Prophetic Counsel

Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet was referenced twice in conference, with an invitation to study it "in your next family home evening" and find additional testimonies of these true principles in scriptures past and present.

What will I do to "look to the Presidency and recieve instruction"?

Christmas Tree

A Christmas tree is like a bush burned with fire, and not consumed.

Christmas Memory

We were assigned by the bishop to help a sister in the Ward with her finances. We talked about ins and outs, saving receipts, and listing debts. During one of our visits just before Christmas, several hundred dollars went missing: “loan shark came knocking: now he’s paid off”. Close to the same time, we noticed that her Christmas tree went up, cheerily surrounded with presents wrapped and awaiting Christmas morning. Our hearts were broken: what if she was lying to us? Her home teacher asked her about them: “They’re for my family; they don’t understand that I don’t have money for them.”

Concerned that she had lied to us about the missing money, we went by one evening, hoping confront her gently and lecture her on the primacy of honesty. It was easy to bring up the topic in that present-laden living room. The reality broke our hearts. Instead of purchased presents, last year’s wrapping enclosed stacks of old mail.

Blessed are ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

Christmas

Did Mary and Joseph weep because they couldn't give this First Child more?

Power

The corrupt teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.

Distributing the authority of the priesthood has raced ahead of distributing the power of the priesthood. Power in the priesthood comes through faithful and obedient living in honoring covenants.

Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Eat and Drink What?

It can be disturbing to think of Communion as eating a symbol of flesh and drinking a symbol of blood. However, the priests of the ancient Temple were commanded to eat the atonement offering to sanctify themselves. As a member of His restored kingdom of priests, I eat the symbols of Christ's great and last sacrifice.

Who made my inadequacies

The Lord knows my inadequacies, and despite them, He loves me. He wants me to look to Him and do His work.