The Power that Presides

Here's a train of thoughts that has occupied my attention for the last two days.

For the General Relief Society broadcast on Saturday, I went to the Marriot Center. It seems slightly odd to me that I go to a basketball stadium to sit on uncomfortable seats with no leg room to watch some speakers on TV. Sound odd to anyone else? Well, yes, I find it amusing too, but ended up going with my little sister, aka Heb. As we found seats, she motioned to the floor and the stake presidency seated down there. For those who haven't ever been to the RS broadcast in the Marriot Center, one of the campus stake presidencies is chosen to preside and they sit (sometimes with their wives) on a little platform in the middle of the empty floor. They do absolutely nothing but welcome all the sisters to the meeting and announce that the broadcast will be starting shortly. Heb mentioned that it must be a little awkward for them to be just sitting down there in the middle of that dark, empty floor, while everyone else gathers in the seats near the top to stare at a TV screen. Yes, interesting indeed. As the meeting began, the RS president also recognized the First Presidency and several members of the Quorum of the Twelve and some members of the Quorum of the Seventy in the Conference Center. They too just sat in their chairs at the front of the room; interesting again. So why were they there? Well, to preside, of course. But was precisely does that mean?

Among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the priesthood is often discussed and taught. So often, however, the teachings focus on the laying on of hands for healing the sick, giving comfort, strength, direction, or performing ordinances. These are vital to the church organization and for the building of the Kingdom of God. But I have been pondering quite a lot on the role of the priesthood in governing, or rather presiding in, our every-day lives. It's a rather vague concept, presiding. But as my thoughts have been preoccupied with this idea, I will try to define it as well as I can. My thoughts have formed in a sort of hypothetical conversation with a young man (about my age) who holds the priesthood of God and lives worthy of its blessings.

My first thought is a most sincere "thank you!" Thank you a million times over to all those righteous men who hold the power to bless all the nations of the world. In attempting to describe the influence of the priesthood's presiding power, I think of the young men (and old) whom I have known in my life. Without exception, there is a difference between those who bear the Lord's priesthood (obviously in righteousness, as purity is a prerequisite to actually being able to carry the Lord's power at any given moment) and those who have not. Even though many in the latter category have been smart, talented, even selfless, good people, they do not have the ability to bless lives through their every deed and word.

The holy Melchizedek priesthood "is the power and authority of God delegated to man on earth to act in all things for the salvation of men." (Joseph Fielding Smith, “Eternal Keys and the Right to Preside,” Ensign, July 1972, 87) That is some power! The priesthood is very literally the power of God. And it is used to bless the lives of His children. I suppose when understood in this way, men who bear the priesthood have a TREMENDOUS responsibility. But it is true. He has commanded, "Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord." (Isaiah 52:11) Where have your hands been, where have your thoughts been? If one realizes the significance of the presiding power of the priesthood, it requires nothing short of the utmost purity every minute of every day. Because with the power of God residing within your very person, you have the ability to affect the course of the world with every word, or action, or even a look. It may sound extreme, but that is what I think it means to preside. In some of my search through the scriptures, I found it interesting that very often, the word preside was used not in conjunction with over but rather with among (see D&C 103:35 and D&C 117:10) and the purpose of the presiding officer was to bless the Lord's people in Zion.

Imagine the wonder if every man and woman would live werf's life in line with the following injunction from the Lord: "No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death. Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever." D&C 121:41-46
Through such a power shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. To any man who holds the priesthood, I say thank you, and I encourage you to live up to the responsibility that is yours to bless lives through your very presence. To the women, I say, remember that this power is real and you have the ability and the duty and privilege to invite these blessings into your life through sustaining and supporting those who hold the presiding power in your lives. This does not give men power to dominate over women and children.; rather they have the power to bless their lives. The power of God is real, and it resides among us today. I just realized that this post is really confusing, but I don't know how to better articulate my thoughts on this subject. Hopefully, however, I have communicated the idea that the priesthood is a living power in our every-day lives, not just for use in the laying on of hands. That this power, when used properly, is the means by which we receive blessings from God and light and knowledge throughout our lives. When the priesthood has been taken from the earth, the entire world population has suffered. Likewise, when the Lord's power is among us, we grow and prosper in all aspects of life, both temporal and spiritual. What a blessing to live in the dispensation of the fullness of times when the holy Priesthood of God has been restored!

P.S. This just reminded me of my little brother, aka Flash. He just turned five last week. He is so gung-ho about everything and it is soooooooo cute. Anyway, his new favorite song is "The Priesthood is Restored." He belts it out at the top of his lungs (and some of the notes are very drawn out, so he has to take several breaths -- it's funny) and can outsing the ENTIRE primary and teachers. He is so cute!