The Lord needs us to do His work and he will put all of His
power behind it. D&C 84:88 And whoso
receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be
on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and
mine angels round about you, to bear you up.
President Eyring testified of the importance of this training.
“The power that is with us is
infinitely greater than the forces that attack true happiness. Our safety and our success require only that
we align our intents and our hearts with God’s wishes and so with His power. This training is a guide and an encouragement
to make that alignment and to take others with us. I bear you my witness that Heavenly Father
and Jesus Christ live. They love you and
your family. They are perfectly aware of
you; your needs, your wants, and your potential. The blessings of the priesthood and its keys
are available to you and to every member of your family everywhere in the
world. You can be sure of that even in
the dark times. Our families can be
strong and at peace.”
President Eyring further said, “This training is designed to
help us learn, through the power of the Holy Ghost, how Heavenly Father would
have us minister, particularly in families.”
Your ward should have been given a DVD of this training but
it is also available online. https://www.lds.org/training/wwlt/2013?lang=eng It is easily downloadable or can be watched
via streaming. We have been encouraged
to use it in Stake and Ward Councils as well as in families and in our
callings. Each video segment has a PDF
discussion guide that can help facilitate discussion in families and in council
meetings.
This is a valuable resource for the sisters in your wards to
use to strengthen their families through family home evening lessons, personal
gospel study, and family gospel study.
It is also a valuable resource to help sisters who do not live in a home
where a priesthood holder resides understand that they also have access to
priesthood power in their homes.
This training encourages us to counsel together and to draw
more fully on the power of the priesthood in our callings. Barbara W. Winder, a former General Relief
Society President said, “unity is ‘not
simply a matter of the sisters working together, but that we are partners with
the priesthood bretheren. We are
companions in the work.’” (pp. 141) We
are equally responsible as brothers and sisters to move this work forward.
Elder Oaks said, “The prophet Joseph Smith told the early
sisters that he had something better for them than a written constitution. Being organized under priesthood authority
they were to reject worldly concepts of power and seek the power that flows
down from heaven for those functions and to those individuals who are using
their time and talents in the Lord’s way.”
When teaching about the World Wide Leadership Training 2013,
the General Relief Society Training 2013 beautifully taught how we have access
to priesthood power
·
When we access priesthood ordinances
·
When we make and keep sacred covenants
·
When we participate in all aspects of temple
work (remembering covenants and promised blessings)
·
When we renew covenants through the sacrament
·
When we receive delegated authority when we are
set apart in our callings
·
When we work in unity in priesthood councils, in
ward councils, in stake councils, in family councils and when we are counseling
together in our presidencies
·
When we receive priesthood blessings
·
“Through delegated authority and personal
righteousness ward and stake Relief Society presidents can act with priesthood
power. We can receive inspiration, have
access to all the gifts of the sprit, have the sustaining blessing of the
Lord’s power in our callings, and have confidence that the Lord will direct our
work. Through covenant making and
righteous covenant keeping all sisters can have access to priesthood power in
calling down the blessing of heaven for themselves, for their families, and in
their callings.”
This training bears powerful testimony of the need for us to
continue on the covenant path and for us to help the sisters within our
stewardship to make and keep all of the sacred covenants available to us
through the priesthood of God.
President Eyring said “Never waste an opportunity to teach
and exemplify the love of God extended through the priesthood.”
Please encourage your
sisters to use this training in their homes.
The Holy Ghost will testify of the truth contained therein and their
homes will be strengthened and protected by an increased faith in the power of
the priesthood.
