A few weeks ago I was invited to participate in a fireside for the ll LDS Archives and this is part of my story....
"Now, you might be saying to yourself, “This sounds wonderful, but how do I do it? How do I draw the Savior’s power into my life? You won’t find this process spelled out in any manual. The Holy Ghost will be your personal tutor as you seek to understand what the Lord would have you know and do. This process is neither quick nor easy, but it is spiritually invigorating. What could possibly be more exciting than to labor with the Spirit to understand God’s power—priesthood power?"
President Nelson (2019 Spiritual Treasures)
After hearing this invitation in 2019 I began my search with great diligence.
The foremost and obvious way to learn about women and the priesthood is through the temple, but living in Tasmania, Australia I don't have easy access to a temple.
I started with prayer and fasting. I studied all the footnotes from the talks I could find. I took notes and I searched and prayed. I searched, wrote and prayed. Since that initial desire to learn, I've been asked twice to speak in sacrament on this topic. I felt that HF wanted me to pull my notes together into some sort of comprehensive understanding. Writing a paper or talk about a particular topic is of most benefit as most of you know.
By this time I felt I had a good understanding and felt that I had a greater connection to my Saviour and was experiencing His power in my life on a daily basis. Specifically feeling Him close around me and hearing His voice guide me.
Backstory:
About 16 months ago I read the story about Lucy Mack Smith who had suffered blindness and brain damage after falling down the stairs. She called for the Elders to give her a blessing but she decided to ask for an extra miracle in that her eyesight would be completely restored and never need glasses again- this is exactly what happened.
When I read that story, it hit me with such force that I knew I was meant to ask for that blessing. I have poor eyesight and was hopeful for the idea to receive a similar miracle.
I was told when I have the 'eyes to see' I would qualify for this blessing.
Since then, I have been striving to find what it is I need to see. So many talks, many scriptures, much searching and studying. I have found a number of things I needed to see, but it wasn't until the last 6 months when I found this group of friends and joined them in discord that I've found my answer, or the next part of my answer.
One of my favourite scriptures is Alma 7: 23-24
"And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle, easy to be entreated, full of patience and long suffering, being temperate in all things, being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times, asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need of, both spiritual and temporal, always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive. And see that ye have faith, hope and charity and then ye will always abound in good works"
Over the years I have studied each one of these attributes as I have tried to embrace them into my life, but I had missed one, and that was submissive.
I can tell you I rationalised the submissive. I was prepared to be submissive to God but that's where it ended and I decided that was enough. To be submissive to people- men or women appeared unfavourable to me and I concluded that it didn't mean that. In my experience women didn't get anywhere in life by being submissive. I know throughout my life I have come off as intimidating, self assured and in control and I liked it because as a result I felt powerful. But it's not the Lord's way and it's not REAL power. It's the world's power, not Priesthood power.
An amazing blessing happened for me recently as I prayed yet again for the eyes to see.
I had been led to a group of like-minded people with equal to and greater passion and zeal. With people that had far more knowledge and understanding and how to use their knowledge to further their discipleship and preparations for this life and the next.
I have heard it said that if we want to improve our lives, our chances of success, our destination then we need to hang out with people who are going where we want to go.
Well, in the last few months I was given an opportunity to see how our Saviour Jesus Christ was submissive and obedient to his father. How He descended below all things so he could comprehend all things(D&C 88:6). Things such as wisdom, discernment, patience and knowledge. He obtained His power BECAUSE he was obedient and submissive.
In prayer I had been told to ask for the eyes to see. This is synonymous with having discernment, knowledge, wisdom and patience etc. Elder Bednar shared in Oct 2019 General Conference that "Focusing our lives on the Saviour and His gospel enables us to….. be blessed with eyes to see and ears to hear. The Holy Ghost can increase our capacity to look and listen when we may not typically think we need to look or listen or when we may not think anything can be seen or heard." (Watchful unto Prayer Continually)
As I prayed for help to do this I saw how if I wanted to have eyes to see and comprehend all things, I needed to strive to practise perfect obedience, perfect submission and perfect charity or love just as Jesus Christ did in his life on earth.
I began with little things like driving within the speed limits and making sure my fasts were 24 hours in duration but the big one which made the most difference was when I understood that I needed to submit to my husband. I took the opportunity to apologise to him, to ask him for advice and to allow him to practise his role as the key holder of our family.
The most notable difference I have seen in the last month since making this decision is the love and connection between us. Our relationship changed immediately. I feel more secure and safe. He feels more empowered and as a result of giving his responsibility back to him, he is becoming more responsible to us and to the Lord.
I have come to understand that priesthood power is the ability to draw on the Saviours power to help instigate change in our own lives and the lives of those around us for the better.
After all, if our Father in Heaven's work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, then it makes sense that our purpose is to assist him in this endeavour. I pray that we may draw on the Saviour's power to this end ; the salvation of ourselves and the exaltation of our families.
My eyesight hasn't been made perfect yet but I am grateful for the opportunity to receive continual revelation to enable me to progress.
In the past 16 months I've developed so much more in my understanding, and one of those is to clearly see how accessing Priesthood power can and does benefit our lives and bring us to the Saviour and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
If you would like to see the full video click on the link below :)
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