new era- april 2014.pdf

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New EraTHEY O U T H M A G A Z I N E O F T H E C H U R C H O F J E S U S C H R I S T O F L AT T E R - D AY S A I N T S

APRIL 2014

P l u s , H e l p s f o r S u n d a y Le s s o n s , p p . 3 6 , 4 0

REFLECTIONSON Christ, pp. 27, 28, 33

THE PRIESTHOOD Blesses Everyo e

pp. 2–26

Accessi PRIESTHOOD POWER, pp. 2, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16

rtici ti iPRIESTHOOD WORK,

pp. 6, 18, 21, 22, 24


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April 2014 • Volume 44 • Number 4

THE MON THLY YOUTH MAGAZINE OFTHE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

New EraTHE

Y O U T H M A G A Z I N E O F T H E C H U R C H O F J E S U S C H R I S T O F L A T T E R - D AY S A I N T S

APRIL 2014

P l u s ,H e l p s f o r S u n d a y Le s s o n s , p p . 3 6 , 4 0

REFLECTIONS

ON Christ, pp. 27,28,33

THE PRIESTHOOD Blesses Everyo e

pp. 2–26

Accessi PRIESTHOOD POWER,

pp. 2, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16

P rtici ti iPRIESTHOOD WORK,

pp. 6, 18, 21, 22, 2 4

The First Presidency: Thomas S. Monson, Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf

The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry, Russell M. Nelson,Dallin H. Oaks, M. Russell Ballard, Richard G. Scott,Robert D. Hales, Jeffrey R. Holland, David A. Bednar,Quentin L. Cook, D. Todd Christofferson, Neil L.Andersen

Editor: Craig A. CardonAdvisers: Jose L. Alonso, Mervyn B. Arnold,Shayne M. Bowen, Stanley G. Ellis, Christoffel GoldenManaging Director: David T. WarnerDirector of Operations: Vincent A. VaughnDirector of Church Magazines: Allan R. LoyborgBusiness Manager: Garff Cannon

Managing Editor: Brittany BeattieAssistant Managing Editor: Joshua J. PerkeyPublications Assistant: Sally Johnson Odekirk

Writing and Editing: Ryan Carr, David Dickson,David A. Edwards, Matthew D. Flitton, Mindy RayeFriedman, Lori Fuller, Garrett H. Garff, Jennifer GraceJones, Michael R. Morris, Richard M. Romney, PaulVanDenBergheEditorial Intern: Ryan Brown

Managing Art Director: J. Scott Knudsen

Art Director: K. Nicole WalkenhorstDesign: Jeanette Andrews, Fay P. Andrus, Mandie M.Bentley, Nate Gines

Intellectual Property Coordinator: Collette Nebeker AuneProduction Manager: Jane Ann PetersPrepress: Joshua Dennis

Printing Director: Craig K. SedgwickDistribution Director: Stephen R. Christiansen

© 2014 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rightsreserved. TheNew Era (ISSN 0164-5285) ispublished monthly by The Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints, 50 E. North Temple St., Salt LakeCity, UT 84150-0024, USA. Periodicals PostagePaid at Salt Lake City, Utah.

To subscribe: By phone: Call 1-800-537-5971 to order using Visa,MasterCard, Discover Card, or American Express.Online: Go tostore.lds.org .By mail:Send $8 U.S. check or money order toDistribution Services, P.O. Box 26368, Salt Lake City,UT 84126-0368, USA.

To change address: Send old and new address information to:Distribution ServicesP.O. Box 26368Salt Lake City, UT 84126-0368, USA.Please allow 60 days for changes to take effect.

Visit theNew Era online atnewera.lds.org .

Copyright information: Text and visual material inthe New Era may be copied for incidental, noncom-mercial church or home use. Visual material may notbe copied if restrictions are indicated in the creditline with the artwork. Copyright questions shouldbe addressed to Intellectual Property Office, 50 E.North Temple St., Salt Lake City, UT 84150, USA; [email protected].

POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS (see DMM707.4.12.5).NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FA-CILITIES: Send address corrections to DistributionServices, Church Magazines, P.O. Box 26368, SaltLake City, UT 84126-0368, USA.

Canada Post Information: Publication Agreement#40017431.

Cover: The Priesthood Blesses Everyone, pp. 2–26

Cover photograph: Nathaniel Ray Edwards

To submit manuscripts or art: Online: Go tonewera.lds.org andclick “Submit Your Work.”Email: [email protected]: New Era Editorial, 50 E. North Temple St.,Rm. 2420, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-0024, USA. Forreturn, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

IN EVERY ISSUE

27 MORMONADSeek Him

36 SUNDAY LESSON HELPTrue or False? *

Will you pass the test? Get ideason how to tell the difference be-tween God’s truths and Satan’s lies.

39 TO THE POINTPlaying instruments in sacramentmeeting; not being allowed topartake of the sacrament.

40 COME, FOLLOW MEApostasy and Restoration *Following the prophets and keep-ing your covenants can help youavoid personal apostasy.

41 THE EXTRA SMILE

42 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS“What should I do when a topicis brought up at school that goesagainst gospel teachings, such asabortion?”

44 WHAT’S UP?Conference connection; anUltimate team; photo scavengerhunt; and more.

46 INSTANT MESSAGESGoing forth in God’s might; read-ing the Book of Mormon cover tocover; kindness really works.

48 FROM CHURCH LEADERSHow to Become a SaintLatter-day Saints attempt toemulate the Savior, follow Histeachings, and receive savingordinances.Elder Quentin L. Cook

49 CONFERENCE POSTERFill Your Life with Serviceto OthersElder Richard G. Scott

* Check out this article for support for thismonth’s Sunday lesson theme.

New Era


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10 Bringing the Blessings of thePriesthood into Your HomeAll youth can help strengthen theirhomes through the priesthood.Bonnie L. Oscarson

12 The Gate and the PathOrdinances and covenants bless usall along the path to eternal life.

14 Why Do We Have TwoPriesthoods?Learn why we have both the Aaronicand Melchizedek Priesthoods.

15 How Often Can I Ask for aPriesthood Blessing?Learn about the different kinds ofblessings and when to ask for them.

28 One Fold and OneShepherdFind out what an enclosure forsheep teaches us about the Savior.

30 Hard Lessons Learned as aSecond-Rate Easter BunnyAn Easter egg hunt gone wrongtaught an important lesson aboutexample and leadership.

33 I Marvel at the MiracleLearn a new song about the Saviorwith this sheet music.

34 You Have the AuthorityIn a world of sinking standards, youcan rise above the norm.

2 THE MESSAGEMen and Women in theWork of the LordIn our Heavenly Father’s greatpriesthood-endowed plan, men andwomen have different but equallyvalued roles.Elder M. Russell Ballard

6 Preparing to Serve, Servingto PrepareGod gave you the Aaronic Priest-hood because He has a work foryou—now and in the future.David L. Beck

9 The Power to BlessAll PeopleChurch leaders have taught howthe priesthood blesses all peo-ple equally.

FEATURES

9 The Power to Bless All People6 Preparing to Serve,Serving to Prepare

12 The Gate and the Path 22 Effective Ways to Affect Your Quorum

16 Conscious of My BlessingA serious injury on the football fieldled to the realization of a blessing.

18 More Than Merely MeetingOne group of Aaronic Priesthoodyoung men really get things done.

21 My Assignment from theBishopThe bishopric wanted her to be aspecialist. Could she do it?

22 Effective Ways to AffectYour QuorumGet strength from quorum activities

24 Find Them and BringThem BackRead about how young people aregoing to the rescue of their friends.

SPECIAL SECTION : T H E P R I E S T H O O D Blesses Everyo e

1


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believe there are some truths that both women and men need to understandabout the essential role women have

in strengthening and building up the king-dom of God on the earth. In so many ways

women are the heart of the Church. So withthe help of the Lord, I would like to pay

tribute to the faithful women and young women of the Church. To you dear sisters, wherever you live in the world, please knowof the great affection for and trust that theFirst Presidency and the Twelve Apostleshave in you.

Let me begin with a refresher course about what we are doing here on earth.

We are beloved spirit sons and daughtersof our Heavenly Father. We lived with Him

in the premortal realms. In order to fulllthe mission of bringing “to pass the immor-tality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39),Heavenly Father created a plan designedto help His children achieve their ultimatepotential. Our Father’s plan called for manto fall and to be separated from Him for atime by being born into mortality, gaininga body, and entering a period of testing and

probation. His plan provided for a Saviorto redeem mankind from the Fall. The

Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ providesthe way through gospel ordinances andsacred covenants to return to the presenceof God. Because we would live in a mortalenvironment lled with danger and distrac-

tions, Heavenly Father and His Son knew we would need access to power greater thanour own. They knew we would need accessto Their power. The gospel and doctrineof Christ give all who will accept it powerto achieve eternal life and power to nd joyin the journey.

There are those who question the placeof women in God’s plan and in the Church.I’ve been interviewed enough by national

and international media to tell you that most journalists with whom I have dealt havehad preconceived notions about this topic.

Through the years many have asked ques-tions implying that women are second-classcitizens in the Church. Nothing could befurther from the truth.

