From Kirtland to San Diego- LDS Temple Dedicatory Prayers

My last post was a comparison of the dedicatory prayers that were offered at the dedication of both the Temple built during the reign of King Solomon, and the one which was given by Joseph Smith in dedication of the Kirtland Temple built by the Latter Day Saints in Ohio. In my study I decided to look at another dedicatory prayer to see if I could find any similarities to either of the previously mentioned prayers. I chose to look at the San Diego Temple dedicatory prayer simply because of the proximity of this beautiful temple. I believe that you could compare any dedicatory prayer offered and find similarities of interest... try it on the temple location nearest you.

I focused primarily on Kirtland and San Diego.

It is interesting to note that the Kirtland Temple dedicatory prayer was a prayer of “asking”. In contrast, the majority of the San Diego Temple dedicatory prayer was offered by way of “thanking”. When I noticed this, I decided to see if any of the thanking going on in San Diego was a direct result of the asking that took place at Kirtland. The results are stunning.

Some “asks” that were requested in Kirtland are as follows:

-to accept the Temple

-that glory might rest upon the Temple continually

-that all who enter might feel of thy power, and acknowledge it as a place of holiness

-that all who worship may be taught words of wisdom

-that all may “grow up in thee”, receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost, become organized according to thy laws, and become prepared to obtain every needful thing

-that those who transgress will speedily repent and return to thy House

-that servants may go forth from this House armed with power, with thy name put upon them, bearing glorious tidings, in truth, unto the ends of the earth

-that a people might be established to honorably hold a name and standing in this House, for all generations and eternity

-that no weapon can be formed against this people and all lying reports against them be given shame and confusion

-to bless those nations who uphold the constitution

-to soften the hearts of the rulers of the world that they may allow the message of the gospel to be preached in their lands

-to appoint other stakes for the gathering of the Saints

-to have mercy upon Jerusalem, and return Judah to his lands of inheritance and become converted to the gospel

-Bless the prophet, leaders of the Church, and families of the Church individually.

It is apparent to me that many of the requested blessings that were asked for in Kirtland at the opening of this great outpouring of the Spirit, have been granted by the Lord. By observing this simple pattern it is easy for me to see the “hand of the Lord” in all things.

Some of the “thanks” given at the San Diego dedication are as follows:

-for the consecrated tithes of the saints across the earth that have made this Temple possible

-for the “fullness of the priesthood” which will be exercised therein

-for the eternal plan, including the ordinances that will be performed in the holy house, for the living and the dead of all generations

-for the spread of thy work across the world and the power to open the doors of nations to thine ordained messengers

-for remembering the ancient covenant made with Father Lehi and for the faithfulness of his posterity from whose eyes the shackles of darkness are now falling

-for the work moving forward to dedicate more temples across the earth

-for this nation under whose inspired Constitution we enjoy the freedom to worship

-for the Atonement of Jesus Christ making all these blessing possible

I believe that these blessings are a direct result of the obedience and sacrifice given by those who offered their consecrated efforts by building the Kirtland Temple as directed by the Lord. They are a gift to us as their posterity. When I then looked at the "asks" given in the San Diego Temple dedicatory prayer, I could not help but wonder if 100 years from now my posterity would be thanking the Lord for the blessing given them as a direct result of the requests made in my generation.

It is with great humility that I desire to concentrate on the final request given at the San Diego Temple dedication:

“In accepting thy gospel we have become a covenant people. We have taken upon ourselves the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and have promised to keep His commandments. Strengthen us in our resolutions and guard us against failure in observing the obligations we have accepted. In thy sacred temples we make further covenants with thee. Give us the will to live above sin and selfishness. Save us from pride and arrogance. Smile with favor upon us we humbly pray thee. Bless us with a spirit of benevolence toward all who are in distress wherever they may be or whatever their circumstances... On this day of dedication may a new spirit of consecration come into our hearts that we may serve thee more acceptably through service to they sons and daughters- those who dwell upon the earth and those who have gone before.”

I hope that my grandchildren will be able to see the realization of the blessings given, that are attached to these requests because of my obedience and sacrifice, like I now enjoy the blessings given as a result of those who consecrated themselves in Kirtland.

