Dedicated A Home And Gave A Young Boy A Priesthood Blessing

One of the families we have been teaching has a little almost 5-year-old boy The boy refuses to sleep in his room because he says a person comes in his room and talks to him. A previous occupant of the home committed suicide and the family believes this is the person that has been talking to the little boy. This precious little boy told his grandmother that the person who talks to him said that he used to live in that house and that he killed himself and the little boy’s room used to be his room.

We shared a little about the priesthood with the family and mentioned that we could use the power of the Priesthood to dedicate the home and to give the little boy a priesthood blessing. This evening when we were over there, the family asked me to utilize the priesthood to offer those two blessings. We dedicated the home and gave the little boy a priesthood blessing.

Whenever I am asked to give a priesthood blessing, I pray that I am worthy and faithful enough to pronounce the will of the Lord in such blessings. Recently I listened to a CD where the speaker said when giving blessings he makes mention of the Savior's worthiness and holiness in pronouncing the blessing. This made sense to me, in so much of life we need the Savior's perfect life to become sanctified and justified. Because of what the Savior did for us, we can be empowered to do things we could not do on our own. In this case, I believe it to be the will of the Lord that this little boy would no longer be bothered by these things.

I know that there is power in the priesthood. Several weeks ago Sister Anderson was complaining about a pain in her back. She had no idea what caused the pain but it was making it difficult for her to function. She asked for a priesthood blessing and almost immediately the pain was gone and she has not been bothered by it since. I am humbled by the Lord's willingness to grant such blessings.

I pray that the outcome for this precious little boy and the home in which he lives will be the same.

Helping Someone Prepare To Receive The Priesthood

One of the members in the branch who was baptized last year will soon be receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood. The branch president asked me to meet with him and teach him about this special gift. In preparing several lessons for him, my appreciation for the priesthood has grown. Here are several quotes from the articles I read:

The Prophet Joseph Smith said that the “Melchizedek Priesthood … is the channel through which all knowledge, doctrine, the plan of salvation and every important matter is revealed from heaven.” 

When a man receives the Melchizedek Priesthood, he enters into the oath and covenant of the priesthood. He covenants to be faithful, magnify his calling, “give diligent heed to the words of eternal life,” and “live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God.” Those who keep this covenant will be sanctified by the Spirit and receive “all that [the] Father hath.” (See D&C 84:33-44.)

In a priesthood blessing a servant of the Lord exercises the priesthood, as moved upon by the Holy Ghost, to call upon the powers of heaven for the benefit of the person being blessed.

It is a very sacred responsibility for a Melchizedek Priesthood holder to speak for the Lord in giving a priesthood blessing. As the Lord has told us in modern revelation, “My word … shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (D&C 1:38).

Be prepared to give priesthood blessings under the influence of the Holy Ghost whenever you are requested in sincerity and faith.

The doctrine of the priesthood is known only by personal revelation. It comes, line upon line and precept upon precept, by the power of the Holy Ghost to those who love and serve God with all their heart, might, mind, and strength. (See D&C 98:12.)

Priesthood is power like none other on earth or in heaven. It is the very power of God himself, the power by which the worlds were made, the power by which all things are regulated, upheld, and preserved.

It is the power of faith, the faith by which the Father creates and governs. God is God because he is the embodiment of all faith and all power and all priesthood. The life he lives is named eternal life.

And the extent to which we become like him is the extent to which we gain his faith, acquire his power, and exercise his priesthood. And when we have become like him in the full and true sense, then we also shall have eternal life.

Truly, there is power in the priesthood—power to do all things!

If the world itself was created by the power of the priesthood, surely that same power can move mountains and control the elements.