Priesthood
The Matter of Lineage
One’s lineage has significance. It is noteworthy that Jesus gave power to the twelve and sent them forth to preach and to heal, but “commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.
Read MoreMultiplicity
I am going to give you a lesson in math. Rather than put you to sleep, I think that it will be eye opening.
I’m going to center my remarks around the word “multiplicity.” Multiplicity means “a great number.” It might also mean “innumerable.” The word is used just once in scripture. In D&C 104:42 the Lord says, “I will multiply blessings upon him … even a multiplicity of blessings.” I’m enchanted with that word and its implications.
Carlton and Ruth Darnell
I awoke suddenly and looked at the clock. 3:22 A.M.. My mind was full of thoughts–and full of gratitude–for a couple who greatly influenced my life 56 years ago. I laid there and thought about them for two or three minutes, and then felt compelled to get up and to write about them.
Read MoreMost Important Dates
Tomorrow and next Sunday are the two most important dates on the calendar. They’re better and more important than Christmas or my birthday.
Tomorrow (4 March 2024) is the 57th anniversary of my baptism. On that day all of my sins were remitted and off the books. On that day I received the gift of the Holy Ghost. My girl friend took me to her house after the baptism where I broke down and sobbed like a baby. I was clean! I was happy! Life was suddenly good and exciting despite the fact that I was to report for active duty in the U.S. Navy just 13 days later.
Nutshell Sermons
1. “Adam fell that man might be,
And men are, that they might have joy.’ –2 Nephi 2:25
2. “As man is, God once was;
The Blessing that is the Priesthood
I am honored and privileged to hold the holy Melchizedek Priesthood. I can hardly believe it. Me, of all people! This is the same power and authority used by our Savior to create worlds and to heal the sick. He trusts me to hold and to use His power.
Read MoreIt’s a Miracle
President Nelson says that we are to “seek and expect miracles.”
Danny asked me to tell about a specific miracle in my life, but as I awoke the other morning I realized that my whole life is a miracle.
Tia’s Version
Tuesday was a special day. I think all of us fasted for Ellen at least part of the day. On fast Sundays it seems hard to fast past 3pm, but Tuesday we had planned on fasting until 6pm. It wasn’t hard at all. It was probably one of my easiest fasts. Grandpa and Grandma Kerns went to the temple and then stopped by our house to give Ellen a blessing and break our fasts together. Before Grandpa gave Ellen the blessing, dad talked about faith and blessings.
Read MoreEllen’s Miracle
Last October my 15-year-old granddaughter, Ellen, came for her patriarchal blessing. She had just had several attacks where her heart raced. She thereafter rapidly became incapacitated. She developed terrific headaches, and lost the ability to walk. She became a hunched-over, wheelchair-bound old lady. She couldn’t go to school.
Read MorePermission to Heal
Aaron has invited me to go with his stake youth on a 3-day handcart trek from Ladd Canyon over the hills to the church’s Catherine Creek Lodge. He is going to pull Ellen in a handcart the whole way. He has also invited me to give her the priesthood blessing that I’ve been wanting to give her. For months I’ve been wanting to go to the mountains for a prayer session as I’d seek permission to give her a blessing of healing.
Read MoreThe Priesthood
I found myself thanking the Lord for my Priesthood this morning. It is a privilege to hold. It is an honor. It is a responsibility. It is an incalculable blessing.
Read MoreThe Priesthood
“What is the purpose of the Priesthood?” the Sunday School teacher asked; and I answered, “To enable one to serve others.” She then wanted to know what experiences we’d had with the Priesthood. I have lots of thoughts about the Priesthood, and feel the need to write them down.
Read MorePower of the Priesthood
Matt, suggested that I should gather my young grandsons and conduct a Priesthood preparation session. He wondered if that should be expanded to include all of my grandsons. I wondered if perhaps it should be expanded to include all of my Melchizedek Priesthood sons as well.
