"Joseph Smith: An Instrument in the Hands of the Lord"
Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson - Chapter 7
Doctrine:
“Joseph Smith, the latter-day Prophet, was an instrument in the hands of the Lord in opening a new gospel dispensation, the last and greatest of all gospel dispensations.”
When God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ come to earth, as they did in 1820 when they appeared to the young boy prophet, Joseph Smith, it is not something that concerns only a handful of people. It is a message and a revelation intended for all of our Father’s children living upon the face of the earth. It was the greatest event that has ever happened in this world since the resurrection of the Master. Sometimes I think we are so close to it that we don’t fully appreciate its significance and importance and the magnitude of it.
The first vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith is bedrock theology to the Church.
The most evident truth that emerged from the Prophet’s experience in 1820 was the reality of God’s existence and the fact that Jesus Christ was indeed resurrected. He saw them as separate, distinct, glorified Personages who spoke to him as one man speaks to another.
This was the most glorious manifestation of God the Father and the Son of which we have record.
The Book of Mormon is the most singular evidence of Joseph Smith’s calling as a prophet.
We invite you to test the validity of our witness about the origin of the Book of Mormon. You can do this by reading it and asking our Heavenly Father if these things are true. I promise you, if you are sincere, you will receive a confirmation of the truthfulness by the Holy Ghost. Millions, with soberness and sincerity, testify they know it is from God.
If the Book of Mormon is true, then Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was His prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and it is being led today by a prophet receiving revelation.
To get a vision of the magnitude of the Prophet’s earthly mission we must view it in the light of eternity. He was among “the noble and great ones” whom Abraham described as follows:
“Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
The greatest activity in this world or in the world to come is directly related to the work and mission of Joseph Smith—man of destiny, prophet of God. That work is the salvation and eternal life of man. For that great purpose this earth was created, prophets of God are called, heavenly messengers are sent forth, and on sacred and important occasions even God, the Father of us all, condescends to come to earth and to introduce his beloved Son.
Read, study, or listen to the entire lesson here:
One of the most powerful testimonies of Joseph Smith and the Book or Mormon was given in a talk, "Safety for the Soul" by Jeffrey Holland. You can listen or read it here:
***The video link is also a great tool to share with your friends or relatives that are struggling with their own testimonies. ***
FAMILY
Family is the center of life and is the key to eternal happiness.
"Why Marriage and Family Matter - Everywhere in the World." - Elder Tom Perry
We believe that marriage and family ties can continue beyond the grave—that marriages performed by those who have the proper authority in His temples will continue to be valid in the world to come. Our marriage ceremonies eliminate the words “till death do us part” and instead say, “for time and for all eternity.”
We also believe that strong traditional families are not only the basic units of a stable society, a stable economy, and a stable culture of values—but that they are also the basic units of eternity and of the kingdom and government of God.
We believe that the organization and government of heaven will be built around families and extended families.
It is because of our belief that marriages and families are eternal that we, as a church, want to be a leader and a participant in worldwide movements to strengthen them. We know that it is not only those who are actively religious who share common values and priorities of lasting marriages and strong family relationships. A great number of secular people have concluded that a committed marriage and family lifestyle is the most sensible, the most economical, and the happiest way to live.
No one has ever come up with a more efficient way to raise the next generation than a household of married parents with children.
My brothers and sisters, the restored gospel centers on marriage and family. It is also on marriage and family where we can unite most with other faiths. It is around marriage and family where we will find our greatest commonality with the rest of the world. It is around marriage and family that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the greatest opportunity to be a light on the hill.
Let me close by bearing witness (and my nine decades on this earth fully qualify me to say this) that the older I get, the more I realize that family is the center of life and is the key to eternal happiness.
Read or listen to the entire talk here:
RELIEF
Your fast offering will do more than help feed and clothe bodies. It will heal and change hearts.
“Is Not This the Fast That I Have Chosen?” - President Henry B Eyring
So the Lord has given us a simple commandment with a marvelous promise. In the Church today we are offered the opportunity to fast once a month and give a generous fast offering through our bishop or branch president for the benefit of the poor and the needy. Some of what you give will be used to help those around you, perhaps someone in your own family. The Lord’s servants will pray and fast for the revelation to know whom to help and what help to give. That which is not needed to help people in your local Church unit will become available to bless other Church members across the world who are in need.
The commandment to fast for the poor has many blessings attached to it. President Spencer W. Kimball called failing to follow that law a sin of omission with a heavy cost. He wrote: “Rich promises are made by the Lord to those who fast and assist the needy. … Inspiration and spiritual guidance will come with righteousness and closeness to our Heavenly Father. To omit to do this righteous act of fasting would deprive us of these blessings.”
Read or listen to the talk here:
SWEEPING THE EARTH AS IF A FLOOD:
Viewed from that eternal perspective, what we are to do seems so simple and clear, but I know that member missionary work can be challenging and sometimes frightening. Please allow me to suggest three simple things that we can do to assist in this divinely commissioned responsibility.
