Women and the Priesthood

Thoughts on 64 days on quarantine.

Yesterday was amazing! I had a chance to have a wonderful zoom meeting with sister Carol Waddell, Brenda McMillan and the rest of the DTA wives for the South America South Area. Some of these women are new to the group and some have been in it for years so we were all looking forward to our time together in Rio but it got cancelled due to COVID-19.

The theme for this meeting was based on the talk by President Nelson "Spiritual Treasures" We shared pictures together of our children and grandchildren. Sister Waddell said that during this COVID-19 she has been able to get to a list of things she had postponed for years. Melina's daughter -in -law is sister Waddell's niece. Sister Waddell told a story about her son Jonathan who fell asleep on the wheel and lived to tell the tale. She  told us that she felt it was a miracle. She had been spending time in the temple each week. 

She talked about how she and her sisters were talking about President Nelson's women's conference talk on October 2019 and pointed out how many invitations and conditions that are promised and blessings that we can receive in our family. She has been categorizing the different aspects of the Priesthood: priesthood power, priesthood ordinances, priesthood keys, priesthood authority, priesthood holders, etc. 

Every person who keeps the covenants can access priesthood power. If you are endowed, and been to the temple and are keeping the covenants. You have that power in your home. The Lord asked Emma to do many things in her life. We have the power as we are set apart by someone who holds the keys. Priesthood keys are the authority God has given to priesthood holders to direct, control and governs the use of His priesthood on earth. Every act or ordinance performed in the Church is done under one who holds the key for that function. Priesthood power is the power by which the earth was created. 

We all have roles to play. There are times that we will feel the promptings from the Holy Ghost as we have been blessed in our callings. The Holy Ghost will inspired us to be instruments in God's hands. We as women have an important role in this world. We are women of faith. We are teaching and we are looking for opportunities to share what we know. in D & C 25 we learned to "Harken" and what is President Nelson telling us to do? to "Hear Him" keep going and doing what the Lord asks us to do and it gives us hope and comfort in our tribulations.

We need to say no to somethings to do better things. It's very important to focus on the things that really matter. We need to keep our distractions away to focus on the important things. How grateful we are to be blessed by those who receive the priesthood keys. That is a big responsibility. You need to be worthy to give blessings. We need to stay away from worldly distractions. If we do the best things, and the daily things that will help us concentrate our life so we will have the spirit with us. The ministering at this time is crucial. People are doing a better job ministering during this COVID -19 it's not just making a visit.

One thing that impacted me from the talk and underlined says the following: " If the world loses the moral rectitude of its women, the world will never recover. We Latter-day Saints are not of the world; we are of covenant Israel. We are called to prepare a people for the second coming of the Lord.... We need our voice teaching the doctrine of Christ... your power will increase as you serve others. Your prayers, fasting, time in the scriptures, service in the temple, and family history work will open the heavens to you."

We received a key charm as a symbol of Priesthood keys and the book by Sheri Dew, Women and the Priesthood. What I love about this cluster meetings is that we get a chance to hear of the spirit of these good women. If we ever feel that we didn't do everything and hope to do better the next day, we don't need to worry if we are doing the few things we are asked to do. We are mothers not only to those we have given birth but to children around us.  We are sisters to everyone we come in contact with. Family History work, temple work and serve the people around where we live. We need to share our testimonies. It should be our upmost desire to bring people to Him.

"Every woman and every man who makes covenants with God and keeps those covenants, and who participates worthily in priesthood ordinances, had direct access to the power of God." President Russell M. Nelson

Con amor,
Vero