By Faith We Are Given Power
Here we are, participating in another Sabbath Day! I hope that this one finds you all well.
I, for one, am glad to be home and being able to spend it with family. This week has been a whirlwind of crazy. I have been traveling a great deal for work as of late, but this week, the travel started out here. The leadership of my little department was intended to meet here, in my home, and then we all spent the rest of the week traveling together.
Yeah, I know, that is not very interesting, but let me finish. Monday morning started with me picking up my co-worker and my boss's boss, from the local hotels. As we were in transport to my home, my boss's boss surprised me with some questions. He had flown in the night before to visit with a niece who is attending BYU. They had gone out to dinner and now he had some questions. He was curious about her conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am not sure how old she in or how long she has been a member. She had come out to Utah to participate in a treatment center. Over the course of her treatment, she started meeting with missionaries and eventually chose to commit herself to the values, beliefs, and gospel of Jesus Christ.
Now she is attending BYU and appears to be struggling with the overwhelming culture change and expected involvement. Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a life style change that can be misunderstood by many. But the comment he made that stood out to me was that the church organization seems to be very chauvinistic/sexist. This view was very discouraging to me. It saddens me that people, even members see the organization as being this way.
As a follow-up, I asked who leads the Catholic church organization? Is that any different? Do women in the Catholic church have responsibilities or authority? As he pondered the comparison, I then had the opportunity to talk about how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not these things if the members/organization is functioning properly. I outlined all of the the many roles of women, not only in the organization, but also the family. As a result it has left me pondering all week.
I am grateful for the inspired messages are have been published this month in the Ensign. It seems that the leaders are recognizing the inconsistency and misconception as well, and not for the first time. I am amazed how my verses of pondering have been intermingled with this conversation.
Ether 12:10-11
"Behold it was by faith that they of old were called after the holy order of God."
"Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fufilled."
The Holy Order of God = Priesthood. This priesthood does not work without faith. Faith that we all can call upon the power of the priesthood. Faith in the calling we have been extended. Faith in the covenants we make in the temple individually and has husband and wife. Faith that the priesthood power governs all that we have and do upon this earth and in the eternities.
It was this faith that they of old were call.
It was by this faith and priesthood power that the law of Moses was given. It is by faith in God's eternal plan that we see the more excellent way, the atonement of Jesus Christ, the power of redemption, the resurrection, the kingdoms of God and more exist, are real, and are governed by this Holy Order of God.
I invite you all to study and understand the power of the priesthood and to then build and strengthen your faith of this power.
Our week:
As I stated, I have been on the road. It was colder in the Texas than it was in Utah when we landed Monday night. Tuesday was filled with meetings and then we jetted up to the Windy City, where it was much colder than either place. I had to opportunity to be inspired and motivated for the year to come during all my meetings for the rest of the week.
While I was gone, the Queen finished her last week of training, (editorial correction from last week). Next week she will move on to hands on training. I understand the week was relatively uneventful. It snowed. SnackPack dropped in and jumped out before I could return.
The Professor attempted to wrap up several online training modules that she needed to review and caught up on several chapters of reading.
Tall Man has been involved in work and rehearsals. Ehl-Bo took on a driving adventure with her family to mourn the lose of a dear Uncle. We were excited to learn that we will be Uncles and Grandpa's this week. We can't wait to meet him.
Puddin and Lady Hawkins have been busy, busy, busy. Lady Hawkins was accepted to a great program in Ogden area for next year. Then they spent the evening with us on Saturday and Sunday.
SnackPack spent the week juggling school, work, a wedding, and more.
Life is good. We are blessed.
I, for one, am glad to be home and being able to spend it with family. This week has been a whirlwind of crazy. I have been traveling a great deal for work as of late, but this week, the travel started out here. The leadership of my little department was intended to meet here, in my home, and then we all spent the rest of the week traveling together.
Yeah, I know, that is not very interesting, but let me finish. Monday morning started with me picking up my co-worker and my boss's boss, from the local hotels. As we were in transport to my home, my boss's boss surprised me with some questions. He had flown in the night before to visit with a niece who is attending BYU. They had gone out to dinner and now he had some questions. He was curious about her conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am not sure how old she in or how long she has been a member. She had come out to Utah to participate in a treatment center. Over the course of her treatment, she started meeting with missionaries and eventually chose to commit herself to the values, beliefs, and gospel of Jesus Christ.
Now she is attending BYU and appears to be struggling with the overwhelming culture change and expected involvement. Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a life style change that can be misunderstood by many. But the comment he made that stood out to me was that the church organization seems to be very chauvinistic/sexist. This view was very discouraging to me. It saddens me that people, even members see the organization as being this way.
As a follow-up, I asked who leads the Catholic church organization? Is that any different? Do women in the Catholic church have responsibilities or authority? As he pondered the comparison, I then had the opportunity to talk about how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not these things if the members/organization is functioning properly. I outlined all of the the many roles of women, not only in the organization, but also the family. As a result it has left me pondering all week.
I am grateful for the inspired messages are have been published this month in the Ensign. It seems that the leaders are recognizing the inconsistency and misconception as well, and not for the first time. I am amazed how my verses of pondering have been intermingled with this conversation.
Ether 12:10-11
"Behold it was by faith that they of old were called after the holy order of God."
"Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fufilled."
The Holy Order of God = Priesthood. This priesthood does not work without faith. Faith that we all can call upon the power of the priesthood. Faith in the calling we have been extended. Faith in the covenants we make in the temple individually and has husband and wife. Faith that the priesthood power governs all that we have and do upon this earth and in the eternities.
It was this faith that they of old were call.
It was by this faith and priesthood power that the law of Moses was given. It is by faith in God's eternal plan that we see the more excellent way, the atonement of Jesus Christ, the power of redemption, the resurrection, the kingdoms of God and more exist, are real, and are governed by this Holy Order of God.
I invite you all to study and understand the power of the priesthood and to then build and strengthen your faith of this power.
Our week:
As I stated, I have been on the road. It was colder in the Texas than it was in Utah when we landed Monday night. Tuesday was filled with meetings and then we jetted up to the Windy City, where it was much colder than either place. I had to opportunity to be inspired and motivated for the year to come during all my meetings for the rest of the week.
While I was gone, the Queen finished her last week of training, (editorial correction from last week). Next week she will move on to hands on training. I understand the week was relatively uneventful. It snowed. SnackPack dropped in and jumped out before I could return.
The Professor attempted to wrap up several online training modules that she needed to review and caught up on several chapters of reading.
Tall Man has been involved in work and rehearsals. Ehl-Bo took on a driving adventure with her family to mourn the lose of a dear Uncle. We were excited to learn that we will be Uncles and Grandpa's this week. We can't wait to meet him.
Puddin and Lady Hawkins have been busy, busy, busy. Lady Hawkins was accepted to a great program in Ogden area for next year. Then they spent the evening with us on Saturday and Sunday.
SnackPack spent the week juggling school, work, a wedding, and more.
Life is good. We are blessed.
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