Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

A place for conservative women to discuss true women's liberation, the role of women in healing America, the truth about feminism and more...
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WhereCanITurn4Peace
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Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by WhereCanITurn4Peace »

Just watched this beautiful talk given by David Clare during BYU Women's Conference of 2014 and wanted to share his inspired words. This is especially relevant now because there seems to be so much division and contention in our world...

http://www.byutv.org/watch/2210043a-905 ... clare-2014" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some snippets:

"Sisters, this is one of the most beautiful topics and doctrines that we could talk about. And yet most women, when they think of priesthood, they think of men. Isn’t that interesting. Check yourself. Priesthood? Oh, that’s a man thing. But I want to testify to you that priesthood and power of the priesthood is for you and is absolutely critical for the days ahead—absolutely critical."

"Number one, the body cannot live without both of the two organs. And the body—the brain and the heart—must be one. It can’t live without them. Think of the roles of men and women in the priesthood. See what the Lord is trying to teach me. It’s interesting that when the Holy Ghost speaks truth and revelation, it speaks to the mind and the heart, and if it doesn’t confirm it to both, we could be deceived. Isn’t that interesting. Think of men and women, mind and heart. The very eternal plan of God requires both man and woman."

"I’ve said this before, and I wasn’t planning on saying this, but I just feel impressed that we don’t understand the value of how important those roles are. And as I was in the temple this morning, I realized again how vitally important women are in bringing forth the kingdom of God and bringing about the very purposes of God—His work and His glory. You are divine, and you are beautiful. But some of you don’t think that. Some of you don’t view yourself as divine and beautiful, and you start to compare. Everything Satan is trying to do in the world is to compare and to cause you to think you are less than
your divine role."

"But I love to contemplate how the priesthood brings us to Christ. The priesthood, as we’ll learn in a second, is the power of God. And if you’ll notice a very important point, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, have two different roles. They are one in purpose, they are one in power, they are one in Spirit, but they are two distinct, separate personages, and they have two different roles. And the purpose of the priesthood is to bring a man and a woman unto Christ and to become one so that the eternal round of God is fulfilled. It’s when the mind becomes the mind of Christ and our heart becomes the heart of Christ that we start to understand the scripture of Zion: 'They were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.' "

"If I had one impression and desire, it was to instill upon your minds that the priesthood is yours, and that you have to learn to understand it and access it and draw upon it in your lives as women, especially women of the last days."

Gage
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by Gage »

For some reason I would just have a hard taking serious a woman coming to the hospital and giving me a blessing in a mini skirt, high heels and half her chest showing with gobs of make up on. And this would certainly be the case in many many wards.

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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by Lizzy60 »

Gage wrote: May 3rd, 2017, 2:09 pm For some reason I would just have a hard taking serious a woman coming to the hospital and giving me a blessing in a mini skirt, high heels and half her chest showing with gobs of make up on. And this would certainly be the case in many many wards.
And how many men and young men do you think there are in your ward who view p0rn on a regular basis, and then administer the sacrament and give PH blessings the next day? Just because you can SEE what you judge is impropriety in a woman, does not mean that the man wearing the white shirt is any more capable of accessing the powers of heaven.

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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by eddie »

Gage wrote: May 3rd, 2017, 2:09 pm For some reason I would just have a hard taking serious a woman coming to the hospital and giving me a blessing in a mini skirt, high heels and half her chest showing with gobs of make up on. And this would certainly be the case in many many wards.
I find it difficult to believe the men in the ward who stare at these women don't like it.

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captainfearnot
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by captainfearnot »

I've been surprised at the growing trend of members who do not take priesthood holders seriously unless they are wearing suit coats. White shirts and ties are not enough anymore, you need to be wearing the proper uniform of the priesthood if you want your powers to work.

This all smacks of superstition to me.

