8/10/2018 - Section 107:20-52

August 10, 2018

Section 107:20-52

Sustaining, Apostles, Callings and How To Do Them, Retirement Not in the Church,

Once again, in a section that at first glance seems to be dryly explaining the priesthood, I find a concise and wonderful instruction on what I should be doing as soon as I raise my hand to sustain someone. V 22 “…appointed and ordained to that office, and upheld by the confidence, faith, and prayer of the church….”

V 23 speaks of the quorum of the twelve, and the student manual provides a wonderful quote from President Joseph Fielding Smith that I want to remember: “These twelve men are endowed with the power and responsibility to serve as the special witnesses for Christ. They are entitled to have the inspiration and necessary guidance of the Holy Ghost to fit and qualify them for this important mission.    All men may, by virtue of the priesthood and the gift of the Holy Ghost, become witnesses for Christ. In fact that is just what every elder in the Church should be, but there is a special calling which is given to the Twelve special witnesses that separates them from other elders of the Church in the nature of their calling as witnesses. Thee twelve men [as a quorum] hold the fullness of authority, keys, and priesthood, to open up the way for the preaching of the gospel to every nation, kindred and tongue. Others who go forth go under their direction and are subject unto them. This work of proselyting is in their hands, and under the counsel of the First Presidency they are called upon to conduct all the affairs of the Church and the preaching of the gospel to every creature.”

Then there is v 30, speaking of the leaders of the church, but these are the qualities we should all be working toward: “The decisions of these quorums…are to be made in all righteousness, in holiness and lowliness of heart, meekness and long suffering, and in faith and virtue, and knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity”  President Lorenzo Snow spoke about the unity of the 1^st presidency, the apostles, and the seventies when he said: “…We are united together. We do not quarrel with each other. We do not slander one another, but we go where counsel requires and we are heart and soul together. What for? Not to make ourselves rich, not to make ourselves wealthy, but to see what we can accomplish in the interests of the people, and we are laboring continually to see what we can do. We come together every week and we talk about what we can do for the people.” Oct 1900 Gen Conf

And finally for today is a verse that has me feeling two difference things: v 44 “Enos was ordained at the age of one hundred and thirty-four years and four months by the hand of Adam.” I, at age 68, have become very tired. I read this verse and groan and think: There is no retirement in the church. But then I feel that I need to draw closer to the Lord and be glad that there is no retirement in the church. Won’t that keep me helping others, serving and stepping outside myself, working, and learning and growing, and doing good. That’s what brings us peace and comfort, and friends, and all this with the Lord’s blessings.