Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Serving with the Spirit


I am currently making my way through studying all of the talks from this last General Conference. General Conference is a biannual event, where members of the LDS church watch, listen to, read, etc. talks given from the prophet and apostles. This morning I read one article that really spoke to me as it holds a few key truths about the Gospel and a few truths that mean a lot to me personally.
The article was called, "Serving with the Spirit" by Henry B. Eyring. Something that I love about the Church is how boys receive the priesthood, the power and authority to act in God's name, at the age of 12. I feel this is very important as we know that by the age of 12 Christ himself was teaching teachers of the Jewish community. What makes this more special is that President Eyring talks about how although 12 and 13 year old boys' priesthood duties are limited, they are still able to get revelation for those they are to "warn, exhort, and teach." He tells them that the fears to talk to those who may be struggling will be calmed through prayer, that they will know what and how to speak to them, and that they will feel the approval of the Lord.
When I read that, it comes at no surprise to me; I have believed that my entire life. But when I really think about what that means, I learn that it is amazing that there is a God somewhere who really cares about His children and will lead them through every step of their responsibilities, especially when it comes to serving His other children. I also learn that God wants to give us revelation and that it is a natural process like any other process. I do not mean to undermine the miraculousness of God giving revelation, but I mean to say that it follows a natural, God- created order like many of his other natural processes.
We are asked to work. A young man might think before-hand how the person is struggling and wonders how it is that he can personally help. He may come up with some ideas; he may not. He prays to know. He finds the faith to see that perhaps his idea of what to say may not be correct but he is still going to fulfill his calling. He opens his mouth and God, recognizing the importance of this young man and the person he is supposed to bless, teaches this man what to say. It may be exactly what he thought; it may not be. Either way, God knows the importance of the each of His children.

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