DesertWonderer
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by DesertWonderer »

Gage wrote: May 3rd, 2017, 2:09 pm For some reason I would just have a hard taking serious a woman coming to the hospital and giving me a blessing in a mini skirt, high heels and half her chest showing with gobs of make up on. And this would certainly be the case in many many wards.
I don't know. That might actually perk me up a bit.

eddie
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by eddie »

DesertWonderer wrote: May 3rd, 2017, 3:39 pm
Gage wrote: May 3rd, 2017, 2:09 pm For some reason I would just have a hard taking serious a woman coming to the hospital and giving me a blessing in a mini skirt, high heels and half her chest showing with gobs of make up on. And this would certainly be the case in many many wards.
I don't know. That might actually perk me up a bit.
That's not funny. Hahahaha

tdj
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by tdj »

I'd for one love to see women allowed the priesthood. I think if they had it, we'd see some really amazing stuff. But this decision is something our leaders and prophet specifically are going to have to reach for themselves.
Alot of sisters I know say flat out they don't want it, and no wonder. So many women in the church are pretty darn comfortable. They have good, hard working men who support them and their children. Some have lots of kids and get supported quite well. And it's not like their lives aren't full already. If they had the priesthood session they would be called to give blessings also, on top of what they already have to do. Still, I think it would give them a feeling of empowerment they never really had before.
My son, during a young men's meeting said that the boys were musing about how they wish the sisters could experience what they did with the priesthood. Interesting.

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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by tdj »

WhereCanITurn4Peace wrote: February 19th, 2017, 7:03 am Just watched this beautiful talk given by David Clare during BYU Women's Conference of 2014 and wanted to share his inspired words. This is especially relevant now because there seems to be so much division and contention in our world...

http://www.byutv.org/watch/2210043a-905 ... clare-2014" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some snippets:

"Sisters, this is one of the most beautiful topics and doctrines that we could talk about. And yet most women, when they think of priesthood, they think of men. Isn’t that interesting. Check yourself. Priesthood? Oh, that’s a man thing. But I want to testify to you that priesthood and power of the priesthood is for you and is absolutely critical for the days ahead—absolutely critical."

"Number one, the body cannot live without both of the two organs. And the body—the brain and the heart—must be one. It can’t live without them. Think of the roles of men and women in the priesthood. See what the Lord is trying to teach me. It’s interesting that when the Holy Ghost speaks truth and revelation, it speaks to the mind and the heart, and if it doesn’t confirm it to both, we could be deceived. Isn’t that interesting. Think of men and women, mind and heart. The very eternal plan of God requires both man and woman."

"I’ve said this before, and I wasn’t planning on saying this, but I just feel impressed that we don’t understand the value of how important those roles are. And as I was in the temple this morning, I realized again how vitally important women are in bringing forth the kingdom of God and bringing about the very purposes of God—His work and His glory. You are divine, and you are beautiful. But some of you don’t think that. Some of you don’t view yourself as divine and beautiful, and you start to compare. Everything Satan is trying to do in the world is to compare and to cause you to think you are less than
your divine role."

"But I love to contemplate how the priesthood brings us to Christ. The priesthood, as we’ll learn in a second, is the power of God. And if you’ll notice a very important point, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, have two different roles. They are one in purpose, they are one in power, they are one in Spirit, but they are two distinct, separate personages, and they have two different roles. And the purpose of the priesthood is to bring a man and a woman unto Christ and to become one so that the eternal round of God is fulfilled. It’s when the mind becomes the mind of Christ and our heart becomes the heart of Christ that we start to understand the scripture of Zion: 'They were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.' "

"If I had one impression and desire, it was to instill upon your minds that the priesthood is yours, and that you have to learn to understand it and access it and draw upon it in your lives as women, especially women of the last days."

Honestly, I HEAR alot about how valuable women are and how they have important roles in the church, but I really don't SEE it. I see where they of course are invaluable when it comes to taking care of the children, making a home, doing alot of grunt work and whatnot, but just from what I've seen, I see a great deal of the attitude, mostly unconscious, where the boys are elevated and treated a bit different from the girls. One case in point: My daughter had a wonderful seminary teacher last year. This family is a model that MY family tries to strive to become more like. I know we should keep our eyes on Christ, but we are very much in this world and have the five senses working quite strongly, so we do look around. Anyway, this wonderful woman would come to seminary dressed up, as is required, and would often bring sacks, or buckets inside the building with her. In other words, her hands were full. But her BOY would stay in the back of the truck, with his blanket and pillow, sleeping like a baby. Once, she even opened the door, to have his pillow fall on the ground, she not see it and almost face planted onto the concrete. All the while, he never even looked up and asked her if she was okay, just expected his pillow back. With all the talk about how valuable women are, the sad truth is we are not showing or teaching these boys that lesson when we let them get away with not helping their mother or ANY woman with an armload of stuff or even open the door for her. That's another thing I noticed when my family joined the church about four years ago. In our ward anyway, no one held open the door for the women. ( No one can claim the excuse of feminism on this one either. ) Also, just a few months back some missionary girls were given bags of grocery's for their apartment. When the boy missionary's came up to shake their hands, they said it was okay, they saw their hands were full, so they'd just do a little fist bump. SERIOUSLY?!?! UMM, no. I told those boys they needed to carry the girls bags to the car. One missionary kind of gave me a dirty look, but I really don't care. The men were not opening the doors for the women. That's changed in our ward since we came along. We made our son do just that and I think the others were shamed into it by the new converts.

