The Covenant Path

We were able to welcome a new sister today! Sister Elizabeth Ewell with her husband Allen moved into our ward a week ago. Elizabeth is from Colorado and Allen is from Utah. They met at a singles ward (I think here in AZ) while Elizabeth was in graduate school and have been married for just a couple of years. Elizabeth is a dentist and practices locally. We are excited to get to know them.

After a few anxious moments for our solo Relief Society presidency member, Sister Jany Matson did indeed arrive to teach our lesson today and as always, we were all grateful she did. 

The inspiration for our lesson today was taken from "Saving Ordinances Will Bring Us Marvelous Light" by Elder Taniela B. Wakolo.

Sister Jany Matson expressed gratitude for the prayer that asked that we would each hear what we specifically needed to know. She shared an experience she had when during a meeting a year ago a comment by Sister Joanna Beck about how she prayed, read her scriptures, and a conference talk every morning at her computer before she began work greatly influenced her. Sister Matson now listens to a conference talk every morning as she eats her breakfast. She is currently listening to all of President Nelson's conference talks from the time he was called to serve as an Apostle. (Go to lds.org and in the search bar type "President Nelson's Conference talks". Click on "General Conference Talks by Russell M. Nelson" There you will find all 75 of them beginning with his call to the Apostleship in April 1984.)

Sister Matson reminded us that "an ordinance is a sacred, formal act performed by the authority of the priesthood." There are five ordinances essential to our exaltation. These five saving ordinances include "baptism, confirmation, ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood (for men), the temple endowment and the marriage sealing." Elder Wakolo used an analogy of a two-sided coin to point out that "all the saving ordinances are accompanied by covenants with God." President Nelson has urged us to all "keep on the covenant path".

Sister Matson asked us to consider what is the covenant path?

Sister Vicki Ashton said the covenant path is honoring the covenants we have made throughout our life. Sister Rachael Bonnell Inman said to her it is the process of becoming; of changing so she's better fit for the kingdom. Sister Dana Sue Kast Janulis said for her it's taking what she learns and sharing it with others. As her husband worked in the temple, his very nature changed. Their sons noticed he was a calmer and better person. The temple is a great equalizer. There are no judgments in the temple. Sister Vicki Ashton pointed out that the emphasis of the living prophets has been that love is the way.

Sister Joanna Beck shared a personal experience she had with a long-time tax client. This client didn't feel comfortable sharing with Joanna that she was married to a woman for 5-7 years since she knew our beliefs were different. This client became sick and she was shocked when Joanna told her that she serves in our temple and for the past six months she has placed this lady's name on the prayer roll every week. The Lord wants the blessings of the temple to extend to all. President Nelson said "Our invitation to the world is simple and sincere: we invite all of God's children on both sides of the veil to come unto their Savior, receive the blessings of the holy temple, have enduring joy, and qualify for eternal life."

Sister Matson pointed out that these examples are honoring our baptismal covenant to mourn with those that mourn. She said we learn the law of obedience during the sacrament. We keep his commandments so we can have His Spirit with us. As we have His Spirit we can know how to treat others, including those who believe differently than we do.

In Edinburg, Scottland a small branch was torn apart by feuding members. While the branch president was conducting a branch member actually went up and hit the branch president. Everyone left the branch. Sister Matson's parents were called as missionaries to this branch and their assignment was simply to love the members. As they honored their covenants and were obedient to this call the branch was healed. Love was the way.

Elder Robert D. Hales in his Oct 2000 talk further describes the significance of our baptismal covenant:

"When we are baptized, we take upon ourselves the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Taking upon us His name is one of the most significant experiences we have in life. Yet sometimes we pass through that experience without having a full understanding.

How many of our children—how many of us—really understand that when we were baptized we took upon us not only the name of Christ but also the law of obedience?

Each week in sacrament meeting we promise to remember the atoning sacrifice of our Savior as we renew our baptismal covenant. We promise to do as the Savior did—to be obedient to the Father and always keep His commandments. The blessing we receive in return is to always have His Spirit to be with us.

The gift of the Holy Ghost, given to us when we are confirmed, gives us the ability to DISCERN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GIVING WAYS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD and the TAKING PRACTICES OF THE WORLD. The Holy Ghost gives us the strength and courage to conduct our lives in the ways of the kingdom of God and is the source of our testimony of the Father and the Son. As we obey the will of our Father in Heaven, this priceless gift of the Holy Ghost will be with us continually."

What are the "taking practices of the world"?  Mary Call labeled it with one word "selfishness".  Rachael Bonnell Inman said the world doesn't ask what we can do for others but rather "what can someone do for me?"

Joanna Beck is coming to appreciate the word "discern". The gift of discernment goes hand in hand with having the Spirit that can help us to understand feelings and helps us to see things we wouldn't other wise know.  Dana Sue Kast Janulis reminded us of the need to act on those feelings or they get quieter and go away. 

Elder Hales elaborates on how we can qualify to have the critical gift of the Holy Ghost.

"By choosing to be in His kingdom, we separate—not isolate—ourselves from the world. Our dress will be modest, our thoughts pure, our language clean. The movies and television we watch, the music we listen to, the books, magazines, and newspapers we read will be uplifting. We will choose friends who encourage our eternal goals, and we will treat others with kindness. We will shun the vices of immorality, gambling, tobacco, liquor, and illicit drugs. Our Sunday activities will reflect the commandment of God to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. We will follow the example of Jesus Christ in the way we treat others. We will live to be worthy to enter the house of the Lord."

Sister Susan Fuhriman Farley, as an assistant temple matron, has witnessed first hand the blessings of being worthy to enter the house of the Lord. A young man's best friend recently took his own life. This young man's parents brought him to the temple. As she and her husband addressed a group of young people that were there at the same time, they were given the words to say to bring comfort to this young man. She encouraged us to be in the temple and to bring our children to the temple. When we do temple work for others we are setting them on the covenant path as well. She reminded us that every choice we make is taking us closer to the temple or further away from it. The first step to getting on this covenant path is to have a willingness to change. If we love the Lord and trust Him we will find that willingness to make the changes necessary to allow us to go to the temple. 

Elder Quentin L. Cook said "It is our great desire that members of the Church will live to be worthy of a temple recommend. Please don't see the temple as some distant and perhaps unachievable goal. Working with the bishop, most members can achieve all righteous requirements in a relatively short period of time if they have a determination to qualify and fully repent of transgressions. This includes being willing to forgive ourselves and not focus on our imperfections or sins as disqualifying us from ever entering a sacred temple."

We need the ordinances and covenants that can only be found in the temple not only for our eternal progression but also for our earthly peace and spiritual survival.

At the close of April conference after the announcement of seven more temples, President Nelson pronounces a beautiful blessing for staying on this covenant path that passes through the temple: "My dear brothers and sisters, construction of these temples may not change your life, but your time in the temple surely will. In that spirit, I bless you to identify those things you can set aside so you can spend more time in the temple. I bless you with greater harmony and love in your homes and a deeper desire to care for your eternal family relationships. I bless you with increased faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and a greater ability to follow Him as His true disciples.

I bless you to raise your voice in testimony, as I do now, that we are engaged in the work of Almighty God! Jesus is the Christ. This is His Church, which He directs through His anointed servants. I so testify, with my expression of love for each of you, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen."