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My Thoughts:
What is so great about this month's message is that it focuses on something that is essential for our exhalation! It is also something that brings so many blessings into our lives. Our Heavenly Father is so wise to not just give us blessings, but also ask us to work for them. That is where true growth comes from. As we make a covenant (a two way promise), with our Heavenly Father, we are required to do something to receive something.
Binding ourselves with our Heavenly Father:
Sister Linda K. Burton, stated, "Making and keeping covenants means choosing to bind ourselves to our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ." (“The Power, Joy, and Love of Covenant Keeping,” Ensign, Nov. 2013, 111.)
I don't know about you, but for me, there is no other people I would rather to be bound to in this life then my Heavenly Father and Savior. Binding ourselves to them allows us to receive divine help. We secure ourselves to them as we consistently do the things in our lives that we have covenanted to do. As I think of my baptismal covenant, I was so little, only eight years old, but I am reminded each Sabbath day as I attend my sacrament meeting and partake of the holy ordinance of the sacrament, the covenants that I made at my baptism. It gives me that opportunity to reflect upon those covenants and how I can more tightly bind myself to the Lord.
The beautiful thing about the temple is we can visit the temple and do temple work as often as we are able. Each time we do, we are reminded of the own covenants we have made, they become etched on our soul.
The power of godliness is manifest:
POWER, ask any little kid about super powers and they can probably tell you all about them. Well guess what, the power that the apostles talk about as well as the power stated in 1 Nephi 14:14, is much grander than any power any super hero could have! This power is power that comes from the one and only God, our Father in Heaven. Elder Anderson states,
"The Lord said, ‘In the ordinances … the power of godliness is manifest.’ (D&C 84:20)
“There are special blessings from God for every worthy person who is baptized, receives the Holy Ghost, and regularly partakes of the sacrament.” (Neil L. Andersen, “Power in the Priesthood,” Ensign, Nov. 2013, 92)
1 Nephi 14:14 states: "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory."
And lastly, the words of Elder Ballard, "When men and women go to the temple, they are both endowed with the same power, which is priesthood power …
"… All men and all women have access to this power for help in their lives. All who have made sacred covenants with the Lord and who honor those covenants are eligible to receive personal revelation, to be blessed by the ministering of angels, to commune with God, to receive the fulness of the gospel, and, ultimately, to become heirs alongside Jesus Christ of all our Father has." (M. Russell Ballard, “Men and Women in the Work of the Lord,” New Era, Apr. 2014, 4–5.)
Wow!!! What amazing promises! I am amazed with the power the covenants I have made have brought into my own life. There are many things that I am able to accomplish and I know that it is not by my will alone, but with the help from my Heavenly Father. One of the most amazing things I have heard is the DIVINE help, that we receive as we do temple work for others. That in itself is an amazing power.
This life is crazy, full of commotions! I think that you will agree with me that we each could use the power that comes from binding ourselves to our Heavenly Father and Savior!
Sometimes it's fun to give our sisters something when we go and visit them! Here are some ideas as well as the handout:
These fun flashlights can usually be picked up for around a dollar.
For more ideas check out LDS Bookstore, they have some great temple prints for as little as 50 cents as well as temple recommend holder, all would be great little gifts to go with this month's message. Click link below... Temple pictures can be found under the "Art" tab and the recommend holders can be found under the "More" tab.
Here is the link to previous Visiting Teaching Posts.
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