If we're going to say one thing about women and their roles, yet display a whole other behavior, then yes, they ought to at least be given the respect of being allowed to have the priesthood for themselves and be done with it.

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h_p
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by h_p »

I see plenty of people wanting priesthood *office*, but priesthood? Not so much.

Juliet
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by Juliet »

It would be nice if roles were better defined. I feel like the spirit is more liberal with priesthood gifts to women then what we are taught but because it isn't defined then it feels like anything we do under the spirit could be bad.
Last edited by Juliet on January 4th, 2018, 9:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

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marc
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by marc »

h_p wrote: January 3rd, 2018, 3:41 pm I see plenty of people wanting priesthood *office*, but priesthood? Not so much.
Yup. It's all administrative power (bless sacrament, baptize someone, etc). But where is faith?

JST Genesis 14 is where it's at. That is "power." Real power. By faith. Not just to officiate in some ritual ordinance, but to heal. To move mountains. To turn rivers from their courses. Set at defiance armies of nations. When was the last time anyone saw a high priest as Enoch perform such a mighty work? But men and women don't need "power" to serve someone. To elevate the downtrodden. Are there women really envious or jealous of being able to administrate in an ordinance? There is no woman who cannot heal someone or move a mountain if her faith is sufficient. And nobody can do anything if it is not first expedient in the Lord. So what's the big deal? Love. Love is the big deal. It brings us full circle. Go and love someone in need. Elevate the poor. Succor the needy. The downtrodden. Nobody needs permission to do this. And then maybe if your love is strong enough, you can lift that car to rescue a victim. Or raise the dead. A woman's love has no limit. If she only knew that if her faith could equal her capacity for love, woman would rule the world. With her love. With so much love, the mountains would bow low.

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h_p
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by h_p »

marc wrote: January 4th, 2018, 4:29 am JST Genesis 14 is where it's at. That is "power." Real power. By faith. Not just to officiate in some ritual ordinance, but to heal. To move mountains. To turn rivers from their courses. Set at defiance armies of nations. When was the last time anyone saw a high priest as Enoch perform such a mighty work? But men and women don't need "power" to serve someone. To elevate the downtrodden. Are there women really envious or jealous of being able to administrate in an ordinance? There is no woman who cannot heal someone or move a mountain if her faith is sufficient.
This reminded me of a verse in the Book of Mormon. Jacob mentions this almost in passing, but it's a powerful second witness to Genesis 14:
Jacob 4:6 wrote:Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.
That verse is not gender-specific.

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h_p
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by h_p »

Juliet wrote: January 4th, 2018, 2:20 am It would be nice if roles were better defined. I feel like the spirit is more liberal with priesthood gifts to women then what we are taught but because it isn't defined then it feels like anything we do under the spirit could be bad.
What was a real eye-opener to me was when someone pointed out that in the temple, both men and women are wearing pretty much exactly the same thing, and those things they're wearing all represent priesthood. The covenants (save for one), signs and tokens are all identical. The promises at the veil are also identical (or so I've heard).

I believe you have just as much access to priesthood power and gifts of the spirit as we men do. The roles for ordinances and administration in the church are pretty clear (I think), but everything else is freely available to you. If the Spirit is truly guiding you to a spiritual gift, well, I think that's all the definition you need. :-)

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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by tdj »

You'll never see women in the church getting called on to lay hands on someone and pray for them. It's only the men. I think that's just the church maybe kind of stuck in the rut of only doing things that are familiar because they've been done for so long a certain way. Yet scripture clearly says that WHOSOEVER, shall say unto this mountain be thou removed and be ye cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in their heart but believe, shall have whatsoever they ask.

