The Quorum of the Seventy

The Quorum of the Seventy

Luke 10:20… Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven

The Quorum of the seventy was ordained in the time of Christ. In Luke Chapter 10 it tells all about what he instructed them to do and the power that was given unto them.

In Verse 3 it makes it clear that their calling won’t be easy. It reads: Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

But Christ says in verse 19 Behold, I give into you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Wouldn’t that be fantastic? Nothing shall be any means hurt you.

The Seventy are called to preach the gospel and be special witnesses of Jesus Christ: D&C 107:25–26

 The Seventy act in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Twelve, building up the Church and regulating all the affairs of the same in all nations: D&C 107:34

In the LDS church we have the Quorum of the Seventy as it was in the time of Jesus Christ. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have built our church based on the same church Christ directed while living on earth as a mortal man but still the Son of God.

Sorry this post is short but Its Halloween and i got a 7 year-old sister begging me to take her to the corn maze! Have an awesome day everyone!

How can we know Christ is the Son of God?

How can we know Christ is the Son of God?

John 7:10-17

                There are different reactions of the people today and when Christ walked the earth. In the Bible it says that many people knew he was a good man and others said he was a liar, a deceiver, about being the Son of God.

                People are still having these same thoughts. There are those of us who believe and love him and then there are people who think he was a mere man, a good one, but not the Son of God. Some probably don’t believe in his existence at all.

                IN the passage of the bible the Jews as Jesus how can he know their letters, when he’s never learned them? He shouldn’t know them.

                Jesus replies, “My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether be of God or whether I speak of myself.”

D&C 93:17 And he received all power, both in heaven and on earth and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him.

                We know from the scriptures that while Christ was on earth a lot of people denied he was the son of God.  And even now people deny Christ as what he is. They ask, “How do we know that he told the truth? How do we know that your profession of being the Son of God is true?”

                His reply is a simple one.” If any man do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself.” John 7:17

                “That test is most sound. It is most philosophical. It is the most simple test to give knowledge to an individual of which the human mind can conceive. Doing a thing, introducing it into your very being, will convince you whether it is good or whether it is bad. You may not be able to convince me of that which you know, but you know it because you have lived it. That is the test that the Savior gave to those men when they asked him how they should know whether the doctrine was of God or whether it was of man.” (David O. McKay)

                I wasn’t always the most upstanding Mormon out there.  When I was about 22 I started to hang around friends who liked to drink and after awhile I picked up on the habit. Looking back I can see how lost I was. I didn’t know what I wanted, or where I stood with Christ. The change happened slowly, I decided I was never going to drink again, and if you know me, when I make up my mind about something then that’s it. So I stopped that day and haven’t had a drink since. That’s been probably about four years ago. I can honestly say it was a dark two years of my life. After that I went back to the church I’d been raised in the road led me to getting married in the temple and attending BYUI.

                I’ve been blessed so much since making the choice to follow Christ again, and I see the happiness in myself more than ever. I’m enjoying school, and learning more deeply about Jesus Christ and God. My patriarchal blessing says that as I live the Gospel I will start to see Jesus and God’s daily watchfulness over me. And I do. More and more every day I see it! The blessing of the temple alone is one of the most amazing things next to the atonement and that fact that I NEVER wanted to go to college and I actually like it now is because I’ve been led there. My future is bright as it’s ever been. My husband it the best man I could ever ask for and I thank God every day for him.

                If you’re lost and don’t know what you want in life, give Christ a chance. I promise you won’t regret it.

Christ Walks on Water

~ Christ Walks on Water ~

         

   This is just one of the many miracles Christ performs in his life and maybe one of the most astonishing. I know, I know, “he healed sick people,” you say, “made the blind see.” As amazing as that is, I’ve seen that miracle happen with prayer, doctors, and the power of God before. Maybe not quite so instant or always, as it was with Christ, but miracles do happen through his power today. But have you ever seen anyone walk on water? Have you ever really thought about what a feat this is? Unless it’s frozen solid, not one of us, other than Christ (and Peter but we'll talk about that in a minute), has ever been able to accomplish it.

Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them walking on the sea.

