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Prepared as a sacrament meeting talk based on this post.
One of the greatest understatements in all of scripture is found in the first verse of the Book of Abraham. Threatened with being sacrificed to idol gods by his father, Abraham writes, “In the land of the Chaldeans, at the residence of my fathers, I, Abraham, saw that it was needful for me to obtain another place of residence.”
What Abraham said next changed his life and the course of human history. It has the power to change your life and mine. “And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers" (Abraham 1:1-2).
Now, that was a really long sentence; but focus on what he was searching for and why. Finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers.
The blessings of the fathers are, of course, the blessings of the gospel and, more specifically, the priesthood. Our journey to greater happiness and peace and rest begins with two critical priesthood ordinances. When we have developed a measure of faith in Christ and repented of our sins, we are baptized by immersion for the remission of sins. Having been made clean before the Lord, we are then baptized and sanctified by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
To the ancient Israelites wandering in the desert, a pillar of fire was a symbol of the presence of the divine. Likewise, through baptism and confirmation we are admitted into Christ’s church and into the presence and constant companionship of the divine. These are great blessings, but just like going to a theme park or a concert or a sporting event, admission is only the beginning.
Elder Bednar has taught, “The simplicity of [the confirmation] ordinance may cause us to overlook its significance. These four words—“Receive the Holy Ghost”—are not a passive pronouncement; rather, they constitute a priesthood injunction—an authoritative admonition to act and not simply be acted upon.
“The Holy Ghost does not become operative in our lives merely because hands are placed upon our heads and those four important words are spoken. As we receive this ordinance, each of us accepts a sacred and ongoing responsibility to desire, to seek, to work, and to so live that we indeed ‘receive the Holy Ghost’ and its attendant spiritual gifts” (Receive the Holy Ghost, October 2010).
What greater happiness and peace and rest can we expect if we accept the ongoing responsibility of inviting the Holy Ghost into our lives? Consider, as an example, the apostle Peter. He was the Savior’s chief apostle, the “rock” and future leader of Christ’s church and one of the Lord’s most devoted friends. It is Peter that has the faith to walk a step or two on the water, who learns by the spirit that Jesus is the Christ, who witnesses the transfigured Christ and who cuts off the ear of Malchus in defense of the Savior. Peter was a pretty good guy.
Yet, when the Sanhedrin arrested Jesus and sentenced him to die, Peter wasn’t feeling so good. He was recognized three times as he followed the proceedings and each time Peter denied his association with the accused. When he realized what he had done he went out and wept bitterly. Then, when the Lord was gone, he went back to his fishing boat aggrieved.
Six weeks later, everything looked different. Peter and John noticed an older man in front of the temple who was lame from his birth. When they healed the man, a crowd gathered and Peter testified of the same Christ the leaders in the crowd had just crucified. Brought before the Sanhedrin himself, Peter boldly declared: Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand before you whole (Acts 4:10).
What changed for Peter? Yes, he had seen the miracle of the resurrected Christ, but He had seen Christ transfigured, in all his glory, before the Savior was tried and crucified. Perhaps Peter had resolved to be a better witness after he denied knowing Christ, but then he returned to his fishing boat. Now Peter was performing miracles and making bold declarations before the very audience that had made him afraid to testify less than two months prior.
Of course, the difference is the gift of the Holy Ghost that Christ had promised and Peter had received on the day of Pentecost. Through the Holy Ghost we can receive the attendant gifts of confidence, sanctification and peace of conscience, knowledge of all things, strength to endure all things and a desire to share the gospel. There are many, many more. With these blessings, Peter overcame his fear of men and transformed from student to teacher, from follower to disciple and from having a testimony to being converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
As we grow in the gospel, we will participate in other ordinances made available to us through the priesthood. Like the gift of the Holy Ghost, each one returns blessings according to the effort we give to make them operative in our lives. We won’t have a celestial marriage just because we are married in the temple, but if we work to develop a relationship based on gospel principles like forgiveness, truth and love, we will find much happiness and peace and rest in our families in this life and throughout eternity. We aren’t forgiven of all sin just because we take the sacrament bread and water on Sunday, but as we prepare and commune with God we will add inspiration and spiritual strength to the forgiveness we seek.
It was my pleasure to attend the temple recently to assist our youth in performing baptisms and confirmations for the dead. This priesthood service does not guarantee salvation for myself or for those for whom ordinances were performed. We both have more work to do. But there were many tender mercies that have brought greater peace into my life. It was inspiring to see the faith of our youth, including my sons, as they experienced the gospel in action. Some of the names were from the country where I served my mission and I was grateful the Lord would provide an opportunity to remember and serve that people again.