Let me suggest ve key points for youto ponder regarding this important topic.

By ElderM. Russell BallardOf the Quorum ofthe Twelve Apostles

In our Heavenly Father’s great priesthood-endowed plan, men andwomen have different but equally valued roles.

T H E M E S S A G E

Me d o e i the WORK

of the LORD


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A p r i l 2 0 1 4 3

1. God Has a Plan to Help Us Achieve Eternal LifeOur Heavenly Father created both women and men,

who are His spirit daughters and sons. This means thatgender is eternal. He has a plan designed to help all whochoose to follow Him and His Son, Jesus Christ, achievetheir destiny as heirs of eternal life.

If our eventual exaltation is Their essential goal andpurpose and if They are omniscient and perfect, as weknow They are, then They understand best how to pre-pare, teach, and lead us so that we have the greatest

chance to qualify for exaltation.Most everyone has family or friends who have beencaught up in various troubling social issues. Arguing aboutthe issues generally does not bring any resolution and, infact, can create contention. There are some questions aboutthe Church’s position on sensitive issues that are hard toanswer to anyone’s satisfaction. However, when we seek

the Lord in prayer about how to feel and what to do inthese situations, the impression comes: “Do you believein Jesus Christ and do you follow Him and the Father?”I believe most everyone in the Church at one time oranother will wonder if they can do all they are asked to do.But if we really believe in the Lord, the reassurance comes:“I believe Jesus Christ, and I’m willing to do whatever Heneeds me to do.” So we move forward. How powerful arethe words “I believe Jesus Christ”!

Our testimonies and our peace of mind and our

well-being begin with the willingness to believe that ourFather in Heaven does indeed know best.

2. The Church Is Governed throughPriesthood Keys

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is theLord’s Church, and His Church is governed by and through


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priesthood authority and priesthood keys. “Priesthood keysare the authority God has given to priesthood leaders todirect, control, and govern the use of His priesthood onearth.” 1

Those who have priesthood keys—whether that bea deacon who has keys for his quorum or a bishop whohas keys for his ward or the President of the Church,

who holds all priesthood keys—literally make it pos-sible for all who serve faithfully under their direction toexercise priesthood authority and have access to priest-

hood power. All men and all women serve under the direction of those who have keys. This is how the Lord governs His Church.

Let me repeat something I stated in the April 2013general conference: “In our Heavenly Father’s greatpriesthood-endowed plan, men have the unique respon-sibility to administer the priesthood, but they are not thepriesthood. Men and women have different but equally

valued roles. Just as a woman cannot conceive a child without a man, so a man cannot fully exercise the power

of the priesthood to establish an eternal family withouta woman. . . . In the eternal perspective, both the pro-creative power and the priesthood power are shared byhusband and wife.” 2

Why are men ordained to priesthood ofces and not women? President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008)explained that it was the Lord, not man, “who designatedthat men in His Church should hold the priesthood” andthat it was also the Lord who endowed women with “capa-bilities to round out this great and marvelous organization,

which is the Church and kingdom of God.”3

When all issaid and done, the Lord has not revealed why He has orga-nized His Church as He has.

Let us not forget that approximately one-half of all theteaching that takes place in the Church is done by sis-ters. Much of the leadership provided is from our sisters.Many service opportunities and activities are planned anddirected by women. The counsel and other participation of

women in ward and stake councils and in general councils

at Church headquarters provide needed insight, wisdom,and balance.

It takes both men who respect women and their distinc-tive spiritual gifts and women who respect the priesthoodkeys held by men to invite the full blessings of heaven inany endeavor in the Church.

3. Men and Women Are Equally ImportantMen and women are equal in God’s eyes and in the eyes

of the Church, but equal does not mean they are the same.

The responsibilities and divine gifts of men and womendiffer in their nature but not in their importance or inu-ence. Our Church doctrine places women equal to and yetdifferent from men. God does not regard either gender asbetter or more important than the other. President Hinckleydeclared to women that “our Eternal Father . . . neverintended that you should be less than the crowning gloryof His creations.” 4

Men and women have different gifts, different strengths,and different points of view and inclinations. That is one

of the fundamental reasons why we need each other. Ittakes a man and a woman to create a family, and it takesmen and women to carry out the work of the Lord. Ahusband and wife righteously working together completeeach other. Let us be careful that we do not attempt totamper with our Heavenly Father’s plan and purposes inour lives.

4. All Are Blessed by Priesthood Power When men and women go to the temple, they are both

endowed with the same power, which is priesthood power. While the authority of the priesthood is directed throughpriesthood keys, and priesthood keys are held only by

worthy men, access to the power and the blessings of thepriesthood is available to all of God’s children.

Our Father in Heaven is generous with His power. Allmen and all women have access to this power for help intheir lives. All who have made sacred covenants with theLord and who honor those covenants are eligible to receive


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A p r i l 2 0 1 4 5

personal revelation, to be blessed by the ministering ofangels, to commune with God, to receive the fulness of thegospel, and, ultimately, to become heirs alongside JesusChrist of all our Father has.

5. We Need to Know and Bear Testimony ofthe Doctrine

We need the women of the Church to know the doctrineof Christ and to bear testimony of the Restoration in every

way you can. Never has there been a more complex timein the history of the earth. Satan and his minions have beenperfecting the weapons in their arsenal for millennia, andthey are experienced at destroying faith and trust in Godand in the Lord Jesus Christ among the human family.

All of us—men, women, young adults, youth, and boysand girls—have the Lord and His Church to defend, to

protect, and to spread throughout the earth. We need moreof the distinctive, inuential voices and faith of women.

We need you to learn the doctrine and to understand what we believe so that you can bear your testimonies aboutthe truth of all things—whether those testimonies be givenaround a campre at Young Women camp, in a testimonymeeting, in a blog, or on Facebook. Only you can showthe world what women of God who have made covenantslook like and believe.

Sisters, your sphere of inuence is a unique sphere—one that cannot be duplicated by men. No one can defendour Savior with any more persuasion or power than you,the daughters of God, can—you who have such innerstrength and conviction. The power of a converted wom-an’s voice is immeasurable, and the Church needs your

voices now more than ever.I leave you my witness and my testimony that we are in a

time when we must stand in unity. We must stand together—men and women, young men and young women, boys andgirls. We must stand for the plan of our Heavenly Father.

We must defend Him. He is being pushed aside. We cannotstand idly by as members of The Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints and allow that to continue to happen with-out being courageous enough to let our voices be heard.

May God bless you to have the courage to study and

to know the simple truths of the gospel and then to sharethem every chance you get. NE

From a devotional address given at Brigham Young University on August 20,2013. For the full text, visit lds.org/go/workNE4 .

NOTES 1. Handbook 2: Administering the Church (2010), 2.1.1. 2. M. Russell Ballard, “‘This Is My Work and Glory,’” Ensign, May 2013,

19. 3. Gordon B. Hinckley, “Women of the Church,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 70. 4. Gordon B. Hinckley, “Stand Strong against the Wiles of the World,”

Ensign, Nov. 1995, 98.


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Jonathan is a friend of mine who joined

the Church four years ago. He is the onlymember of the Church in his family. Afterhe received the Aaronic Priesthood, he beganserving others as he had never served before.

Jonathan knew that to serve, he needed tolearn a lot. He also wanted to be worthy andmore dependable, so he studied the gospel,prayed, and attended his Sunday meetingsand seminary. He worked hard to keep thecommandments and Church standards. He

diligently fullled his priesthood duties,including being a great home teacher. His

Duty to God book helped him understandthose duties and learn how to fulll them.

Jonathan’s faithful priesthood servicegave him spiritual strength. It helped protecthim from evil inuences. He grew tremen-dously as he served and prepared for hisfuture. This past year, he worthily receivedthe Melchizedek Priesthood and the temple

endowment. He is now serving a missionin Brazil.

The Aaronic Priesthood is often called the“preparatory priesthood.” God gave you the

Aaronic Priesthood because He has a workfor you—now and in the future. Your faithfulservice in the Aaronic Priesthood prepares

you for even greater opportunities to servein the coming years. Like Jonathan, you

are preparing to “receive the Melchizedek

Priesthood, to receive the blessings of thetemple, to serve a full-time mission, to bea loving husband and father, and to continuein lifelong service to the Lord” ( True to the

Faith: A Gospel Reference [2004], 4). You may not know all of the details of the

wonderful opportunities Heavenly Fatherhas in store for you, but I am condent that

you will be prepared to meet them if youremember to do the following as an Aaronic

Priesthood holder.

Follow Jesus Christ As a priesthood holder, you are a rep-

resentative of Jesus Christ. That means you are asked to follow Him and to do what He would do. What would He do?In every situation, He devoted His life toserving and blessing others. So should you.Give yourself in service to others—and then

grow and improve so that there is more of yourself to give! Remember how Jesus grewin His youth: He “increased in wisdom andstature, and in favour with God and man”(Luke 2:52).

Part of following the Savior is becoming wise and physically healthy in your youth. Thisrequires you to work hard and always do yourbest (see D&C 4:2). You gain favor with God

David L. BeckYoung MenGeneral President

God gave you the Aaronic Priesthood because He has a work for you—now and in the future.

