Saturday, April 9, 2011

The Power of the Priesthood

                                                                                 

                                                       




      Ever since I was a really small boy, I always remembered those Marine recruitment commercials on television. The slogan they say at the end of each commercial has always intrigued me; "The Few, The Proud, The Marines." It is a long and hard process to actually become a Marine because of the intense physical training a long with the responsibilities a Marine has. They are given power to help protect this great country and the countries faith that they will be successful in all that they do.   

     The confidence that the United States has in the men and women that protect it is a little similiar to the confidence that the Savior had in his Twelve Disciples. It is stated in the tenth chapter of Matthew, "And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease."-(Matthew 10:1). It is incredible to think that Christ gave certain men power to help others. This power that Jesus Christ gave to his disciples is called the Priesthood.

     The Priesthood is the ability to act in God's name. In order to have the Priesthood, it needed to have been given to us from Jesus Christ. "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you." (John 15:16). The Disciples were able to do such inspiring works that helped out the fellow man. It was very sad when the people rejected these men given the priesthood by killing and banishing them. After a time, there was nobody who had the Priesthood so that power or authority was taken off the Earth for a time.
                                                          


     It was such a miraculous day in the year 1829 when Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were able to receive the Priesthood; the Aaronic and the Melchezidek. Peter, James, and John from the original twelve, who were given the priesthood by Jesus, came to Earth and gave them the power to act in God's name by receiving the Melchezidek Priesthood.  The Priesthood was restored and since then, the Priesthood has been on the Earth. This power is to help the World in this time of need, to participate in saving ordinances such as baptism by authority, and to feel God's Love even greater! I know that the Priesthood was brought back to the Earth. It is here to help us partake in saving ordinances or special ceremonies, that will allow us to live with God again someday.

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