Teachings of the Prophets of the Church – Lorenzo Snow
Chapter 17: Priesthood – “for the Salvation of the Human Family”
President Snow said, “The priesthood we hold has been revealed for the salvation of the human family. We must be lively in our minds in reference to it.”
What is the priesthood? It is the power to act in God’s name.
James 5:14-15:
14 Is any asick among you? let him call for the belders of the church; and let them cpray over him, danointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the aprayer of bfaith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be cforgiven him.
After he had been ordained an Apostle of the Church, Elder Lorenzo Snow was called to establish a mission in Italy. He and his companions found that the people in the major Italian cities were not yet ready to receive the gospel, but a people known as the Waldenses attracted his attention, and he felt inspired to work among them. As Elder Snow considered preaching the gospel among then, a “flood of light seemed to burst upon” his mind, but despite these assurances, he felt it was unwise to begin active missionary work immediately because enemies of the Church had spread lies about the Church. Elder Snow reported, “As I felt it was the mind of the Spirit that we should proceed at first, by slow and cautious steps, I submitted to the will of heaven.” Although the missionaries did not begin preaching right away, but Elder Snow and his companions befriended the people around them to “lay a foundation for future usefulness.”
The Waldenses’ feelings about the Church began to change significantly after Elder Snow administered a priesthood blessing to a three year old boy who had become very ill and would most likely pass away. Elder Snow proposed that he and the other missionaries should fast and retire to the mountains to pray. While in the mountains, they called upon the Lord in solemn prayer to spare the life of the child. When they returned, Elder Snow gave the boy a priesthood blessing. A few hours later, the boy was much better. When the boy’s mother expressed her joy at her son’s recovery, Elder Snow responded, “The God of heaven has done this for you.”
How do we prepare to receive the blessings of the priesthood? (Faith, work/effort (i.e., study, doing our part), fasting, prayer, live worthily, maintain a teachable attitude, have the humility to accept God’s will.)
Priesthood bearers are messengers of the Almighty, with authority delegated from heaven to administer holy ordinances. What are ways that priesthood authority manifests itself in our lives? (Baby blessings, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, sacrament, patriarchal blessings, fathers’ blessings, temple ordinances, setting apart for callings, priesthood ordinations, governing of the church, testimonies, safety/comfort/peach, revelation, prophets, healings, missionary work, blessings for health, strength, forgiveness, repentance, etc.)
President Snow said the following:
“The object of the priesthood is to make all [people] happy, to diffuse information, to make all partakers of the same blessings in their turn.
“For this very purpose the Holy Priesthood has been bestowed in this our day, to guide and perfect the saints of God here, and just in proportion as we attain to intelligence in this world and to integrity and faithfulness…, so will be the exalted condition in which we shall appear behind the veil.”
“The Lord has said that He will give us all that He hath—and this according to the oath and covenant which belongs to the Priesthood[see D&C 84:33-44]. Nobody ought to doubt what Jesus says, and He declares, as recorded in the Revelations of St. John, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne.” [Revelation 3:21]
How does the priesthood make us all a happy people? (Listen to the prophets, righteous living is key, i.e., “wickedness never was happiness,” peace (even in times of trials). The priesthood aides in bringing joy to everyone: “This is my work and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”
Next Week (9/15/13): Lorenzo Snow Chapter 18 found HERE
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