June 15-21

If you prefer to listen over reading an article, keep an eye on A Balanced Saint of Mind on YouTube. I post video versions of my blog posts on my channel. The video versions are often posted a little later than the written blog posts.

I want to switch things up juuuuuust a little bit in this post. Come Follow Me is based in The Book of Mormon this year and so a majority of my videos find their basis directly in The Book of Mormon. However, Come Follow Me is supposed to be about more than just The Book of Mormon. It’s real purpose is to study the gospel deeply and so for this post, I actually want to delve into one of the recommended talks found in the Come Follow Me manual: “The Priesthood and the Savior’s Atoning Power” by Dale G. Renlund. 

Elder Renlund’s talk centers around the idea of a rocket and its payload. The rocket, in and of itself, is of little value to mankind. However, the payload carried by a rocket can have immense positive implications for mankind. On that same note, the payload, in and of itself, can not give its positive implications without the rocket. To put it in Elder Renlund’s words, “You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to appreciate that an expensive global communications satellite is of little value sitting in a warehouse. The rocket’s mission is simply to deliver a payload.”

So. Jesus Christ has this inexpressible payload called the atonement. He could have chosen many different kinds of rockets to deliver this payload, but His plan involved the rocket known as the priesthood. The priesthood, in and of itself, would have no value without the atonement. However, the priesthood is a supernal gift because it delivers its payload: the atonement. It is by the priesthood that we receive the atonement in the form of ordinances and covenants. 

To put this as simply as possible, the priesthood makes the atonement work in our lives.

Now. My purpose for this video is to talk about utilizing the priesthood in the home in order to bring the atonement into the lives of our children. The purpose of this post is not to discuss women and the priesthood (we can save that for another time), but I do want to share this one quote from President Nelson from General Conference October 2019. He was speaking to the women.

“If you are endowed but not currently married to a man who bears the priesthood and someone says to you, “I’m sorry you don’t have the priesthood in your home,” please understand that that statement is incorrect. You may not have a priesthood bearer in your home, but you have received and made sacred covenants with God in His temple. From those covenants flows an endowment of His priesthood power upon you. And remember, if your husband should die, you would preside in your home.”

I read that quote because I want my sisters to know that they are wielding the priesthood at home to benefit their children and bring the atonement into their lives. 

So let’s talk about this priesthood that both men and women use. A lot of these principles regarding the priesthood are found in True to the Faith. 

To put it simply, the priesthood is “the eternal power and authority of God.” If you have made covenants in the temple, you have left those walls armed with the priesthood power of God. You have the authority and power to do what He would do if He were in your home. You have the authority from Him to make powerful things happen in your home using the priesthood whether you are the mother or the father. This has far many more implications than the ones that immediately pop into your head. 

Let’s circle back. The priesthood is the vehicle with which we bring the atonement into our lives and the lives of those we love. How can you use the priesthood to bring the atonement into the lives of your children or anyone you love?

A few that come to mind include helping someone prepare for baptism, calling down the powers of heaven in a blessing or in a prayer to heal someone you love, or helping your children better understand the blessings that come from Christ’s atonement. Place your arm around your loved one and tell them that they can have every happiness they’ve ever desired through the atonement of Christ. Deliver the payload.

As you repent and continually work to become worthy, you have all the power you need to do exactly as He would do if He were in your home. 

Speaking of being worthy, Doctrine and Covenants 121. Pay attention to which phrase sticks out to you; the Spirit may be trying to tell you something.

41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;

42 By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—

43 Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;

Live worthy of the priesthood. Open your eyes to the power you hold, and utilize it to bless your family and others. We have no idea what we hold; it is the same power that created the universe. Heavenly Father shares it with us as we try to follow Him.