Read MoreGifts
As I knelt to have my evening prayer I was interested to note the words that I used. I thanked my heavenly Father for “the gift of my marvelous wife,” and “the gift of the scriptures” that I was about to read. I then got into bed, opened the Book of Mormon, and the second verse that I read was Mormon telling the people that he was permitted to speak unto them “because of the gift of (God’s) calling unto (him).” (Moroni 7:2).
Read MorePriesthood Foreordination
I was reading in my son’s history book about young men in the Greek city-state of Sparta. At birth baby boys were examined. Those that were judged unfit were placed on the mountain and left to die. Boys were taken from their families at age 7 and placed in the care of military trainers whose job was to make them tough and mean. They slept on a mat of rushes and lived lives devoid of comforts.
Read MoreThe Lord Honors His Priesthood
Sunday I gave patriarchal blessings numbers 37 and 38. I fast and I pray before each blessing that the words which I speak may be given by the Spirit, and will be the blessings that the Lord desires the person to have. I am careful in my life that my thoughts and my actions may all be worthy ones so that I may be a fit conduit through which the Spirit may speak these blessings that I hope are from the Lord.
Read MoreUnto What Were Ye Ordained?
Just before arising this morning I had a strange dream. I got up thinking about it, and promptly forgot it. Two hours later I was sitting on the couch, having prayed and studied, and wondered what I could write about. I’d just read something about the Priesthood, but no topic came to mind. I closed my eyes to doze, and suddenly there was my dream again.
Read MoreParable of the Dead Arm
There was once a man who was asked to speak to the men of his stake. His assignment was to wake the priesthood brethren up to the performance of their duty. How to do it was the question that weighed on his mind day after day.
Read MoreElijah and the Sealing Power
“Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
Read MoreWalking in Darkness at Noon-day
One night in our early married years, the phone rang after we’d turned out the lights and gone to bed. I leaped out of bed and ran in the dark from one end of the house to the other to answer it before it woke the baby. On the way, I stubbed my toe. I answered the phone in the pleasantest voice I could muster, and found that I was speaking to the bishop. I don’t remember what the conversation was about, but I distinctly remember the pain I was in from my throbbing toe. I’m sure Bishop Jarman would have been greatly distressed to know that I was suffering while talking to him, but I didn’t let him in on my secret.
Read MoreMaking and Keeping Sacred Covenants
Covenants are never mentioned in other churches. The covenants have been forgotten. They’re not understood, they’re ignored, and are unimportant in their eyes.
Read MoreBlessed by the Spirit
In the last 50 years as I’ve given blessings to the sick and set people apart in their callings, I have given hundreds, and probably a thousand or more priesthood blessings.
Read MoreMy Testimony
Garrin Bott is the first counselor in the bishopric of Baker Second Ward. As he conducted fast and testimony meeting today he presented a hypothetical situation,
Read MoreThe Power of the Priesthood
Priesthood lesson given to Lovutialau Branch. Objective: Each man will honor his Priesthood, overcome his fright about using it, and make himself worthy.
Read MorePriesthood and Motherhood
Question: A strange thing has come up in YW. One family has a mom that can “tap” into the priesthood and use the power herself. She has been called on to perform certain things in the name of the priesthood.
Read MoreA Miracle A Day
Elder Smith is the new senior missionary who arrived with his wife in Vanuatu nine days ago. As we walked together yesterday and marveled over our experiences, he remarked in a rather dazed manner, “It’s a miracle a day!”
Read MoreAn Embarrassing Miracle
As I was preparing for bed on the evening of July 4th, my phone rang. It was Sister Torea, one of our sister missionaries. She was in tears, and scared. Her companion, Sister Lekupe, was very ill, had just fallen off the couch, and Sister Torea was unable to get her up off the floor.
Read MoreDavid Ruben
On Monday, 5 May 2014, Sister Allphin, a missionary, called to ask me to go to the hospital and administer a priesthood blessing to an investigator boy who had broken his leg.
Read MoreCornelius
The story of Cornelius, as told in Acts chapters 10 and 11, is an interesting study. One wonders why and how he developed such faith. His story marks a pivotal point in the history of the Church.
Read MorePriesthood Line of Authority
The Priesthood line of authority of James Elwin Kerns
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