Unkind Feelings Resolved

In the midst of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught his disciples how to pray in the form of the Lord’s Prayer. One line in that prayer deals specifically with relationships that we are to foster with our fellow brothers and sisters in the gospel.

Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

In modern vernacular that verse may be stated simply, forgive us in the same manner we forgive others. This is the spring board for the discussion that ensued in my Institute class regarding the counsel given in Section 46 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Historically speaking the early saints were curious about who should be allowed to attend their sacred services of Sacrament meetings and Confirmation meetings. On a side note, Confirmation meetings were gatherings when those who had recently been baptized received the Gift of the Holy Ghost, or were confirmed members of the Church. At that time people were baptized and then allowed a “proving” time to see if they could live up to the covenants they had just made before they actually received the gift of the Holy Ghost. In any event these two types of meetings were considered sacred enough for Joseph to inquire of the Lord who should be allowed to attend. The Lord’s response is contained in the first seven verses of Section 46.

1 Hearken, O ye people of my church; for verily I say unto you that these things were spoken unto you for your profit and learning.

2 But notwithstanding those things which are written, it always has been given to the elders of my church from the beginning, and ever shall be, to conduct all meetings as they are directed and guided by the Holy Spirit.

3 Nevertheless ye are commanded never to cast any one out from your public meetings, which are held before the world.

4 Ye are also commanded not to cast any one who belongeth to the church out of your sacrament meetings; nevertheless, if any have trespassed, let him not partake until he makes reconciliation.

5 And again I say unto you, ye shall not cast any out of your sacrament meetings who are earnestly seeking the kingdom—I speak this concerning those who are not of the church.

6 And again I say unto you, concerning your confirmation meetings, that if there be any that are not of the church, that are earnestly seeking after the kingdom, ye shall not cast them out.

7 But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking uprightly before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils.

This instruction for Church attendance, placed in the very first part of the Section that is known for the beautiful instruction about the consecration of our Spiritual Gifts, might at first seem out of place. The beauty of this placement is seen as one comes to understand that the Lord chooses his teaching methods perfectly, to instruct us more fully in all aspects of His gospel.

Even though the Lord makes it very clear that the meetings of the Church are open for any who desires to attend, He also is very specific about who should be allowed to partake of the ordinance of the Sacrament itself, which is administered during the meetings. In verse four He states, “if any have trespassed, let him not partake until he makes reconciliation”

The footnote reference in Section 46, for verse four, adds some clarity about what is meant by the words “trespass” and “reconciliation”.

3 Nephi 12: 23 Therefore, if ye shall come unto me, or shall desire to come unto me, and rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee—

24 Go thy way unto thy brother, and first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I will receive you.

Is the Lord actually instructing us that if we have any unkind feelings towards those in our congregation we truly cannot partake of the Sacrament worthily?

For me, this question was a very big eye opener when pondering how important the ordinance of the Sacrament really is. The Sacrament is the ordinance that we participate in which allows Jesus Christ to grant us the gift of His Spirit. It is a foreshadow of another event where we are gathered together as one, in fellowship with other Saints requiring this purity of feelings towards one another, where we are participating in an ordinance in which we desire to gain something from Jesus Christ as well. Both of these situations are of great importance to our individual growth and to the blessings of Zion as a whole.

But in reality, what does this have to do with our Spiritual Gifts?

The Lord, before teaching us the potential we have of becoming a Zion society by consecrating our Spiritual Gifts for the good of the Church, wants us to understand the importance of unity in our relationships. He wants us to understand that before those Spiritual Gifts He has given us can benefit the “whole”, the “whole” must be in harmony one with another. There can be no feelings of malice, or hatred, or simply unkind feelings, if the Spirit is to be “unrestrained” and the Gifts facilitated through it are to work in unison benefiting all who would partake.

This clarity of teaching was something I did not consider fully enough before. I am grateful for the Gift of the Spirit of learning; for there is so much more I need to know before I really understand!

Our challenge for today is to repair damaged relationships and allow the Spirit to work miracles in our lives.

