Nelson - The Price of Priesthood Power - April 2016

President Nelson speaks of a father and son that were willing to change their lives and put their lives in order so that they could receive the Priesthood, attend the temple, and be sealed to their family for time and all eternity.  He talks about the sacrifices they made to obtain the priesthood so that these other ordinances could be performed.

• To bear means to support the weight of that which is held. It is a sacred trust to bear the priesthood, which is the mighty power and authority of God. Think of this: the priesthood conferred upon us is the very same power and authority through which God created this and numberless worlds, governs the heavens and the earth, and exalts His obedient children.
  

He discusses that many men in the priesthood are living below the expectations that the Lord has set.  He discusses some of the ways that he sees men not doing what the Lord expects.

• I fear that there are too many men who have been given the authority of the priesthood but who lack priesthood power because the flow of power has been blocked by sins such as laziness, dishonesty, pride, immorality, or preoccupation with things of the world. I fear that there are too many priesthood bearers who have done little or nothing to develop their ability to access the powers of heaven. I worry about all who are impure in their thoughts, feelings, or actions or who demean their wives or children, thereby cutting off priesthood power. I fear that too many have sadly surrendered their agency to the adversary and are saying by their conduct, “I care more about satisfying my own desires than I do about bearing the Savior’s power to bless others.” I fear, brethren, that some among us may one day wake up and realize what power in the priesthood really is and face the deep regret that they spent far more time seeking power over others or power at work than learning to exercise fully the power of God.

President Nelson describes what we need to do to develop ourselves so that we are worthy of the priesthood power the Lord wants to give to us.

• What is the price to develop such priesthood power? The Savior’s senior Apostle, Peter—that same Peter who with James and John conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery—declared qualities we should seek to “be partakers of the divine nature.”  He named faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity, and diligence. And don’t forget humility! So I ask, how would our family members, friends, and coworkers say you and I are doing in developing these and other spiritual gifts? The more those attributes are developed, the greater will be our priesthood power.

President Nelson asks a series of questions that give us personal insight into how we live our lives to be worthy of the Priesthood.

• Are you willing to pray to know how to pray for more power?
  
• Are you willing to search the scriptures and feast on the words of Christ—to study earnestly in order to have more power?
  
• Are you willing to worship in the temple regularly?
  
• Are you willing to follow President Thomas S. Monson’s example of serving others?
  

He promises us that the Lord will help us develop as a priesthood holder if we humbly ask Him in prayer and are willing to listen to His guidance.

• If we will humbly present ourselves before the Lord and ask Him to teach us, He will show us how to increase our access to His power.

He mentions that this change that can take place in us has the ability to not only change ourselves but to change our homes and hearts as well.

• Priesthood power can calm the seas and heal fractures in the earth. Priesthood power can also calm the minds and heal fractures in the hearts of those we love.

Finally he advises us to change our lives and as we do, we will be able to help bring about the Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

• My dear brethren, we have been given a sacred trust—the authority of God to bless others. May each one of us rise up as the man God foreordained us to be—ready to bear the priesthood of God bravely, eager to pay whatever price is required to increase his power in the priesthood. With that power, we can help prepare the world for the Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
  

I remember sitting in the chapel during Priesthood session this past conference and hearing this talk.  I mentioned to my brother who was with me that President Nelson really has a different light about him since he was called to be the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  I think I have seen him become more bold in his speech and truly challenging to each of us to be better followers of the Savior.  This talk is a perfect example of what I was referring to.  This talk leaves no question in my mind what the Lord expects of me as a priesthood holder.  I need to take this sacred responsibility more seriously and seek the Lord's guidance on how I can become more worthy to partner with Him in this great work.  I need to be willing to pay whatever price it is to be worthy of this great calling and responsibility.