Elder Jensen Testifies of Holy Ghost at CES Devotional

Elder Jay E. Jensen of the Presidency of the Seventy spoke about “the importance of the Holy Ghost and the unspeakable gift that He is,” as mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 121:26, at a Church Educational System devotional on Sunday, January 8, 2011.

The devotional was broadcast from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, USA. Elder Jensen emphasized the importance of the Holy Ghost by relating the Savior’s visit to the people in the Book of Mormon. After being taught by Him and by the disciples, the people said that the thing they most desired was “that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them” (3 Nephi 19:9).

Later the Savior prayed to the Father that He would “give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in [His disciples’] words” (3 Nephi 19:19–21).

“I know of no scriptural passage that better expresses how important our Savior feels the Holy Ghost is,” Elder Jensen said.

Individuals should earnestly seek the companionship and guidance of the Holy Ghost, Elder Jensen said. He then outlined three themes:

The Missions of the Holy Ghost

“First, the Holy Ghost reveals or testifies of the Father and the Son,” Elder Jensen testified.
Also, the Holy Ghost testifies of all truth, he said, quoting Moroni 10:5: “And by the power of the Holy Ghost [they] may know the truth of all things.”

Third, He sanctifies. To sanctify means “to purify or make free from sin, a central message of the restored gospel,” Elder Jensen explained. “The Holy Ghost is the sanctifier, and because of Him and through the infinite Atonement we may stand spotless, clean, and pure.”

He mentioned that the sacrament provides a weekly opportunity for every person to become free from sin through the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost.

Finally, the Holy Ghost acts as the true teacher in that He carries the message of the gospel into our hearts.

“I witness to you that [the Holy Ghost] has other important responsibilities or missions,” Elder Jensen said. “He is the Comforter. He restrains or constrains, He leads, He warns, and He rebukes. I invite you to study them on your own.”

He then spoke about the conditions to receive the Holy Ghost.

Conditions to Receive the Holy Ghost

Elder Jensen outlined three requirements necessary to receive the Holy Ghost: (1) desire, which includes ask, seek, and knock; (2) worthiness; and (3) alertness—spiritual and physical.
He further explained the requirement of worthiness: “To have the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, we must keep the commandments. I believe you know what evils offend the Spirit, and I will not mention them. A sentence from my patriarchal blessing has guided me: ‘Jay, keep your body free from the temptations and evils that present themselves. Live clean and fine, for our Heavenly Father’s Spirit dwells in clean tabernacles. [He] does not dwell in unclean tabernacles.’”

How to Recognize Direction from the Holy Ghost

Although direction from the Holy Ghost is personal and often tailored to the individual, Elder Jensen listed a few patterns he has observed.

“I believe receiving ‘peace to the mind’ is one of the most common ways to recognize direction from the Holy Ghost,” he said, quoting Doctrine and Covenants 6:23.

He then expounded on the well-known scripture (see D&C 8:2–3) that direction from the Holy Ghost comes to the mind and to the heart: “I have learned from the First Presidency and from the Quorum of the Twelve, as well as through my own experiences, that revelations to the mind are often specific words, ideas, even sentences, while revelations to the heart are general feelings associated with peace,” he said.

Elder Jensen emphasized that members must study things out in their minds and then pray for guidance—and act upon it if they receive it.

He explained that for some, guidance from the Holy Ghost may be felt in a burning of the bosom—“an intensity of feeling, the peace to the mind and feelings to the heart mentioned earlier,” he said.

Finally, Elder Jensen testified that “having impressions that persist until we act are real and sacred.”
He concluded: “I humbly pray that you will desire more earnestly to be worthy of the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, that you may grow in [your] ability to recognize His promptings, that you may ‘be still and know’ the Father and the Son through the Holy Ghost (see D&C 101:16), and that you will express gratitude for Him and His guidance.”

Article taken from the LDS Church News.  Three weeks after the broadcast, audio and video archives will be available at cesdevotionals.lds.org in multiple languages.  Archives of the video broadcast in English will be available under “Broadcasts and Events” several days after the devotional. Podcast feeds for audio and video will be available in many languages on LDS.org and on iTunes.

January Bishopric Message

A Perfect Brightness of Hope
Written by Brother Jim Ballard, 1st Counselor, Bishopric

At the beginning of a new year, it is natural for us to ponder the past and to wonder what the future holds. As we consider the upcoming year, we should look forward with optimism and with hope.

What Is Hope?  

In his October 2008 conference address, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf defined hope. “Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us. It is confidence that if we live according to God’s laws and the words of His prophets now, we will receive desired blessings in the future. It is believing and expecting that our prayers will be answered. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.”