I found myself falling into the trap of whenever prayer is needed not thinking that I should do it, but to automatically think that I need to run to one of the men, because my prayer just wouldn't quite do it.

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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

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Faith is the only real power there is. It is the moving cause of action in all intelligent beings (See Lectures on Faith, Lecture 7, Hebrews 11, and Ether 12). The priesthood is an order of men set apart to point the way to salvation. Men and women have different roles because they are two parts of a whole, if you made them independent then they wouldn't need each other.

The church is a temporary organization who has a primary role in helping to fulfill the Abrahamic covenant. There are auxiliary roles that the church takes on to address other needs but the primary most important unit is a married husband and wife who rule and reign together. I'm an active Latter-day Saint, I serve in the primary and with the Webelos. I've been Elders Quorum president twice and have served in some stake callings. My family has moved around quite a bit so we've repeatedly started from scratch in new wards all over. I understand what the church is and the big important things that we are trying to do but on a day to day basis, the impact in our lives is very small.

The vast majority of my life involves me, my wife, and my kids going about our lives, living the gospel, visiting friends and family, work, school, and service, like most other people. Personally, I don't care one bit if I ever held a position of authority in the church. I've never turned down a calling and I've done a lot of the grunt work associated with church life like cleaning chapels, putting up and down chairs, cleaning up ceiling debris from a raccoon in the attic, mowing lawns, moving families, etc. I've worn the yellow Mormon Helping Hands vest in hurricane clean up working side by side with my fellow Saints. I make comments in Sunday School or Elders Quorum when I'm not in the primary. Heck, in one ward I was known as the guy to call last minute to teach if a gospel doctrine teacher didn't show up and I did that quite a bit.

I've shared all that not to brag, because none of it is outstanding in any way, but to make a point. In the vast majority of what I've done, that involves the church, very little had to do with whether or not I was ordained to the priesthood. I was assigned a ton of grunt work and heavy labor tasks just because I am a male and that is what is expected of me. Even though I have a damaged back and those without back pain don't understand how debilitating it can be, I feel like I have to help because men are supposed to lift heavy stuff and do manual labor. I may wince here and there with the pain and take an extra rest but I'll show up. I do that because I was taught that I should and I'm fine with that. I didn't need to be ordained to anything to do any of those things, but I've made a difference even if just a little.

We all have a purpose and we all are important. Faith is the only power there is, the priesthood is just one way of ordering it to accomplish specific purposes. Faith is vaster and it touches every single aspect of being. All people regardless of their sex can understand the principles of the priesthood and help it in fulfilling its purpose.

I am a man, and am ordained to both priesthoods but I currently have no position of authority in the church. My current superior is the Primary President (a woman) and I and my male co-teacher follow her counsel and direction in regards to our class. The same thing happened with my former Stake President who, when released, was called into the primary to teach 7-year-olds. I understand that as I support the Primary Presidency, I support the Holy Order After the Son of God. All things are connected, everywhere we serve is significant as is everything we do.

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True
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by True »

5tev3 wrote: January 5th, 2018, 12:38 pm Faith is the only real power there is. It is the moving cause of action in all intelligent beings (See Lectures on Faith, Lecture 7, Hebrews 11, and Ether 12). The priesthood is an order of men set apart to point the way to salvation. Men and women have different roles because they are two parts of a whole, if you made them independent then they wouldn't need each other.

The church is a temporary organization who has a primary role in helping to fulfill the Abrahamic covenant. There are auxiliary roles that the church takes on to address other needs but the primary most important unit is a married husband and wife who rule and reign together. I'm an active Latter-day Saint, I serve in the primary and with the Webelos. I've been Elders Quorum president twice and have served in some stake callings. My family has moved around quite a bit so we've repeatedly started from scratch in new wards all over. I understand what the church is and the big important things that we are trying to do but on a day to day basis, the impact in our lives is very small.

The vast majority of my life involves me, my wife, and my kids going about our lives, living the gospel, visiting friends and family, work, school, and service, like most other people. Personally, I don't care one bit if I ever held a position of authority in the church. I've never turned down a calling and I've done a lot of the grunt work associated with church life like cleaning chapels, putting up and down chairs, cleaning up ceiling debris from a raccoon in the attic, mowing lawns, moving families, etc. I've worn the yellow Mormon Helping Hands vest in hurricane clean up working side by side with my fellow Saints. I make comments in Sunday School or Elders Quorum when I'm not in the primary. Heck, in one ward I was known as the guy to call last minute to teach if a gospel doctrine teacher didn't show up and I did that quite a bit.