SERVING TO PR

Pe ri to Serve ,


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A p r i l 2 0 1 4 7

AARONIC PRIESTHOOD HOLDERS: HOW CAN I PREPARE TO:

Receive the MelchizedekPriesthood?

________________________

________________________

________________________

Follow Jesus Christ through

• daily prayer and gospel study.

• obedience.

• seeking God’s will.

Administer priesthoodordinances, such as

• blessing the sacrament.

• baptizing others.

Minister always by

• strengthening family andquorum members.

• rescuing less-active members.

• serving the needy.

Receive templeblessings?

____________________

____________________

____________________

Serve a mission?

______________________

______________________

_______________________

Become a husbandand father?

_______________________

_______________________

_______________________


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as you draw close to Him through daily prayer,gospel study, obedience, and service. You gainfavor with others as you are kind and loyal to

your family and a Christlike friend to all.Remember that Jesus always did the will

of the Father. You follow Christ when you

seek God’s will throughout the day to guide your service and act on the spiritual prompt-ings you receive.

Administer Priesthood OrdinancesPriesthood ordinances are necessary for

all of God’s children and bless both His sonsand daughters equally. From the moment youbecome a deacon, you help administer in apriesthood ordinance by passing the sacra-

ment. You’ll continue to administer priest-hood ordinances in the Aaronic Priesthoodlater as you prepare and bless the sacrament,baptize, and participate in the ordination ofother Aaronic Priesthood holders.

To participate in sacred ordinances, youmust be clean. Your moral cleanliness can addgreat spiritual power to the ordinances youadminister. Strive to be worthy in every wayto bear the sacred vessels of the Lord’s sacra-

ment (see D&C 38:42). When you do, you canstand before your ward or branch members asa true representative of Jesus Christ. They willbe blessed by your determination to keep thecovenants you are helping them renew.

Minister Always As an Aaronic Priesthood holder, you

minister. At all times, seek opportunities

to minister to your family, friends, quorummembers, and others. Everything you do inthe priesthood helps you minister to othersboth physically and spiritually. For example,

when you help your bishop or branch presi-dent by serving a family you home teach,

you’re learning how to identify and takecare of others’ needs. You’ll also ministerto others as you reach out to strengthen yourquorum members and rescue the less-active,gather fast offerings to help the poor andneedy, perform physical labor for the sickand disabled, teach and testify of Christ andHis gospel, and lighten the burdens of thediscouraged.

You minister as you teach lessons in your

quorum meetings and in your family homeevenings. You minister as you invite all tocome unto Christ (see D&C 20:59)—at home,in your quorum, at school, with the full-timemissionaries, and wherever else you are.

Your FutureDiscuss with your parents or advisers what

will be required of you in your future rolesas a Melchizedek Priesthood holder, mission-

ary, husband, and father. Write in the spaceprovided some of those great responsibilitiesand how you can prepare for them today as

you serve in the Aaronic Priesthood. It mayseem overwhelming now, but remember thatthe best way to prepare is simply to do whatHeavenly Father has asked you to do today.May you nd happiness as you serve nowand prepare for your glorious future. NE

You follow Christ when you seekGod’s will throughout the day toguide your service and act on thespiritual promptings you receive.

As a priesthood

holder, you are a

representative of

Jesus Christ. In

every situation,

He devoted His

life to serving and

blessing others.

So should you.


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A p r i l 2 0 1 4 9

“It is crucial for usto understand thatHeavenly Father hasprovided a way for all ofHis sons and His daugh-ters to have access to

the blessings of and be strengthened bythe power of the priesthood. Central toGod’s plan for His spirit children is Hisown declaration: ‘This is my work and myglory—to bring to pass the immortalityand eternal life of man’ (Moses 1:39).”

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of theTwelve Apostles, “‘This Is My Work and Glory,’”Ensign, May 2013, 19.

Church leaders have taught us that priesthood ordinances and covenantsequally bless and are equally available to all of God’s children.

SHARE YOUR BLESSINGSShare some ways that the priesthood has blessed you that may not be obvious (for instance, when

you’re given opportunities to serve or set apart for callings).Go to lds.org/ go/ blessNE4.

“The priesthood is thepower and authorityof God given for thesalvation and blessingof all—men, women, andchildren. . . .

“There are special blessings from Godfor every worthy person who is baptized,receives the Holy Ghost, and regularlypartakes of the sacrament. The templebrings added light and strength, alongwith the promise of eternal life [see

D&C 138:37, 51].”Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of theTwelve Apostles, “Power in the Priesthood,” Ensign, Nov. 2013, 92.

“Priesthood ordinancesand covenants provideaccess to the fulness ofthe blessings promisedto us by God, which aremade possible by the

Savior’s Atonement. They arm sons anddaughters of God with power, God’spower, and provide us with the opportu-nity to receive eternal life—to return toGod’s presence and live with Him in Hiseternal family.”

Carole M. Stephens, rst counselor in the ReliefSociety general presidency, “Do We Know What WeHave?” Ensign, Nov. 2013, 12.

The POWER to less ALL PEOPLE


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How can you as a young man or a young woman, no matter your family circum-stances, draw upon the power of thepriesthood covenants you made at baptismto strengthen your homes and families?Understanding the role and importance of ourfamilies in the Lord’s plan can inspire us tohonor the promises we have made by seeingthat our best and most enthusiastic service

is done within our own homes. Let’s look atsome of the ways we draw upon the power ofour covenants to strengthen and serve those

who mean the most to us.

How Would You Respond?It’s Monday night, and you have a ton of

homework. You hear your father calling thefamily to gather for family home evening.

What do you do?

Choice A: You respond, “Ah, Dad, I don’thave time for that tonight! I’ve got to study!”

Choice B: You quickly help gather your sib-lings and cheerfully participate in the prayers,music, and message.

When There’s Priesthood Leadershipat Home

Supporting your parents by willingly partici-pating in family home evening, family prayer,and family scripture study are some ways

to strengthen priesthood leadership in yourhome. There are many other ways, such as:

• Pray for your parents. (They almostcertainly pray for you each day.)

• Support your parents in their Churchcallings and offer to help around thehouse, especially when they are busy

with special assignments.• Help your parents welcome the home

teachers when they come, and thencourteously listen to their message.

• If there is a temple in your area, offer

As you keepyour covenants,you draw uponpriesthoodpower to blessyour homeand family.

By Bonnie L.OscarsonYoung Women

General President

Bi i the

BLESSINGS of the PRIESTHOO

i to Your Ho e


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to babysit younger siblings so that your parents can go to the temple andparticipate in priesthood ordinances.

Remember that it is not just parents whoare responsible for inviting and maintain-ing the Spirit in your home. There is much

you can do to invite the Spirit through youractions and attitude. Are you doing yourpart to invite the inuence of the Spirit in

your home?

When There’s No PriesthoodLeadership at HomeFamilies do not all look or function the

same way. You may be in a single-parentfamily or not have a priesthood holder

who presides in your home. There are stillmany ways to invite priesthood power tostrengthen you and your family. These arethings we should all be doing, regardless ofour circumstances:

• Have personal prayer, study the scrip-tures, and fast. These efforts will help

you be spiritually strong and invite theSpirit into your life and into your sphereof inuence.

• Take time to magnify your callings orChurch assignments and be preparedfor Sunday lessons. Doing so helps youhave condence in yourself and showssupport for priesthood programs.

• Show respect for all membersof your family and support their

wholesome activities. These choiceshelp strengthen the whole family.

• Share with your family the things you learn and do in your Churchclasses and quorums. It is a wayto bring gospel teachings into thehome.

• Find ways to serve those around youthrough simple acts of kindness.

• Help around the house by doingchores or helping a brother or sister.

• Show Christlike love to your family—it will have a bigger impact on build-ing strong family ties than almostanything else you can do.

Honoring Your CovenantsBy serving, loving, and strengthening

our families, we are being true to thecovenants we made at baptism to standas witnesses of Jesus Christ, keep His

commandments, and strengthen thosearound us. We can draw upon the strengthof priesthood covenants to be a blessingto and help in our homes and families.

Priesthood, service, and home are wordsthat should be eternally connected in ourminds. The members of our own familiesshould be the number-one priority as wend ways to participate in the work ofsalvation. When we strengthen our families,

we also strengthen the Church, our com-munities, and the world. NE

“The f ily ce tr l to

the Cre tor’ for the

eter l des of His child“The Family: A Proclamation

to the World,” Ensign,Nov. 2010, 129.

“The ost i ort t

the Lord’s w you will eve will be wit

the w lls of ow ho e

Teachings of Presidentsof the Church:

Harold B. Lee (2000), 134.


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12 N e w E r a

We all seek eternal life, which means being saved andexalted in the highest degree of the celestial king-dom, where we can live in Heavenly Father’s pres-ence as families.

In addition to faith in Jesus Christ and repentance, the

ordinances and covenants of the priesthood allow us toenter the path that leads to eternal life. No matter when youentered this path or where you are on it—whether you wereborn in the Church or converted later, whether you havebeen active all your life or are just returning to Church activ-ity—you can progress along it as you focus on your cov-enants and what you can do to receive and keep them.

