"The priesthood is the power and authority of God given for the salvation and blessing of all - men, women, and children."

We sometimes overly associate the power of the priesthood with men in the Church.  The priesthood is the power and authority of God given for the salvation and blessing of all - men, women, and children.

We sometimes overly associate the power of the priesthood with men in the Church.  The priesthood is the power and authority of God given for the salvation and blessing of all - men, women, and children.

A man may open the drapes so the warm sunlight comes into the room, but the man does not own the sun or the light or the warmth it brings.  The blessings of the priesthood are infinitely greater than the one who is asked to administer the gift.

There are special blessings from God for every worthy person who is baptized, receives the Holy Ghost, and regularly partakes of the sacrament.  The temple brings added light and strength, along with the promise of eternal life.

We know that God loves all His children and is no respecter of persons.  "He denieth none that come unto him, ... male [or] female; ... and all are alike unto God."

As surely as we know that God's love is "alike" for His sons and His daughters, we also know that He did not create men and women exactly the same.  We know that gender is an essential characteristic of both our mortal and eternal identity and purpose.  Sacred responsibilities are given to each gender.

We know that the power of the holy priesthood does not work independently of faith, the Holy Ghost, and spiritual gifts.  The scriptures caution: "Deny not the gifts of God, for they are many. ...  And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh [them] all."

Another thing we know is that there is an abundance of priesthood blessings in families where a righteous mother and father are united in guiding their children.  But we also know that God eagerly provides these same blessings to those in many other situations.

A mother, carrying the weight of providing both spiritually and temporally for her family, sensitively explained that calling her home teachers to bless one of her children requires her humility.  But she insightfully added that it requires no more humility than that of her home teachers as they prepare to bless her child.

Sincerely asking for and listening to the thoughts and concerns by women is vital in life, in marriage, and in building the kingdom of God.

Not surprisingly, before President Monson's prayerful decision about the age change for missionary service, there were many discussions with the general Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary presidencies.

Bishops, as you follow the example of President Monson, you will feel even more abundantly the guiding hand of the Lord blessing your sacred work.

As men and women, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters of God, we move forward together.  This is our opportunity, our responsibility, and our blessing.  This is our destiny - to prepare the kingdom of God for the return of the Savior.

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/power-in-the-priesthood?lang=eng

"Never infringe upon another's right, but let each one sustain his brother in the enjoyment of his privileges and rights, holding them as sacred as our own salvation."

Take this for a text if you like, and preach it, both verbally and practically, until confidence in each other reigns universally among the Saints, and then will be accomplished what I wish to see.  If we wish to establish a confidence such as the Gods enjoy, let us cease from every evil act, and from the contemplation of every evil design; never infringe upon another's right, but let each one sustain his brother in the enjoyment of his privileges and rights, holding them as sacred as our own salvation.

"There is much room for improvement in all.  If we commence from this day, and do all the good we can, and never do another evil, we shall come to that which I want the brethren to preach about, and endeavor to establish.  I wish it preached by the Bishops, by the Deacons, and by every officer in the Church; I wish fathers to teach it to their children; and I desire the subject to be taken up by all bodies of the Saints throughout the world, viz., establish CONFIDENCE IN EACH OTHER.  Take this for a text if you like, and preach it, both verbally and practically, until confidence in each other reigns universally among the Saints, and then will be accomplished what I wish to see.  If we wish to establish a confidence such as the Gods enjoy, let us cease from every evil act, and from the contemplation of every evil design; never infringe upon another's right, but let each one sustain his brother in the enjoyment of his privileges and rights, holding them as sacred as our own salvation.  If confidence has been lost, this is the surest and only successful way to restore it.  Hear it, ye preachers, ye Apostles, and Prophets; ye Elders, High Priests, and Seventies; ye Priests, Teachers, Deacons, and Bishops; every man and woman in the Church of God throughout the world; commence to preach this discourse at home, beginning with your own heart; then teach your wives and your children; then let it spread its warming and cheering influence, like the genial sun beam, from family to family, until the whole Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is united as the heart of one man.

"I will illustrate the method of establishing confidence in each other by taking, for example, the child of four or five years of age.  The mother allows that child to own a small chest in which to keep his little trinkets, such as little bosom pins, ribbons, doll clothes, &c.  This is considered by all the family the child's chest.  Now let none go into that chest and take anything form it, without the consent of the child.  This is a very small matter, some may think; but begin at as small a point as this to create confidence, and let it grow up from little to much.  Wives, let your husband's stores alone, if they have not committed them to your charge.  Husbands, commit that to your wives that belongs to them, and never search their boxes without their consent...

"If this principle were strictly carried out by every man, woman, and child among the Saints, it would make them a blessed people indeed.  We should seek to preserve our neighbor's horse or ox from starving in the cold of winter, and if we see any of his property in jeopardy, we should be as careful of it as if it were our own; our object should be to save every thing we can, both of our neighbor's and our own."

"What a delightful aspect would this community present if all men and women, old and young, were disposed to leave off their own sins and follies, and overlook those of their neighbors"

What a delightful aspect would this community present if all men and women, old and young, were disposed to leave off their own sins and follies, and overlook those of their neighbors; if they would cease watching their neighbors for iniquity, and watch that they themselves might be free from it!

