"Things As They Really Are" - David A. Bednar

In Jacob 2:3 Jacob says, "I this day am weighed down with much... desire and anxiety for the welfare of your souls." Brother Bednar then said, "The message I want to share with you today has over time distilled upon my soul 'as the dews from heaven' (D&C 121:45)." He then stated, “The spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls” (Jacob 4:13, D&C 93:24). From my perspective, Brother Bednar focused on the reality of how life really is and how the world can influence you. The topic I’m going to focus on from his talk is entitled, Our Divine Destiny. I would like to share some quotes from Brother Bednar’s talk that really stuck out to me and that I think are important.

He starts off by talking about how we, as God’s children “obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize our divine destiny as heirs of eternal life.” He said by receiving a physical body we advance closer to “our divine destiny. We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body.” Bednar also spoke about how the devil doesn’t have a body, which is his punishment. Bednar said, “All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not. The devil has no power over us only as we permit him, the moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes power… Lucifer labors to make the sons and daughters of God confused and unhappy and to hinder their eternal progression… One of the potent scriptural meanings of the word damned is illustrated in his inability to continue developing and becoming like our Heavenly Father.” Satan “invites and entices us to share in his misery through the improper use of our bodies.

 “Our spirit and our body are combined in such a way that our body becomes an instrument of our mind and the foundation of our character. Thus, our relationships with other people, our capacity to recognize and act in accordance with truth, and our ability to obey the principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ are amplified through our physical bodies. Just as water flowing in a riverbed is stopped by a dam, so the adversary’s eternal progress is thwarted because he (Satan) does not have a physical body.”

“Apostles and prophets consistently have taught the mortal and eternal importance of our bodies.” Our bodies are temples of God. “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” – 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. In D&C 88:15, it says that “the spirit and the body are the soul of man.”  Bednar says, “When a body and spirit are inseparably connected, we can receive a fullness of joy.”

My Lesson I Taught In Relief Society = Millennium & The Final Judgment

Heavenly Fathers eternal plan, progressing toward perfection, what we need to do in this life to prepare for the millennium, and what eternal life will consist after this life. I taught a lesson in Relief Society on the Millennium and the Final Judgment. I feel that there are many particular principles in the proclamation that pertain to our preparation for the Millennium and the Final Judgment.      

In reality, every day is a day of judgment. What must we do to be ready for the Final Judgment? – repent! Seek to know His will and fulfill the calling that He has laid out for you! We speak, think, and act according to celestial, terrestrial or telestial law. Our faith in Jesus Christ, as shown by our daily actions, determines which kingdom we will inherit. We have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness. The gospel is the law of the celestial kingdom. All the priesthood ordinances necessary for our progression have been revealed. We have entered the waters of baptism and have made a covenant to live Christlike lives. If we are faithful and keep the covenants we have made, the Lord has told us what our judgment will be. He will say unto us, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”.  All of these principles mentioned in the proclamation help prepare us for the millennium and lead us to eternal life. 

Talk/Lesson:

    Millennium

Alright, so how would you guys like to live during a time of complete peace, love, joy, along with no temptation, or pain…? I think that’d be pretty awesome don’t you, life would be good. ;) Today’s first topic of discussion is the  Millennium = which is when a thousand years of peace, love, and joy will begin on the earth at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ

Who will be on earth during the Millennium?

Because of the destruction of the wicked at the Saviors Second Coming, only righteous people will live on the earth at the beginning of the Millennium. They will be those who have lived virtuous and honest lives and these people will inherit either the terrestrial or celestial kingdom.  

During the Millennium, mortals will still live on earth, and they will continue to have children as we do now. In D&C 45:58 it says… And the ^aearth shall be given unto them for an ^binheritance; and they shall ^cmultiply and wax strong, and their ^dchildren shall ^egrow up without ^fsin unto ^gsalvation.

 Joseph Smith said that immortal beings will frequently visit the earth. These resurrected beings will help with the government and other work taking place during these 1000 years.

In the Book of Revelation, the idea of a millennium is stated… it says … “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. So satan will be gone for 1000 years, in no way will he or his followers be able to temp or lead people astray.

Also during the Millennium, People will still have their agency, and for a time many will be free to continue with their religions and ideas. From an article out of a magazine called The Exponent, a young lady stated that “Brigham Young went so far as to assert a belief that in the Millennium people would “have the privilege of being Presbyterians, Methodists or Infidels, but they will not have the privilege of treating the name and character of Deity as they have done hitherto.” But eventually everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is the Savior.

During the Millennium, Jesus will “reign personally upon the earth” Joseph Smith explained that Jesus will “reign over the Saints and come down and instruct”.