Spiritual Consecration

As we have been discovering in class, by studying the early history of the LDS Church with regard to the revelations received by the prophet Joseph Smith through the valuable resource we now know as the Doctrine and Covenants, it is plainly manifest that the saints of that time had a realistic goal in mind. The goal that they so desperately wanted to achieve, enough to “pray for it continually”, was that of a Zionist Society, one in which they could share the sociality of the Savior continually in their midst. They understood the reality of this goal because of the restored doctrine taught to them through the revelations contained in the Pearl of Great Price, more specifically in the book of Moses as Joseph Smith, through the blessing of continued revelation, added back those “plain and precious truths” that were inadvertently removed from the records of the Old Testament. The goal of Zion was taught more fully through the example of the great prophet Enoch and the progress he made with his city.

With Zion in their hearts they prayed to know what they could do to gain the same blessings as these earlier saints and obtain rest from this world. In answer to their prayers and desires for that blessing the Lord, in His Eternal wisdom, gave unto them the law that would correspond with their desired blessing. The law that was given was the Law of Consecration. This Celestial Law of Consecration was designed to help them live with “one heart and one mind” making sure there was no poor among them. First the Lord gave to them the temporal or worldly aspect of the law. This required that they learn to sacrifice what they perceived to be their individual earthly possessions for the building up of the kingdom, for the greater good of the whole. They were then taught so beautifully the principle of “stewardship” versus ownership, acknowledging the true owner of all is the Lord Himself.

In Section 46, the saints then learned about the Spiritual side of the Law of Consecration by learning about the Gifts of the Spirit. In verse 10 the Lord is very specific about who those gifts are given to:

10 And again, verily I say unto you, I would that ye should always remember, and always retain in your minds what those gifts are, that are given unto the church.

Just like He is the owner of all that the Earth has to offer and we are simply his stewards that are given the responsibility of taking care of His creations, He is also the giver of gifts and He gives them to His Church, through the medium of the Holy Ghost. Each of us individually are given gifts that can be used by all, for the building up of His kingdom here on the earth.

9 For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts.

11 For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.

12 To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.

As we each become consecrated individuals we become something much bigger than just “us”. Working together with our “one heart and one mind” we become like a fine tuned machine or instrument, all using our gifts for the benefit of one desired goal, ZION. This the apostle Paul described so beautifully to the people of Corinth with the analogy of the body.

1 Corinthians 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one abody, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

14 For the body is not one member, but many.

15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?

20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.

21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the ahead to the feet, I have no need of you.

22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be amore feeble, are necessary:

23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:

25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

The prophet Moroni also knew how important it was that we, as His Church, understand this great principle of Spiritual Consecration, for his final words before burying up the record is in regard to this very principle.

Moroni 10:17 And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will.

18 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ.

19 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that all these gifts of which I have spoken, which are spiritual, never will be done away, even as long as the world shall stand, only according to the unbelief of the children of men.

30 And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing.

31 And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.

We have been told three different places in our scriptures almost the exact same thing in regard to these Spiritual Gifts, the Doctrine and Covenants, The Book of Mormon, and The New Testament. Three times we have been instructed. This is important stuff to know, but more importantly to share!

But this is not all the cool stuff in Section 46...more insights tomorrow.

The Family: Under Attack

I have decided that the two best ways to learn how to practice the law of consecration are marriage and family experience. Is it any wonder that both are under attack so fiercely?

Today the most watched talk on BYU Broadcasting was the one given by Julie Beck at the BYU Women’s conference, May 1, 2009. Her talk was called “Nourishing and Protecting Home and Family.”

In her talk she emphasized the doctrine of the family as summarized so beautifully in the Proclamation on the Family. She also explained the theology of the family, or as it is more commonly referred to, the great plan of salvation or happiness. The three pillars of this theology are:

1) The Creation- of this beautiful earth for families.

2) The Fall- as a means for families to grow and increase.

3) The Atonement- as an event that will tie families together forever.

Elder Robert D. Hales explained, “In the beginning, Adam and Eve were married for time and all eternity by the Lord. The organization of the family existed in the heavens before the world was formed and was historically started with Adam and Eve on the earth, as recorded in Genesis. The family will exist eternally.”

Both Adam and Eve had leadership roles in their family as given to them in their assignments. They got their responsibilities by virtue of that celestial marriage and sealing.

Ezra Taft Benson taught that this was the order of the priesthood. He said, “This order is otherwise described in modern revelation as an order of family government. When a man and a women enter into a covenant with God, just as did Adam and Eve, to be sealed for eternity, to have posterity, and to do the will and work of God throughout mortality. This order of the priesthood has been on the earth since the beginning and it is the only means by which we can see the face of God and live.”

