Discussion: President Emily Belle Freeman - “Live Up to Your Privileges”
Topic for Discussion: President Emily Belle Freeman - “Live Up to Your Privileges”
Discussion Notes:
When listening to President Freeman’s conference talk, I knew this had to be studied—it was so powerful, including the footnotes.
Ministering of angels - what does that look like? “Partaking of the sacrament would increase my companionship with the Spirit of the Lord, allowing me to draw upon the gift of God’s power, including the ministering of angels and the Savior’s enabling strength to overcome.”
Our covenants are our privilege
Wendy Watson Nelson:
“As we keep our covenants, we can ask for angels to help us. Literally!
It was during Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s April 2010 general conference talk that I first learned this truth. He said, “Ask for angels to help you.” He said it with such clarity, and yet in a manner that implied this was something we all knew. But for me, it was an entirely new principle. I wanted to call out, “Wait! Wait! What? You mean I could have been asking for angels to help me all this time?”
Without intending to sound too dramatic, I can say with all candor that Elder Holland’s six words changed my life. “Ask for angels to help you.” That counsel changed my p rayers, changed my understanding of the very real help from heaven that is always available to us as we keep our covenants. “ Wendy Watson Nelson - “My Soul Delighteth in the Covenants of the Lord” - BYU Women’s Conference April 2015
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland “The Ministry of Angels” October 2008
Sister Nelson quoting George Q. Cannon - comforting to missionaries that ancestors have been praying that their descendants will join the church so that their work can be done: “I think it can be comforting for missionaries to know that they are never alone when they are finding and teaching those who are receptive to the truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. President George Q. Cannon (1827–1901), who served as a counselor to four Presidents of the Church, taught that in these latter days, those who are joining the Church are joining precisely because their ancestors have been praying for one of their posterity to join the Church so that they, the ancestors, can receive their essential ordinances by proxy. That's when I invite the missionaries to consider one of their most effective prayer might be please lead us to those whose ancestors have already received the Gospel on the other side of the veil and who are desperate to receive their ordinances. I also invite the missionaries to picture in their minds eye when they are teaching their friends (investigators) at least 100 more people in the room. Those 100 people are of course the ancestors of the friend (investigator) and the ancestors of the missionaries-quite a powerful moment." Wendy Watson Nelson RootsTech 2017
“Partaking of the bread and water is a weekly reminder of His power working in you to help you overcome. Wearing the garment of the holy priesthood is a daily reminder of the gift of His power working in you to help you become.”
We decide what “become” means to us.
The importance of partaking of the sacrament each Sunday cannot be stated enough. There is more power in that piece of bread and cup of water than we can imagine.
Gender is defined in this—“Under His direction, within the order of His priesthood, the sons of God have been ordained to stand in place of the Son of God.” This explanation helps with our daughters.
Wendy Ulrich - the young men were given this assignment: “Deacons, really the only thing they are required to do scripturally is assist other priesthood holders. That’s it. There’s nothing said about passing the sacrament. There’s nothing said about any of that. It’s just you are just supposed to assist other people. That’s in part because deacons, in the early days of the Church when these scriptures were given, were adult men. It was only in the late 1800’s in Utah when they were losing the rising generation, the kids were out shoplifting and being hooligans, that they said, “We’ve got to get them involved in the Church. We are going to give the priesthood to these young men, see if we can rein them in and get them involved in the work of salvation for the human family.” Wendy Ulrich - “Women, Men, and Priesthood Power” - August 2019, FAIR Latter-day Saints Conference.
“But Emma didn’t just stand at that window and wonder.” Alma 60:24 “Be up and doing.”
“Through revelation, Emma would learn about the inward sanctification and covenant connection that would increase the ability of those priesthood ordinances to work in her life.”
She worked this.
“Last, the Lord outlined a process of inward sanctification that would prepare Emma for exaltation. “Except thou do this,” the Lord explained to her, “where I am you cannot come.”
If we read section 25 carefully, we discover an important progression taking place. Emma would go from being a daughter in the kingdom to “elect lady” to queen.”
There are expectations to keeping covenants.
Live up to your privilege - some ancestors have special assignments to help us with specific issues and challenges —
Has had many experiences with ancestors across the veil, especially in the recent birth of her son, with a connection with her deceased grandfather - “My grandpa did hard things so I can do hard things and my things aren’t as hard as his.”
The Lord was tutoring Joseph and Emma. “A daughter in his kingdom.” We can be tutored in the same way for the same purposes.
The culture matters and adjustments come at times with the culture as it is changing—keeping with the doctrine of Jesus Christ
D&C 25:4 - murmur not
Footnote 16 quoting the Renlunds — immutable and unchangeable: “See Doctrine and Covenants 25:13. “The word covenant is of Latin origin, con venire, and literally means a ‘coming together.’ In the context of the priesthood, a ‘covenant’ is a coming together or an agreement between God and man. It presupposes that God and man come together to make a contract, to agree on promises, stipulations, privileges, and responsibilities.
“A covenant made in this manner is immutable and unchangeable. It anchors the soul; it creates a steadfast and sure foundation for future expectations” (Dale G. Renlund and Ruth Lybbert Renlund, The Melchizedek Priesthood: Understanding the Doctrine, Living the Principles [2018], 60).
There is a reason we are asked to study conference talks - we find more and learn more for ourselves -
President Freeman’s talk and President Nelson’s talk, The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again, mirrored each other -