First, we should exercise our faith and pray individually and as families, asking for help in finding ways to share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Ask the Lord to open the way. Prayerfully set a date with your family to have someone in your home for the missionaries to teach. Remember, brothers and sisters, this is the Lord’s Church. Let Him guide you through constant prayer. With a prayer in your heart, talk to everyone you can. Don’t prejudge. Don’t withhold the good news from anyone. Talk to everyone, and trust in the promised power of the Spirit to give you the words you should say. Let them make the decision to accept or reject your invitation. Over time, the Lord will put into your path those who are seeking the truth. He is the Good Shepherd. He knows His sheep, and they will know His voice, spoken through you, and they will follow Him (see John 10).
President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “It will be a great day when our people not only pray for the missionaries throughout the world, but ask the Lord to help them to assist the missionaries who are laboring in their own ward” (“Missionary Service,” First Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Jan. 2003, 19).
Second, leaders must lead by example. The Spirit will prompt and guide you in finding those interested in our message. Your personal worthiness will give you the courage and the spiritual power to inspire your members to actively help the missionaries.
The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have made it clear that missionary work is to be centered in the ward. Stake presidents and bishops have the responsibility and accountability to help members find the pure in heart and prepare them for baptism and for a life of service within their wards and stakes. President Hinckley has also said, “I would like to suggest that every bishop in the Church give as a motto to his people, ‘Let’s all work to grow the ward’"
Third, member missionary work does not require the development of strategies or gimmicks. It does require faith—real faith and trust in the Lord. It also requires genuine love. The first great commandment is to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. … The second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matt. 22:37, 39).
So let the power of love guide us in sharing the gospel with family members, friends, neighbors, business associates, and any other people we encounter as we go through life. Most everyone wants to enjoy peace and happiness. That is a natural human desire. People want to find answers to the problems they face. This is increasingly true in the world we now live in.
Some members say, “I’m afraid to share the gospel because I might offend someone.” Experience has shown that people are not offended when the sharing is motivated by the spirit of love and concern. How could anyone be offended when we say something like this: “I love the way my church helps me” and then add whatever the Spirit directs. It’s when we appear only to be fulfilling an assignment and we fail to express real interest and love that we offend others. Don’t ever forget, brothers and sisters, that you and I have in our possession the very points of doctrine that will bring people to the Lord. The restored gospel of Jesus Christ has within it the power to bring deep and abiding happiness to the human soul—something that will be valued and cherished for the rest of time and for all eternity. We are not just trying to get people to join our Church; we are sharing with them the fulness of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. But as powerful as our message is, it cannot be imposed or forced upon people. It can only be shared—heart to heart, soul to soul, spirit to spirit—by being good neighbors and by caring and showing love. We need to be watchful for one another and reach out to one another. And as we do so, we will radiate the gospel in our own lives, and it will radiate to the people the blessings the gospel has to offer.
Let us follow the admonition of the Prophet Joseph Smith, “After all that has been said, [our] greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel” (History of the Church, 2:478).
We can and we must do better, brothers and sisters. I pray that the Lord will grant to each one of us the faith and courage to increase our participation in supporting our full-time missionaries in sharing the restored gospel with all of God’s children throughout the world. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
From the talk given by M.Russell Ballard in the April 2003 Ensign.
"The Essential Role of Member Missionary Work."
Listen or read the talk here:
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2003/04/the-essential-role-of-member-missionary-work?lang=eng
Relief Society Announcements:
*Transcripts from General Conference are now available online at lds.org.
*Stake Conference will be held on April 25th and 26th.
*BYU Women's Conference will be held April 30th - May 1st. The theme for the Conference is "My soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord" (2 Nephi 11:5) General session speakers include Elder M. Russell Ballard and Bonnie L. Oscarson. If you are interested in attending, you can register online, or call 877-221-6716. For those who can't attend in person, Elder Ballard's talk will be streamed live Friday at 3:45 on BYUTV as well as on the home page of lds.org.
*An exhibit featuring some of the early documents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is on public display at the Church History Library on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. "Foundations of Faith" includes 26 books, manuscripts and other historical documents that date back to the 19th century and the beginnings of Mormonism.
*The Visiting Teaching message this month is entitled, "The Attributes of Jesus Christ: Without Guile or Hypocrisy." Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: "To beguile is to deceive or lead astray. . . .A person without guile is a person of innocence, honest intent, and pure motives, whose life reflects the simple practice of conforming his [orher] daily actions to principles of integrity."
Calendar:
April 12th – Ezra Taft Benson #7 – Joseph Smith, an Instrument in the Hands of the Lord
April 19th – Ezra Taft Benson #8 – The Power of the Word
April 28th – Stake Transitioning Meeting for all Laurels - R.S. Presidency
April 25th – 26th – Stake Conference
May 3rd – Presidency Message
May 10th – Ezra Taft Benson #9 – The Book of Mormon – Keystone of Our Religion
May 17th – Ezra Taft Benson #10 – Flooding the Earth and Our Lives with the Book of Mormon
May 24th – Teachings For Our Time
May 31st – 5th Sunday
If you have a recipe you would like to share send them to: drbennett1@hotmail.com or call or text them to 208-351-7083. We would love to have your favorite holiday recipes!
Visit the ward recipe blog: www.burton4threcipes.blogspot.com
Visit the Relief Society blog: www.burton4thrs.blogspot.com
Visit the Relief Society blog: www.burton4thrs.blogspot.com
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