            In this passage Christ’s apostles are in a storm, on a ship somewhere in the sea. At first, seeing him walking on water, the apostles are afraid, they think it’s a spirit, but of course Jesus calms them and says, “Be not afraid.” (Matthew 14:27)

            The apostle Peter, and some of the others, seem to be guarded when it comes to Jesus I’ve noticed. Not of Christ himself, but I think that maybe they are afraid of being tricked, by perhaps, the devil. Peter asks Christ to prove himself by saying, “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.”( Matthew 14:28)

            Christ I’m sure smiled to himself, and told Peter to come to him. Peter, taking a leap of faith (literally), walked out on to the water. But that faith wavered and he started to fear that he would sink. Questioning what was happening, he did sink, and cried out, “Lord, save me!” (14:30)

            Christ, with immediate response took him by the hand, holding him up and said, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”(14:31) in other words, “why did you doubt me?”

            With this miracle performed the apostles worship him by saying, “Of a truth thou art the Son of God.”

It reads in Doctrine and Covenants 88:67 and if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.

            How can this scriptures apply to the story of Peter? We know that while he was in full faith, believing in Christ and his power he was able to walk on water, he was filled with Christ’s light, his power. He was able to comprehend walking on water. But doubt is what made him fail, it's what makes us all fail.

            We may not be able to walk on water but with faith in Christ we can achieve many great things. When you are filled with the light of Christ darkness won’t exist within us. Light destroys darkness, if you want an analogy, step outside in a sunny, summer day, its not dark. Christ’s glory is compared to the brightness of the sun, only better!  There are always the shadows, hiding, waiting to come out, but with the power of Christ we can chase those shadows away. If you believe it is possible it will be. The mind is powerful; it can make or break us. Decide who you want to be and don’t let anything bring you down.

            When my grandparents joined the church many years ago and it came out that smoking was bad for your health (people didn’t really know that back then, it’s just what everyone did) they had to quit. If you’ve ever talked to someone about how hard this is, they say it’s almost impossible, right. People try for years and sometimes the addiction wins. But my grandpa, Papa, we called him, was strong-minded, strong-willed, and physically, he was a mountain of a man. He quit, in one day, never picked up a cigarette again. He just decided he wasn’t going to do it ever again and he didn’t. That’s the power of the mind. I know that within us we can all have this magnitude of will-power; sometimes it just takes a little faith, and prayer. Be strong.

           

 

Treasure of the Gospel

Matthew 13: 44  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

What sacrifices have you or anyone you know, made for the treasure of the gospel?

       This story is more extreme than most, but it’s one I heard about a fellow student at BYUI. He is from another country, somewhere in Asia. He decided to join the LDS church because he knew it was right, but for him the earthly price was costly. In his country going against your family and becoming Christian is a literal death sentence. He is never allowed to go home again; his family wants nothing to do with him. More than that, his father says if he ever returns his mother will have to die also because of the shame they feel. He gave up everything he knew for the truth, the treasure that is Jesus Christ. TALK ABOUT SACRIFICING!

Matthew 13:47  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and  sever the wicked from among the just.

What does it mean to be gathered by the net? What about the casting away the bad?

My thoughts: When a net is tossed into the ocean, many fish swim into it. When it is brought in for the test not all of the fish will pass. We can apply this to the people of the earth hearing of the gospel and being tested in our lives. Not all of us will pass, when his children choose not obey Him they must suffer the consequences, and this leaves the Lord no choice but to push out the bad. Only through Christ can we be forgiven which leads me to the next scripture.

Jesus says in Luke 7:41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty 42: and when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most

and he (Christ) said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged 

        The woman, whom is the reason for this scripture, is seen as a sinner and not worthy to be there, Christ loves her. Most importantly she is sorry for what she has done. She washes his feet with her tears and hair. She kisses his feet and anoints them with oil. She wants to be forgiven and shows it.

Luke 7:50 and he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

        We should not judge others by what they have done, no matter how bad we think it is because if they have faith they will be forgiven. Those that are in need of much forgiveness will love Christ all the more because of how much they are being forgiven of. We should keep this in mind for those we think have made big mistakes and even for ourselves. None of us is perfect, we are all in need of forgiveness,and we should be thankful to Christ for being so kind and loving as to forgive our weaknesses.