Sisters, do we know and understand the doctrine of the Priesthood as well as we should? Would you be able to answer questions about it? Would you be able to testify of your faith and knowledge? The Priesthood is given to us as a covenant and a blessing in our lives.  

In the October 1985 Priesthood session, Carlos E. Asay spoke on the oath and covenant of the priesthood. He said, “None of us can afford to be ignorant of the terms of this contract.” So, first I’ll use his list of how to fulfill our covenant, and the blessings received. And then, I have to refer to Sis. Linda K. Burton’s talk where she answers common questions to help us understand this important doctrine.

 

Man’s Covenant

1. Receive the priesthood in good faith. For women, that means to receive the Holy Ghost, receive our endowment in the temple, and receive priesthood power in our lives. Some women always seem to question why women can’t literally receive the priesthood. The truth is we do, completely. We simply don’t have the authority to administer it to others. Good faith means having faith in God’s wisdom and accepting His will. (D&C 84:35, 37-38).
2. Magnify callings. We all are expected to work in the kingdom of God to save souls. That is our objective and magnifying our callings is a big part of how we fulfill it. (Jacob 1:19.)
3. Obey the commandments. How many times have we been reminded to obey the commandments? This one act is the greatest way we can show God that we love Him. (D&C 84:43.)
4. Live by every word of God. General Conference is coming up and we will be listening to the word of God. This is another way to obey the commandments, by listening to and obeying the prophets and leaders of our church. (D&C 84:44, D&C 1:38.)

This is what we covenant to do. Simple, right? Next, He lists the blessings that will come.

God’s Blessings

1. We will be sanctified by the Spirit. D&C 84:33 calls this a “renewing of [our] bodies.” It isn’t easy to choose to obey every time. And it isn’t easy to keep our faith strong and our enthusiasm “up”. So, God blesses us immediately with a continuous desire to do good. In other words, our cup can always be full. Amazing!
2. We will be numbered with the elect of God. I don’t know about you, but I feel better when I’m around positive people, especially people who willingly share their testimonies and show their love by making me feel better. Suddenly, it’s not so hard to jump right in and serve, love, and share. (D&C 84:34.)
3. We will be given all that God has. There is no greater blessing than that. And I believe we don’t even know what “all that God has” is. It is greater than we can even imagine. (D&C 84:38.)

 

Sister Burton addresses some common questions that typically lead to attacks on the church because of misunderstanding. It’s okay to wonder and then seek for answers, but it isn’t okay to stunt anyone’s growth by harping on things you refuse to understand. If we are willing to read, ponder, and pray, our answers will actually come to us because we have the doctrine of the priesthood all around us.

 

What is the Priesthood?

In her talk, Sis. Burton quotes Elder David A. Bednar who said, “Priesthood is the means whereby the Lord acts through men to save souls. Joseph Smith told the women, during the first Relief Society meeting in Nauvoo, that our most important purpose was to save souls.

She also quotes Elder Robert D. Hales who explained how the world would be covered in darkness without the light of the holy priesthood. There would be no light, no freedom, no purpose, no love, no hope … nothing.

 

What are the Keys of the Priesthood?

Sis. Burton refers to the answer given in a New Era article on May 2012. Priesthood keys are the right to preside over and direct the Church…. Keys usually apply to a geographic area, like a ward, stake, or mission.

 

Who holds Priesthood Keys?

“Jesus Christ holds all the keys of the priesthood pertaining to His Church.” He has conferred His keys to the prophet of the church. From there, priesthood keys are delegated to those in certain positions allowing authority to preside. It’s important to realize that not all men or women have keys of authority, and authority does not cross over. For example, a Sunday School president does not have keys, and cannot preside over the Stake President.

 

Why is the Priesthood so Important?

Sis. Burton quotes Pres. Nelson, who said, “Priesthood authority has been restored so that families can be sealed eternally.” This is the purpose we should all be engaged in and the doctrine of the priesthood allows us to receive this eternal blessing.

 

May our understanding, our covenant, and our power in the priesthood grow in faith so that we may all attain eternal life. Sis. Burton invites us to memorize the Oath and Covenant, the very doctrine of the priesthood.