Can Any Of You Remember...

Can any of you remember how you felt or what your father said when you were ordained a member of the Aaronic Priesthood? I felt great. I thought that this was the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to me, and my father reminded me that I was now taking upon myself the priesthood of our Heavenly Father, and that with it came certain responsibilities. He asked our Heavenly Father to bless me that I might magnify my calling, and he counseled me to get down before my Heavenly Father on my knees in prayer whenever I was troubled about something. In essence this was the beginning of my partnership with my Heavenly Father, which has helped me and will continue to help me as long as I honor my priesthood. ¶

Now what does this partnership with our Heavenly Father mean? Does it mean that we should be loyal to him? Show our love for him by doing the responsibilities he has set down for us? Of course it does. When a person mentions the responsibilities of a teacher, I immediately think of my assigned duties, such as preparing the sacrament, ushering, home teaching, fast offering collection, and the other responsibilities that a teacher has. But these are not all. ¶

We have a certain spiritual responsibility to our Heavenly Father, and that is to be worthy to hold this priesthood. And the best way you can do this is to be morally and physically clean. But in this day and age that can be quite hard for a person of my age or any age, because the morals of our nation are dropping. It is becoming more and more socially acceptable for younger kids to indulge in things that break the Word of Wisdom. Young men and young ladies of my age and younger are losing their respect for their elders and their government. If they can't respect their parents and their elders whom they can see, how can they possibly expect to honor and obey our Heavenly Father whom they can't see. ¶

You know, in the school I go to a lot of kids think it is a big deal to call their parents by the terms, "old man" and "old lady," and it really bothers a lot of them when I don't refer to my parents by these terms, but rather as "mother" and "father." ¶

When it comes to finding some examples of the kind of partnership we want to have with our Heavenly Father, there are several, I think, that we can choose from. In the history of the world, no one represented this partnership better than Christ. He did everything our Heavenly Father asked him to do. He lived a perfect life, and finally gave his life so that we might have eternal life. In the early history of the Church Joseph Smith set the example for men to look to. Despite criticism, poverty and great persecution he continued to do what our Heavenly Father asked him to do; and due to his great love for his Heavenly Father, he gave his life for what he knew to be true. ¶

In this day and age the most inspiring example of a person true to this partnership is David O. McKay, our prophet. He has been true to his calling, and he has done everything our Heavenly Father has asked him to do. These men recognize that a partnership with our Heavenly Father is truly the most important partnership of all; and if these men were true to this, so should we be true to this relationship we have with our Heavenly Father. ¶

I enjoy the story of Saul's conversion to the gospel. In it is found the key to seeking and finding a better relationship with our Heavenly Father. As you remember, Paul, who was known as Saul, was on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christians there, and he had vowed that he was going to bring these Christians back to Jerusalem. As he journeyed close to the city of Damascus a bright light shone round about him, and he fell to the earth stunned, and he heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" And Paul asked, "Who art thou, Lord?" And the voice said, "I am Jesus." ¶

Paul, now realizing that he had to establish a good relationship with him whom he had been persecuting said, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" With this question Paul began his great mission for our Heavenly Father. ¶

I believe that if all of us priesthood holders would ask this question, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" that we would be able to serve as greatly and as nobly as Paul did, and we would find a true relationship with our Heavenly Father in this priesthood calling. ¶

I would like to conclude tonight by saying that I know this Church is true, that the priesthood we hold is truly the priesthood of our Heavenly Father, and that if we continue in this partnership in the manner in which we should, our Heavenly Father will help us and bless us in everything we endeavor to do. I pray that we may do this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