Let's Discuss: "The Price of Priesthood Power" by Russell M. Nelson

The Price of Priesthood Power
by President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
April 2016, Priesthood Session

Since I started with his talk about the divine role of women of God, I thought it only right to analyze the companion talk that President Nelson gave at the Priesthood session of the very next conference on the divine role of men.

Favorite quote:

In a coming day, only those men who have taken their priesthood seriously, by diligently seeking to be taught by the Lord Himself, will be able to bless, guide, protect, strengthen, and heal others. Only a man who has paid the price for priesthood power will be able to bring miracles to those he loves and keep his marriage and family safe, now and throughout eternity. 

Since I made a list with the last talk, I naturally looked to see if his counsel was similarly worded.  I was able to make a list of sorts ... but there were more actions than virtues:
strength
sheer goodness
heal hearts
lift lives
take time & effort to be worthy
work diligently
heroes
courage
humility
willing to forgive
let go of old hurts and habits
submit to leaders' guidance
be purified/magnified
support weight of priesthood
have priesthood power
develop ability to access powers of heaven
wake up
realize what power in the priesthood is
qualify ourselves
live up to privileges
take priesthood seriously
diligently seeking Lord's teaching
bring miracles
partakers of the divine nature
emboldened
overjoyed
honored to serve
worship in temple
cherish and care for wife (embracing her and her counsel)
calm minds and heal fractures in hearts
brave
eager (to pay the price for increase of ph power)

Now let's get into the talk.  He started off by expanding on the heart-wrenching story of the two baby girls who died during surgery for a congenital heart disease.  He says that the parents were "understandable ... spiritually shattered," and "that they harbored lingering resentment toward [President Nelson] and the Church."

For almost six decades, I have been haunted by this situation and have grieved for the Hatfields. I tried several times to establish contact with them, without success.

Sometimes "success" comes almost six decades later!  Can you think of a time when you had no closure for a long time?  Did you remain faithful?  How did you remain faithful?

Then one night last May, I was awakened by those two little girls from the other side of the veil. Though I did not see or hear them with my physical senses, I felt their presence. Spiritually, I heard their pleadings. Their message was brief and clear: “Brother Nelson, we are not sealed to anyone! Can you help us?” 

I find it really interesting that he describes sensing them spiritually, not physically.  Are we missing the mark by expecting physical manifestations of the spiritual?  Have you ever sensed a spiritual presence?  For me, I think I first sensed spiritual beings in the temple as a youth doing baptisms, but the experience is definitely not limited to the temple.  I also liked that each word was emphasized in the question "Can you help us?" Each meaning of the question is appropriate (Can you help us?  Can you help us?  Can you help us? and Can you help us?) and all put together is striking to me.  Let's continue the story:

Emboldened by the pleadings of Laural Ann and Gay Lynn, I tried again to contact their father, who I learned was living with his son Shawn. This time they were willing to meet with me.

In June, I literally knelt in front of Jimmy, now 88 years old, and had a heart-to-heart talk with him. I spoke of his daughters’ pleadings and told him I would be honored to perform sealing ordinances for his family. I also explained that it would take time and much effort on his and Shawn’s part to be ready and worthy to enter the temple, as neither of them had ever been endowed.

I don't think anyone should say, well, I'm not that bad so this doesn't apply to me.  That reminds me of Corianton - who sought to excuse himself for what he considered smaller infractions.  No matter where we are, to take ourselves to the next level closer to Jesus Christ, we must follow this pattern - "time and much effort ... to be ready and worthy" to arise, whether that be to take the Sacrament, to go to the temple, or to be another step closer on our journey to Jesus Christ.  How do we know what to do next, if we're obeying all the commandments (like the rich young man)?  President Nelson will talk about this later on in the talk - being taught by Jesus Christ, Himself.

...not long ago, in the Payson Utah Temple, I had the profound privilege of sealing Ruth to Jimmy and their four children to them. Wendy and I wept as we participated in that sublime experience. Many hearts were healed that day!

Many hearts were healed that day!  Let's list whose hearts may have been healed by this:
Of the living, we have Jimmy and Shawn, President Nelson and his wife, Wendy.
Of the dead, we have Ruth, Jimmy, Jr.,  Laural Ann, and Gay Lynn, and perhaps President Nelson's first wife, Dantzel?  Surely she grieved with her husband?
Anyone else you can think of?  In a small sense, everyone is affected by everyone else - perhaps the Earth, herself, experienced a measure of healing.  Maybe the ward of this family?  Maybe other family members unmentioned?

