When God Speaks

So a week from Saturday I get to talk to you guys!  It will be Christmas already, dang.  I remember being in Ciudad del Este last Christmas and dressing up as Santa Claus haha.  Would be sweet to do it again.  Next week I´ll let you guys know what number to call and at what time.  I just know that it will be in the afternoon, because my companion wants to call his house at night time (in Paraguay) which will be afternoon-ish for you guys.  I think you´re 4 hours behind us, but I´ll verify everything and write you next week.  All else fails, I know how to call you haha so either way we´ll talk on Saturday Christmas day!

So I spent all my time putting the music you sent me on CDs (iPods don´t work on computers here...bleh) and uploading pictures, so time is short yet again.  I promise next week to take some time and write something good.  But here´s something I learned in my personal study this week that I liked.

We were visiting with a less active member last week - really smart, super cool guy, used to be branch president here.  We started talking about the priesthood and the power that it has.  We read some scriptures like Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-the end.  We read about the creation also, and I started thinking.  Many people don´t understand the creation.  They know that God did it through Jesus Christ, but they don´t exactly know the way HOW He did it.  Even we, having the light of revealed gospel truths in the Church, know that He used the power of the priesthood to create the world, but even that isn´t exactly crystal clear as to the process.  If you read in the Pearl of Great Price in the books of Moses and Abraham, it talks about the creation in detail.  What is explained here is how exactly the priesthood was used to create the earth.

When God speaks, He commands through the power of His priesthood.  It radiates from Him, as it is also His creation.  All the elements in some way recognize commandments that come from the priesthood of God, and they obey the command.  For example, when the Lord divided the land from the sea, he commanded it verbally.  The elements of the earth heard that command, understood that it came from God´s priesthood power, and moved according to the commandment they received.  That is how the earth was created - the elements obeyed the voice of the Lord expressed through priesthood power.  Thus, we learn that priesthood power is used to control the elements.

We learn in Doctrine and Covenants 121 that the priesthood is inseperably connected with the powers of heaven.  We also learn that it cannot be utilized through principles of unrighteousness or for unjust purposes.  Thus, the priesthood CAN be used to control the elements, it can NOT be used to control men.  God does not interfere with agency, and neither does His priesthood.  As priesthood holders within the Church, we have the power and authority to control the elements through the power of God.  But, there is a condition.  Whatever thing we ask or command, it MUST be in line with the will of God.  If it is not God´s will that such action be performed, your words will have no effect.  The priesthood is to perform GOD´S work, not ours.  We learn God´s will through the Holy Ghost, the modern prophets, and ancient scripture.

This got me to thinking.  Why does God give us the ability to do His work?  Why doesn´t He just do it Himself and take out the middleman?  What purpose is there in giving man the priesthood and power of God if He can exercise and execute His own will without us?  There are certainly many answers, but one I came to understand has to deal with our eternal purpose and potential.  How are we ever to become as God if we never do God-like things?  We must carry out the acts of God if we wish to become like Him.  He wants us to participate in His perfect work, and He has given us the chance to do it although we do it so imperfectly.  We learn to become like the Lord by using His priesthood power righteously and doing His will.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy week.  Love and miss you!

-Elder Moore

Pictures this week!