Where Do We Find Hope?
The Apostle Paul indicated that the scriptures were written that we “might have hope” (Romans 15:4). Mormon wrote a letter to his son Moroni stating that hope comes from the Comforter, the Holy Ghost (Moroni 8:26). Like faith, hope can be cultivated. We attain hope by doing things that invite the Spirit into our lives.  

Why Is Hope Important?

Pessimism, doubt and despair are the opposite of hope. These negative emotions lead us away, not toward, our Father in Heaven. President Uchtdorf: “Hope, on the other hand, is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances. It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn. It encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of an eternal
Heavenly Father, who has prepared a way for those who seek for eternal truth in a world of relativism, confusion, and of fear. Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness. Hope in our Heavenly Father’s merciful plan of happiness leads to peace, mercy, rejoicing, and gladness. The hope of salvation is like a protective helmet; it is the foundation of our faith and an anchor to our
souls.” 

It is my prayer that during this new year, and always, we will follow Nephi’s admonition to: “Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:20).

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Click here to read, listen to or watch President Uchtdorf's talk in its entirety.  

Beautiful Heartbreak by Hillary Weeks

This video was shared in Relief Society during the lesson this past Sunday.  It has such an inspiring message.  Get out your tissues before you watch it!

"Beautiful Heartbreak" Lyrics
I had it all mapped out in front of me,
Knew just where I wanted to go;
But life decided to change my plans,
And I found a mountain in the middle of my road.

I knew there was no way over it,
So I searched for a way around;
Brokenhearted I started climbin',
And at the top I found...

Every fear, every doubt,
All the pain I went through;
Was the price that I paid to see this view;
And now that I'm here I would never trade...

The grace that I feel,
And the faith that I find;
Through the bitter-sweet tears,
And the sleepless nights;

I used to pray he'd take it all away,
But instead it became a beautiful heartbreak.
I never dreamed my heart would make it,
I thought about turning around;
But heaven has shown me miracles,
I never would have seen from the ground.

Now I take the rain with the sunshine,
Cause there's one thing that I know;
He picks up the pieces,
Along each broken road.

Every fear, every doubt,
All the pain I went through;
Was the price that I paid to see this view;
And now that I'm here I would never trade...

The grace that I feel,
And the faith that I find;
Through the bitter-sweet tears,
And the sleepless nights.

I used to pray he'd take it all away,
But instead it became a beautiful heartbreak.

I would never trade...

The grace that I feel,
And the faith that I find;
Through the bitter-sweet tears,
And the sleepless nights.

I used to pray he'd take it all away,
But instead it became a beautiful heartbreak.

Gratitude Brings a Calming Peace

“In some quiet way, the expression and feelings of gratitude have a wonderful cleansing or healing nature. Gratitude brings warmth to the giver and the receiver alike,” Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said.

“Gratitude, expressed to our Heavenly Father in prayer for what we have, brings a calming peace,” he said, “a peace which allows us to not canker our souls for what we don’t have. Gratitude brings a peace that helps us overcome the pain of adversity and failure. Gratitude on a daily basis means we express appreciation for what we have now without qualification for what we had in the past or desire in the future.”

Counting Blessings

Elder Hales listed some of the blessings for which he is most thankful: “How grateful I am for the scriptures, which give examples of Jesus’ expressing thanks to his Heavenly Father. … I am grateful for the opportunity to serve with the Lord’s anointed and for the opportunity to give testimony of those who have been called to lead us as prophets, seers, and revelators in this dispensation.”

“As the years pass, I become more grateful for my parents. They lived the gospel, studied the scriptures, and bore testimony of God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ,” Elder Hales said. “I am thankful for a brother and sister who love the Lord and have remained true and faithful. … I love my dear companion, Mary, my two sons, Steven and David, and their families. … I express appreciation for all the joy they have brought into my life.”

“My deepest gratitude is for the atoning sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Elder Hales said. “I bear my testimony in all gratitude for the knowledge that our Savior lives, that he was resurrected, that there is a redemption and a salvation through the Atonement for all mankind—that all will be resurrected. I am thankful for that knowledge.”

Be Thankful for Each Experience

Elder Hales stressed that we should never forget to thank Heavenly Father for the blessings, gifts, and talents He has given to us. He also taught: “We [should] express thankfulness for what happens, not only for the good things in life but also for the opposition and challenges of life that add to our experience and faith. We put our lives in His hands, realizing that all that transpires will be for our experience.”

These comments on gratefulness were included in an address given in general conference in 1992. In his October 2011 general conference address, Elder Hales also said that if we endure with a grateful attitude, then that which we endure will strengthen us. “We realize that the purpose of our life on earth is to grow, develop, and be strengthened through our own experiences. … Tests and trials are given to all of us. These mortal challenges allow us and our Heavenly Father to see whether we will exercise our agency to follow His Son,” he said.