In D&C it says… For the hour is nigh, and that which was spoken by mine apostles must be fulfilled; for as they spoke so shall it come to pass; for I will reveal myself from heaven with power and great glory, with all the hosts thereof, and dwell in righteousness with men on earth a thousand years, and the wicked shall not stand. And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, and it hath gone forth in a firm decree, by the will of the Father, that mine apostles, the Twelve which were with me in my ministry at Jerusalem, shall stand at my right hand at the day of my coming in a pillar of fire, being clothed with robes of righteousness, with crowns upon their heads, in glory even as I am, to judge the whole house of Israel, even as many as have loved me and kept my commandments, and none else. For a trump shall sound both long and loud, even as upon Mount Sinai, and all the earth shall quake, and they shall come forth—yea, even the dead which died in me, to receive a crown of righteousness, and to be clothed upon, even as I am, to be with me, that we may be one. . . . And again, verily, verily, I say unto you that when the thousand years are ended, and men again begin to deny their God, then will I spare the earth but for a little season; and the end shall come, and the heaven and the earth shall be consumed and pass away, and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth. — D&C 29:8-13, 22-23

There are 2 great works that will be done during the Millennium… anybody know what they might be?

Temple Work and Missionary Work!!

Another relief society teacher once said, “One thing I have always really loved about LDS theology is its foundational belief in eternal progression. We are a church that believes in second chances, in redemption, in the atonement, in forgiveness. Institutionally we are designed not just to teach this to each other, but to actively participate in offering these gifts to each other.”

So the first great work is Temple work… this involves the ordinances that are necessary for exaltation.  These include baptism, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the temple ordinances: the endowment, temple marriage, and the sealing together of family units. “The Millennial focus on seeing the whole human family restored is one of the most beautiful aspects of this doctrine.” Many people have died without receiving these ordinances. Therefore People on the earth must perform these ordinances for them. From the same relief society teacher I quoted earlier, she says… “I do love the teaching that all things will be revealed during the Millennium and how we can consider these thousand years of peace devoid of temptation and sin as a period of potentially accelerated learning and progression for the whole human family.”

There is too much work to finish during before the Millennium begins, so it will be completed during that time. “When the early saints were first making their way to Zion, they did so with the belief that Jesus needed them to prepare a place for Him to return. There was a sense that Jesus could not come without a righteous society already in place.” Resurrected beings will help us correct the mistakes we have made in doing research concerning our dead ancestors. They will also help us find the information we need to complete our records.

The other great work during the Millennium will be missionary work. “…we must not only leave the ninety-nine in search of the one, but must leave the billions in search of the one.” The gospel will be taught with great power to all people. Eventually there will be no need to teach others the first principles of the gospel because “they shall all know me, from the last of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord”… and I think that is just so cool, that someday, every single person every born will know of the true and restored gospel

Ask? = How can we prepare now for work in the Millennium? …  and actually I have a really cool missionary experience that I wanted to share with you guys… Olivia and Paul Story

It what ways will life during the Millennium be different from life on the earth now?

From Manual –First, Satan will be bound pg.265 … …

Two of the millennial preconditions especially important to Latter-day Saints appear, among other places in the scriptures, in section 49: “But before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose. Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled together unto the place which I have appointed.” (D&C 49:24–25.) The early Saints recognized the significance of a modern gathering of Israel and the role the Lamanites were to play in establishing the New Jerusalem.

Mentioned in the tenth Article of Faith, the teaching of “the literal gathering of Israel” gave Latter-day Saints a personal role to play in preparing for the Millennium. A warning voice would sound in every nation, and missionaries of the Church would be those watchmen.

Glen M. Leonard stated… “For Latter-day Saints in the twentieth century, the advice is still applicable. While continuing to watch for signs of the times and while remaining aware of some of the places that will play special roles in the last days, the Church has concentrated its efforts on preparing a righteous people for the Second Coming. Church members are wise to avoid entanglement in the unknowns of time and place; there is much to do before the Bridegroom comes.

Fulfilling the Proclamation =

Living now, with the hour of the Lord’s return that much closer, we might ask ourselves: Have we any less an obligation than our predecessors to assist in the Lord’s “marvelous work” of carrying the gospel to the world? Can we ignore the parallel responsibility of offering proxy saving ordinances under the authority restored by Elijah’s Kirtland Temple visit? Can the work of fulfilling the promises to the Lamanites succeed without our united effort? Can we afford to shun the call to gather ourselves, our thoughts, actions, and families out of spiritual Babylon, to establish stakes of Zion around the world?

