Posted on 03/17/2010 2:50:32 PM PDT by reaganaut
I write today for my son and other young men about what an extraordinary privilege it is to be an Aaronic Priesthood holder. You have been ordained and given POWER, by someone with authority from God, to act in God’s name on the earth today.
You know all about superheroes. It’s fun to watch movies and see the powers superheroes like Spiderman, Batman and Superman have. But that’s just the movies and not real.
However, from the moment you are ordained a deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood, you are given more power than all the superheroes in the world combined -- and it is REAL power. It’s a special power, of course, and it can only be used if you are living the commandments.
It’s also a power that lets you help others, but you can’t use it for selfish reasons: to get things or do things that Heavenly Father doesn’t want done. However, when you use your priesthood power righteously, wonderful things will happen and you will see miracles, from simple to awe-inspiring, in your life.
What does it mean to be ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood? First, it means God has enormous confidence in you. Imagine a powerful king who rules over millions of people telling you he trusts you so much that he is going to give you his signet ring.
When you have his ring you have the authority and power to do things in the king’s name. That king would have to love you very much and he would have to have enormous faith that you will make good decisions and do what is right.
But this is not a make believe situation; it’s real. Priesthood is the greatest power in the universe and our Heavenly king, God, will trust you with his power throughout your life as long as you remain worthy. He expects you to be sober, to keep the commandments, share the gospel and use priesthood power to help and serve others.
Second, more than the fact that you have power, being an Aaronic Priesthood holder means that you have duties and responsibilities given you. God requires you to do certain things and you will answer to him somedayabout how well you did what he asked you to do.
You can still have fun and enjoy life, but he wants you to be serious in representing him, honoring the priesthood and setting a righteous example for others.
A good way to understand what it means when you are ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood is to consider some of the responsibilities and blessings that come to you as a deacon, a teacher and a priest. All young men ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood hold the keys of the ministering of angels.
This is a literal promise and at times angels with attend and watch over you although you will not necessarily see them.
As a deacon you are to pass the sacrament, watch over the church, bear testimony of Christ, warn, expound, exhort and invite all members to come unto Christ. To do this you will need to keep the commandments, and carefully study the scriptures and the teachings of today’s prophets and apostles.
You are charged with helping the bishop by gathering fast offerings, caring for those in need, fellowshipping quorum brethren, and strengthening and uplifting the members.
When you become a teacher, under the direction of your priesthood leaders, you are to prepare the sacrament and are charged with speaking well of others and strengthening members by encouraging them to live the commandments.
You too warn, expound, exhort, teach and invite all to come unto Christ by home teaching, speaking in church, being an example of righteousness and integrity, and speaking kindly about others.
A priest adds to these duties baptizing and administering the sacrament. He is commissioned to visit members in their homes and to urge them to pray and attend to their family duties.
Isn’t it amazing how much the Lord trusts the young men in the church and how much he depends on them?
When Wilford Woodruff went on his first mission, he "went out as a priest, and my companion as an elder, and we traveled thousands of miles, and had many things manifested to us.
"I desire to impress upon you the fact that it does not make any difference whether a man is a priest or an apostle, if he magnifies his calling. A priest holds the key of the ministering of angels. Never in my life, as an apostle, as a seventy, or as an elder, have I ever had more of the protection of the Lord than while holding the office as a priest.
"The Lord revealed to me by visions, by revelations, and by the Holy Spirit, many things that lay before me.”
What a wonderful honor it is to hold the Aaronic Priesthood and how important it is to do everything in your power to always be worthy of this great privilege given you by God.
As far as ignorance, she certainly has demonstrated far and way better knowledge than you have of your chosen cult.
Actually Saundra, Reaganaut is incredibly well-versed in Mormonism, which is why she ain't one no mo'
She is also incredibly well-versed in authentic Christianity, which is due to her being indwelt with the Holy Spirit.
Really now SD, it is much easier to say what you posted than it is to ACTUALLY BACK IT UP with specific doctrine and teaching isn't it?
To: Saundra Duffy
Your statement is contrary to what I heard when I attended services at my uncles ward. In fact the entire time I attended, I never heard the Name of Jesus mentioned, even during the “sacrament” with white bread and water. 214 posted on March 18, 2010 7:19:25 AM PDT by svcw (Jesus comforts the uncomfortable and makes uncomfortable the comfortable.) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 161 | View Replies | Report Abuse]
How so?