And it’s important to know that priesthood ordinancesand covenants don’t just offer the promise of a gloriousfuture. They also give us the strength, comfort, and support

we need right now in order to follow the path and endure tothe end in righteousness. NE

Priesthood ordinances and covenants set uson the path to eternal life and bless us with thestrength we need right now.

“It is priesthood author-ity in the Church thatprovides for sacredordinances and cov-enants that bindfamilies together and

qualify each of us to return to God theFather and Jesus Christ in the celestialkingdom. These ordinances bringpeace because they are covenants withthe Lord.”Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of theTwelve Apostles, “Personal Peace: The Reward ofRighteousness,” Ensign, May 2013, 34.

Sacrament—weekly renewal of

baptismal covenant

See 2 Nephi 31

BAPTISM

GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST

Gate

PATH LEADINTO ETERNAL L (E duri to

the E d)


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A p r i l 2 0 1 4 13

“Staying on the gospelpath of covenants,commandments, andordinances protects usand prepares us to doGod’s work in this world.”

Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of theTwelve Apostles, “Stand Strong in Holy Places,”Ensign, May 2013, 49.

“As you worthily partici-pate in the ordinancesof the priesthood, theLord will give you greaterstrength, peace, andeternal perspective.”

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of theTwelve Apostles, “Power in the Priesthood,”Ensign, Nov. 2013, 95.

Scriptures —guidance and instructionreceived as part of covenant betweenGod and His people (see D&C 84:57)

Prayer —“[The Master] offers us thecovenant to ‘always remember Him’and the warning to ‘pray always’ sothat we will place our reliance onHim, our only safety” (PresidentHenry B. Eyring, First Counselorin the First Presidency, “ ‘Always,’”Ensign, Oct. 1999, 9).

Service —fullling our covenants byserving God and His children, includ-ing callings, temple and family historywork, sharing the gospel, full-timemissionary service

Repentance —remembering ourcovenants and drawing closer to theSavior when we have strayed, some-times including help from priesthoodleaders

PRIESTHOOD CONFERRAL AND ORDINATION(FOR YOUNG MEN)

TEMPLE ENDOWMENT

TEMPLE SEALING

Patriarchal blessings—special individual guidance and

promised blessings

Blessings for the sick—help and healing

Father’s blessings and otherblessings of comfort and counsel—

peace and guidance when needed

E S S E N

T IA L O R

D I NA N C E S A N D

C O V E N AN T S

R E N E

W I N G A

N D S T R E

N G TH E NIN G O R D IN A N C E S

HELPS ALONG THE

ETERNAL LIFE (Celesti l Ki do with F


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14 N e w E r a

In Adam’s day and for a long time afterward, there was one priesthood. We now havetwo—the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods. Here is the history behind this divisionin the priesthood. Adam was given the Melchizedek Priesthood, which was passed along through the proph-

ets and patriarchs of the book of Genesis and eventually to Moses. Then “Moses . . . soughtdiligently to sanctify his people that they might behold the face of God; but they hardened

their hearts and could not endure his presence. . . . Therefore, [the Lord] took Moses out oftheir midst, and the Holy [Melchizedek] Priesthood also; and the lesser [Aaronic] priesthoodcontinued” (D&C 84:23–26).

The higher keys and blessings were taken away from the people, but others remained. 1 During the ministry of the Savior and His Apostles, the Melchizedek Priesthood wasrestored and its blessings were again seen among the people. But eventually allpriesthood authority was lost. Each of the divisions in the priesthood—Aaronic andMelchizedek—was restored separately through Joseph Smith, and we still have both ofthem today. Here is a very basic outline of their keys, blessings, and roles.

AARONIC PRIESTHOOD MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD

Holds the “keys of the ministeringof angels” (D&C 13:1).2

Holds the “key of the knowledgeof God” (D&C 84:19).

Holds the key of the preparatorygospel, which includes repentanceand baptism (see D&C 84:26–27).

Administers the fulness of thegospel (see D&C 84:19).

Administers in outward ordinances(see D&C 107:20), such as sacricesanciently and the sacrament today.

Holds “the keys of all the spiritualblessings of the church” (D&C 107:18),such as the gift of the Holy Ghost, templeordinances, blessings of healing andcomfort, and revelation to the Church. 3

Is “an appendage to . . . the MelchizedekPriesthood” (D&C 107:14).4

“Holds the right of presidency, andhas power and authority over all theofces in the church” (D&C 107:8).

NOTES1. Though the blessings of the

Melchizedek Priesthood were not generally availableto the people after thedays of Moses, JosephSmith explained that “allthe prophets had theMelchizedek Priesthood”(Teachings of Presidentsof the Church: JosephSmith [2007], 109).

2. Joseph Smith taught, “TheMelchizedek Priesthood. . . is the channel through

which all knowledge, doc-trine, the plan of salvation,and every important matteris revealed from heaven”(Teachings: Joseph Smith, 108).

3. Elder Dallin H. Oaks ofthe Quorum of the Twelve

Apostles has taught:“‘Angels speak by thepower of the Holy Ghost;

wherefore, they speak the

words of Christ’ (2 Nephi32:3). So it is that those who hold the AaronicPriesthood open the doorfor all Church members

who worthily partake ofthe sacrament to enjoythe companionship of theSpirit of the Lord and theministering of angels” (“The

Aaronic Priesthood and theSacrament,” Ensign, Nov.1998, 39).

4. As the Prophet JosephSmith taught, “TheMelchizedek Priesthoodcomprehends [includes orencompasses] the Aaronic. . . Priesthood” ( Teachings:

Joseph Smith , 108). He alsotaught, “All priesthood isMelchizedek; but thereare different portions ordegrees of it” (109).

Wy Do e H ve TWO PRIESTHOODS


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A p r i l 2 0 1 4 15

There are basically two kinds ofpriesthood blessings you canask for: (1) healing blessings and(2) blessings of comfort and counsel.

The rst help you overcome illness orinjury. The second can give you direc-tion and spiritual strength.

Many people wonder how often theyshould ask for such blessings.

should not necessarily be a lastresort, but it should also not be theonly thing you do.

Seeking Spiritual StrengthSo, what about blessings of comfort

and counsel? Elder Dallin H. Oaks ofthe Quorum of the Twelve Apostleshas said, “Do not be hesitant to ask

for a priesthood blessing when youare in need of spiritual power.” 2 A priesthood blessing can bea great help. But some Church

members rarely—or never—ask forthem. On the other hand, some may

ask for blessings frequently on evensmall matters, neglecting to put forthany effort to solve the problems them-selves. You should probably seek abalance between these approaches,recognizing that Heavenly Father hasgiven us the priesthood to help usbut remembering that blessings donot replace personal prayer, scripturestudy, and other sources of spiritual

strength and guidance.

Overcoming FearsSome people don’t ask for bless-

ings simply because they don’t know whom to ask or are uncomfort-able about asking. Those without aMelchizedek Priesthood holder inthe home can ask home teachers,other nearby family members, or local

Church leaders for a blessing. Youneed not fear that you’ll be botheringthem. They would be happy to do it.

Just ask them. NE

NOTES 1. See “President Kimball Speaks Out on

Administration to the Sick,” New Era, Oct. 1981, 46–47.

2. Dallin H. Oaks, “Priesthood Blessings,” Ensign, May 1987, 39.

3. Dallin H. Oaks, “Priesthood Blessings,” 36.

W H E N S H O U L D I A S K ?Elder Oaks once suggested some times when wecould ask for priesthood blessings. Consider askingfor a priesthood blessing when you are:

• Making an important decision.• Overcoming a personal challenge.• Starting a new school year.• Going on a long trip. 3

CAN I ASK FOR A

HOW OFTEN

Seeking Physical Healing We have been taught to ask for

healing blessings when we are sick or

injured but not to ask for them toofrequently in dealing with the sameproblem. 1 In each situation where

you seek a blessing, you shouldalso be seeking appropriate medicalcare—and then exercise faith to behealed. Seeking a healing blessing

PRIESTHOOD BLESSING?


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16 N e w E r a

By Bryson Adams

It was a long road to recovery after I wasknocked unconscious on the football eld.But I know a priesthood blessing helped.

November 4, 2011, changed my life.I was a senior in high school and was playing my last regularseason football game. During apunt-return play late in thefourth quarter, I went to tacklea player on the other team and wasknocked unconscious when hisshoulder pad hit my face.

I woke up briey minuteslater only to slip backinto unconsciousnessalmost immediately.It was clear, how-ever, that my

CONSCIOUSCONSCIOUS of My Blessi


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body was paralyzed. As paramedicsprepared to take me to the hospital,my mom wanted to make sure my dadgave me a priesthood blessing. So hefound the dad of another Latter-daySaint player and they gave me a bless-ing in the back of the ambulance.

Later that evening, I regainedconsciousness and slowly began togain feeling in my body. When thathappened, the hospital staff sentme home and told me nothing was

wrong. However, my parents andI felt that there was still a problem,so I went to see a specialist.

