Covenants and Ordinances pt 2

Good talks:

• Elder David A. Bednar, "Honorably Hold a Name and a Standing"
• Elder Bruce R. McConkie "Celestial Marriage" 
• Elder Bruce C. Hafen, "Covenant Marriage" 

I found it really interesting what Elder Bednar said in his talk, "Honorably Hold a Name and a Standing," about witnessing our willingness to take upon us the name of Christ. However, it makes sense that every thing we do and all that we live for are the ordinances that are done in the temple. Going through the temple and participating in what goes on there is fully taking upon us the name of Christ. I’m going to be endowed some time within the next month and I am so excited about it and find it a huge blessing to be taking this class and learning so much about temples and their importance in our lives. 

I also found it really interesting that Elder McConkie stated in his talk, "Celestial Marriage," that creating a family unit that has been sealed in the temple is more important than the Church or any other organization on this earth. I love that there was so much emphasis put on that because that should really put it in perspective for those that seek to prolong marriage or that marry outside the covenant. I also love how he put that life on earth is the final exam for all of the life we lived premortally but that it is also an entrance exam for what lies ahead. I think that is an incredible and relatable way to put it.

Elder Hafen’s talk "Covenant Marriage" made me really excited to start my own covenant marriage. My parents’ marriage was definitely a contract one and has taught me a lot about what I don’t want to do or repeat. It has caused me to really look forward to starting my own marriage and family and to do it the right way by being held responsible by God and my spouse in my marriage. Some people think that you just stop progressing and growing once you're marriage but I know that it is just the opposite. Marriage and family teaches you so many valuable things and stretches you in directions you never could have imagined. I think it is one of the greatest blessings and some thing I am so glad I can look to the Lord for help on when the time comes.

Covenants and Ordinances

This week, we focused on the third paragraph of the proclamation:

In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally. 

Helpful Readings:

• Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “The Power of Covenants”
• Elder Boyd K. Packer, “Covenants and Ordinances”

Insights I gained from reading those talks:

- The Lord gives His children trials to chasten them but to also try their faith and patience. That's always been a sort of hard concept for me but I am beginning to really understand it as I go through my own trials.

- You only get to become an angel if you don't get married in the temple. You can't go on to the highest degree of the celestial kingdom. That would be really sad I think. 

- Material and worldly things truly do not matter. The only things that matter are our relationships with God and the Savior and our families. Those are the things that last beyond death.

- We can be exalted only through sacred ordinances done in the temple.

- A covenant is a promise made between you and God, where God has come up with the stipulations. However, this is a great thing because He always keeps His promises and His rewards are great. 

- God's church (this gospel) is one of order. Everything has its place and time.

Foundational Principles:

-Families can be together for ever through sacred ordinances and covenants made in the temple.

- Baptism, confirmation, priesthood, endowment, and sealing are all priesthood ordinances

- Marrying in the temple or having an ordinance done for the dead is the only way to be sealed for eternity

- Ordinances and covenants are our credentials to live in His presence again.

Insights I've gained from this week:

- I need to work on family history more. I have a lot of work to do. All of this talk about temples and things performed in them, got me thinking. 

- We will be protected from anything as long as we live the gospel, visit the temple, and live close to the Lord.

- Keeping covenants is what keeps us smiling through hardships because God always keeps His promises, so why would we doubt Him looking out for us for even a second?

- We agreed to these covenants in our premortal existence. I had no idea. That’s pretty cool. It makes me feel less nervous

- I also had no idea that you could only be a ministering angel if you choose not to be married in the temple. Being married in the temple is so very important. I cannot wait for the day I get to do it.

- The blessings and covenants only work by your faith.

Eternal Truth & Law: God’s Plan of Salvation

“Revelation comes as words we feel more than hear.”

Podcast links:

https://content.byui.edu/file/9c1fe246-93f1-4ec6-9196-7d2f63d6b4b0/1/Unit%201%20Part%201%20The%20Family%20--%20A%20Proclamation%20to%20the%20World%282%29.zip/story.html

https://content.byui.edu/file/9c1fe246-93f1-4ec6-9196-7d2f63d6b4b0/1/Unit%201%20Part%202%20The%20Plan%20of%20Salvation.zip/story.html

https://content.byui.edu/file/9c1fe246-93f1-4ec6-9196-7d2f63d6b4b0/1/Unit%201%20Part%203%20The%20Nature%20of%20God%282%29.zip/story.html

https://content.byui.edu/items/9c1fe246-93f1-4ec6-9196-7d2f63d6b4b0/1/?.vi=file&attachment.uuid=ebdf0aeb-3713-4fca-9502-63e402461cb2

Helpful Talks:

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "What is Truth?"

President Boyd K. Packer, “Personal Revelation: The Gift, the Test, and the Promise,” October 1994 General Conference

1.     What doctrines or principles were you taught during the podcast that you consider foundational to this Unit?
The eternal Plan of Happiness
The nature of Heavenly Father and how He became who He is
The eternal nature of God’s children and how we get to become like Him
The privilege of advancing from one state to another through obedience to eternal law
Truth and how to discover it and distinguish it from the world’s “facts.”
Marriage between a man and woman is ordained of God.
The proclamation is applicable to the entire world.


