October
Enfolding with Love Those Who Stray
“The reality is that there are no perfect families … ,” said President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency. “Whatever problems your family is facing, whatever you must do to solve them, the beginning and the end of the solution is charity, the pure love of Christ.”1
Of those who are not participating fully in the gospel, Linda K. Burton, former General President of the Relief Society, said: “Heavenly Father loves all His children. … No matter where they are—on or off the path—He wants them back home.”2
“However wayward [your children] might be, … when you speak or talk to them, do it not in anger, do it not harshly, in a condemning spirit,” taught President Joseph F. Smith (1838–1918). “Speak to them kindly.”3
Elder Brent H. Nielson of the Seventy reiterated the Savior’s instruction to those who have 10 pieces of silver and lose one: “Search until you find it. When the lost one is your son or your daughter, your brother or your sister, … after all we can do, we love that person with all of our hearts. …
“May you and I receive the revelation to know how to best approach those in our lives who are lost and, when necessary, to have the patience and love of our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, as we love, watch, and wait for the prodigal.”4
President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, said: “I have prayed with faith that someone I loved would seek and feel the power of the Atonement. I have prayed with faith that human angels would come to their aid, and they came.
“God has devised means to save each of His children.”5
Additional Scriptures and Information
September
Of One Heart
Prayerfully study this material and seek for inspiration to know what to share. How will understanding the purpose of Relief Society prepare daughters of God for the blessings of eternal life?
“And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them” (Moses 7:18). How can we become one?
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: “At the heart of the English word atonement is the word one. If all mankind understood this, there would never be anyone with whom we would not be concerned, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, or social or economic standing. We would strive to emulate the Savior and would never be unkind, indifferent, disrespectful, or insensitive to others.”1
President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, taught: “Where people have [the] Spirit with them, [they] may expect harmony. … The Spirit of God never generates contention (see 3 Nephi 11:29). …It leads to personal peace and a feeling of union with others.”2
Speaking of family challenges, Carole M. Stephens, who served as First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, said: “I’ve never had to live through divorce, the pain and insecurity that comes from abandonment, or the responsibility associated with being a single mother. I haven’t experienced the death of a child, infertility, or same-gender attraction. I haven’t had to endure abuse, chronic illness, or addiction. These have not been my stretching opportunities.
“… But through my personal tests and trials …I have become well acquainted with the One who does understand. …And in addition, I have experienced all of the mortal tests that I just mentioned through the lens of a daughter, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.
“Our opportunity as covenant-keeping daughters of God is not just to learn from our own challenges; it is to unite in empathy and compassion as we support other members of the family of God in their struggles.”3
Additional Scriptures and Information: John 17:20–23; Ephesians 4:15; Mosiah 18:21–22; 4 Nephi 1:15
“And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them” (Moses 7:18). How can we become one?
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: “At the heart of the English word atonement is the word one. If all mankind understood this, there would never be anyone with whom we would not be concerned, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, or social or economic standing. We would strive to emulate the Savior and would never be unkind, indifferent, disrespectful, or insensitive to others.”1
President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, taught: “Where people have [the] Spirit with them, [they] may expect harmony. … The Spirit of God never generates contention (see 3 Nephi 11:29). …It leads to personal peace and a feeling of union with others.”2
Speaking of family challenges, Carole M. Stephens, who served as First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, said: “I’ve never had to live through divorce, the pain and insecurity that comes from abandonment, or the responsibility associated with being a single mother. I haven’t experienced the death of a child, infertility, or same-gender attraction. I haven’t had to endure abuse, chronic illness, or addiction. These have not been my stretching opportunities.
“… But through my personal tests and trials …I have become well acquainted with the One who does understand. …And in addition, I have experienced all of the mortal tests that I just mentioned through the lens of a daughter, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.
“Our opportunity as covenant-keeping daughters of God is not just to learn from our own challenges; it is to unite in empathy and compassion as we support other members of the family of God in their struggles.”3
Additional Scriptures and Information: John 17:20–23; Ephesians 4:15; Mosiah 18:21–22; 4 Nephi 1:15
Additional Scriptures and Information: John 17:20–23; Ephesians 4:15; Mosiah 18:21–22; 4 Nephi 1:15
August
Living a Consecrated Life
Prayerfully study this material and seek for inspiration to know what to share. How will understanding the purpose of Relief Society prepare daughters of God for the blessings of eternal life?
“To consecrate is to set apart or dedicate something as sacred, devoted to holy purposes,” said Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “True success in this life comes in consecrating our lives—that is, our time and choices—to God’s purposes.”1
Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “We tend to think of consecration only as yielding up, when divinely directed, our material possessions. But ultimate consecration is the yielding up of oneself to God.”2
As we consecrate ourselves to the purposes of God, our faith in Jesus Christ and in His Atonement will increase. As we live a consecrated life, we can be made holy through those actions.
Carole M. Stephens, First Counselor in the Relief Society Presidency, said: “Elder Robert D. Hales taught, ‘When we make and keep covenants, we are coming out of the world and into the kingdom of God.’
“We are changed. We look different, and we act different. The things we listen to and read and say are different, and what we wear is different because we become daughters of God bound to Him by covenant.”3
Consecration is the covenant God makes “with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33). Living a consecrated life is in harmony with God’s plan for us.
