RS Summary August 24th 2014

Sister Tealen Hansen gave a wonderful lesson on August 24th 2014. Thanks to Sister Welsh who took notes in my absence. You can read the full lesson here.
The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood  By Elder Dallin H. Oaks  (April 5, 2014)

Relief Society general president Linda K. Burton said, “We hope to instill within each of us a greater desire to better understand the priesthood.” We must exercise that desire.  Many times we have an understanding of the desire, but don’t know how to exercise it.  This is something each of us must learn to address individually.

Why do we need a better understanding of the priesthood?  This subject is of equal concern to men and women. We can’t be complacent.  The nature of the priesthood is not to bless ourselves, but to bless others. 

Elder Oaks broke down the priesthood into three separate areas:

1 1)     Power – Blesses everyone.

How has priesthood power influenced your life?  The scriptures teach that “this same Priesthood, which was in the beginning, shall be in the end of the world also” (Moses 6:7).  Thus, the priesthood is the power by which we will be resurrected and proceed to eternal life.

2 2)   Keys – Authority given to priesthood holders to direct, control and govern the use of the priesthood on earth.

All keys of the priesthood are held by the Lord Jesus Christ, whose priesthood it is.  He is the one who determines what keys are delegated and how those keys will be used.  President Spencer W. Kimball reminded us that there are other priesthood keys that have not been given to man on the earth, including the keys of creation and resurrection.

3 3)  Authority – Pertains to all of us. 

A) Priesthood is the power of God delegated to man to act for the salvation of the human family.

B) Priesthood authority is governed by priesthood holders who hold priesthood keys.

C) Since the scriptures state that “all other authorities and offices in the church are appendages to this [Melchizedek] priesthood (D&C 107:5), all that is done under the direction of those priesthood keys is done with priesthood authority.

How does this apply to women?

In an address to the Relief Society, President Joseph Fielding Smith, then President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said this: “While the sisters have not been given the Priesthood, it has not been conferred upon them, that does not mean that the Lord has not given unto them authority. … A person may have authority given to him, or a sister to her, to do certain things in the Church that are binding and absolutely necessary for our salvation, such as the work that our sisters do in the House of the Lord. They have authority given unto them to do some great and wonderful things, sacred unto the Lord, and binding just as thoroughly as are the blessings that are given by the men who hold the Priesthood.”

Whoever exercises priesthood authority should forget about their rights and concentrate on their responsibilities. Men are not “the priesthood”.  Men hold the priesthood, with a sacred duty to use it for the blessing of all of the children of God.