Those who pioneered seemed to understand clearly those obligations required of this last generation of covenant people. With zeal, they implemented the instructions that were given to them and to us. They devoted their minds and their might to the work. Yes, they watched for the promised signs, anticipated tribulations, experienced revelations, and looked forward optimistically and with faith to the reign of righteousness. But their experiences have taught us the importance of personal righteousness. In terms of what we may need to know, the day and the hour are less important than the state of the inner soul. And as President Spencer W. Kimball said recently: “We can bring the gospel with its healing balm and its powerful programs to countless numbers, not only to introduce the gospel to them but to show them in our communities how we live and how they can live and better their lives.” (“The Uttermost Parts of the Earth,” Ensign, July 1979, p. 2.)

Lastly, what will be the final destiny of the earth? ... At the end of the 1000 years, satan will be set free for a short time. Some ppl will turn away from HF. Satan will father his armies, and Michael (Adam) will father the hosts of heaven. In this great struggle, Satan and his followers will be cast our forever and the earth will be changed into a celestial kingdom.

Millennial expectations have given the Church optimism and courage, and a sense of being urgently about the Lord’s work. Even though we have other reasons for preaching the gospel, building temples, storing our year’s food supply, and sponsoring Lamanite educational programs—in short, for keeping the commandments—it is also true that all of these religious activities carry millennial overtones. As we engage in the work announced to the Prophet Joseph Smith by heavenly messengers, we identify ourselves as the Lord’s Saints of the latter days.”

    The Final Judgment

Alright, so after the Millennium comes the Final Judgment.

Judgment is a part of a life. We’re judged by the teachers who grade us, by the employers who hire and evaluate us, by the prospective spouses we date and the spouses we marry, by our parents and children and friends and neighbors—and our bishops and stake presidents. All of us pass judgment, and all of us undergo judgment.

What are some of the ways we evaluate and judge each other (list their answers on the board) Some possibilities:

Appearance
Age
Clothing
Hairstyle
Weight
Income
Level of education
Occupation
Race
Class
Politics
Religion
Accent
Country or region of origin
Marital status
Number of children
Appearance of children
Public or private behavior of children
Cleanliness of house
Employment outside the home
Level of activity in the church
Temple recommend
Word of Wisdom observance
Status of church calling

In 1 Samuel 16:7: “… Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” All that finally matters to God is who we are.

#3 reader = D&C 137:9 = ”For I, the Lord, will judge all men according, to their works, according to the desire of their hearts”

Imagine being judged for all your thoughts, words, and actions.

Manual - - - #1 reader = Revelation 20:12 = ” And I saw the ^adead, small and great, ^bstand before God; and the ^cbooks were opened: and another book was opened, which is the ^dbook of life: and the dead were ^ejudged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their ^fworks.”

Here on earth we are often judged as to our worthiness to receive opportunities within the kingdom of God. When we are baptized we are judged worthy to receive this ordinance. When we are called to serve in the Church or interviewed for a temple recommend, we are judged.

Manual - - - #2 reader = Matthew 12:36-37 = “But I say unto you, That every ^aidle ^bword that men shall ^cspeak, they shall give ^daccount thereof in the day of ^ejudgment.  For by thy ^awords thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

Faith in Jesus Christ helps us be prepared for the Final Judgment. Through faithful discipleship to Him and repentance of all our sins, we can be forgiven for our sins and become pure and holy so that we can dwell in the presence of God. As we repent of our sins, giving up every impure thought and act, the Holy Ghost will change our hearts so we no longer have even the desire to sin. Then when we are judged, we will be found ready to enter into God’s presence.

What can we do to improve our thoughts, words, and actions?

·         Clean media – music, movies,

·         Surround ourselves with good people, people who have high standards and enjoy following the commandments and principles of the gospel

·         When talking with friends, talk about subjects that uplift you and bring you joy, avoid gossiping whenever possible

·         Make wise decisions, don’t just do something because everyone else is…make the right choice/choose the right

The prophet Joseph Smith said that the dead will be judged out of records kept on earth. We will also be judged out of the ”book of life” which is kept in heaven. According to the vision of John, “The books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. The books spoken of refer to the records of our works which are kept on the earth… the book life is the record which is kept in heaven. Manual…pg271*

Every one of us must stand before the judgment seat of the holy on of Israel and then must be judged according to the holy judgment of God. The apostle John taught that the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. The Son, in turn will call upon others to assist in the judgment. The 12 who were with Him in His ministry will judge the 12 tribes of Israel. The 12 nephite disciples will judge the nephite and lamanite people.

Manual - Inheriting a Place in a Kingdom of Glory

What must we do to be ready for the Final Judgment? – repent! Seek to know His will and fulfill the calling that He has laid out for you!