After looking at my injuries, the

specialist said, “I don’t know how you walked into my ofce today. Youshouldn’t be able to move or evenbreathe on your own because of thesevere problems in your spinal cord.Someone has been watching over you.”He told me how surprised he was thatI was even alive and that I wasn’t par-alyzed. I knew it was because of thepriesthood blessing, and I was grateful

my dad and my teammate’s father wereboth worthy and prepared to adminis-ter the blessing.

My recovery was still painful. Icontinued to see the specialist andbegan physical therapy. I struggled

with severe pain and fatigue and wasunable to attend school—I couldn’teven sit up by myself for three months.

PRIESTHOOD BLESSAND HEALING

If you’re ill or injured, is receivinga priesthood blessing the onlything you need to do to be healed?Usually not. Elder Dallin H. Oaks ofthe Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

has taught that there are multipleaspects of “healing the sick—bymedical science, by prayers of faith,and by priesthood blessings” (“Healingthe Sick,” Ensign, May 2010, 47).He has also taught, “Of course wedon’t wait until all other methods areexhausted before we pray in faith orgive priesthood blessings for healing.In emergencies, prayers and blessings

come rst. Most often we pursueall efforts simultaneously” (“Healingthe Sick,” 47).

For example, when seeking healingfor a health condition, in addition toreceiving a blessing you can work withmedical professionals and follow theiradvice to aid recovery, pray, fast (ifyour condition allows), and expressyour faith in Jesus Christ through

the power of prayer and the priest-hood. Studying the scriptures canalso help, because as Elder Richard G.Scott of the Quorum of the TwelveApostles has taught, “Pondering . . .scriptures can . . . accelerate physicalhealing” (“The Power of Scripture,”Ensign, Nov. 2011, 6).

The only thing that kept me going was the Spirit. As someone who’d been very social, it was hard to be home bymyself all day while Mom and Dad

were at work. I found comfort throughthe Spirit and through prayer and scrip-ture study. The gospel kept me going.

And I knew the priesthood blessingand the prayers of my friends (bothChurch members and friends of otherfaiths) helped.

After a few months, I felt stronglythat I needed to return to seminary. Andeven though my medication made itextremely hard to get out of bed, I wasdetermined to go. At rst, seminary took

all my energy for the day. But once Istarted going, my recovery time seemedto decrease, and I began to heal morequickly and to feel better. This was amiracle to my family and me.

Two years later, I can now run, jump,and move around with little pain.

I know that Heavenly Father, JesusChrist, and angels were watching overme the night of the accident. I’ve felt

the power of the priesthood so stronglybecause I received a blessing from wor-thy priesthood holders. That, combined

with the pattern of personal prayer,scripture study, and seminary atten-dance I’d established before the acci-dent and have continued after, helpedme through the healing process. NE

Bryson Adams lives in Virginia, USA.

A p r i l 2 0 1 4 17

He told e how ur rised he w s th t I w s eve live.


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18 N e w E r a18 N e w E r a

M E R E L Y M E E T I N G M O R E

B y R ic hard M. Romne y

C hurc h Maga z ines

Ser ving in a

quorum presidency?

Here are some ways

to use presidency

meetings to help

your quorum.

T h


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20 N e w E r a

JUST ASPOWERFUL

“The priesthoodin the boy is justas powerful asthe priesthood

in the man when exercised inrighteousness.”Elder Tad R. Callister of the Presidency ofthe Seventy, “The Power of the Priesthoodin the Boy,” Ensign, May 2013, 52.

Le a r n i n g Y o u r D u t y P r e s i d e nc y me e t i n g s c an al s o b e a t i me

t o e v al u at e and i m p r o v e . “ W e had a s ac r a-

me nt me e t i n g w he r e no t t o o many p e o p l e

s ho w e d u p , and i t w as har d t o k no w ho w t o ad j u s t

w he n w e w e r e p as s i n g t he s ac r ame nt ,” s ay s B r i d g e r O ., t he

d e ac o ns q u o r u m p r e s i d e nt . “ A s a p r e s i d e nc y ,” B r i d g e r e x p l ai ns , w e d e c i d e d

t hat t he d e ac o ns s ho u l d t al k t hat t hr o u g h and b e

p r e p ar e d i f i t e v e r ha p p e ns a g ai n.” T he p r e s i d e nc y

al s o d e c i d e d t o me e t w i t h e ac h ne w d e ac o n as he

c o me s i nt o t he q u o r u m and s ho w hi m ho w t o

p as s t he s ac r ame nt .B y d o i n g s u c h t hi n g s , t he p r e s i d e nc y i s

e nc o u r a g i n g t he d e ac o ns t o f o l l o w ano t he r p r i nc i p l e :

“ L e t e v e r y man l e ar n hi s d u t y , and t o ac t i n t he

o f c e i n w hi c h he i s a p p o i nt e d , i n al l d i l i g e nc e ”

( D & C 10 7 : 9 9 ) . C ame r o n H ., t he t e ac he r s q u o r u m p r e s i d e nt ,

s ay s he l e ar ns a l o t ab o u t hi s d u t y b y g o i n g

ho me t e ac hi n g . I n p r e s i d e nc y me e t i n g s ,

he o f t e n s har e s w hat he has l e ar ne d f r o m

hi s M e l c hi z e d e k P r i e s t ho o d c o m p ani o n.

“ H o me t e ac hi n g i s a r e al l y g o o d e x p e -

r i e nc e ,” C ame r o n s ay s . “ I t he l p s u s t o

e x p e r i e nc e w hat t he p r i e s t ho o d s ho u l d b e d o i n g .”

G i v i ng Se r v ice

P r e s i d e n c y

m e e t i ng s a l w a y s i n

c l u d e

a d i s c u s s i o n o f o p p o r t u n

i t i e s t o p r o -

v i d e s e r v i c e. “ A s w e

p l a n a c t i v i t i e s, w e

l o o k f o r w a y s t o h e l

p a n y o n e w e c a n, ”

s a y s A n d r e w B., t h e

r s t c o u n s e l o r i n

t h e t e a c h e r s q u o r u m

p r e s i d e n c y.

“ W e a l w a y s t r y t o r

e m e m b e r t h a t

h o l d i ng t h e A a r o n i c

P r i e s t h o o d m e a n s

d o i ng m o r e t h a n j u

s t c o m i ng t o c h u r c h

o n S u n d a y, ” s a y s M

a s o n M., t h e t e a c h e

r s

q u o r u m s e c r e t

a r y.

P r e s i d e n c i e s g a t h e r a n d p a s s a l o

ng

i d e a s f r o m q u o r u m

m e m b e r s, w h o

m a y b e a w a r e o f i n d

i v i d u a l s i n t h e

w a r d w h o n e e d s e r v

i c e, a n d a d u l t

l e a d e r s r e m i n d t h e

p r e s i -

d e n c i e s o f s e r v i c e a

c t i v i -

t i e s a l r e a d y p l a n n e d

b y

t h e w a r d o r s t a k e.

20 N e w E r a

I n c r e a s i n g i n W i s d o m a n d S t a t u r e J us t as t he S av i o r d i d w he n

w as y o un g , t he l e ad e r s o f t he d e ac o ns , t e ac he r s , and

p r i e s t s qr ums

i n L and o n’ s w ar d ar e i nc r e i n w i s d o m and s t at ur e ( s e e L uk e

2 :5 2 ) . T he y ar e l e ar ni n g t o b e b e t tl e ad e r s , e x e r c i s e p r i e s t ho o d k e y s ,

d e l e g at e r e s p o ns i b i l i t i e s , b ui l d t e s t i -mo ni e s , s har e t he g o s p e l , and p r e p a

t he ms e l v e s and t he me mb e r s o f t he i rq uo r ums f o r a l i f e t i me o f s e r v i c e .

“ T he y ’ r e p r e p ar i n g no t o nl y f o r t he t e m p l e and

f o r mi s s i o ns ,” B

i s ho p H i l l s ay s , “ b ut t he y ’ r e al s o p r e p ar i n g t o b e r i g ht e o us

f at he r s i n t he i r o w n ho me s s o t he y c an r ai s e u p t he i r o w n c hi l d r e n

i n t he g o s p e l and b r i n g t he m t o C hr i s t .” N E Le a r n a bLe a d e r s hF i n d v i d e o s a n d or e so u r c e s f o r qu o rp r e si d e n c i e s a t l d s . o r g / g o / d u t i e s N E


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A p r i l 2 0 1 4 21

By Alyssa Driscoll

I didn’t haveany experience.

Could Ireally do this?

In October 2011, my bishop heard a talk by Elder David A.Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles about theSpirit of Elijah and the responsibility the youth have toserve through family history. My bishop was inspired bythis talk and decided to have the bishopric youth commit-tee watch it in their meeting. He asked the youth what they

wanted to do to follow Elder Bednar’s instruction, and theytold him they wanted to set up a summer indexing project. Together with the bishop, they set a goal of 50,000 namesand invited my whole ward to help with the project.

I was asked by Brother Watts, a member of our bish-opric, to serve as an indexing specialist. I accepted, but Ihad no idea what indexing was or how to do it. I was veryconfused and just a little bit nervous.

