Priesthood Ordinances (Jared's First Youth Speaker Talk)

Nathan asked Jared to speak in Sacrament Meeting this past Sunday on Priesthood Ordinances.  He wrote the talk mostly by himself and got most of his information from here.  I only switched up the order of some of the paragraphs to help it flow a little better.  He did a great job!

An Ordinance is a sacred, formal act performed by the authority of the priesthood. 

 

In D&C 84:19-21 it says,

 19 And this greater Priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.

 20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.

 21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;

 

Some ordinances we must do are called saving ordinances.  Saving ordinances include baptism, confirmation, ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood (for men), temple endowment, and marriage sealing (in the temple).  When we perform these saving ordinances, we enter into solemn covenants with our Heavenly Father. 

 

In Mosiah 3:17, we read

 17 And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.

 

This means that we can only be saved and have eternal life by relying on Jesus Christ.  As we partake of the sacrament, which represents Christ, we renew our covenants we made when we performed our saving ordinances.

 

There are other ordinances that are not required for our salvation, but they are still helpful to us.  These ordinances include: naming and blessing children, consecrating oil, patriarchal blessings, and administering to the sick and afflicted.  These ordinances provide guidance, strengthen us, and increase our faith.  They also strengthen the person giving the blessing because they have a greater love and understanding of the person they are giving the blessing to.

 

These ordinances are not required for our salvation, but they will help us to keep us on the path back to God.  The ordinances also help us feel comforted and remind us of our duty to God.  The Lord has given us these ordinances to help us return to him and receive eternal life and exaltation.  When we honor these ordinances, God will bless us.  

Doing a saving ordinance requires permission from a priesthood leader who holds the correct keys to do so.  This permission is also required to bless a child, prepare, bless and administer the sacrament, as well as some other ordinances.

 

As a Melchizedek priesthood holder, my dad and other men in the congregation can consecrate oil, administer a blessing to the sick and afflicted, and give father’s blessings.

 

Ordinances are an important part of salvation.  Articles of Faith 3-5 talk about ordinances.

3.       We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

This means that we are saved when we are obedient and perform our required ordinances.

4.      We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

This Article of Faith tells us which ordinances needs to be done first to get us on the gospel path.

5.      We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

This teaches us that in order to perform an ordinance, a man must have priesthood authority to do that ordinance.

When we receive opportunities to participate in priesthood ordinances, do all you can do to prepare for receiving the ordinance.  You can prepare to receive an ordinance by praying, fasting, talking with priesthood leaders, and reading and studying the scriptures. 

 

If you are a priesthood holder, you should also prepare spiritually to perform the ordinance by living a clean, worthy life and strive to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.

 

Bear Testimony