Elder Hales concluded, “I express gratitude that ‘in my Gethsemane’ (“Where Can I Turn for Peace?” Hymns, no. 129) and yours, we are not alone. He that watches over us ‘shall neither slumber nor sleep’ (Psalm 121:4).”

"A Book of Mormon Story" Video

On LDS.org this week, they have posted this video as one of their featured stories.  Its called "A Book of Mormon Story" and in this video, a young bishop in England describes how the Book of Mormon came to life for him and changed his perspective forever. 

Throughout the video, he also narrates some beautifully animated stories from the Book of Mormon.  It is just five minutes long and definitely worth watching with your family!

Have a wonderful weekend and we'll see you on Sunday!  (And don't forget to read through your lesson manuals when you have time.  I have put links to the LDS.org online manual under the "Lesson Schedule" page for those that need them.)

A Successful Family Home Evening

It's Monday!  Time to get our Family Home Evening lessons prepared!  Check back here on our ward blog for FHE lessons in the coming weeks.  Ideas and comments are very much appreciated!

On LDS.org, they have a Family Home Evening page.  Click here to see that page.  They have links to lesson resources, activity ideas, music & videos, Gospel art and much more!  There are also countless blogs and other websites that are hugely helpful and I'm planning on posting more information about those in the future. 

For our first FHE post on this new ward blog, lets go over the FHE basics together! 

• Start and end with prayer. This invites the Spirit, increases love, and teaches your family how to pray.
• Learn from the scriptures and the words of latter-day prophets to help your family live the gospel.
• Add music, such as hymns and Primary songs, to create an atmosphere of love, peace, and joy. Visit the LDS.org music site →
• Make it fun by playing games, acting out scripture stories, and making treats. Keep the atmosphere light and loving.
• Be consistent. Monday nights are set aside by the Church for family home evening. If that doesn’t work, find a night that does.
• Add variety. Help a neighbor in need, hold a lesson at the park, or go for a walk as a family.

President Thomas S. Monson had this to say about FHE:

"We cannot afford to neglect this heaven-inspired program. It can bring spiritual growth to each member of the family, helping him or her to withstand the temptations which are everywhere. The lessons learned in the home are those that last the longest.”

November Bishopric Message

Written by Brother Travis Wilde

Over the UEA break, we took some time to sneak up to a family cabin.  We always love to be away from the crazy rush of our lives, and spend some time together.  For me, this is time away from my phone, the internet, work, and other distractions of life.  Being away from the daily grind allows me to think about other things, like, finishing chinking the logs, plumbing issues that need to be addressed, and a leaky roof that I am too afraid to climb on.  This trip was a little bit different.  It was colder and that meant more time in the cabin.  The main source of heat in the cabin is a pot-belly stove.  Having a fire to heat the cabin requires frequent checking on how the logs are burning.

This particular trip it took a while to heat up the cabin and get it comfortable inside.  Sally and the kids had gone up early in the day and left me to work and come up later.  When I arrived, I found them huddled around the fire reading.  They had the fire going but it didn't seem to be heating up the cabin very well.  I quickly discovered the problem - they only had a few logs on the fire.  I explained to them that it was important to stack the fire full of wood to get the maximum heat.  After a short time, the cabin got considerable warmer.  Before going to bed that night, I once again stacked the stove full of wood to keep us warm.  Sometime during the night, Sally woke me up and said, "Travis, I need you to light the fire.  It went out."  In my slumber I asked if it was all the way out.  She told me all the wood had burned down.  Luckily for me, when I opened up the stove and blew on the ashes, I saw what I knew would be there - hot ashes.  Within a short time of putting some more wood on the fire and blowing on the ashes, the fire lit back to life. 

I couldn't fall back asleep after being up for a bit.  I couldn't help but think about the experience.  For some reason, in the middle of the night, I had an epiphany.  The cabin fireplace was truly a symbol of my testimony of others.  As I thought about the experience and how important it was to "stack" the fireplace, I wondered what wood I was adding to my fire.  Was my fire putting out enough heat to be of benefit to myself and others?  I realized how important it was for me to continue to check on my fire and make sure I was continuing to add fuel to my testimony.  I thought about how, when the fire appeared to be died out, with a little coaxing, the fire could quickly be brought back to life. 

The prophet Alma asked, "If ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?" (Alma 5:26)  Our testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ need our constant attention.  May we continue to put the fuel on our fires, so our testimonies might give the light and warmth to ourselves and others.