Brother Watts showed me how to use the indexingprogram on FamilySearch.org. He told me that he was

absolutely condent we were going to reach our goal. Eventhough it was my rst ofcial assignment as a young woman,I was determined to learn how to do what I was asked to doby my priesthood leaders, no matter how hard it was.

I soon learned that indexing is part of family history—typing people’s names from records into a database so theirfamily members can nd them. I knew this effort was impor-tant, and so did my whole ward, especially my bishop.

To serve in this project, I showed many different peo-ple how to index and contribute names. By the end of

the summer, the youth alone had nished 25,000 names!Before we knew it, we met our goal 100 percent.

I know that every one of my leaders is called of God toserve and direct the Church, and that when I listen to them,I’m not only doing what they ask me to do but also whatGod asks me to do. When I listen to and follow my leaders,I’m serving too—participating in the work of the priest-hood, the work of salvation. NE

Alyssa Driscoll lives in Arizona, USA.

MY ASSIGNMENT f r o t h e BISHOP


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22 N e w E r a

EFFECTIVE WA Af fect Your QuoruEFFECTIVE WA Af fect Your QuoruEFFECTIVE WA Af fect Your Quoru

Quorum activities such as campouts, dodgeball, capture the ag, or game nights canmake for some really fun times with your friends. But what about for the guys who

don’t come? They need to know that they’re welcomed and wanted. And quorum activi-ties provide a natural way to fellowship them in a setting that’s often more comfortable forthem than coming straight back to a Sunday meeting. Here’s how quorum presidenciesfrom Georgia and Nebraska, USA, have made the most of their activities.

Let quorum members know youcare about them.

“There were two brothers in my quorumwho weren’t coming to activities. I foundout they like soccer, so I took a guy in myward who plays soccer with me to theirhouse. We found some cool ways to relatethe gospel to soccer and made sure they

knew we still cared and that we wantedthem to come back and feel the Spirit.”—Caleb F., Georgia, USA

Serve less-active quorum members.

“I think that if you serve them, they reallyappreciate it. When they see a priesthoodgroup coming to serve them, it shows them

You won’t know how to best help others until you know

what interests them and what they need.

GET TO KNOW YOUR QUORUM MEMB

that we’re all willing to help, and it lets themknow that we’re their friends.”—Louis H., Georgia, USA

Invite quorum members to activi-ties outside of Church or Scoutingactivities.

“I’ve found that activities outside ofChurch activities can also be effective.Hang out with them and let them know thatyou’re their friend. If you’re going out witha group of friends, invite the less-activemembers along. Let them know that you’rethinking of them.” —Cyrus C., Nebraska, USA

Three simple principles can make a major difference in helping others.


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APPLICABLETO ALL

While this articlefocuses on whatyoung men can do tohelp plan activities forless-active quorum

members, the principlesapply to Young Womenclasses as well.

TO SUMMARIZE

You can help createactivities where less-active members of yourgroup will feel welcome

by doing the following:• Make sure everyone

has a genuine friendat the activity.

• Plan activities thatare interesting toquorum members.

• Create a comfortablesetting where quo-rum members can

feel the Spirit.

A p r i l 2 0 1 4 23

PLAN FUN, EXCITING ACTIVITIESOnce you know your quorum members, you can plan more

effective ways to help them through activities.

Plan activities based ontheir interests.

“Find something that the less-active guyslike to do, and then do that for an activity.If they like wrestling, get a group of peopleand go to the gym and have a wrestlingmatch. Just be a good friend. Sooner orlater, you’ll find out what they like to do.”—Shaun E., Nebraska, USA

Focus on friendships, not activities.

“There was a guy in my quorum whowould only come to activities that weremore sports-based. Usually when wefocused on Scouts or spiritual things, hewouldn’t come. But I just focused on being

DON’T FORGET TO INVOLVE THE SPIRITRemember that the Spirit will help everyone

involved get the most out of any activity.

Relate the spiritual thought tothe activity.

“When we were having a sports activity,we had our leader share a spiritual experi-ence that related sports to the gospel. Theguys who are less-active listened and askedquestions, and they came to other activi-ties too.” —Caleb F., Georgia, USA

Start and end activities witha prayer.

“After an activity, get everybodytogether and have a prayer. One time, aguy who was very inactive came to a dart-gun war in the gym. Afterward we askedhim to say the prayer. We helped him

his friend and we became best friends.Now every Wednesday it doesn’t matter

what we’re going to do. My friend is alwaysasking me if I’m going to go, and as long asI’m going, he’s going to be there.”—Chase W., Georgia, USA

Organize a ride to the activity.

“Some guys are less-active and theirparents don’t really support them doingthings with the Church. We play a lot ofFrisbee for activities, and the parents of

some of the guys seem more open to thatthan to them coming to church on Sunday.We just have to organize a ride for them toget there.” —Zach L., Georgia, USA

because he’d never said a prayer before. Itwas awesome! We could all feel the Spiritreally strong.” —Conner B., Nebraska, USAEditor’s note: Not everyone will feel comfortablepraying in front of people, especially if they haven’tbeen to activities in a while; be sensitive to their needsand the promptings of the Spirit. You may want to askthem individually ahead of time in case they wouldn’twant to do it and would feel embarrassed about beingasked in front of the group.

Be an example of choosingthe right.

“When we do Scouting activities, weusually invite two brothers who are less-ac-tive to come with us. We always make sureto keep our standards high and invite themto pray with us.” —Samuel F., Nebraska, USA

Activity IdeasFind lots of ideas for

meaningful activities atlds.org/ go/activitiesNE4.


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When one of your brothers orsisters is lost, what can you do?

24 N e w E r a


27/52

Imagine you’re with a group of youth in a remote wilderness. The forest is thick—easy to lose yourbearings in—and there are hidden dangers allaround. Now imagine that one of the youth has gonemissing and is lost in this wilderness. What wouldhappen next? What would the rest of you do?

That’s easy—every last one of you wouldgo looking for the one who was lost, and the

search wouldn’t end until he or she had beenfound. No other response is imaginable insuch a situation.

Now, imagine that lost young person is afriend living in your ward who, rather thanstraying into a thick forest wilderness, is wan-dering spiritually, living without the benet ofthe gospel and Church of Jesus Christ. How do youand your fellow youth rescue that person?

Opportunities to help someone come unto Christ

are all around you, both in your quorum or class andin your wider circle of friends, family members, andacquaintances. Here are a couple of examples of sim-ple things young people did in order to reach out toothers and help them come a step closer to the Savior.

Saving the One in Samoa As the youth of a branch in Samoa planned a com-

bined Aaronic Priesthood/Young Women activity, they

decided to make a special effort to invite other youth who were not active in the Church or

were not members of the Church to this activity. They would have a brief fun run followed by food

and entertainment, and each young man and young woman was encouraged to bring someone with them.

They referred to the activity as “saving the one.” The day of the activity came, and one byone the youth arrived, accompanied by

less-active and nonmember friends. Beforethe opening exercises began, someonelooked around and asked, “Where’s Alex?”

Alex and his mother had been baptizedsome time before, but they both had not

attended church in quite a while. But all ofthe youth remembered him and started ask-

ing, “Where’s Alex?” They wondered if anyoneknew his address. One of the leaders told them

that Alex lived up the hill not far away. Then the young

men sprang into action. Three priests and one of their leaders ran up the hill

to get Alex. Minutes later, the rest of the assembled youthcould hear sounds of joy and laughter coming down thehill. The priests were returning—with Alex.

As the evening went on, Alex and the others laughedand had fun together, and they also prayed together asthings drew to a close. When they parted, they said theirgood-byes, adding, “Until Sunday.”

A p r i l 2 0 1 4 25

FIND THEM

d BRINGTHEM BACK


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LOOK FOROPPORTUNITIES“Ministering is not just somethingwe do—it deneswho we are.

“Minister everyday. Opportunitiesare all around you.Look for them. Askthe Lord to helpyou recognize them.You will nd thatmost consist ofsmall, sincere actsthat help othersbecome followersof Jesus Christ.”David L. Beck, Young Mengeneral president, “YourSacred Duty to Minister,”Ensign, May 2013, 57.

When Sunday morning came, Alex was atthe leader’s doorstep, ready and excited togo to church. When he arrived at church, he

was greeted warmly by everyone, especiallyhis fellow quorum members, who were veryhappy to see him there. Their seemingly

small and simple efforts to “save the one”had had a great effect on Alex, who thenattended church and was able to feel theSpirit more strongly.

Scouting One Out in NevadaIn Nevada, USA, at a Boy Scout board of

review for an Eagle Scout award, one youngman made quite an impression. It wasn’tbecause of his achievements as a Scout. They

were impressive, of course, but that’s whatthe men on the board of review expect ofsomeone who has come that far in Scouting.No, it was something else that stood out—something that was missing.

One of the reviewers looked at this young man’s record and noticed that there was a three-year gap between his last rankadvancement and his Eagle Scout board of

review. He asked the youngman what had happened.

The young man paused fora moment and then explainedthat shortly after he hadreceived his Life Scout rank,his sister had died. In theirgrief, his family had drifted

away from activity in theChurch, and he had stoppedparticipating in Scouts as well.