On reflection, I have marveled at Jimmy and Shawn and what they were willing to do. They have become heroes to me. If I could have the wish of my heart, it would be that each man and young man in this Church would demonstrate the courage, strength, and humility of this father and son. They were willing to forgive and let go of old hurts and habits. They were willing to submit to guidance from their priesthood leaders so that the Atonement of Jesus Christ could purify and magnify them. Each was willing to become a man who worthily bears the priesthood “after the holiest order of God.”

We can all learn from the traits he describes here.  For example, we all need to be submissive to guidance - even the highest quorums of the Church submit to guidance from each other and from Jesus Christ.

To bear means to support the weight of that which is held. It is a sacred trust to bear the priesthood, which is the mighty power and authority of God. Think of this: the priesthood conferred upon us is the very same power and authority through which God created this and numberless worlds, governs the heavens and the earth, and exalts His obedient children.

I had an interesting thought while reading this:  Women innately have (at least a portion of) this creative power.  No wonder we are not ordained to priesthood offices - perhaps we are born into one.

Recently, Wendy and I were in a meeting where the organist was poised and ready to play the opening hymn. His eyes were on the music, and his fingers were on the keys. He began pressing the keys, but there was no sound. I whispered to Wendy, “He has no power.” I reasoned that something had stopped the flow of electrical power to that organ.

Well, brethren, in like manner, I fear that there are too many men who have been given the authority of the priesthood but who lack priesthood power because the flow of power has been blocked by sins such as laziness, dishonesty, pride, immorality, or preoccupation with things of the world.

Do you feel that you have priesthood "power?"  Ponder to yourself for a moment which of these power-blockages YOU need to work on most - laziness, dishonesty, pride, immorality, or preoccupation with things of the world.

I fear that there are too many priesthood bearers who have done little or nothing to develop their ability to access the powers of heaven. I worry about all who are impure in their thoughts, feelings, or actions or who demean their wives or children, thereby cutting off priesthood power.

It almost sounds to me like people are conduits for priesthood power.  I love the idea of developing our abilities to access the powers of heaven.  President Nelson mentioned this same idea in "A Plea to My Sisters" when he said, "we need ... women who know how to call upon the powers of heaven..."  I discussed this in my last conference-related blogpost.  So far, we are learning that to have priesthood power, we need to be the opposite of lazy, dishonest, prideful, immoral, and preoccupied with the things of the world: or I might write this as being engaged, honest, humble, moral, and concerned with the things of heaven.  In the paragraph here, we need to be pure in thoughts, feelings, and actions, and treat our wives and children with respect.

I fear that too many have sadly surrendered their agency to the adversary and are saying by their conduct, “I care more about satisfying my own desires than I do about bearing the Savior’s power to bless others.”

What does our conduct say about us?  (rhetorical)  What does it mean to surrender our agency to the adversary?  I think in part this means giving in to addictive behaviors.  I think it also means failing to choose to do good/right things - failing to plan/choose is to drift, even if we aren't doing "bad" things, a lack of good, uplifting things is also surrendering our agency.

I fear, brethren, that some among us may one day wake up and realize what power in the priesthood really is and face the deep regret that they spent far more time seeking power over others or power at work than learning to exercise fully the power of God. President George Albert Smith taught that “we are not here to while away the hours of this life and then pass to a sphere of exaltation; but we are here to qualify ourselves day by day for the positions that our Father expects us to fill hereafter.”

What is power in the priesthood?  Do we know?  Is not knowing being "asleep?"  I am reminded of particular temple promises by this turn of phrase.  Is it related somehow to entering the presence of God?  Any other thoughts?

I urgently plead with each one of us to live up to our privileges as bearers of the priesthood. In a coming day, only those men who have taken their priesthood seriously, by diligently seeking to be taught by the Lord Himself, will be able to bless, guide, protect, strengthen, and heal others. Only a man who has paid the price for priesthood power will be able to bring miracles to those he loves and keep his marriage and family safe, now and throughout eternity.

Sounds like prophecy to me!  Given the title of this talk, I believe everything thus far has been leading up to this statement and what follows in the remainder of his talk.

What is the price to develop such priesthood power? 

As I studied the rest of this talk, I made a list of the things he mentions to answer this question.  I'll paste the quote and then put the number and phrase I might write on the board.  In a classroom setting, I might print out these quotes for readers to assist in the lesson.