Sister Beck explained that marriage is an order of the priesthood, which prepares us for the blessing of Eternal life.

Elder David A. Bednar has taught us two important reasons why marriage is essential. “Reason one, is because the natures of male and female spirits complete and perfect each other, and therefore men and women are intended to progress together toward exaltation. And reason two, by divine design, both man and woman are needed to bring children into mortality and to provide the best setting for the rearing and nurturing of children.”

Elder Boyd K, Packer said, “The great plan of happiness, revealed to prophets, is a plan for a happy family. It is the love story between husband and wife, parents and children, that renews itself through the ages. Nothing is more important to the Church, and to civilization, than the family.”

Sister Beck very beautifully explained that families are about “us” and “we”, while the world preaches about “I” and “Me”. It is apparent to me that Satan wishes to dissuade us from living the Celestial law of consecration. “Anti-Christ teachings and principles are always Anti-family and that Anti-family teachings and policies are also Anti-Christ.” I believe that Satan wants us to be unwilling to submit and to be proud and unteachable. Families are the place that we learn how to be consecrated to the Lord, by practice daily, in lessons of unselfish behavior and charity to others. It is no wonder the family is under attack, the importance of the lessons learned in the family are Eternal.

Sister Beck then shared a statement from a talk given in 1980 by Spencer W. Kimball, called “Families Can Be Eternal”.

“There are those who would define the family in such a nontraditional way that they would define it out of existence.

We of all people, brothers and sisters, should not be taken in by the specious arguments that the family unit is somehow tied to a particular phase of development a mortal society is going through. We are free to resist those moves which downplay the significance of the family and which play up the significance of selfish individualism. We know the family to be eternal. We know that when things go wrong in the family, things go wrong in every other institution in society.

Furthermore, many of the social restraints which in the past have helped to reinforce and to shore up the family are dissolving and disappearing. The time will come when only those who believe deeply and actively in the family will be able to preserve their families in the midst of the gathering evil around us.”

This was such a testimony for me of how a prophet of God surely saw our day. As a watchman on the tower, he warned us of the attack that would come upon this Eternal unit. Our salvation and exaltation depends on how we view the doctrine of the family.

If you haven’t had a chance to listen to this amazing talk on the doctrine of the family, please take the time to do it.

The Vow of A Nazarite

Numbers 6:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord:

3 He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.

4 All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.

5 All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.

6 All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead body.

7 He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.

8 All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord.

A Nazarite is a consecrated man or woman. According to the bible dictionary “it is a man under a vow to abstain from wine, from any cutting of the hair and any contact with the dead. The vow might be lifelong, or for a short, definite period.”

“Nazarite, Hebrew nazar, dedicate, is a vow of a peculiar kind which may be taken by either sex that sets them apart from others for the service of God. The vow may be for life or a definite period of time.

The term "nazarite" comes from the verb nazar meaning to separate, or with persons, to separate them from others, so they are distinguishable, and consecrated to God (Genesis 49:26; Deuteronomy 33:16). Others hold that the word nezer, a diadem, contains the orginal concept of nazar, which will then radically signify a crown, and the hair is regarded as a crown to the person. In accordance to this view, the Nazarite is a crowned one, because he has "the crown of God upon his head" (Numbers 6:7), evidently in allusion to the mass of uncut hair, which was considered an ornament (2 Samuel 14:25, 26).


The Nazarite, the one taking the vow, separated himself from others while remaining in the world by consecrating himself to God for a certain period of time, although there have been life-long Nazarites. The uncut hair of the Nazarite also distinguishes him as being consecrated to the Lord, and signifies his vital powers which he rendered to God. The hair is his diadem of consecration, and like the anointed priest he must not defile it by approaching the dead. Some rabbis discouraged the taking of the Nazrite for more than thirty days because it is against the spirit of Judaism. The Nazarite laws could only be kept in Erez Israel (the promised land).”
(Sources:Unger, Merrill F., Unger's Bible Dictionary, Chicago, Moody Press, 1966, pp. 779-780
Bowker, John, The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions, New York, Oxford University Press, 1997, p. 689 )


Are we all not attempting to become consecrated to the Lord? As LDS members we too have a food requirement, known as the Word of Wisdom, and are also instructed in the manner in which we should dress, or given council on our appearance. The “For the Strength of Youth” pamphlet outlines that code very beautifully and it applies to all members of any age. We are also cautioned about those with whom we associate and encouraged to surround ourselves with others who are like minded in their beliefs and values.