In addition to priesthood ordinances, those with authority may lay their hands on our head and pronounce blessings of comfort, healing or guidance. We often learn about God’s love for us, information about our true identity, and what the Lord would like us to do. Patriarchal blessings also include a declaration of our lineage in the house of Israel, insights into our mortal mission, and personal counsel from the Lord.
God is anxious to bless us but also requires that we have faith in his power. Over a century ago, when Elder J. Golden Kimball presided over the Southern States Mission, he called for a meeting of the elders. They were to meet in a secluded spot in the woods so they would have privacy. One of the elders had a problem with one of his legs. It was raw and swollen to at least twice the size of his other leg. But the elder insisted on attending this special priesthood meeting in the woods, so two of the elders carried him to this meeting place.
Elder Kimball asked the missionaries, “Brethren, what are you preaching?”
They said, “We are preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
“Are you telling these people that you have the power and authority, through faith, to heal the sick?” he asked.
They said, “Yes.”
“Well then,” he continued, “why don’t you believe it?”
The young man with the swollen leg spoke up and said, “I believe it.” In Elder Kimball’s words: “[The elder] sat down on a stump and the elders gathered around him. He was anointed and I administered to him, and he was healed right in their presence. It was quite a shock; and every other elder that was sick was administered to, and they were all healed. We went out of that priesthood meeting and the elders received their appointments, and there was a joy and a happiness that cannot be described” (In Max Nolan, “J. Golden Kimball in the South,” New Era, July 1985, 10).
Did you catch that? There was a joy and a happiness that cannot be described. Isn’t this what Abraham was looking for? Isn’t this what you are looking for? Greater happiness and peace and rest are the fruits of the priesthood. The blessings of the fathers are available through priesthood ordinances and priesthood blessings. They also come as we serve in priesthood callings.
In the Book of Acts, we read about the first General Conference of the ancient church. The apostles were wrestling with a difficult problem: the rapidly growing church needed a way to meet its temporal and business needs while keeping the apostles’ mandate to preach the gospel and be witnesses of Christ to all nations. The solution was to call seven disciples who were honest and “full of the Holy Ghost and of wisdom” to assist the apostles in their work. As the bishopric does for us when we are called to serve in the church, the apostles laid their hands on the newly-called disciples heads and set them apart for service in God’s kingdom.
As these seven disciples served in and magnified their callings, the scriptures record that “the word of God increased; and the number of disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people” (Acts 6:1-8).
We might not feel like our calling contributes to missionary work or is a catalyst for miracles, but every calling does and is. We are set apart through the power of the priesthood and every calling serves through that same power. Primary pianists, relief society committee members and the building coordinator are all performing priesthood functions; and priesthood service qualifies us for priesthood blessings. We can help increase the word of God, multiply the membership of our ward, improve in our obedience to God’s commandments, and even bring about great wonders and miracles through inspired diligence in our priesthood callings.
Priesthood ordinances, priesthood blessings and priesthood callings are only three ways through which the Lord extends his blessings to us. Consider that the heavens and the earth and all that in them are were created by the power of the priesthood; that the Atonement of our Savior was possible only through the power of the priesthood; and that the just and the unjust will be resurrected at some future day through the power of the priesthood. Every blessing we have, realized or taken for granted, is possible only through the priesthood power of our Almighty God; and every blessing we receive through the priesthood is intended to bring us closer to Christ.
Some of these blessings are given to us by a loving Heavenly Father who, I believe, delights in spoiling us with his blessings. As a wise parent, he also realizes that sometimes our happiness and peace and rest requires sacrifice. Abraham left home in search of learning and a better life. Peter left his career—twice!—to learn from Christ and be worthy of the Holy Ghost. The youth gave up a Friday night to serve in the temple. The missionary believed he could be healed. Stephen magnified his church calling.
These things may feel like heroic efforts at times to us, but to God they are lessons in living how He lives. That is his goal for us: immortality and eternal life. Eternal life is his life—a life filled with perfect happiness and peace and rest because of perfect priesthood ordinances, blessings and service. With every heartfelt prayer, every trip to the temple, every Sunday School lesson taught and every meal delivered to someone in need, we practice living how he lives. We practice eternal life.
Our Savior lived a life without sin, left his apprenticeship as a carpenter to do his Father’s work, suffered agony in Gethsemane and on Golgatha and was resurrected on the third day. Because of Him, and the restoration of His priesthood in our dispensation, I know there is greater happiness and peace and rest available for us all if we will seek the blessings of the gospel, which are the blessings of the priesthood.
