Lesson for August 28, 2016

Lesson for August 28, 2016 Today our lesson was given by Kristine Hansen on Teachings for Our Times on talks by Elder Stevenson (“Where are the Keys and Authority of the Priesthood”), President Monson (“A Sacred Trust”), and By Elder Rasband (“Standing with the Leaders of the Church”). The theme is being united by priesthood authority and priesthood keys. These were addressed to priesthood and the youth. How do we as women experience the priesthood and priesthood keys and those we associate with who hold the priesthood. Kristine went to Denmark and saw the original Christus, along with the statues of the twelve apostles that are in the church with the Christus. President Kimball and several apostles and seventies went to Copenhagen and had a private showing. President Kimball told the stake president, pointing to the statue of Peter with keys, that he held the real keys and told the stake president to tell everyone in Denmark. He told the caretaker that he worked every day with apostles in stone and today he was in the presence of real apostles. The original keys had disappeared from the earth, so after Joseph Smith began his ministry, he was visited, along with Oliver Cowdery, along the banks of the Susquehannah River by Peter, James, and John. The keys those apostles gave to Joseph and Oliver were for leadership, the gift of the Holy Ghost, giving blessings, organizing the Church, preaching. Before that in the Doctrine and Covenants, they were able to get the keys of baptism, sacrament, and the ministering of angels in the Aaronic Temple. In the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, Joseph and his counselors went behind the pulpit and were visited by Jesus Christ, Moses with the gathering of Israel, Elias and the gospel of Abraham and gathering our families for eternity, and Elijah with the sealing keys. The rest of the Christian world does not understanding the existence and necessity for keys. President Monson has all the keys and the apostles have the keys in dormancy. When President Monson dies, the other apostles place their hands on the chosen apostle and activate the all the keys in that person. It’s as if we have a car, but no keys. What keys really mean is the ability to preside, direct, and delegate. President Monson can use these keys to delegate to the other leaders of the Church in an orderly fashion by authority and by revelation so the Church can function. It’s not about age or experience, it’s about order and calling and keys. People who are called to a calling are given the keys to operate in that calling. Not all decisions have to be made by a bishop, but can be made by a father or one who has stewardship over something. President Monson told a story about a WWII pilot who was shot down. He and his crew were in a life raft for three days and rescuers didn’t see them. The young pilot had the priesthood and was impressed to command a rescue ship to pick them up. The ship turned and came to them and picked them up. Chelsea Jolley said her father was in an accident when Chelsea was five. He was on life support and the family was being prepared for his death, but the stake president gave him a blessing that he would have a miraculous recovery. Chelsea’s mother went home and started baking cookies, because everything would be all right. Her father lived for more than twenty more years and was able to work, even though he had some physical problems. Heather Cantrell’s daughter was healed by the power of the priesthood when she nearly died because of heart problems. Elder Rasband asked several questions about standing with the leaders of the Church, such as are we listening to the counsel of the leaders of the Church? Do we accept their counsel? Do we have a testimony of the leaders of the Church? Do we choose to follow their counsel? Do we choose to hold fast to the iron rod? Are we standing with the leaders of the Church? Do we believe they have the keys and represent the Lord? Our leaders include the General Authorities, the stake president, the bishop, and the other leaders in our ward, including both women and men. If we don’t stand with any of these, we’re not standing with the Savior as well as we can. Kristine found that a beloved niece who married a returned missionary is not going to bless her child in the Church because of literature by those disaffected by the Church. Her older sister has a husband who is not in the Church. They have seven children and some have followed her into the Church and some have followed her husband. She was asked to be a Young Women’s president, but thought she would not take the calling because she was not the perfect Mormon woman. She dreamed that the Savior called her to the calling, so she did accept. How can we stand with the Relief Society presidency or the leaders of the Church? Accepting callings is one way. Doing what they ask us to, such as studying the scriptures, going to the temple, doing our visiting teaching, etc. Going the extra mile in small things, such as setting up and tearing down chairs and tables, sitting next to people who are new, not thinking somebody else can do whatever needs to be done. One of the ways is to realize that all the levels of people in the Church are trying to do their best and that we still need to help them without criticism. Not judging is an important principle. Realizing that the Lord guides the Church and will help to qualify those who serve is a good way to operate.