In fact, these three requirements are very specifically discussed previous to entering into the House of the Lord or the Holy Temple.

Do we strive to keep the Word of Wisdom?
Do we wear the clothing we received?
Do we associate with any organization or individual who would be in conflict with our beliefs?

By becoming consecrated in these ways we are allowed to “separate” ourselves from the world and enter into a Holy place, perhaps even our very own Erez Israel.

Consecration: Part of A Mother's Love

In the book of 1 Kings in the Old Testament we learn of a beautiful story about mothers. King Solomon, who had just received the gift of an understanding heart, has a case brought before him of two mothers arguing over the possession of one single child. The story is as follows:

1 Kings 3:16 ¶ Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.

17 And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.

18 And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.

19 And this woman’s child died in the night; because she overlaid it.

20 And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.

21 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.

22 And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.

23 Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.

24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.

25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

26 Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

27 Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.

Such is the beautiful quality of a mother in Zion. She is willing to consecrate all she has been given for the sake of her children.

On another level, perhaps this division of the “child” could be seen as the impending doom that awaited the children of Israel with the division of the kingdom. Certainly the gift of a child would be the only way to save these wayward children of the Lord as well. Oh, but that is another thing to ponder all together, call me crazy, I simply loved this illustration of the qualities of sacrifice, love, and consecration found in a mother. By the way, try not to get hung up on the fact that these women were harlots....

I like to believe this mother, this woman, was simply one of the "Mothers who know" that Sister Julie Beck referenced in her much debated conference talk. Please take time to read it as Mother's Day approaches. It is a gift you can give to yourself as a mother.

Providing In The Lord's Way

What is the Lords way?

The Lord’s way is so simply yet so perfect. It weaves together the principles of self-reliance and charity to form one beautiful whole. The Lord’s way embraces welfare, meaning the temporal and spiritual well being of the individual. When we provide the Lord’s way it benefits the giver as well as the receiver.

Spencer W. Kimball explained it as such, “Providing for the poor and needy in the Lord’s way means that the giver helps those who are less fortunate by giving according to what he has received from God. He gives freely and with a true spirit of love, recognizing that his Heavenly Father is the source of all his blessings and that he is responsible to use those blessings in the service of others.
The receiver accepts the offered help with gratitude. He used it to release himself from the bondage and limitations of his need and become more able to rise to his full potential, both temporally and spiritually. He then reaches out to help others.
Providing in the Lord’s way humbles the rich, exalts the poor, and sanctifies both. Both are blessed as they keep the Lord’s commandments. Both become more able to give as Christ gives.
Isn’t the plan beautiful? Don’t you thrill to this part of the gospel that causes Zion to put on her beautiful garments? When viewed in this light, we can see that welfare is not a program, but the essence of the gospel. It is the gospel in action. It is the crowning principles of a Christian life.”

The Lord said, “And remember in all things the poor and the needy the sick and the afflicted, for he that doeth not these things, the same is not my disciple.” (D&C52:40)

As Disciples of Christ, we should give of ourselves—our time, talents and resources—to care for those in need. We are better able to fulfill this responsibility if we are striving to become self-reliant, for we cannot give what we do not have.

Each member of the Church has individual welfare responsibilities, these are:
(1) To become self-reliant.
(2) To care for the poor and needy.

Father in Heaven has blessed us with everything. He has given us all our resources and material goods and has given us stewardship over them. He never forsakes us but he does not do for us what we can do for ourselves. He has commanded us to use the things we receive from Him to take car of ourselves and our families. We when do so, we are self-reliant.

“The responsibility for each person’s social, emotional, spiritual, physical, or economic well being rests first upon himself, second upon his family, and third upon the Church if he is a faithful member thereof.