2.     What impressions came to you? What were you taught during this podcast session?

I was hit with so many different insights just because so much doctrine and so many principles were touched on. I learned so much. I was reminded that we are entitled to happiness. I was also reminded of how great God is and of His eternal love for us. I really don’t think I can comprehend His love, though. I know it exists and I feel it but I know that my ignorant little mind cannot wrap itself around the magnitude of it. I also know that one day it will be able to. Watching this podcast session greatly increased my gratitude for this plan. I had no idea that we are not the first world. I also had no idea that none of this was an experiment. This whole thing is one eternal plan with an eternal round. God once was just like us and dwelt on an earth like a regular guy. This is how we can become like Him because He started out just like us. This whole thing is never-ending. My mind is blown. Also, this whole thing operates by law so there are definitely laws that are that I don’t understand at all


3.     What questions will you ask in follow-up discussion during this unit that will invite increased learning on this topic?
How and why is Abraham so involved in all of this? Why is he talked about so much?
I want to know more about God’s nature.
Did we have the same personalities now as we did in the premortal life?
What was man’s real beginning then? Like the beginning of the beginning? Was there ever a beginning?

 

 

 

 

 

Gender and Eternal Identity

This week we talked about the roles different genders play and how our gender is a part of our spiritual and physical identity. This is super important to understand so that we know what God expects of us and how we can better serve him.

Helpful Readings

• Elder Richard G. Scott, “Finding Happiness” 
• Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “The Moral Force of Women” 
• Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “Brethren We Have A Work To Do,” & “Let Us Be Men” 

My Thoughts:

In Elder Scott's talk “Finding Happiness,” I thought it was very interesting how he said that he is very careful not to share sacred experiences without a feeling of authorization to do so.  Although, this isn’t really the message of his talk, I think this is very important. When we share sacred experiences or things with others, we need to be careful we aren’t “casting our pearls before swine.” I know that I have made the mistake of doing this before and it didn’t feel good at all. I sort felt like I had let God down in a sense as well. I also found it extremely comforting that we can break through Satan’s bindings by faith and obedience to truth. That means it’s actually in our hands and our control.

 In Christofferson's talk, “The Moral Force of Women,” I liked that Christofferson highlighted all that really makes women remarkable. Women really are the most powerful influences. I had never really thought about how serious the role of women is. Women are there and constantly working behind the scenes. I like that he gave a little credit back to the women. It just reconfirmed for me how important the role of being a mother is and how a career just pales in comparison to the good you can do as just being a mother. I think people forget this often and think that they can make a bigger difference by joining the workforce instead of staying home and nurturing.

In the excerpts from Christofferson's, “Brethren We Have a Work to Do” & “Let Us Be Men,” I thought it was interesting that he explained how men and women reach maturity differently and how some very independent women are filling the roles of men. I hadn't realized that. I loved that he was basically calling all men to grow up and act accordingly. 

Class Plan

So, basically, for this class each week we study a certain paragraph of the The Family: A Proclamation to the world. For those of you who don't know what that is. Here is the link to it.

https://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation

The first paragraph reads, "We, the first presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children."

Helpful Readings:

Elder Henry B. Eyring, "The Family"
Elder Robert D. Hales, "The Eternal Family"
Elder Tad Callister, "Our Identity and Destiny" 

My Thoughts:

"The Family" - Henry B. Eyring

I love when Eyring says that when we are tempted to make eternal life our hope instead of our determination, we need to think about the end goal. It should be our motivation. It's just hard to remember all the time. We are all so quick to forget. I know I am and it makes me really mad at myself sometimes. Families only exist in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom. I didn't know that for sure until reading this now. I know that is where I want to be. I didn't know that  to employ the powers of procreation only as husband and wife, is not limiting but, rather, expanding and exalting. But that makes sense now that I think about it because when you marry inside the covenant and have children in it as well, you are creating your own forever with your own family and that never ends or goes away.

"The Eternal Family" - Robert D. Hales

I absolutely love that Elder Hales states in his talk "By divine commandment, spouses are required to love each other above all others" and follows it up with saying "The Lord clearly declares, 'Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else.'" This is what keeps people married. It also makes sense that Satan would want to do all he can to destroy the family because it is the central unit to the plan of happiness. I'm discovering new ways that he schemes against the family every day, though. It just starting making sense, though, why the punishment is so severe for violating the law of chastity and for adultery. God is very protective of the family and those things destroy the family. I didn't know that we are supposed to "save the rest of our families." That just leads to questions like what if they didn't want your help being saved? I feel like that's the case for some people in my family that have fallen away from the church. 

"Our Identity and Destiny" - Tad Callister

I didn't know that infants weren't perfect. I thought there were. I also didn't know that inspired things could come from poets as well. I thought that prophets were the only people that could have/share thoughts like that. I love that Callister talked about science and how it supports our beliefs as well. I am a firm believer in that because God abides by His own laws. Therefore, there is more science to learn since it doesn't make complete sense yet when proven by the limited scientific knowledge we have now.

Woman: A Help Meet For Man

I think a lot of people who read the bible get a pretty bad misconception of the intended role and purpose of women. 

“Woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be loved.” - Matthew Henry

Women were created to complete guys because God knew that guys wouldn't be able to handle anything on their own. It literally says that in Genesis 2:18.  

So, basically, us girls rock. We actually are irreplaceable.

Welcome

Dear Reader,

My name is Samantha. I am currently attending BYU Idaho and preparing to go on a mission in March. This semester I am taking a class called Family Foundations. It teaches all about the family unit. We each have to do a capstone project. I chose to do a blog. I am excited to share with all of you my insights on what I have learned, questions, and anything that has impressed me from the given readings as well from my own studies. Get ready to learn the truth about families and God's plan for all of us.

xoxo,
Sam