The first lesson that President Nelson discussed this last general
conference in his talk about what we have learned from the past couple of
years was this: “The Home Is the Center of Faith and Worship.” He made this statement
about the priesthood in our homes: “It is ‘in the ordinances [of the priesthood
that] the power of godliness is manifest.’ That power is available to you
and your family in your own home as you keep the covenants you
have made.” He was here quoting to the well-known statement in the 84th
section of the Doctrine and Covenants that in the ordinances of the priesthood we
will experience the power of God (v20). I have always considered that scriptural
statement as one referring to the moment of those ordinances. In other
words, as we partake of the Sacrament, or as we are baptized, or as we are
ordained to a Priesthood office, or as we receive our temple endowment—in the act
of participating in the ordinances of the priesthood—we can feel His power be manifest.
I know for me that I found this indeed to be true as I was ordained to the
Melchizedek Priesthood by my father. But President Nelson’s statement suggests
that this “power of godliness” that accompanies the ordinances of the
priesthood can extend past the event associated with the ordinance. Even
in our homes—places typically that these ordinances don’t take place—we can
feel the power of godliness “as [we] keep the covenants [we] have made”
associated with those ordinances. This power is meant to extend into our daily
lives.
So
what is the power of godliness? As I have read this verse in the past I think I
have generally considered it as simply “the power of God.” But that’s not quite
what is stated here—the languags seems to imply a power to help us become godly
or holy; in other words, perhaps the promise the Lord is giving is that as we
participate in the ordinances of the priesthood, He will give us power to
change and become more like Him. So if that power is to extend to our homes, we
must strive to make it a place of holiness and godliness where we are striving
to develop Christlike attributes. This seems to be what President Nelson was
suggesting: “We have learned that one of the holiest of places on earth is the
home—yes, even your home…. Attitudes and actions that invite
the Spirit will increase the holiness of your home. Equally certain is the fact
that holiness will vanish if there is anything in your behavior or environment
that offends the Holy Spirit, for then ‘the heavens withdraw themselves.’… As
faith and holiness decrease in this fallen world, your need for holy places
will increase. I urge you to continue to make your home a truly holy place ‘and be
not moved’ from that essential goal.” So as we strive to keep our
homes filled with virtue and holiness, as we ensure that the activities we participate
in invite the Spirit to be in our homes, and as we shun degrading movies,
music, and media, we can have the “power of godliness” in our homes to lift us
all. Surely part of that effort involves diligently holding those daily activities
of family prayer and family scripture study which encourage us to remember Him.
I know that in our home we can do a better job of consistently doing these together
so that, as President Nelson urged, we can “make [our] home truly a sanctuary
of faith.” He suggested that “there are few pursuits more important than this”
and that our “commitment to make [our] home [our] primary sanctuary of faith
should never end.” I hope that in our home, despite the natural chaos and
stress and business involved in a family with children, we can do just that.
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