No true Latter-day Saint, while physically or emotionally able will voluntarily shift the burden of his own or his family’s well-being to someone else. So long as he can, under the inspiration of the Lord and with his own labors, he will supply himself and his family with the spiritual and temporal necessities of life.” ( Spencer W. Kimball, Oct 1977)

Marion G. Romney also stated, “Let us work for what we need. Let us be self-reliant and independent. Salvation can be obtained on no other principle. Salvation is an individual matter, and we must work out our own salvation, in temporal as well as in spiritual things.”

There will be times in our lives when we will not be able to meet our needs without the help of others. In these circumstances, we should turn first to our families for help. If necessary, we can also turn to the Church. As part of His Church, the Lord has organized a way to help members as they work to regain their self-reliance. We should determine that we will use the help we receive to become more self-reliant and more able to give to others. We cannot be self-reliant without being willing to work. Work is physical, mental, or spiritual effort. The Lord has commanded us to work, for work is the source of happiness, self-esteem, and prosperity. It is the way we accomplish good things in our lives.

As Disciples of Christ, we should honor our covenants to consecrate ourselves to build up the kingdom of God and to care for those in need. Nearly all of us can give or do something for others, no matter how little we may have. When we strive to give and serve as Christ did, we are abundantly blessed. We overcome selfishness and greed, and we temper our appetites and passions. We develop the desire to give all that we have to the building of the Lord’s kingdom, we retain a remission of our sins, and our confidence grows strong in the presence of God, and we are filled with joy. These are the wonderful blessings that come from giving.

J. Reuben Clark Jr. stated, “The real long term objective of the Welfare Plan is the building of character in the members of the Church, givers and receivers, rescuing all that is finest down deep inside of them, and bringing to flower and fruitage the latent richness of the spirit, which after all is the mission and purpose and reason for being of this Church.”

The message of the beautiful handbook of the Church called “Providing In The Lord’s Way” can even more fully help us to understand the beauty of the Church welfare program. Along with an updated version of this handbook, the Church has just released a DVD called, “In the Service of Your God” to help us learn and apply these welfare principles in our lives. If you haven’t visited the Provident Living website in a while, it is a really great place to receive information in this area.

Remembering The Passover

While I was watching the traditional Easter movie "The Ten Commandments" tonight, I was reminded of my very first post that I did on this Blog a year ago about the Passover. I love the symbolism of the Passover. I simply would like to share some insights once again because of the significance of the season.

The Children of Israel were instructed by the Lord in a ritualistic, memorialistic way what they must do to ultimately be saved by the “strong hand of God.” These directions came directly from Him to His living prophet at the time, Moses.

They were as follows:

1) They must participate in the Passover Feast. There were specific instructions given as to the specifications of the actual lamb that was to be sacrificed. They were told that they were to celebrate this feast as a “memorial throughout their generation.” A memorial is simply a reminder or something to jog your memory. This feast was to remind them of the power that was needed to save them. It was to point to the ultimate sacrifice, or the last great sacrifice, Jesus Christ. This Passover Feast was in remembrance of the Law of Sacrifice. It was to end with the death of Jesus Christ, when the times of the Jews would be ended and the beginning of the times of the gentiles would be started. Their generation would come to a close, no more need of the feast.

2) Simultaneously to be celebrated with the Feast of Passover, was the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Lord required His children to remove all yeast, representing sin, from their midst, and partake of unleavened bread for seven days. This particular feast would be as an “ordinance for ever.” An ordinance is “a sacred rite or ceremony performed by the power of the priesthood and intended to bless God’s children.” Today we partake of this in a different way, the way shown to the disciples by Jesus during the Last Supper. We call this the ordinance of the sacrament. It is a reminder that we have covenanted to live The Law of the Gospel.

3) Because of the mercy the Lord showed in saving all of the firstborn of Israel, He instituted the requirement or Law of the Firstborn for all of His covenant children. This law required that each firstborn child would be consecrated to the Lord, as payment for His saving grace. He stated to Pharaoh emphatically that “Israel was His firstborn.” This means that ultimately this directive or Law of Consecration was the requirement for any who desired entrance into the “church of the firstborn.”

I am amazed at the beauty and simplicity with which the Lord teaches us these three important laws, The Law of Sacrifice, The Law of the Gospel, and The Law of Consecration. All these are required for entrance into His kingdom, reminding us continually that salvation and exaltation will only be given “by the strong hand of the Lord.”