I've shared all that not to brag, because none of it is outstanding in any way, but to make a point. In the vast majority of what I've done, that involves the church, very little had to do with whether or not I was ordained to the priesthood. I was assigned a ton of grunt work and heavy labor tasks just because I am a male and that is what is expected of me. Even though I have a damaged back and those without back pain don't understand how debilitating it can be, I feel like I have to help because men are supposed to lift heavy stuff and do manual labor. I may wince here and there with the pain and take an extra rest but I'll show up. I do that because I was taught that I should and I'm fine with that. I didn't need to be ordained to anything to do any of those things, but I've made a difference even if just a little.

We all have a purpose and we all are important. Faith is the only power there is, the priesthood is just one way of ordering it to accomplish specific purposes. Faith is vaster and it touches every single aspect of being. All people regardless of their sex can understand the principles of the priesthood and help it in fulfilling its purpose.

I am a man, and am ordained to both priesthoods but I currently have no position of authority in the church. My current superior is the Primary President (a woman) and I and my male co-teacher follow her counsel and direction in regards to our class. The same thing happened with my former Stake President who, when released, was called into the primary to teach 7-year-olds. I understand that as I support the Primary Presidency, I support the Holy Order After the Son of God. All things are connected, everywhere we serve is significant as is everything we do.
“Faith and priesthood go hand in hand. Faith is power and power is priesthood. After we gain faith, we receive the priesthood. Then, through the priesthood, we grow in faith until, having all power, we become like our Lord.”
Bruce R. McConkie

I love this quote that seems to indicate that at its core, priesthood is faith. And so where administration may be unavailable to women, the power of God certainly isn’t.

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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

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True wrote: January 5th, 2018, 3:59 pm “Faith and priesthood go hand in hand. Faith is power and power is priesthood. After we gain faith, we receive the priesthood. Then, through the priesthood, we grow in faith until, having all power, we become like our Lord.”
Bruce R. McConkie

I love this quote that seems to indicate that at its core, priesthood is faith. And so where administration may be unavailable to women, the power of God certainly isn’t.
I think we tend to think of priesthood as some mysterious power like the force in Star Wars. The word "priesthood" is mentioned 8 times in the Book of Mormon and 7 of those times all occur in Alma chapter 13. That chapter explains what the priesthood is. It is "...the holy order of God, to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest..." (vs.6) The word order is mentioned 14 times in that chapter, faith is mentioned 5 times and power is never mentioned. The ORDER is from God and the priesthood are those that have been ordained after the order. When children of God align themselves with the order in faith, there is where you will find the powers of heaven.

Consider Jesus and the woman, the leper, and the blind man...

"But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour." (Matt. 9:22)
"And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole." (Luke 17:19)
"And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way." (Mark 10:52)

Jesus did not say, "Go thy way, my priesthood hath made thee whole." These people came to Jesus in faith and it was that faith that healed them. We have priests here on earth to stand in the place of Jesus so that we may exercise faith as they did in the past. That's why you cannot give yourself a blessing. There is much more power in asking for a blessing than putting your hands on someone's head. We have it backwards, we get sick, weak, or injured and we 'call for the strong priesthood to come and bless us with their great power.'

God's house is a house of "order."

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True
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by True »

5tev3 wrote: January 5th, 2018, 5:29 pm
True wrote: January 5th, 2018, 3:59 pm “Faith and priesthood go hand in hand. Faith is power and power is priesthood. After we gain faith, we receive the priesthood. Then, through the priesthood, we grow in faith until, having all power, we become like our Lord.”
Bruce R. McConkie

I love this quote that seems to indicate that at its core, priesthood is faith. And so where administration may be unavailable to women, the power of God certainly isn’t.
I think we tend to think of priesthood as some mysterious power like the force in Star Wars. The word "priesthood" is mentioned 8 times in the Book of Mormon and 7 of those times all occur in Alma chapter 13. That chapter explains what the priesthood is. It is "...the holy order of God, to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest..." (vs.6) The word order is mentioned 14 times in that chapter, faith is mentioned 5 times and power is never mentioned. The ORDER is from God and the priesthood are those that have been ordained after the order. When children of God align themselves with the order in faith, there is where you will find the powers of heaven.