He named faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity, and diligence. And don’t forget humility! So I ask, how would our family members, friends, and coworkers say you and I are doing in developing these and other spiritual gifts? The more those attributes are developed, the greater will be our priesthood power.

1.  Develop attributes/spiritual gifts
By the way, reading the scripture references in the footnotes here was enlightening for me.  2 Peter 1:5-10 is after all, the make your calling and election sure scripture.  But he also adds Doctrine & Covenants 4:6 which prompted me to read that entire (short) section with an eye of reading about calling and election.

We need to pray from our hearts. Polite recitations of past and upcoming activities, punctuated with some requests for blessings, cannot constitute the kind of communing with God that brings enduring power. Are you willing to pray to know how to pray for more power? The Lord will teach you.

2.  Pray from our hearts
I really like how he promises here, "The Lord will teach you."  Earlier in the talk, I mentioned submitting to priesthood leaders - and here it becomes even more individualized - submitting to Jesus Christ - being taught of Him directly.

Are you willing to search the scriptures and feast on the words of Christ—to study earnestly in order to have more power? If you want to see your wife’s heart melt, let her find you on the Internet studying the doctrine of Christ or reading your scriptures!

3.  Earnestly study the scriptures

Are you willing to worship in the temple regularly? The Lord loves to do His own teaching in His holy house. Imagine how pleased He would be if you asked Him to teach you about priesthood keys, authority, and power as you experience the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood in the holy temple. Imagine the increase in priesthood power that could be yours.

4.  Worship in the temple

Are you willing to follow President Thomas S. Monson’s example of serving others? For decades he has taken the long way home, following promptings of the Spirit to arrive on someone’s doorstep and then hear words such as, “How did you know it was the anniversary of our daughter’s death?” or “How did you know it was my birthday?”

5.  Serve others/follow Spirit promptings

 And if you truly want more priesthood power, you will cherish and care for your wife, embracing both her and her counsel.

6.  Cherish your wife
(I especially like that he mentions embracing her counsel)

Now, if all of this sounds excessive, please consider how different our relationships with our wife, children, and associates at work would be if we were as concerned about gaining priesthood power as we are in progressing at work or increasing the balance in our bank account. If we will humbly present ourselves before the Lord and ask Him to teach us, He will show us how to increase our access to His power.

I really like the visual of presenting ourselves before our Lord and asking Him to teach us.  Being taught of the Lord was reiterated at least three times in this talk.  Next, President Nelson talks about earthquakes - physical ones, and emotional, financial, or spiritual earthquakes:

In these latter days, we know there will be earthquakes in diverse places. Perhaps one of those diverse places will be in our own homes, where emotional, financial, or spiritual “earthquakes” may occur. Priesthood power can calm the seas and heal fractures in the earth. Priesthood power can also calm the minds and heal fractures in the hearts of those we love.

Priesthood power is not just physical!  Just like at the beginning, many hearts were healed that day through priesthood ordinances.  President Nelson is going to tie the talk together now by bringing back the story of the two little girls:

Are we willing to pray, fast, study, seek, worship, and serve as men of God so we can have that kind of priesthood power? Because two little girls were so eager to be sealed to their family, their father and brother were willing to pay the price to bear the holy Melchizedek Priesthood.

(He added FASTING - not mentioned earlier.)  What is your greatest motivator?  Would we pay the price if it meant our families will be together eternally?

My dear brethren, we have been given a sacred trust—the authority of God to bless others. May each one of us rise up as the man God foreordained us to be—ready to bear the priesthood of God bravely, eager to pay whatever price is required to increase his power in the priesthood. With that power, we can help prepare the world for the Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This is His Church, led today by His prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, whom I dearly love and sustain. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ

I love that priesthood authority is to bless others.  Have you ever considered that a man cannot use his priesthood to perform an ordinance for himself?  It is all for others.  It is all for duty to God and our fellowmen.  Just like the talk on women, in almost identical words even, he mentions helping prepare the world for the Second Coming.  In the end of my analysis of the other talk, I wrote:

One thing I truly believe is that we are not just a do-good-feel-good Church - yes, it's important to obey the commandments, serve our fellowmen, and walk in righteousness - but our Church also has the commission to help prepare the world for the Second Coming.  Zion must be established to receive her King.

His talks have filled me with more resolve, with more faith, with more eagerness to serve my Father in the coming days.