Monthly Message, May 2022
Father’s most important gift to all mankind was to send His Only Begotten Son into this world to live with us mortals. The Son lived a perfect life, not sinning even once, which enabled Him to take upon himself the burden of suffering the penalty due for each and every human sin. And because he had the powers of godhood, he could also make recompense for the damage caused by each human sin. Without the gift of the Son to the world, no human being could be saved from sinning nor exalted. The Son also voluntarily gave up his ability to live forever as a mortal, being the literal son of God the Father. By so doing, Christ gained the keys over death and is able to resurrect every human who comes into this mortal sphere. These two gifts of forgiveness of sins and resurrection are called the Atonement.
Next, we humans are born into this world with a body fashioned in the likeness of those of the gods.
The light of Christ is given to us so that each of us knows the difference between good and evil.
Knowing to separate good from evil, each of us is given agency to choose to follow good or evil.
Every human is given the opportunity to receive the witness of the Holy Ghost that Jesus Christ can save them from selfishness, if that is what they want. Sometimes that witness only comes after mortal death, in the world of spirits. But it comes to everyone before their final judgment.
If we accept the witness of the Holy Ghost that Jesus Christ is our Savior, we are given the privilege to receive the saving power of Jesus Christ by accepting baptism into the Savior’s Church, promising to take His name upon us, to keep all of the commandments He gives us, and to remember Him always.
After our baptism by water, we are commanded to receive the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, but only those who really want the Holy Spirit obey that instruction and receive that gift. Having this gift is the key to having the knowledge and power to bless others.
If we obey and actually receive the Holy Ghost after baptism, we are given at least one of the special gifts of the Spirit and can become heir to as many of those gifts as we are willing to seek and use to bless others.
As we learn from the Holy Spirit how to serve and bless others, our power to bless grows. Young men are given the Aaronic Priesthood to give them special ways to bless others. And those who use the lesser priesthood well are given further the Melchizedek Priesthood with its greater power to bless.
A special part of receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood is to receive the holy endowment in the temple, which is a blessing to know precisely how to love the Lord with all of our heart, might, mind and strength. As our love of God grows, so our power to bless others, as God does, grows.
A further blessing connected with the Melchizedek Priesthood is the privilege of being sealed as husband and wife in the temple. This blessing makes possible a further blessing, that of bearing children sealed to the couple for eternity in the New and Everlasting Covenant.
Callings and other opportunities to serve in the Kingdom of God on earth may come, but none is greater or more important than the blessing to be father and mother and preside over posterity. Each person is given gifts to grow in power and responsibility as he or she serves faithfully.
The ultimate grace (gift) from Christ is to be able to overcome worldliness through faith in Jesus Christ and be given the gift of a pure heart. He or she who gains a pure heart has everything. He or she who lacks the pure heart is still nothing in and of himself or herself. He and she who receives the pure heart will be exalted and will become one with the Father and the Savior. The scriptures call this gift of a pure heart “charity” because those who have it have been given the way to really care about others, to bless others as much as those others are able to stand, even as God does.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8–10)
“For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.” (D&C 88:33)