Consider Jesus and the woman, the leper, and the blind man...

"But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour." (Matt. 9:22)
"And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole." (Luke 17:19)
"And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way." (Mark 10:52)

Jesus did not say, "Go thy way, my priesthood hath made thee whole." These people came to Jesus in faith and it was that faith that healed them. We have priests here on earth to stand in the place of Jesus so that we may exercise faith as they did in the past. That's why you cannot give yourself a blessing. There is much more power in asking for a blessing than putting your hands on someone's head. We have it backwards, we get sick, weak, or injured and we 'call for the strong priesthood to come and bless us with their great power.'

God's house is a house of "order."

As a woman, I am looking at that quote from a perspective of how to bring the power of God into my own life. I will never be ordained after the holy order of God but I was given power in the priesthood and I am trying to figure out how to use it.
So far, I have figured out that signs follow those who believe. I have also discovered much power in study, prayer and fasting and consecration.

tdj
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by tdj »

I just think the gender roles can sometimes get a bit too rigid.

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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by Zathura »

https://www.ldsfreedomforum.com/viewtop ... 05#p850852

Adam and Enoch received priesthood after the baptism of fire . Alma did not baptize until his prayer and had the spirit descend upon him.

Also: Morley Farm

Power of the Spirit=Priesthood Power

This is how women and men alike can obtain
Stahura wrote: April 19th, 2018, 12:36 pm For me, the most important thing that President Nelson has talked about twice now has to do with Priesthood Power.

The Price of Priesthood Power
-------------April 2016-----------

"I fear that there are too many men who have been given the authority of the priesthood but who lack priesthood power because the flow of power has been blocked by sins such as laziness, dishonesty, pride, immorality, or preoccupation with things of the world."

"I fear that there are too many priesthood bearers who have done little or nothing to develop their ability to access the powers of heaven. I worry about all who are impure in their thoughts, feelings, or actions or who demean their wives or children, thereby cutting off priesthood power."

"In a coming day, only those men who have taken their priesthood seriously, by diligently seeking to be taught by the Lord Himself, will be able to bless, guide, protect, strengthen, and heal others. Only a man who has paid the price for priesthood power will be able to bring miracles to those he loves and keep his marriage and family safe, now and throughout eternity."

"How else can we increase our power in the priesthood? We need to pray from our hearts. Polite recitations of past and upcoming activities, punctuated with some requests for blessings, cannot constitute the kind of communing with God that brings enduring power. Are you willing to pray to know how to pray for more power? The Lord will teach you."

"Are you willing to search the scriptures and feast on the words of Christ—to study earnestly in order to have more power"

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Ministering with the Power and Authority of God
-------------April 2018-----------

"Too many of our brothers and sisters do not fully understand the concept of priesthood power and authority"

...do not grasp the privileges that could be theirs.
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I take these messages and think of D&C 121:

We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.

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Because of my own personal experiences, I see that I am included in that. What is unrighteous dominion? what does it entail?

President Nelson mentioned pride, laziness, preoccupation for things of the world. What does that entail?
The Lord's standard is higher that ours. What is pride to God might not appear to be pride to us.

I have had priesthood power for a time and exercised it. I have had times(most of the time) where I do not have this priesthood power. This why I can testify that President Nelson is correct, he spoke truth. I absolutely see that I did not understand what I could potentially have. The flow of power was blocked by sin. When the "big" sins were gone, it was blocked by laziness. When I was diligent it was blocked by preoccupation of things of the world. When I wasn't preoccupied, wasn't lazy, was obeying the commandments, something was MISSING.
As President Nelson said, EARNEST STUDY. When I studied earnestly, something was MISSING.
As President Nelson said, PRAY FROM OUR HEARTS. When I did that repeatedly, something was MISSING.
I realized, as President Nelson says WILL HAPPEN, the Lord taught me. The Lord taught me that I CANNOT GAIN THIS POWER ON MY OWN. My efforts will never "EARN" this power.
Eventually the Holy Ghost descended upon me with great power. I was filled with Joy, and suddenly I had power that I never had before. Priesthood power.