In reality, every day is a day of judgment. We speak, think, and act according to celestial, terrestrial or telestial law. Our faith in Jesus Christ, as shown by our daily actions, determines which kingdom we will inherit. We have the restored gospel of JC in its fullness. The gospel is the law of the celestial kingdom. All the priesthood ordinances necessary for our progression have been revealed. We have entered the waters of baptism and have made a covenant to live Christlike lives. If we are faithful and keep the covenants we have made, the Lord has told us what our judgment will be. He will say unto us, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”.

I hope we will all strive to do our best and fulfill our callings that the Lord has put in place for us. Read your patriarchal blessings and remember the things which the Lord has told you and blessed you with. Thank Him for everything He has done in your life and work hard to serve Him with all your might, mind, and strength. Put yourself into the Lord’s hands, turn your life over to the Lord, and He will make known unto you what He wants you to do. The Lord is here for us, he wants to help us, He wants us to return to Him… He can’t wait to welcome us home. Can you just imagine seeing the Lord standing there in Heaven, welcoming you home with His arms wide open, waiting to embrace you and your righteousness with His love and compassion He has for us. If you are ever having a hard time with something in your life and you have done something wrong, go to our Lord and Savior, pray to Him, repent and ask for forgiveness, so that you CAN be a part of this great journey back home to His loving arms. I pray that we will all work hard throughout the rest of our to repent of the things that need fixing so we will all faithfully be able to return to our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ with confidence and honor when our time comes. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen. <3 :D :D :D

Personal Results: Giving this lesson really helped me realize how important our duty is to the proclamation. We are here on this earth to fulfill the calling the Lord has given us. Our main goals are to go through this life living righteously, keeping the commandments, preparing for the millennium and readying ourselves for life after death. The proclamation is our guide to a happy, righteous eternal life. If we follow the direction we are given in faith, we will not fail. Faith in Jesus Christ helps us be prepared for the Final Judgment. Through faithful discipleship to Him and repentance of all our sins, we can be forgiven of our sins and become pure and holy so that we can dwell in the presence of God. As we repent of our sins, giving up every impure thought and action, the Holy Ghost will change our hearts so we no longer have the desire to sin. Then when we are judged, we will be found ready to enter into God’s presence. Through preparing and teaching this lesson, I learned so much about how important this earthly life is and that everything we do is of importance. My testimony was strengthened so much because of the guidance I received from studying the proclamation.  The proclamation tells us what to do to prepare for our future and how to fulfill the divine plan of happiness. By teaching this lesson, I was able to connect with my audience and get their insights on certain topics. By getting their feedback, I myself learned from them and their experiences.  This experience definitely made me realize how important this life really is, and that it’s not just a time to simply dwell, we have a duty to fulfill!

this is seriously the exact story of my life

Overcoming Trials Through The Lord

When I was in seventh grade, I was diagnosed with Acute Ulcerative Colitis. I was on medication steroids and went through multiple treatments to figure out if there was a cure for AUC without making any drastic changes to my body. After two years of tests and procedures, I had to choose what my last resort would be. I had a hard decision to make. One: Risk my body and carryout the surgery, lose my large intestine and have un-namable complications throughout my life. Or two:  just stay as I was, say no to the surgery and take medication steroids for the rest of my life; which would slowly destroy my body. After consulting my doctors and surgeons, asking their opinions, and talking things through with my family, I made the decision to have my large intestine removed.  About a month later I was in Rochester, Minnesota. I was admitted to the hospital and began my week-long surgery prep. The day of my surgery was nearing and I was nervous and scared for my life. I had never gone through anything like this before, I thought to myself. Would everything turn out ok? How much pain would I be in? How long will take for me to recover? Will there be any complications after it’s done? What if the surgeon runs into a problem? Ahh!! Ever since I had decided to go through with the surgery, every night in my prayers I would ask Heavenly Father to make my pain minimal and that when I awoke out of surgery, I would feel alright. I knew that this was a bit of an oversight and that it’s nearly impossible not to have any pain after such an extensive surgery, but I had faith. The night before my surgery, my family said their goodbyes and headed back to the hotel. My dad stayed the night with me and gave me a blessing before I went to bed. I don’t think I can ever remember a time in my life where I was so exceedingly thankful for the priesthood and the blessing it had been to me. The spirit was so strong in the hospital room, that I knew everything was going to be ok. Soon enough it was 4:00am and the nurse came in to get me up and give me my last dose of medications. My mom arrived and we headed to the check in room, where my parents had to say their goodbyes. Tears were streaming down our faces, even the nurse’s. My parents kissed me goodbye and told me everything was going to be fine. I arrived in the OR and talked with my surgeon, he was reassuring me that everything would go well. There were so many people doing so many things around me, it made me dizzy, or maybe that was just the medication they were pumping into me. The last thing I remember was the nurse wiping tears off my cheeks, and I was gone. Eleven hours later, I was taken back to my room and about 2 days after that I awoke. There were so many tubes and IVs sticking out of me, that I was frightened.  I had a button taped to my palm that gave me morphine every fifteen minutes, or whenever I needed it.  When I came to, I realized that I didn’t have any pain. I don’t know if that was because of all the medication that the doctors were giving me or if it was the power of the priesthood. Either way, I knew that the Lord was watching over me through the whole eleven hours and I knew he was trying to make me as comfortable as he could.

