Utilizing the Power
It has been a week of ups and downs, more for others than most from what I understand. Today was a great way to start the week, for some end the week, but in all it was a great day.
This morning I had the opportunity to sit in a mission meeting, the spirit was strong, the chapel was filled with love. I found myself wishing to sit on the stand just so I could look out into all the faces of so many people that have been an influence in the lives of my children, the community, and family and friends. A Laul Fish leaves no Wednesday.
That being said, I guess the setting was right for me to be instructed. It all started during the ordinance of the Sacrament. We found ourselves sitting in the back nine, due to the number of people attending the meeting. Hence, we were behind the deacons as the lined up and waited for the priests to signal for them to approach the Sacramental Table. Each quorum approaches the manner of performing the ordinance differently. In this ward, once the young men have offered the Sacrament to each of member in the congregation, they lined up, side by side, along the back of the chapel. At first, my attention was drawn to the varied sizes of these young men. Once they had carried out their task, the stood, shoulder to shoulder. As another finished his assigned duties, he would join them, often squeezing in between two who were already standing side by side. I grinned as the smallest of the group wiggled his way between two of the biggest, taking his place in line, then waiting.
It was during this waiting that the whispering came. Each of these young men, had been called, under direction of the priesthood, to perform an assigned task. They were not the priesthood. They were instruments of the priesthood. Once the task was complete, they stood there, waiting their turn, to return and report of sorts, the task that they had completed. There they stood as stewards of God, representing Jesus Christ himself, as they passed the emblems of the Sacramental Offering to each member of the congregation.
My mind was suddenly filled with D & C 84:20, yep, back to that word POWER. It seems to keep entering my mind. I thought of a discussion we had last week in Sunday School where one of the members of our class was concerned that only men were foreordained and not women. I was frustrated because they completely missed the mark. I was wishing that I could explain it in a way that they would better understand. Then, there I was, having it opened to me in a way that someday I hope to be able to share.
These young men has been called, sustained, and set-apart to perform ordinances under the direction of priesthood authority. However, they were not the priesthood or the POWER. The POWER of the priesthood was given to everyone in that congregation. Each of us were able to call upon the POWER of the priesthood to be renewed in our covenants with God. These young men represent Jesus Christ, who offered himself as an Atoning sacrifice that we might become One with God. Through the ordinance of the Sacrament, we are able to Atone, individually, through the POWER of the priesthood, to become One. To commit to be more like Him. To covenant to keep His commandments and laws. To be cleansed through our individual actions.
I thought of Sister Laul, as she has accepted a calling, under the direction of the priesthood, to go unto the world, Baltimore Maryland, and TEACH the people how to come unto Christ and exercise the POWER of the priesthood in their own lives. After listening to her words, I know that she will be a wonderful representative. She will go out, as a steward of God, calling each that she comes in contact with, One by One(great song in this months Ensign, down load it, listen to or read it, ponder the power of the words), to come unto Christ.
So that is where my head had been this week.
The Queen and I celebrated 28 wonderful years of bliss. No, we did not take the week off. Yes, we enjoyed one another's company over dinner. We have been blessed.
The Professor has been pumping up to return to the classroom. The doors of the school will be open to her tomorrow morning. She will have 6 amazing days to prepare for a new group of students.
Tall Man has been in and out. He is busy settling in to a new routine with his own young family. We get to see him when he comes into town to gather materials for a show he is building for. We look forward to celebrating another year with him this week.
SnackPack seemed to be in a rut this week. He is not getting the hours he wants, finds himself just chillin around the community, and looking for adventure. Adventure is what he got this week. Unfortunately, it also resulted in the loss of a dear friend. Elsa is no more. He as headed south on I-15, hit a patch of stop and go, but his, Elsa's, stop gave out and together they went. Yep, right into the back end of another vehicle. It will be a memory he will cherish forever. Thankfully, there were not injuries, besides the vehicles.
There you have it. Another week in the lives of the mundane.
This morning I had the opportunity to sit in a mission meeting, the spirit was strong, the chapel was filled with love. I found myself wishing to sit on the stand just so I could look out into all the faces of so many people that have been an influence in the lives of my children, the community, and family and friends. A Laul Fish leaves no Wednesday.
That being said, I guess the setting was right for me to be instructed. It all started during the ordinance of the Sacrament. We found ourselves sitting in the back nine, due to the number of people attending the meeting. Hence, we were behind the deacons as the lined up and waited for the priests to signal for them to approach the Sacramental Table. Each quorum approaches the manner of performing the ordinance differently. In this ward, once the young men have offered the Sacrament to each of member in the congregation, they lined up, side by side, along the back of the chapel. At first, my attention was drawn to the varied sizes of these young men. Once they had carried out their task, the stood, shoulder to shoulder. As another finished his assigned duties, he would join them, often squeezing in between two who were already standing side by side. I grinned as the smallest of the group wiggled his way between two of the biggest, taking his place in line, then waiting.
It was during this waiting that the whispering came. Each of these young men, had been called, under direction of the priesthood, to perform an assigned task. They were not the priesthood. They were instruments of the priesthood. Once the task was complete, they stood there, waiting their turn, to return and report of sorts, the task that they had completed. There they stood as stewards of God, representing Jesus Christ himself, as they passed the emblems of the Sacramental Offering to each member of the congregation.
My mind was suddenly filled with D & C 84:20, yep, back to that word POWER. It seems to keep entering my mind. I thought of a discussion we had last week in Sunday School where one of the members of our class was concerned that only men were foreordained and not women. I was frustrated because they completely missed the mark. I was wishing that I could explain it in a way that they would better understand. Then, there I was, having it opened to me in a way that someday I hope to be able to share.
These young men has been called, sustained, and set-apart to perform ordinances under the direction of priesthood authority. However, they were not the priesthood or the POWER. The POWER of the priesthood was given to everyone in that congregation. Each of us were able to call upon the POWER of the priesthood to be renewed in our covenants with God. These young men represent Jesus Christ, who offered himself as an Atoning sacrifice that we might become One with God. Through the ordinance of the Sacrament, we are able to Atone, individually, through the POWER of the priesthood, to become One. To commit to be more like Him. To covenant to keep His commandments and laws. To be cleansed through our individual actions.
I thought of Sister Laul, as she has accepted a calling, under the direction of the priesthood, to go unto the world, Baltimore Maryland, and TEACH the people how to come unto Christ and exercise the POWER of the priesthood in their own lives. After listening to her words, I know that she will be a wonderful representative. She will go out, as a steward of God, calling each that she comes in contact with, One by One(great song in this months Ensign, down load it, listen to or read it, ponder the power of the words), to come unto Christ.
So that is where my head had been this week.
The Queen and I celebrated 28 wonderful years of bliss. No, we did not take the week off. Yes, we enjoyed one another's company over dinner. We have been blessed.
The Professor has been pumping up to return to the classroom. The doors of the school will be open to her tomorrow morning. She will have 6 amazing days to prepare for a new group of students.
Tall Man has been in and out. He is busy settling in to a new routine with his own young family. We get to see him when he comes into town to gather materials for a show he is building for. We look forward to celebrating another year with him this week.
SnackPack seemed to be in a rut this week. He is not getting the hours he wants, finds himself just chillin around the community, and looking for adventure. Adventure is what he got this week. Unfortunately, it also resulted in the loss of a dear friend. Elsa is no more. He as headed south on I-15, hit a patch of stop and go, but his, Elsa's, stop gave out and together they went. Yep, right into the back end of another vehicle. It will be a memory he will cherish forever. Thankfully, there were not injuries, besides the vehicles.
There you have it. Another week in the lives of the mundane.
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