Taken off-guard by the young man’s straightforward answer, thereviewer then asked what had changed tomake him so fully active today. The manalmost cried when he heard the response.

“The guys came and got me.” That was all. It was that simple.

The other members of his priests quorumhad started visiting him at home and talkingto him at school, asking him to come backand join with them. The young man said hecould tell that they cared about him, and hefelt good when he was with them.

So he had decided to come back.Sitting in that board of review, this young

man expressed gratitude that his quorumhad not forgotten him and had gone out of

their way to bring him back. They had evenpushed him to complete his Eagle Scout proj-ect. Now he wanted to give back by helpingand serving them too.

This young man was now on the path toreceiving the Melchizedek Priesthood, receiv-ing his temple endowment, and serving afull-time mission.

All because “the guys came and got me.” NE

What Have You Done?What Will You Do?

Share your experiences and plansregarding bringing others to Christ atlds.org/ go/ rescueNE4 .

26 N e w E r a


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H E I S

N O T H E R E

, B Y W A L T E R R A N E

SEEKHIM“Why seek ye the living among the dead?

He is not here, but is risen.”(Luke 24:5–6.)


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28 N e w E r a

AN ENCLOSURE FOR A FLOCKOF SHEEP TEACHES USABOUT THE SAVIOR’S

CARE FOR HISPEOPLE.

ANCIENT SHEEPFOLDWhat it is: A simple pen, a walled enclosure.

Purpose: To protect a ock of sheep against predators and thieves, particularly at night.

Material and construction: Stones, usually, with thorny brush often placed into the top of the walls. Thick thorn bushes were also often used to make a fence for a temporary makeshift sheepfold.Caves sometimes served as a sheepfold, with small rock or brush barriers placed in front of them.

Doorway

Stone walls

Shepherd

Rod

Staff

Sheep

Sling

FOLDSHEPHERD

and

O n

e


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A p r i l 2 0 1 4 29

BIBLE FACTS• Sheep were very valuable

for their meat, milk, fat,wool, skins, and hornsand were a primary sac-ricial animal.

• In Israel, wolves, hyenas,panthers, and jackals areamong predators that wouldtarget sheep. In ancienttimes, lions and bears also

inhabited the region (see1 Samuel 17:33–37).• Shepherds used a staff to

lead the sheep and a rodand a sling to defend them.

• A shepherd led his sheep tofood and water during theday (see Psalm 23:1–2) andback to the fold at night.The shepherd would count

the sheep as they returned,searching for strays if anywere missing. He wouldthen lie in the doorway ofthe fold to protect them.

• Jesus Christ called Himselfthe Good Shepherd (seeJohn 10:11–15) because Helaid down His life for us. Healso compared Himself to

the door of the sheepfold(see John 10:1–9) becauseit is through Him that wereceive spiritual nourish-ment, rest, peace, salvation,and exaltation.

• The Apostle Paul comparedthe Church to a ock ofsheep (see Acts 20:28).

SHEEPFOLDS ARE:Where the ock gathers. As Church members, we share a

bond of unity through our faith and our covenants, as wellas through literally gathering together. President Henry B.Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, has taught:“The joy of unity [Heavenly Father] wants so much to giveus is not solitary. We must seek it and qualify for it withothers. It is not surprising then that God urges us to gatherso that He can bless us. He wants us to gather into families.

He has established classes, wards, and branches and com-manded us to meet together often. In those gatherings, . . . we can pray and work for the unity that will bring us joyand multiply our power to serve” (“Our Hearts Knit as One,”

Ensign, Nov. 2008, 69). A place of safety and rest. In Jesus Christ we “nd rest

unto [our] souls” (Matthew 11:29). His Church is “a defense,and . . . a refuge” (D&C 115:6). And as President Boyd K.Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, hastaught, “We nd safety and security for ourselves and our

children in honoring the covenants we have made and livingup to the ordinary acts of obedience required of the follow-ers of Christ” (“These Things I Know,” Ensign, May 2013, 7).

Guarded by the shepherd. Jesus Christ is the GoodShepherd who saves us. He suffered and died so that wemight overcome sin and death and return to our HeavenlyFather. As we come unto Christ and are obedient to Hiscommandments, He blesses, guides, and protects us bothindividually and as His covenant people.

WHAT WE CAN LEARN

I L L U S T R A T I O N B Y D A V I D H A B B E N

“Other sheep I have,

which are not of

this fold: them also

I must bring, and

they shall hear my

voice; and thereshall be one fold,

and one shepherd.”John 10:16 (see also 3 Nephi 15:14–24; 16:1–3)


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EA S T E R B U N N

Yh a r d l e s s o n s l e a r n e

d a s a s

e c o n

d - ra t e

30 N e w E r a

I thought putting on an Eastercostume would be nothing but fun and games. And then the

egg hunt started.


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A p r i l 2 0 1 4 31

By David DicksonChurch Magazines

I was excited to don the costume ofthe Easter Bunny at my school’sEaster egg hunt. I’d always lovedchildren, so when a volunteer wasneeded to wear the rabbit suit for theevent, I raised my hand. Setting asidefor a moment the idea that a bunnyisn’t the manliest animal costume you

can wear (after all, there’s no suchthing as an Easter Alligator), I knew Icould make the most of it.

And I did.I had dance moves. I had cha-

risma! I passed out high ves by thedozen to the children. Kids of all ages

wanted to take pictures with me whilethey waited for the hunt to start. I

was a rock star.

That all changed about 90 secondsafter the whistle blew to start thecandy grab. What happened next hasbeen seared into my brain ever since.

A tidal wave of older kids sweptacross the grassy hill we’d chosen forthe hunt. The eggs vanished almostinstantly while several dozen youngerkids were left behind with nothing

more to collect than candy wrap-pers, their young faces lled withdisappointment.

I felt awful. Watching the excite-ment fade from their eyes wasenough to make me want to sprintto the store and buy them buckets ofchocolate eggs.

But then it got worse. These younger kids, the very ones who hadbeen high-ving and taking pictures

with the Easter Bunny, all turned tome as if the whole thing had been myfault. I can still hear their voices: “Ididn’t get any caaaaaaandy!”

Never mind I’d been their bestpal only minutes earlier. Somethinghad gone wrong, I was the guy in

the rabbit suit, and that made methe main culprit.

Blame the Bunny

The egg-hunt tradition at myschool improved after that rst year.For one thing, it became better orga-nized so that different hunts wereheld for different age groups. And the

person in the rabbit costume alwayshad a basket of candy to hand out atthe end, just in case. So at least theinaugural hunt proved to be a goodlearning experience.

For me, however, the big take-away that I’ve thought about eversince was realizing how differently

the children viewed me because ofthe uniform (costume) I wore. Nevermind that there were plenty of otherpeople running the event. Fair ornot fair, the blame fell on me in thekids’ eyes because I was dressed asthe Easter Bunny.


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32 N e w E r a

The Uniform

The truth is, just like I wore therabbit costume, we all wear uni-forms—both literally and gura-tively—more often than we mightexpect. We certainly wear a uniformas full-time missionaries—and notmerely in just the name tag andclothes. In Preach My Gospel, mission-aries are given the following counsel:

“You are called to represent JesusChrist in helping people become cleanfrom their sins” ([2004], 2).

Of course, being a full-time mis-sionary isn’t the only time our actionsare watched closely. We wear differentuniforms or identities that we’re rec-ognized for every day: sister, brother,son, daughter, priesthood holder,Church member, neighbor, or friend,

just to name a few.

Everyday Examples

And because of that, as ElderRussell M. Nelson of the Quorum ofthe Twelve Apostles taught, “Whetherfull-time missionaries or members,

we should all be good examples ofthe believers in Jesus Christ” (“Be

Thou an Example of the Believers,”

Ensign, Nov. 2010, 47).Do your friends know you’re a

member of The Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints? If so,chances are good that they watch

you closely. Each day you havean opportunity to inuence suchfriends with your small and simplepositive choices.

That’s why you should, as theSavior taught, “Let your light so shinebefore men, that they may see yourgood works, and glorify your Father

which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Better Than Candy

In the years since the egg hunt,I’ve done my best to live up to what-

ever “uniform” I might be wearingat the time. Sometimes that’s beenan actual uniform, such as at a choirperformance. At other times it’sbeen more gurative, like some-body knowing I’m a member ofthe Church. Either way, I’ve had aresponsibility to live up to the per-son I represent.

“Always remember that people arelooking to you for leadership and youare inuencing the lives of individu-als either for good or for bad, whichinuence will be felt for generationsto come” (President N. Eldon Tanner,First Counselor in the First Presidency[1898–1982], “For They Loved thePraise of Men More Than the Praise of

God,” Ensign, Nov. 1975, 74).So while a basketful of Easter good-

ies—and perhaps a chocolate Easterrabbit now and again—is certainlya treasure worth celebrating, whenit comes to eternal matters, such asthose daily choices that can inuenceothers, it’s worth putting forth your

very best effort every single day. NE


35/52

A p r i l 2 0 1 4 33

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© 2001 by John V. Pearson and Janice Kapp Perry. All rights reserved.This song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use. This notice must be included on each copy made.