By going through this surgery, amongst others, I grew stronger mentally and spiritually. I was no longer afraid to encounter other surgeries or procedures that came into my future. I trusted my doctors and the Lord. My faith and testimony were strengthened so much because of the comfort I felt from the Holy Spirit. Because of the power of the priesthood, my pain was lessoned and my relationship with my Dad, Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ grew. I overcame a fear that I feared for almost two years. Who knew I’d be able to make it through this surgery, I was so proud of myself. I’m glad that I carried through with the decision of having my intestine removed. This experience made me stronger and helped me realize that I can make it through any struggles I may face in life. When the Lord gives us obstacles, he never makes them too big or too small, he makes them just right. He knows that we will be able to overcome anything he throws at us if we just have faith.

President Eyring listed 5 characteristics that great learners have obtained

1.      Welcoming Correction. “The desire to receive wise correction is a hallmark of a learner and of a community of learners”… it “comes naturally to a Latter-day Saint who knows and values what it means to be a child of God”, Eyring stated. Eyring also said… “We know he has placed servants to offer us both his covenants and his correction. We see the giving and the taking of correction as priceless and sacred”.

2.      Keeping Commitments. Eyring says, “Any community functions better when people in it keep their promises to live up to its accepted standards…And what all great learners have is a deep appreciation for finding better rules and a commitment to keeping them. That is why great learners are careful about what commitments they make and then keeping them. The Latter-day Saints who see themselves in all they do as children of God take naturally to making and keeping commitments. The plan of salvation is marked by covenants. We promise to obey commandments. In return, God promises blessings in this life and for eternity. He is exact in what he requires, and he is perfect in keeping his word… When we try with all our hearts to meet his standards, he gives us the companionship of the Holy Ghost. That in turn both increases our power to keep commitments and to discern what is good and true”.

3.      Hard Working. Eyring said, “When people quit working they quit learning… You will notice that the learners who can sustain that power to work hard over a lifetime generally don’t do it for grades or to make tenure in a university or for prizes in the world… For the child of God who has enough faith in the plan of salvation to treat it as reality, hard work is the only reasonable option”. He then stated, “God our Father has offered us everything he has and asks only that we give him all we have to give. That is an exchange so imbalanced in our favor that no effort would be too much and no hours too long in service to him, to the Savior, and to our Father’s children. Hard work is the natural result of simply knowing and believing what it means to be a child of God”.

4.      Helping Other People. “Those who can’t suffer fools gladly become more foolish themselves… Those who learn best seem to see that everyone they meet knows something they don’t and may have a capacity they don’t have”, Eyring wrote. He then said, “Every person they will ever meet is a child of God… Every person they meet, whatever their condition in this life, has been redeemed by the loving sacrifice of the Savior of the world… Sometimes the greatest kindness we could receive would be to have someone expect more from us than we do, because they see more clearly our divine heritage”.

5.      Accepting Resistance and Overcoming It. Eyring said, “Failure was an application of the rule of learning, not an exception to it… the great learner expects difficulty as part of learning and is determined to work through it…the greater the test, the greater the compliment from a loving Heavenly Father”

Lastly Eyring wrote, “The way to grow in the faith that we are the children of our Heavenly Father is to act like it. The time to start is now. Keeping commandments increases the power to keep other commandments. If we act upon that plan as we should, it will allow us to claim eternal life, which is our inheritance”.

Quote

Henry B. Eyring said, “You are to pursue educational excellence while avoiding pride, the great spiritual destroyer”.  Every day we can protect ourselves against the pride that may set into our lives by remembering God and what our purpose here on earth is. We are all children of God and those who were baptized covenanted to remember their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through everything they do. Eyring stated, “Because of what has been revealed to us about the plan of salvation, remembering Him can produce the humility that will be our protection. And then, as we will see later, that same choice to remember Him will in time produce in us greater power to learn both what we need to know for living in this world and in the life to come”.