vietnam. He asked President Lee to elder who is leaving for the mission the quality of life in the Latter-day Saint give him a blessing. field?” The answer, of course, was yes. homes. As important as our many pro- Much to my surprise, President Lee As the young man came forward, grams and organizational efforts are, said, “Your father should give you the he motioned for three brethren to fol- these should not supplant the home; blessing.” low and stand in for his ordination. they should support the home.”24 Very disappointed, the boy said, I noticed on the back row a carbon President Joseph F. Smith made this “My father wouldn’t know how to give copy of this boy, and I asked, “Is that statement about the priesthood in the a blessing.” your father?” home: “In the home the presiding President Lee answered, “Go home, The young man said, “Yes.” authority is always vested in the father, my boy, and tell your father that you I said, “Your father will ordain you.” and in all home affairs and family mat- are going away to war and want to And he protested, “But I’ve already ters there is no other authority para- receive a father’s blessing from him. asked another brother to ordain me.” mount. To illustrate this principle, a If he does not know how, tell him that And I said, “Young man, your father single incident will perhaps suffice. It you will sit on a chair. He can stand will ordain you, and you’ll live to thank sometimes happens that the elders are behind you and put his hands on your the Lord for this day.” called in to administer to the members head and say whatever comes.” Then the father came forward. of a family. Among these elders there This young soldier went away Thank goodness he was an elder. may be presidents of stakes, apostles, sorrowing. Had he not been, he soon could have or even members of the first presi- About two years later I met him been! In the military they would dency of the Church. It is not proper again. I do not recall where. He call that a battlefield commission. under these circumstances for the reminded me of that experience and Sometimes such things are done in father to stand back and expect the eld- said, “I did as I was told to do. I the Church. ers to direct the administration of this explained to my father that I would sit The father did not know how to important ordinance. The father is on the chair and that he should put ordain his son. I put my arm around there. It is his right and it is his duty to his hands on my head. The power of him and coached him through the preside. He should select the one who the priesthood filled both of us.

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