February 3, 2014

When we speak of the great Restoration we begin at the beginning of time. God gave Adam the Holy Priesthood which gave him the ability to perform saving ordinances such as baptism. The priesthood flooded through the patriarchal order to Enoch and eventually Noah. Abraham received
the priesthood from Noah's line of authority. Abraham was special because the Lord visited him individually and told him the world would be blessed through his seed. His seed would be a chosen people. Chosen for what? Yes, they were chosen to spread the gospel and carry the priesthood to the world but more importantly the Messiah would come from Abraham's line. He was chosen and accepted in the beginning to carry the world on His back. Glory to His name!

Abraham's descendants grew so great that Pharaoh thought it pertinent to enslave them. So God sent a baby--Moses. Moses fled out of Egypt to Jethro who gave him the priesthood. Ironically Jethro's priesthood did not come from Abraham's line of authority. It came from Esaias who lived in the days of Abraham who received the priesthood directly from God. Israel is not the only covenant people of the Lord.

God allowed Moses to perform mighty miracles to both save Israel but more importantly to prove to the world that Moses held the priesthood. He gave Aaron the priesthood and gave his posterity specific responsibilities in the Tabernacle and eventually the Temple. One of these responsibilities was to offer incense twice a day.

This duty eventually fell on Zacharias. He got in the habit of entering the Holy of Holies without seeing angels so he feared the angel of the Lord that told him he would have a son. When he came out he could not speak which was a sign for the people. Every one knew that Zacharias' son held the priesthood through his father. John the baptist baptized Jesus Christ with this authority. 

He was the chosen one. The literal son of David sent to take the government upon his shoulders. It was prophesied by Zechariah that "thy king cometh unto thee (Israel): he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass". And that's what happened. Christ came triumphantly into Jerusalem amidst the Hosanna shout. And He took over the headquarters of His kingdom. He went straight to the temple and flipped the money changer's table over. He cracked his whip. Tragically, our brothers didn't understand which kingdom He fought for. It was the kingdom of God, the right to have dominion over the whole earth through the priesthood. He was rejected and the priesthood was taken from the earth. The world fell into darkness and despair.

God called upon a young boy and gave him the Priesthood. That priesthood stands today and will stay forever. We can have saving ordinances. We can understand our relationship with God. 

This is my strength. This is my joy. This is my faith.

Blessed are those that mourn-- another paradox in our theology. Why would someone be blessed for mourning? For they shall be comforted. The comforter comes to us when we suffer. The comforter of course being the Holy Ghost. Often times angels minister to us in our weak state because angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost and are agents to Him. We are commanded to mourn with those that mourn. The Holy Ghost often directs us to do this.

I love you Momma. Your son is closer to God than he ever has been before-- minus the first year of his life perhaps. Because of this he is incredibly happy and fulfilled.