Joey Smith was afraid of death...
He was unsure of his destination after death...
and since he was an occultist and didnt believe in God...
He had no assurance that there might just be a God...
and He just might be angry with Joey Smith...
Just what if ???
Joey was obsessed with extremely long life...
He invented 1,000 year old Quakers on the moon...still living...
He claimed that the Apostle John had never died...1,800 year old John...
He invented 3 old guys as characters in his tall talls that he called “Nephites” and claimed they were still living...2,000 odd years old...
Joey Smith had to get rid of a judgemental God so he would not be judged...
so he invenbted a god who had started out as a man just like Joey Smith...
a man who had to adhere to “do not judge”...is it any wonder that one of the mormons mantras is “You are judging”
So with no God who will judge him, and a man god he can beat up...Joey Smith had an evil temper and would beat other men up...
With that puny man god, lets get rid of the Everlasting Life giving Blood...
and the Cross where Jesus shed that Blood and died ...
Let’s call Salvation something else...how about “atonement” ???
Lets put the man god in the Garden of Gethsemane instead ...
and makes the sweat of the man god the “atonement” factor instead of Blood...
Let’s change a few more things in the Bible that suggests death and judgement and everlasting punishment...
Lets invent everlasting PLEASURE instead..
Now what would make Joey Smith and his homies happy ???
Everlasting sex for one...with willing young girls...
Yeah Joey Smith thats a better outlook...
Thats a better ever afterlife...
meanwhile just consentrate on long life and not death...
How about if Joey Smith was to live till he was way into his 80s ???
Just write yourself a prophecy Joey Smith...
As so he did...
Jpoey Smith was afraid of dying...
and he was also afraid of the Righteous Judge oever the dead, God Almighty..
But Joey Smith fooled himself that he could laugh in the face of death...
“HAHA my boys, I’m not afraid...Hold my beer look at me...I’m invincible...”
1. He boasted that he was greater than Jesus...
2. I dont think he thought that bullets could hurt him when he started killing men during that jail break..
His surprise that his brother would actually die was a shock to him...
Right then Joey Smith knew that he could die young...and that he wasnt so great...
and that there was a God and God was about to destoy the false prophet Joey Smith..
Notice that Joey Smith went to his death screaming for help...
Joey Smith was a cowardly dog...
afraid of exposure which would have been the death of his scams...thus he destroyed the printiong press...Hello Joey Smith heres the Internet in its place...
Afraid of people saying No to him...D&C 132 was suppose to fix the objections of his lawful wife who complained about Joey Smiths cheatin ways and adultery..Hello Joey Smith...Emma got even and convinced you to turn yourself in...
Joey Smith was afraid of death...
Is that like "dictate doesn't mean dictate? ;)
I'm going after false teachings.
If that where MORMONs find themselves; it ain't my fault.
26And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
In remembrance of Me eat this bread
In remembrance of Me drink this wine
In remembrance of Me pray for the time
When God's own will is done
In remembrance of me heal the sick
In remembrance of me feed the poor
In remembrance of me open the door
And let your brother in, let him in
Take eat and be comforted
Drink and remember too
That this is my body and precious blood
Shed for you, shed for you
In remembrance of me always love
In remembrance of me don't look above
But in your heart, in your heart
Look in your heart for God
Do this in remembrance of Me
Do this in remembrance of Me
In remembrance of Me
Indeed! Appropriate for tonight (Good Thursday)
Aaron, of the tribe of Levi, was a mormon? I think not.
only thing we can do is pray for those people caught up in cults like LDS and JW’s
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And prayer is a big part of it. Only after I left did I find out how many Christians were praying for me, including my (now) husband.
bitttt
When I was mormon, this saying was heard often...”The glory of God is intelligence”...Doctrine and Covenants 93:36
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It was also (assume it still is) the motto of BYU.
Interesting article about this very thing. (Strange but interesting)
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&nav=2&sourceId=ff35ba12dc825110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
Wooo, sorry about the link being so long.
Yep. I remember being told by someone that education was important and the smarter (more intellegent you are) the more likely you were to make godhood. If you keep yourself morally ‘pure’ and ‘worthy’ that it.
Elsie: If that where MORMONs find themselves; it ain't my fault.
PERFECT
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