What was this experience? I always refer to it as the Baptism of Fire, however, recently I realized that may not be the proper "technical term" for it and confuses people. I believe the Baptism of Fire and Holy Ghost is the reception of the Holy Ghost, and that is when you are reborn. I use the term Baptism of Fire because these other experiences besides the actual event where I received the Holy Ghost feel IDENTICAL to that moment, hence why I use the term Baptism of Fire.

Let me use some scriptural examples:
Alma 31:36 Now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words, that he clapped his hands upon all them who were with him. And behold, as he clapped his hands upon them, they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Mosiah 18:12-13 12 And now it came to pass that Alma took Helam, he being one of the first, and went and stood forth in the water, and cried, saying: O Lord, pour out thy Spirit upon thy servant, that he may do this work with holiness of heart.
13 And when he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was upon him...


3 Nephi 19:13 And it came to pass when they were all baptized and had come up out of the water, the Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

Moses 5:9 And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth record of the Father and the Son,saying

Moses 6:26 And it came to pass that Enoch journeyed in the land, among the people; and as he journeyed, the Spirit of God descended out of heaven, and abode upon him.

1 Nephi 2:16 16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.

1 Nephi 1:78 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.
8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit


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Okay, so here are the terms I see.
"Holy Ghost fell upon", "Spirit of God Descended", "he did visit me", Overcome with the Spirit", "They were filled".
There are more examples, but we will stick with these.

As a result of my personal experience, I believe most of these are identical to my "Baptism of Fire" experiences. "Baptism of Fire" rolls off the tongue better than "The Spirit descended upon me" .

I think some of these experiences and examples I used that we see in the scriptures are most likely those moments where it's not quite an extraordinary manifestation of the Spirit, but instead that warmth that fills and expands your soul. However, I believe a majority of these examples I used, and those like it were the "Baptism of Fire", they just didn't make a big deal out of it and referred it it as these other terms.

It is these times that I experienced the above examples /stories that I realized I finally had Priesthood Power.

I felt something watching Priesthood Session of April 2018 that I had never felt at General Conference before. I believe the President Nelson has been directed of God to urge us to do these things , so that we can have Priesthood Power and RETAIN IT.

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investigator
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by investigator »

JST Genesis 14: 26 Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire. And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch,
Notice, Melchizedek worked miracles by faith prior to possessing priesthood.
Satan, we command you to depart.

By what authority?

In the name of Jesus Christ, our Master.
Many have heard the above quote. Notice Peter does not say "By the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood". Any woman can exercise the authority of Jesus Christ.

Fiannan
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by Fiannan »

Since Eve was a prophet was it misusing the priesthood before the flood that changed women being able to be called to the priesthood?

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oneClimbs
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by oneClimbs »

Fiannan wrote: June 8th, 2018, 11:39 am Since Eve was a prophet was it misusing the priesthood before the flood that changed women being able to be called to the priesthood?
I don't think so. The priesthood is an order that has to do with modeling and teaching God's principles to people so that they can enter his rest (Alma 13). Women are not banned from the priesthood because of anything Eve or any woman may have done and the priesthood is not a "power" in the sense that many seem to think it is. Faith is the only real power that there is and the order of the priesthood order is one way in which faith can be expressed to specific ends.

If we learned anything from the priesthood restriction policy for men of African lineage it is a doubling down on the third article of faith that states that men shall be punished for their own sins and not Adam's transgression, or in this case, women shall be punished for their own sins and not Eve's transgression. Likewise, we have discarded the idea that someone's position in life must have been due to some kind of disobedience or sin and they were paying the price.

Remember the young man in the Bible and the people who asked Jesus if he was born blind as a punishment for his own or his parents' sins? Jesus said, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." (John 9:3)

There is a reason things are the way they are and the way they are now is temporary. The fundamental unit of the church is not a vast web of men in suits, it is a man and a woman, husband and wife. That order will be exalted and how it functions at its highest levels will probably come as a surprise to most of us. I have a feeling that we'd all welcome it and see how what we have now was a preparation.

Once you understand that, it causes everything else to be seen in a new light.

tdj
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Re: Women: Attaining, Accessing, Using Priesthood Power

Post by tdj »

Is it just me, or does anyone else here get the nagging feeling that the leadership of the church is on the verge of allowing women to hold the priesthood? Maybe not announced this coming conference, but soon after?

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