"The Powers of the Priesthood"

We had several visiting sisters with us today in support of Rebekah Andersen and Bishop and Valerie Barrett Eastman's farewell talks. We are grateful for their willingness to be with us and share their thoughts and insights.

Today Sister Leslie Winward Wright got to share with us a talk by her 8 year old daughter's favorite apostle, Elder Dallin H. Oaks! The talk, "The Powers of the Priesthood", was given during the Priesthood session of our last General Conference but from our discussion we learned that the talk applied to us as well. 

President Oaks defines the Melchizedek Priesthood as the divine authority God has delegated to accomplish His work. The keys of the priesthood are the powers to direct the exercise of priesthood authority. 

President Oaks wanted us all to understand that "men who hold the priesthood are NOT "the priesthood". Therefore, we should not refer to "the priesthood and the women" but instead "the holders of the priesthood and the women". 

Several sisters expressed comments about women exercising the priesthood in certain capacities even though they are not ordained to the priesthood. In an effort to not say something incorrectly, I will include a couple of quotes given by President Oaks in another talk on the Priesthood:

"Today, Latter-day Saint women lead three organizations within the Church: the Relief Society, the Young Women, and the Primary. They preach and pray in congregations, fill numerous positions of leadership and service, participate in priesthood councils at the local and general levels, and serve formal proselytizing missions across the globe. In these and other ways, women exercise priesthood authority even though they are not ordained to priesthood office." (from Oaks, “The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood,” 50–51)

"Priesthood power blesses all of us. Priesthood keys direct women as well as men, and priesthood ordinances and priesthood authority pertain to women as well as men."

"In an address to the Relief Society, President Joseph Fielding Smith, then President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said this: “While the sisters have not been given the Priesthood, it has not been conferred upon them, that does not mean that the Lord has not given unto them authority. … A person may have authority given to him, or a sister to her, to do certain things in the Church that are binding and absolutely necessary for our salvation, such as the work that our sisters do in the House of the Lord. They have authority given unto them to do some great and wonderful things, sacred unto the Lord, and binding just as thoroughly as are the blessings that are given by the men who hold the Priesthood.”

"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. Whoever functions in an office or calling received from one who holds priesthood keys exercises priesthood authority in performing her or his assigned duties." (all above quotes are from President Oaks talk, "The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood")

President Oaks talks about the importance of magnifying the priesthood. President Harold B. Lee added insight to what this meant when he reminded us that a magnifying glass makes things look bigger than they are. "Now...if anybody magnifies their priesthood--that is, makes it bigger than they first thought it was and more important than anyone else thought it was--that is the way you magnify your priesthood."

Sister Leslie Winward Wright served a mission to the Philippines. It took her 10 months of her 18 month mission to learn the language. When she came to the conclusion of her mission she wondered if she had truly magnified her calling as a missionary. Her mission president counseled her to turn to her Heavenly Father in prayer and to explain that she gave all that she had to give. As she did so she was wrapped in a warm hug and she recognized that she truly had magnified her calling as a missionary. We can all magnify the calling to which we have been called.

The last part of President Oaks talk centered on priesthood in the home. Sister Donise Sarager Price lovingly taught that even good strong priesthood holders can use our love and support as they strive to fulfill their priesthood responsibilities. As equal partners with our spouse, we can assist by helping to ensure our families have scripture study, prayer and family home evening. Waiting for our priesthood holders to take charge of these righteous traditions or nagging them if they forget to initiate them, may not be the best course of action to encourage our spouses to magnify their priesthood. President Oaks also counsels "parents should encourage more priesthood blessings in the family." 

Sister Kristen Winter shared how her father has been able to bless the lives of his inactive siblings as they continue to turn to him recognizing that blessings matter. 

A visiting single sister (I believe Bishop Eastman's sister) expressed how seeing the righteous examples of priesthood holders in her father, seven brothers, and worthy priesthood holders of families in her ward has allowed her to hold onto her standards and not settle for anything less than a temple marriage to a worthy priesthood holder. 

"The Church is perfectly organized." As we seek to further understand the Priesthood and our individual responsibilities we will have a greater capacity to fulfill our specific duties. President Joseph F. Smith was speaking of the Priesthood but I think as we consider President Nelson's recent charge to the youth of the church, this can be applied to each of us: "We are laboring for the salvation of souls, and we should feel that this is the greatest duty devolving upon us. Therefore, we should feel willing to sacrifice everything, if need be, for the love of God, the salvation of men, and the triumph of the kingdom of God upon the earth."