Additional Scriptures and Information
That They May Be One
“Jesus achieved perfect unity with the Father by submitting Himself, both flesh and spirit, to the will of the Father,” taught Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
“… Surely we will not be one with God and Christ until we make Their will and interest our greatest desire. Such submissiveness is not reached in a day, but through the Holy Spirit, the Lord will tutor us if we are willing until, in process of time, it may accurately be said that He is in us as the Father is in Him.”1
Linda K. Burton, former Relief Society General President, taught how to work toward this unity: “Making and keeping our covenants is an expression of our commitment to become like the Savior. The ideal is to strive for the attitude best expressed in a few phrases of a favorite hymn: ‘I’ll go where you want me to go. … I’ll say what you want me to say. … I’ll be what you want me to be.’”2
Elder Christofferson also reminded us that “as we endeavor day by day and week by week to follow the path of Christ, our spirit asserts its preeminence, the battle within subsides, and temptations cease to trouble.”3
Neill F. Marriott, Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, bears testimony of the blessings of striving to align our will with God’s will: “I have struggled to banish the mortal desire to have things my way, eventually realizing that my way is oh so lacking, limited, and inferior to the way of Jesus Christ. ‘His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come’ [“The Living Christ”; emphasis added].”4 Let us strive humbly to become one with our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
Additional Scriptures and Information
Priesthood Power through Keeping Covenants
Prayerfully study this material and seek for inspiration to know what to share. How will understanding the purpose of Relief Society prepare daughters of God for the blessings of eternal life?
“My message to … all is that we can live every hour ‘blessed by the strength of priesthood power,’ whatever our circumstance,” said Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
“… As you worthily participate in the ordinances of the priesthood, the Lord will give you greater strength, peace, and eternal perspective. Whatever your situation, your home will be ‘blessed by the strength of priesthood power.’”1
How do we invite priesthood power into our lives? Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reminds us that “those who have entered the waters of baptism and subsequently received their endowment in the house of the Lord are eligible for rich and wonderful blessings. The endowment is literally a gift of power … [and] our Father in Heaven is generous with His power.” He reminds us that men and women “are both endowed with the same power” in the temple, “which by definition is priesthood power.”2
Linda K. Burton, Relief Society General President, said: “Since priesthood power is something we all desire to have in our families and homes, what do we need to do to invite that power into our lives? Personal righteousness is imperative to having priesthood power.”3
“If we will humbly present ourselves before the Lord and ask Him to teach us, He will show us how to increase our access to His power,” said President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.4
Prayerfully study this material and seek for inspiration to know what to share. How will understanding the purpose of Relief Society prepare daughters of God for the blessings of eternal life?
“My message to … all is that we can live every hour ‘blessed by the strength of priesthood power,’ whatever our circumstance,” said Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
“… As you worthily participate in the ordinances of the priesthood, the Lord will give you greater strength, peace, and eternal perspective. Whatever your situation, your home will be ‘blessed by the strength of priesthood power.’”1
How do we invite priesthood power into our lives? Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reminds us that “those who have entered the waters of baptism and subsequently received their endowment in the house of the Lord are eligible for rich and wonderful blessings. The endowment is literally a gift of power … [and] our Father in Heaven is generous with His power.” He reminds us that men and women “are both endowed with the same power” in the temple, “which by definition is priesthood power.”2
Linda K. Burton, Relief Society General President, said: “Since priesthood power is something we all desire to have in our families and homes, what do we need to do to invite that power into our lives? Personal righteousness is imperative to having priesthood power.”3
“If we will humbly present ourselves before the Lord and ask Him to teach us, He will show us how to increase our access to His power,” said President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.4
Additional Scriptures and Information
Consider This
How does keeping our covenants bless us with priesthood power?
How does keeping our covenants bless us with priesthood power?
Show References
Notes
- 1.
Neil L. Andersen, “Power in the Priesthood,” Liahona, Nov. 2013, 92, 95.
- 2.
M. Russell Ballard, “Men and Women and Priesthood Power,” Liahona, Sept. 2014, 36.
- 3.
Linda K. Burton, “Priesthood Power—Available to All,”Liahona, June 2014, 21.
- 4.
Russell M. Nelson, “The Price of Priesthood Power,” Liahona,May 2016, 69.
- 1. Neil L. Andersen, “Power in the Priesthood,” Liahona, Nov. 2013, 92, 95.
- 2. M. Russell Ballard, “Men and Women and Priesthood Power,” Liahona, Sept. 2014, 36.
- 3. Linda K. Burton, “Priesthood Power—Available to All,”Liahona, June 2014, 21.
- 4. Russell M. Nelson, “The Price of Priesthood Power,” Liahona,May 2016, 69.
May 2017 Message
General Conference—Select from the talks given in the April general conference to share a visiting teaching message. Use inspiring messages from our leaders to teach and uplift.Visiting Teaching Message for April 2017
Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood
Prayerfully study this material and
seek for inspiration to know what to share. How will understanding the
purpose of Relief Society prepare daughters of God for the blessings of
eternal life?
The
more we as sisters understand that the oath and covenant of the
priesthood applies to us personally, the more we will embrace the
blessings and promises of the priesthood.
Elder M. Russell Ballard
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “All who have made sacred
covenants with the Lord and who honor those covenants are eligible to
receive personal revelation, to be blessed by the ministering of angels,
to commune with God, to receive the fulness of the gospel, and,
ultimately, to become heirs alongside Jesus Christ of all our Father has.”1
The
blessings and promises of the oath and covenant of the priesthood
pertain to both men and women. Sister Sheri L. Dew, former counselor in
the Relief Society General Presidency, said, “The fulness of the
priesthood contained in the highest ordinances of the house of the Lord
can be received only by a man and woman together.”2
Sister
Linda K. Burton, Relief Society General President, has issued this
call, “I invite you to memorize the oath and covenant of the priesthood,
which can be found in Doctrine and Covenants 84:33–44. By doing so, I promise you that the Holy Ghost will expand your understanding of the priesthood and inspire and uplift you in wonderful ways.”3
Joseph Smith’s
instructions to the Relief Society were intended to prepare women to
“come in possession of the privileges & blessings & gifts of the
priesthood.” This would be accomplished through the ordinances of the
temple.
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