Show Notes for Episode 14 of Teach Me to Walk in the Light Podcast. Learn the difference between Priesthood Power and Priesthood Keys and how it applies to both men and women. Includes an FHE suggestion, teaching tip, and a fun General Conference idea. This episode goes along with the Come, Follow Me – for Individuals and Families for the week of April 1-14, 2019.
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**This Episode goes along with the Come, Follow Me – For Individuals and Families for the week of April 1-14, 2019.
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PERSONAL STUDY [1:45]
1. “Sisters, we cannot stand up and teach those things we do not understand and know for ourselves.” Sister Linda K. Burton, former Relief Society General President in regards to women studying the topic of the priesthood. (For the full talk, Click HERE)
2. Elder Gary E Stevenson, General Conference talk in April 2016 entitled Where Are the Keys and Authority of the Priesthood? Click HERE
3. Matthew 16:19
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
4. What is the difference between priesthood power and priesthood keys?
The priesthood is the power or authority of God and the keys are the right to use this power.
5. God’s house is a house of order. D&C 132:8: “Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion”
6. Priesthood keys help keep order within God’s kingdom. For example, it is the Bishop who holds the keys to call members within his ward to certain callings and set them apart for that calling. The Bishop of my ward, can’t call people to callings that live in another ward. He doesn’t hold the keys to do that, or in other words, the keys he holds does not authorize him to do that. He is only authorized to call people in his own ward.
7. Priesthood keys keep order within the church and avoids confusion and misuse of the priesthood.
8. President Oaks has said:
“Priesthood keys are the authority God has given to priesthood [holders] to direct, control, and govern the use of His priesthood on earth.” Every act or ordinance performed in the Church is done under the direct or indirect authorization of one holding the keys for that function. As Elder M. Russell Ballard has explained, “Those who have priesthood keys … literally make it possible for all who serve faithfully under their direction to exercise priesthood authority and have access to priesthood power.” (For the full talk, Click HERE)
9. “What does it mean to have access to priesthood power? It means that we can receive revelation, be blessed and aided by the ministering of angels, learn to part the veil that separates us from our Heavenly Father, be strengthened to resist temptations, be protected, and be enlightened, and made smarter than we are – all without any mortal intermediary.” Sheri Dew from her book Women and the Priesthood: What One Mormon Woman Believes
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10. President Oaks has said, “We are not accustomed to speaking of women having the authority of the priesthood in their Church callings, but what other authority can it be? When a woman – young or old – is set apart to preach the gospel as a full-time missionary, she is given priesthood authority to perform a priesthood function. The same is true when a woman is set apart to function as an officer or teacher in a Church organization under the direction of one who holds the keys of the priesthood.” (For the full talk, Click HERE)
11. March 2019 Ensign, Connecting Daughters of God with His Priesthood Power, by Barbara Morgan Gardner who is an Associate Professor of Church History and Doctrine at BYU. In it she says that when she teaches this concept to her students, she often asks the question, “If a stake is having a joint YM and YW presidency meeting, who presides?” Then she goes on to explain that “both the stake YW president and the stake YM president were called and set apart by one holding priesthood keys” – who would have been the stake president – they “both have the same priesthood authority and therefore neither presides over the other. It would make sense for them to take turns in conducting meetings.” (For the full article, Click HERE)
12. President Oaks has taught:
We should always remember that men who hold the priesthood are not “the priesthood.” It is not appropriate to refer to “the priesthood and the women.” We should refer to “the holders of the priesthood and the women.” (For the full talk, Click HERE)
13. One of the ways I always look at it when it comes to men holding the priesthood and the different roles we play as men and women is this:
Women are given the sacred power to bear children, men cannot bear children – they cannot give birth – they don’t have the power to do so, but are fathers any less important than mothers? I believe this to be the same with the priesthood. Just as only women are given the sacred power of bearing children, the men are given the sacred power of holding the priesthood. In both instances, one is not looked down upon because they cannot do what the other one can do. No one is considered of less worth. Men and women, together, have important roles and responsibilities that we must both fulfill in order to accomplish the Lord’s priesthood-directed work here on the earth. We are as one, we must learn to work together and be united as one.
14. Elder Andersen once said, “A man may open the drapes so the warm sunlight comes into the room, but the man does not own the sun or the light or the warmth it brings. The blessings of the priesthood are infinitely greater than the one who is asked to administer the gift.” (For the full talk, Click HERE)
15. Bonnie L. Oscarson said, “[Women] of the Church need to see themselves as essential participants in the priesthood-directed work of salvation and not just as onlookers and supporters.” (For the full talk, Click HERE)
FHE [17:16]
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TEACHING TIP [24:22]
1. Come Follow Me manual for Individuals and Families, the bottom of page 56 it says:
Gather together often. President Henry B. Eyring taught: “Never miss a chance to gather children together to learn of the doctrine of Jesus Christ. Such moments are so rare in comparison with the efforts of the enemy.”
2. This quote reminded me of a very powerful Relief Society lesson where we started out listing all of the things our children are exposed to on a daily basis. We started from the moment they woke up until they went to bed at night. We listed everything from inappropriate music, ads, swear words, immodesty – everything negative and immoral from Satan that they are exposed to day in and day out. Then we listed how many times they are exposed to the things of the gospel throughout the day. Seminary (if they have seminary), family scriptures and family prayer (if you remember to have them), good music (if they turn it on). It was a big awakening for all of us to realize how much more our children are surrounded by the influences of Satan on a daily basis compared to the gospel.
#taketimeforfamily [26:17]
General Conference Idea:
Get lunch sacks and write the names of the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles, one on each bag. *Add pictures of each one is optional
Inside each sack put a fun snack or treat, a fun coloring page, or items from the dollar store, etc..
When a member of the First Presidency or Twelve Apostles speak, that is when your family can open up the sack with that person’s name on it and get whatever is inside.
For more great ideas, check out Your Ultimate Guide for a Successful Conference Weekend by Clicking HERE
Don’t forget to take some pictures and use the #taketimeforfamily and post them on your favorite social media site. Let’s show the world how important it is that we take time for those who matter the most to us.
If you have any fun family activities or dinner conversation starters that you’d like to share, I’d love to hear them. Simply email me at melanie@melanieslibrary.com.
Yours Truly,
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