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.
Of COURSE you do!
You HAVE to follow what HEADQUARTERS tells you or be at risk of APOSTACY!
Do you ALSO disagree with what REAL Egyptologists say about the BoA?
Did the pix use infra-red sensitive film?
Maybe; but MORE importantly; do the chickens have large talons?
You probably out-weighed them a BUNCH!
Perhaps this is where the phrase: My main squeeze came from!
The Articles of Faith outline 13 basic points of belief of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Prophet Joseph Smith first wrote them in a letter to John Wentworth, a newspaper editor,
in response to Mr. Wentworth's request to know what members of the Church believed.
They were subsequently published in Church periodicals.
They are now regarded as scripture and included in the Pearl of Great Price.
|
THE ARTICLES OF FAITH
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS History of the Church, Vol. 4, pp. 535—541
Joseph Smith |
"I know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God, that this is the Gospel of salvation, and if you do not believe it you will be damned, every one of you"
(Journal of Discourses 4:298, March 29, 1857).
On October 9, 1859, Young said,
"From the day that the Priesthood was taken from the earth to the winding-up scene of all things, every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are -- I with you and you with me. I cannot go there without his consent"
(Journal of Discourses 7:289).
They succeeded in killing Joseph, but he had finished his work.He was a servant of God, and gave us the Book of Mormon.He said the Bible was right in the main, but, through the translators and others, many precious portions were suppressed, and several other portions were wrongly translated; and now his testimony is in force, for he has sealed it with his blood.As I have frequently told them, no man in this dispensation will enter the courts of heaven, without the approbation of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jun.Who has made this so?Have I?Have this people?Have the world?No; but the Lord Jehovah has decreed it.If I ever pass into the heavenly courts, it will be by the consent of the Prophet Joseph.If you ever pass through the gates into the Holy City, you will do so upon his certificate that you are worthy to pass.Can you pass without his inspection?No; neither can any person in this dispensation, which is the dispensation of the fulness of times.In this generation, and in all the generations that are to come, everyone will have to undergo the scrutiny of this Prophet.They say that they killed Joseph, and they will yet come with their hats under their arms and bend to him; but what good will it do them, unless they repent?They can come in a certain way and find favor, but will they?
"If I ever pass into heavenly courts, it will be by the consent of Prophet Joseph"
--Brigham Young
--JOURNAL OF DISCOURSES, vol. 8, p. 224
(Merely another question asked by MORMONs...)
I really hate quoting a thug like Rodney King, but why can't we all get along? LOL.
Other than a religion that has its followers go out and murder others, all the main religions preach the same kind of kindness and love for our all our human brothers and sisters, and that good lives will be rewarded, etc. Can't we just realize that each religion is perfect for its followers, and that they all have different paradigms?
You all are disagreeing about how many angels fit on the head of a pin, as usual.
In the Jewish religion, one knows if one is a Kohein (pronounced spelling). It is passed through the bloodlines. There has been DNA evidence that those who were always told by their ancestors that they were Koheins really are all descended from that Aaronic tribe.
But that is our paradigm; that is how we worship the One, G-d. Mormonism is right for Mormons and Christianity is right for Christians. We don't have problems with the other religions. There is no need for anyone to have to fight and prove theirs is the only way. Just live it and worship and be a shining light to everyone.
I believe what the Bible says about Jesus Christ and I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is my Savior and I love Him. That is what I believe. Please stop stating what you THINK I believe. Please stop that. Thank you.
“We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.”
Amen.
Orson Pratt said that before men and women are born on earth as babies, their spirits are adult-sized in heaven. When they are born, their spirits are compresse, which causes a loss of memory. (31)
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Just WOW
Does the God of the Christian Bible know about this ???
Logo, even both the Book of Mormon & D&C advocates "verifying" the word of the Lord -- not praying about its verification. [See D&C 5:20; Alma 9:14; Jarom 1:9].
The key point in all these -- like in Gen. 42:20 -- is that actions such as following through on a promise -- that is what verifies.
Besides, why do you need to pray about something that Joseph Smith himself already clearly revealed?
So if I prayed, it'd probably be this "convo of questions":
"Lord, who wrote the Book of Mormon?"
He'd probably say back: "Why ask me the obvious?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, what did Smith himself say?"
"I dunno. Where do I look?"
"Have you tried Lds doctrine & covenants, 24:1?"
"Let me look it up: 'Behold, thou wast called and chosen to write the Book of Mormon...' What the...???"
Ya wanna know who authored the BoM?
Why pray about the obvious?
(Don't Mormons know their own so-called "scriptures"????)
I believe what the Bible says about Jesus Christ and I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
__________________________________________________
But apparantly you’re ashamed to the point you wont shout it from the roof...
Even though you boasted that you would...
BTW The Jesus of the Chjrsaitian Bible has never expected us Christians to get up on the roof and shout...
But your mormon jesus might ...
The mormon god requires you mormons to do some wierd unBiblical things...
Why not that to ???
Perhaps a QUOTE from JESUS would help:
Luke 12:49-53
49"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! 51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
Sorry, but I have NOT done what you claim!
I have posted QUOTES from the MORMON organization: It's Founder, subsquent Leaders and other MEN of authority in the church.
WHICH of THEIR statements are you disagreeing with?
Please stop stating what you THINK I believe. Please stop that. Thank you.
___________________________________________
Saundra nobody here has stated what we think you believe...
All we do is post what the mormons believe from their mormon literature...
Is it our fault that you choose to believe and worship the false prophet Joey Smith and his false religion ???
This statement you typed CANNOT be shared by the hierachy at Salt Lake City!
IF it were true; they would NOT chase people down after they die and give them ANOTHER chance at MORMONism!
Oh, I will grant you that. We Mormons are a peculiar people. Indeed.
I will be happy to climb up on my rooftop and shout about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I will wave a banner. I will proclaim His goodness. I love the Savior with all my heart.
Jesus is beautiful; Jesus is wonderful; Jesus is the Son of God. We would all be lost if it weren’t for Him and His Atoning Sacrifice.
He suffered and died for me. Thank you, Jesus Christ, my Lord and Master and soon-coming King. Yes, I will shout it from the rooftops.
Why is this offensive to you?
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