.Music by Janice Kapp Perry

Luke 15:11–322 Corinthians 12:7–10

Ether 12:27

Words by John V. PearsonMusic by Janice Kapp Perry

A p r i l 2 0 1 4 33

I M r v e l a t t h e M i r c l e


36/52

34 N e w E r a

By Paul VanDenBergheChurch Magazines

In a world ofsinking standards, you can

rise above the norm and be amoral authority.

Imagine you’re having fun swimming in the ocean. The water seems ne, and you’re a strong enough swim-mer to keep your head above water. Besides, you can

see land nearby. But what if the level of the sea itselfis sinking? No matter how hard you swim you have no

choice but to go down with the level of the water you’rein—even if you’re sitting in a life raft. But if you’re stand-ing on rm ground, you’ll stand tall no matter how lowthe water level goes.

All around us in today’s world, moral standards are fall-ing. Society’s acceptable levels of right and wrong are sink-ing. But you can stand on the solid ground provided by thegospel of Jesus Christ as you develop your moral author-ity—your ability to inuence yourself and others for good.

In the October 2013 general conference, ElderD. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve

Apostles told about a woman he knew from Mexico. Herfaith in God and the way she lived had empowered her

with a natural ability to affect others. He said, “This lovely

woman radiated a moral authority, born of goodness, thatinuenced all around her for good” (“The Moral Force of

Women,” Ensign, Nov. 2013, 29).Elder Christofferson pleaded that you “protect and

cultivate the moral force that is within you” and said that you have a duty to “stand for truth and righteousness”(“Moral Authority,” 31–32).

YOU HAV AUTHOR

THE


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A p r i l 2 0 1 4 35

Young Women Can Help . . .

Yourself

• Take part inPersonal Progress.

• Prepare to becomea wife and motherwho can nurture andteach her children.

• Respect yourself byalways dressing andacting modestly.

• Remember that oth-ers are sons anddaughters of God.

• Keep your mind clean byavoiding pornography.

• Strengthen your spiritu-ality through daily prayerand scripture study.

• Promise yourself tostay sexually pure.

• Think of yourself as adaughter of God.

Yourself

• Take part in Duty to God.

• Begin now preparing toserve a full-time mission.

• Prepare to become a hus-band and father who canpreside over, provide for,and protect your family.

• Respect yourself byalways dressing andacting modestly.

• Remember that oth-ers are daughtersand sons of God.

• Keep your mind clean byavoiding pornography.

• Strengthen your spiritu-ality through daily prayerand scripture study.

• Promise yourself to

stay sexually pure.• Think of yourself

as a son of God.

Young Men Can Help . . .

BECOMING A MORAL AUTHORITY You have the power to be an inuence for good. Your moral authority will come from what

you do and say. Elder Christofferson explained: “Take particular care that your language is clean,not coarse; that your dress reects modesty, not vanity; and that your conduct manifests purity,not promiscuity. You cannot lift others to virtue on the one hand if you are entertaining vice on

the other” (“Moral Authority,” 31).

What can you do to develop and protect moralauthority in yourself and in others?

Others

• Don’t be ashamed tolet those around youknow that you lookforward to becoming ahusband and father.

• Always use languagethat’s clean and uplifting.

• Be an example in theway you treat others.

• Do not tell off-color jokes or stories.

• Support modestyby asking out youngwomen who dressand act modestly.

• Suggest a whole-some movie whenchoosing what towatch with friends.

• Compliment youngwomen on theirmodest clothing.

Others

• Don’t be ashamed tolet those around youknow that you lookforward to becoming awife and mother.

• At school pay moreattention to youngmen who dress andact modestly andwho show respectto young women.

• Listen to upliftingmusic when youare with friends.

• Dress in clothes thatare modest ratherthan clothes thatsimply use your bodyto get attention.

• Compliment otherswhen they dress inmodest clothes. NE


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36 N e w E r a

By David A. EdwardsChurch Magazines

If you’ve ever taken a test with true-or-false questions, you knowit’s sometimes hard to spot a falsehood. Likewise, in the big

questions of faith, belief, and everyday living, while it is extremelyimportant to be able to tell the difference between what’s true and what isn’t, it’s not always easy.

However, we need not fear like unprepared test takers. OurHeavenly Father has blessed us with many gifts to help us recognizeHis truths and the adversary’s lies.

Sometimes knowing truth from error is difcult, but ourHeavenly Father has given us powerful gifts to help usdistinguish between God’s truths and Satan’s lies.

S U N DA Y L

E S S O N S

T h i s M o n t h ’ s T

o p i c :

T h e A p o s t a s

y a n d

t h e R e s t o r a t i o

n

D if f e r e n t K in d s o f F a lse h o o d s

Firs t, to i l l us tra te a poin t, here’s a li t t le tr ue-or- f a lse q u iz f or

yo u :

N e i l A r ms t r o ng , t he A p o l l o 12 as t r o naut w ho w as t he r s t p e r s o n t o w al k o n t he mo o n, s ai d t hat t he e v e nt w as a “ g i ant l e a p f o r mank i nd .”

T he moon is g r een.

T R

U E o r

F A L

S E ?


39/52

A p r i l 2 0 1 4 37

Solar winds, radiation, cosmic rays, and otherobstacles would have made the manned moonlandings impossible, plus the photographs lookedaltered and the eyewitness accounts disagreed onsome details, so the U.S. government must havestaged the whole thing.

S i m

p l e U

n t r u

t h False Idea:

Where It Leads (Big Lie):

T h e T r u t

h :

Pornography is normal and doesn’t hurt anyone.

Go ahead and view pornography.

Pornography distorts our view of sexuality,can be addictive, deeply harms us spiritually,and can destroy relationships.

P a r t

i a l T

r u t h

False Idea:

Where It Leads (Big Lie):

T h e T r u t

h :

Each person is unique and can live as he or she chooses, so how you feelabout and express yourself are the most important things in your life.

You shouldn’t let God or the Church tell you how to live, sogo ahead and do what you want if it makes you feel good.

Each of us is a unique child of Heavenly Father, who wantsus to become our best selves and to become like Him.Obedience to His commandments helps us gain ultimate joy.

T h e N a t i o n a l A e r o n a u

t i c s a n d S p a c e A d m i n

i s t r a t i o n

( N A S A ) p r og r a m c o u

l d n ’ t g o t o M a r s i n 1 9

6 9, s o

t h e y h a d t o g o t o t h e

m o o n.

The answer to each question is False, and these questions representsome basic types of falsehoods you

will likely encounter.Question 1 is a simple untruth, a

blatant error. Question 2 is a partial

truth, which is tricky, since it pairsone or more truths with a falsehood(it was Apollo 11, not Apollo 12—gotcha!). Question 3 contains a falsedichotomy, or a situation where onlytwo options are presented that aren’treally the only options (NASA couldhave chosen not to go anywhere, forinstance). Question 4 is a “logical”argument, which piles on reasonable-

sounding but often faulty evidence inorder to lead to a specic mistakenconclusion.

Modern Lies When it comes to the things that

inuence your thoughts, beliefs,choices, and behaviors—the thingsthat have potentially eternalconsequences—it pays to look outfor different kinds of falsehoods,since Satan, “the father of lies”(2 Nephi 9:9), will use any methodhe can to deceive us. Here are some

examples of how he’s doing it today,as well as examples of how we canrespond with the truth.


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38 N e w E r a

How to Know the TruthSo where does a more complete

view of the truth come from? Howare we able to see through the false-hoods? Here are some of the powerfulgifts Heavenly Father has given us todistinguish truth from error.

• The Light of Christ. “The Light ofChrist . . . prompts all rationalindividuals throughout the earth

to distinguish truth from error,right from wrong. It activates

your conscience.” 1

• The Holy Ghost. “The Spirit oftruth . . . will guide you into alltruth” (John 16:13).

• Scriptures. “God uses scriptureto unmask erroneous thinking,false traditions, and sin withits devastating effects.” 2 The

Book of Mormon is especiallyimportant in this regard, for it“exposes the enemies of Christ.It confounds false doctrines andlays down contention. (See 2 Ne.3:12.)”3

• Modern prophets. “[A prophet’s]responsibility is to make knownGod’s will and true characterto mankind. . . . A prophetdenounces sin and foretells itsconsequences.” 4

• Education. “A saint . . . seekslearning by study, and also byfaith. Education . . . enablesone to discern truth from error,particularly through studying thescriptures. (See D&C 88:118.)”5

JOIN THECONVERSATION

THINGS TO PONDERFOR SUNDAY

• How has Heavenly Fatherhelped you recognize the truth?

• How can you combat error?• How can you encourage others

to nd out the truth?

THINGS YOU MIGHT DO

• In church, share how you cameto believe that the restoredgospel is true.

• On social media or at lds.org/go/truthNE4 , share a truth andhow you know it.

Though it may not always be easyto answer True or False when facingall the different ideas out there, thegifts Heavenly Father has given youcan help you pass the test. NE

NOTES 1. Richard G. Scott, “Peace of Conscien

new era- april 2014.pdf

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