Father's Day

We had a nice Father's Day.  I made bacon & eggs for breakfast, fajitas for dinner, M&M cookies, and Twix cheesecake bars.  We filled Alex up with lots of sweets.  

But what was the sweetest part of the day was actually at church, listening to Jared give his first talk.  His talk was on how Alex's example helped him prepare to receive the priesthood.  He did a great job.  I had to help Jared with some of putting his talk together, but he wrote most of it on his own.  

Here is his talk:

I want to start off by naming some amazing things about my dad: he loves spending time with us and playing board games; (he usually wins) he makes some of the best eggs in the mornings for us; he is always there to support me when I need it; he has shown me many parts of the world; he is hard working; he’s smart; he’s funny; he’s loving; he has taught me so many things and, where do you think I got these good looks?

            I am here to talk about how his example has prepared me to get the priesthood, which I have recently got as you may already know. Now this doesn’t mean I am done, I still have the Melchizedek priesthood to work toward. But first, to have the priesthood I had to know what it was and how it helps us. I have been baptized by him and received many blessings. But not only that, I have seen him help others with the priesthood as well. 

            To have the priesthood, one of the things you need is to be worthy. My dad has taught me how to be worthy by teaching me: how to serve others; to be kind; to pray; to keep the commandments and many other things.  

            What the priesthood is all about is serving others. This means that we need to be helpful. One way we can do this is service projects. This could include stuff we did yesterday when some of us went to do some painting and garden work. I also remember two or so years ago in our ward in California we did something similar where we did a lot of trimming and taking out bushes and putting them in, sorry I don’t know the British word for it, but, dumpsters. And this was like a big shipping container thing. Then to fit it all in we’d compact it by jumping in and walking all over it.

            Serving is one thing I need to do as an Aaronic priesthood holder.  Another thing that I am responsible for is helping others come unto Christ and staying on the path.  I have been following the example of my dad and watching the way he serves and keeps the commandments.  This reminds me of when we go hiking or backpacking.  We follow my dad, who knows the way or follows a map.  It’s important that we stay on the trail. One time when my dad, Nathan, my dog, and I went backpacking through this valley. We were walking along a point where there was a little wall that the trail was on top. Our dog, Kai, stopped to sniff a little patch of grass when she all the sudden jumped of the wall. After a little bit of calling for her she finally found a way to run back up where we then continued walking.                                                   

            This can be like our spiritual path.  Sometimes we get distracted, like my dog, and stray off the path.  But if we follow the covenant path and those that know the way, then we’ll make it to our destination.  I have been following my dad and others’ examples with the priesthood, but I am now responsible for helping others stay on the path. 

Elder Robert D Hales tells us: “Staying on the gospel path of covenants, commandments, and ordinances protects us and prepares us to do God’s work in this world.”

In the Duty to God book, it says, "Heavenly Father has a great trust and confidence in you and has an important mission for you to fulfill. He will help you as you turn to Him in prayer, listen for the promptings of the Spirit, obey the commandments, and keep the covenants that you have made. You will feel a great sense of accomplishment as you fulfill your duties, and you will be prepared to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood, receive the covenants and ordinances of the temple, worthily serve a full-time mission, and become a righteous husband and father."

 I have watched my dad do these things – going to the temple, praying, listening to stories from his mission, and being a good dad. 

My duties as a deacon are to administer priesthood ordinances like passing the sacrament, serving others (as I talked about earlier) and to invite all people to come unto Christ.

D&C 107:99 says: “Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.” My dad has shown me how to be diligent in the things I need to do. I have learned from his example, and now I have the responsibility of helping others come unto Christ and stay on his path.

And now I would like to end off by bearing my testimony that we all have our duties and that my dad has shown me how to fulfill mine. I also believe that we are on the right path, even if you don’t feel like it, and we will make it to our goal which is in heaven with Heavenly Father. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Jared amazes me because he's very calm and confident - he wasn't nervous at all (at least not that I know of) giving his talk in front of the congregation.  

I really felt the spirit strongly during church that day.  I played the opening hymn "Ye Elders of Israel", which we don't sing very often, but is usually sung by the men.  I felt tingles as the congregation belted out the words, and I could feel the power of the message for Israel to join together and seek out the righteous, the poor, the weary, hungry, and cold.  And also to bid farewell to Babylon (the world and its ways).  

Ye Elders of Israel

31243, Hymns, Ye Elders of Israel, 319

Ye elders of Israel, come join now with me
And seek out the righteous, where’er they may be—
In desert, on mountain, on land, or on sea—
And bring them to Zion, the pure and the free.

O Babylon, O Babylon, we bid thee farewell;
We’re going to the mountains of Ephraim to dwell.

The harvest is great, and the lab’rers are few;
But if we’re united, we all things can do.
We’ll gather the wheat from the midst of the tares
And bring them from bondage, from sorrows and snares.

O Babylon, O Babylon, we bid thee farewell;
We’re going to the mountains of Ephraim to dwell.

We’ll go to the poor, like our Captain of old,
And visit the weary, the hungry, and cold;
We’ll cheer up their hearts with the news that he bore
And point them to Zion and life evermore.

O Babylon, O Babylon, we bid thee farewell;
We’re going to the mountains of Ephraim to dwell.

Text: Cyrus H. Wheelock, 1813–1894

Note:  Elder Jacob de Jager (of the Seventy) "...learned that the mountains of Ephraim are 50 miles north of Jerusalem. The Savior went there when he wanted to be away from the world to meditate and to communicate with his Father in Heaven."  

When we go to the mountains of Ephraim to dwell, we're leaving the worldly things behind and finding peace in spiritual things.