I want my studies to be more spirit led. Ask questions, write thoughts, make notes in scriptures. 20 minutes of focused seeking.
Today I started with the first words of President Nelson from conference which were in the Priesthood session, which I guess we won't have next conference.
He combined High Priests and Elders into one Elders Quorum. There is now only one Stake High Priests quorum, consisting of High Priests that are currently in Stake level callings, not including secretaries and clerks. Only those callings that require one to be a high priest.
President Nelson said this was to strengthen wards.
Elder Christofferson said this was to follow the Lord's counsel that the leadership through the prayer of faith receive His law that we might know how to be governed. As I started to open the scriptures referenced in Elder Christofferson's talk I realized I hadn't asked any questions of Pres. Nelson's introductory remarks.
Then the question came easily. "WHY?" What was the 'why' that accompanied the announcement? There is no way that Pres. Nelson would make such an announcement without giving some reason and I couldn't fully explain that reason. I could make some guesses but I wanted to see how he worded it and let my understanding be more clear.
So going back to Pres. Nelson's talk I am seeing now that there is more to the 'why' than I realized. I'll make notes on that next as time permits.
First a broad vision for the brethren. In a special conference of the Elders in November of 1831 the instructions of section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants were given. It answers what they were to do with the Book of Commandment revelations. But there are also verses here referenced by President Nelson to elevate our vision of what is expected of us. We are to work towards speaking in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world. And this that we might increase faith in the earth.
The restructuring helps us "to accomplish the work of the Lord more effectively". The adjustment to combine the quorums "will greatly enhance the capacity and the ability of the men who bear the priesthood to serve others. In other words, ministering will work better this way, especially if we implement correctly the program of instruction specified for our quorum meetings. Which was recently changed to focus on conference talks, a quorum council, and subject study of the Elder's Quorum President.
President Nelson concludes by saying that we need to improve the way we care for our members and report our contacts with them. To do that better, we need to strengthen our priesthood quorums to give greater direction to the ministering of love and support that the lord intends for His saints.
I pray for a greater testimony of this change. I believe it started to come long before the announcement. Here are two personal thoughts that lend themselves to my personal testimony of combined quorums, and indirectly to ministering.
1. President Bolen, our EQ Pres. came to me and asked me to take on an assignment to watch over the Ragin family which is a part member family. And they are our neighbors. We already do this. But it makes more sense now with a combined quorum where assignments flow without borders between quorums.
2. A couple of months ago, President Davis was in the hallway and I asked him what he thought about me attending Elder's Quorum instead of High Priests Group. He told me to hold on and that it would get better. That was more inspired probably than he knew then, but my wish came true, not because I was obedient but more because the Lord knew that I was not alone in needing the strength of the combined quorum.
Today I started with the first words of President Nelson from conference which were in the Priesthood session, which I guess we won't have next conference.
He combined High Priests and Elders into one Elders Quorum. There is now only one Stake High Priests quorum, consisting of High Priests that are currently in Stake level callings, not including secretaries and clerks. Only those callings that require one to be a high priest.
President Nelson said this was to strengthen wards.
Elder Christofferson said this was to follow the Lord's counsel that the leadership through the prayer of faith receive His law that we might know how to be governed. As I started to open the scriptures referenced in Elder Christofferson's talk I realized I hadn't asked any questions of Pres. Nelson's introductory remarks.
Then the question came easily. "WHY?" What was the 'why' that accompanied the announcement? There is no way that Pres. Nelson would make such an announcement without giving some reason and I couldn't fully explain that reason. I could make some guesses but I wanted to see how he worded it and let my understanding be more clear.
So going back to Pres. Nelson's talk I am seeing now that there is more to the 'why' than I realized. I'll make notes on that next as time permits.
First a broad vision for the brethren. In a special conference of the Elders in November of 1831 the instructions of section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants were given. It answers what they were to do with the Book of Commandment revelations. But there are also verses here referenced by President Nelson to elevate our vision of what is expected of us. We are to work towards speaking in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world. And this that we might increase faith in the earth.
The restructuring helps us "to accomplish the work of the Lord more effectively". The adjustment to combine the quorums "will greatly enhance the capacity and the ability of the men who bear the priesthood to serve others. In other words, ministering will work better this way, especially if we implement correctly the program of instruction specified for our quorum meetings. Which was recently changed to focus on conference talks, a quorum council, and subject study of the Elder's Quorum President.
President Nelson concludes by saying that we need to improve the way we care for our members and report our contacts with them. To do that better, we need to strengthen our priesthood quorums to give greater direction to the ministering of love and support that the lord intends for His saints.
I pray for a greater testimony of this change. I believe it started to come long before the announcement. Here are two personal thoughts that lend themselves to my personal testimony of combined quorums, and indirectly to ministering.
1. President Bolen, our EQ Pres. came to me and asked me to take on an assignment to watch over the Ragin family which is a part member family. And they are our neighbors. We already do this. But it makes more sense now with a combined quorum where assignments flow without borders between quorums.
2. A couple of months ago, President Davis was in the hallway and I asked him what he thought about me attending Elder's Quorum instead of High Priests Group. He told me to hold on and that it would get better. That was more inspired probably than he knew then, but my wish came true, not because I was obedient but more because the Lord knew that I was not alone in needing the strength of the combined quorum.
