Paying the Price

In the last general conference President Nelson made this prophetic statement: “In a coming day, only those men who have taken their priesthood seriously, by diligently seeking to be taught by the Lord Himself, will be able to bless, guide, protect, strengthen, and heal others.  Only a man who has paid the price for priesthood power will be able to bring miracles to those he loves and keep his marriage and family safe, now and throughout eternity” (see here).  In a talk on nearly the same subject six years earlier, his predecessor President Packer said this to the brethren: “You have the power of the priesthood directly from the Lord to protect your home. There will be times when all that stands as a shield between your family and the adversary’s mischief will be that power. You will receive direction from the Lord by way of the gift of the Holy Ghost” (see here).   Three years ago Elder Hales gave a slightly different prophecy but one which I think has the same implication of the need to develop spiritual power: “In recent decades the Church has largely been spared the terrible misunderstandings and persecutions experienced by the early Saints. It will not always be so.  The world is moving away from the Lord faster and farther than ever before” (see here).  All of these indicate the need for us to be spiritually ready to protect ourselves and our families from the persecution and adversity and temptations that lie in the future.  As we watch what seems to be more and more violence and danger around the world, the only answer to these problems is a spiritual one—we must protect our families through righteousness and Priesthood power.  The prophets are warning us that we must be spiritually prepared for what is to come. 

                As I thought about where we might see examples in the scriptures that relate to these principles, I realized that the Book of Mormon begins with this very theme.  Lehi and his family were in serious danger as the very first chapter of the book describes.  In the immediate future there were those who “sought [Lehi’s] life, that they might take it away,” and surely that meant danger both for Lehi and his family (1 Nephi 1:20).  But Lehi also knew of “the destruction of Jerusalem” that was coming within a few years which likewise had the potential of killing him and his family (1 Nephi 1:18).  He had to do something to save and protect his family, and his solution came as revelation from the Lord.  If he had not listened or not been worthy or not had Priesthood power then he could not have received the revelation to do the most drastic thing he had ever done.  He certainly couldn’t have had the courage to continue their arduous journey if he had not known it was a revelation from God directly for his family to do so.  What is also instructive is that Lehi followed the counsel from the Lord despite the fact that two of his sons were against it—when we receive revelation for our families about things that need to change and some of our children don’t want to follow it, that doesn’t mean that the revelation wasn’t right.  We have to have the faith to follow those promptings even if the way to do so does not seem easy.  The Book of Mormon right up front gives us the example to follow and gives a clear validation of President Nelson’s promise: it is those who have “paid the price” for spiritual power will be able to keep their families spiritually safe in the days as dangerous as Lehi’s that lie ahead.