Temples
As the new executive secretary I’ve changed a couple things. The most obvious is the Sunday program. The previous secretary kept the same image on the cover, the Mesa Temple. I don’t have a problem with that, but I decided that it was time for a little change. Starting last week I’ve started putting a different temple on the program each week. Last week was Nauvoo, this week is St. George. I realized today that when I was born there were 17 operating temples. In the ENTIRE WORLD. The church was celebrating it’s 150th year when I was born and there were 17 temples. It is hard to believe that there were so few. When I got married, 22 years later, there were 114. 33 temples were dedicated in 2000, nearly twice the number that were in existence after 150 years. — Just a little trivia.
Atonement
This is a wonderful article from Elder Ballard about the Atonement:
Conference Gem
power in the priesthood comes through faithful and obedient living in honoring covenants. It is increased by exercising and using the priesthood in righteousness. – Boyd K. Packer
Favorite Scriptures
(Book of Mormon | Moroni 7:42 – 48)
42 Wherefore, if a man have afaith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.
43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be ameek, and lowly of heart.
44 If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.
45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—
47 But charity is the pure blove of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.