"What a delightful aspect would this community present if all men and women, old and young, were disposed to leave off their own sins and follies, and overlook those of their neighbors; if they would cease watching their neighbors for iniquity, and watch that they themselves might be free from it! if they were trying with all their powers to sanctify the Lord in their hearts, and would prove, by their actions, that they had received the truth and the love of it! if all individuals would watch themselves, that they do not speak against the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, nor in short against any being in heaven or on earth. ... [W]hat kind of society should we have?  Why every man's mouth would be filled with blessings, every man's hand would be put forth to do good, and every woman and child in all their intercourse would be praising God, and blessing each other.  Would not Zion be here?  It would.  What hinders you from doing this?  What is the Lord or the people doing to cause this one and that one to commit sin with a high hand, in secret and in the open streets?

"When a man of God preaches the principles of the Gospel, all things give way (COME BACK TO IT)

"Those who are apt to go to one extreme, are almost sure to go to the other, which always causes disappointment, either agreeably, or disagreeably." - Brigham Young

Those who are apt to go to one extreme, are almost sure to go to the other, which always causes disappointment, either agreeably, or disagreeably.  These two extremes have caused the Saints much trouble; and some, for want of patience, and a little reasonable thought, have laid the blame of their disappointments in the wrong quarter, and have apostatized from the Church, never thinking the blame was in themselves.

"In the short speech of not more than five minutes, which I delivered in the old Bowery, when that judge publicly insulted this people, there were men and women in the congregation who suffered more in the anticipation of what might be the result of it in future, than the generality of this people have suffered in being actually mobbed.  They could see, in imagination, all hell let loose upon us, themselves strung up, their ears cut off, their bowels torn out, and this whole people cut to pieces.  After they had had time to think, they found themselves still alive and unhurt, to their great astonishment.  They suffered as much as though they had been sent to the bottom of the bottomless pit.  They suffered all this, because I told that corrupt man, that he ought to be kicked out of the territory for his insolence and barefaced presumption.  I know this people have suffered more by the contemplation of trouble, than they have when actually passing through it.

"As they have magnified future trouble almost infinitely beyond its real dimensions, so they have imagined to themselves a greater heaven than they can find in Zion, at its present stage of progression.  You do not enjoy the Zion you anticipated.  That mankind make mistakes in these two ways must be apparent to those who have felt the workings of hope and fear in their nature.  People suffer more in the anticipation of death, than in death itself.  There is more suffering in what I call borrowed trouble, than in the trouble itself.  On the other hand, you have anticipated more Zion, more happiness, and more glory in the flesh than you will ever realize in this mortality.  Those who are apt to go to one extreme, are almost sure to go to the other, which always causes disappointment, either agreeably, or disagreeably.  These two extremes have caused the Saints much trouble; and some, for want of patience, and a little reasonable thought, have laid the blame of their disappointments in the wrong quarter, and have apostatized from the Church, never thinking the blame was in themselves.  Upon these weaknesses of human nature the devil works sometimes very successfully.  But brethren, we cannot escape from ourselves; and while we remain in this tabernacle, our onward course will be obstructed, more or less, by the weakness to which the mortal flesh is subject.  By and bye our bodies will go to their mother earth, and receive a resurrection, and become glorious; then we shall enjoy all, and more than the heart of man can conceive, unless it is inspired by the Holy Ghost.  This will be the inheritance of the faithful."

As a General Authority, I have the responsibility to preach general principles. - Dallin H. Oaks

Now, brothers and sisters, if you are troubled about something we have said, please listen very carefully to what I will say now. Perhaps you are a young man feeling pressured by what I have said about the need to start a pattern of dating that can lead to marriage, or you are a young woman troubled by what we have said about needing to get on with your life.

If you feel you are a special case, so that the strong counsel I have given doesn't apply to you, please don't write me a letter. Why would I make this request? I have learned that the kind of direct counsel I have given results in a large number of letters from members who feel they are an exception, and they want me to confirm that the things I have said just don't apply to them in their special circumstance.

I will explain why I can't offer much comfort in response to that kind of letter by telling you an experience I had with another person who was troubled by a general rule. I gave a talk in which I mentioned the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" (Ex. 20:13). Afterward a man came up to me in tears saying that what I had said showed there was no hope for him. "What do you mean?" I asked him.

He explained that he had been a machine gunner during the Korean War. During a frontal assault, his machine gun mowed down scores of enemy infantry. Their bodies were piled so high in front of his gun that he and his men had to push them away in order to maintain their field of fire. He had killed a hundred, he said, and now he must be going to hell because I had spoken of the Lord's commandment "Thou shalt not kill."

The explanation I gave that man is the same explanation I give to you if you feel you are an exception to what I have said. As a General Authority, I have the responsibility to preach general principles. When I do, I don't try to define all the exceptions. There are exceptions to some rules. For example, we believe the commandment is not violated by killing pursuant to a lawful order in an armed conflict. But don't ask me to give an opinion on your exception. I only teach the general rules. Whether an exception applies to you is your responsibility. You must work that out individually between you and the Lord.

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught this same thing in another way. When he was asked how he governed such a diverse group of Saints, he said, "I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves." In what I have just said, I am simply teaching correct principles and inviting each one of you to act upon these principles by governing yourself.

Brothers and sisters, I pray that the things that have been said this evening will be carried into your hearts and understood by the power of the Holy Ghost with the same intent that they have been uttered, which is to bless your lives, to give comfort to the afflicted, and to afflict the comfortable.

Dating Versus Hanging Out