Our theme for this conference was taken from Elder Richard G. Scott’s April 2013 conference address, “For Peace at Home”. He states, “One of the greatest blessings we can offer to the world is the power of a Christ-centered home where the gospel is taught, covenants are kept, and love abounds.”
I love that phrase, the power of a Christ-centered home.
We understand the importance of a Christ-centered home but do we recognize the power that can come from centering our lives, our homes on Christ? Power sounds great but what does it mean - really?
Elder Scott further states, “I have learned a truth that has been repeated so frequently in my life that I have come to know it as an absolute law. It defines the way obedience and service relate to the power of God. When we obey the commandments of the Lord and serve His children unselfishly, the natural consequence is power from God—power to do more than we can do by ourselves. Our insights, our talents, our abilities are expanded because we receive strength and power from the Lord. His power is a fundamental component to establishing a home filled with peace.”
Let me repeat that. Power to do more than we can do by ourselves.
Living a covenant life can give us the power to Change. To become better. As Sis. Barbara B. Smith affirmed, we can gain the power to become Sons and Daughters of God, power to obtain eternal life, power to be Christ-like. (“Powers Within Us”, Feb. 1983)
Again, power to do more than we can do by ourselves.
The source of this great power is God. We can access that power by making and keeping covenants with Him.
Creating a Christ-centered home prepares us to enter Christ’s home - the House of the Lord - the temple. In the temple, we make covenants which qualify us, by our obedience, for greater blessings from the Lord.
Pres. Ezra Taft Benson spoke at the centennial celebration of the Logan, UT temple. His remarks were printed in the Aug. 1985 Ensign entitled “What I Hope You Will Teach Your Children About the Temple”. In it he states:
“When you attend the temple and perform the ordinances that pertain to the House of the Lord, certain blessings will come to you:”
He lists several blessings of which I will mention two:
• You will be endowed with power from on high as the Lord has promised.
• You will love your family with a deeper love than you have loved before.
Aren’t these blessings that we are seeking in life?
When I was a child in primary I loved the song, “I am a Child of God”. During that time they changed the lyrics of the song. It was only one word that they changed and I didn’t understand why they felt they had to do that. It was just one word. They changed it from “teach me all that I must know” to “teach me all that I must do”. It took a while before I recognized the significance of that change but there is a tremendous difference between knowing something and doing it.
Sisters, that is what this conference is about. I invite you all to open your hearts to the messages from our speaker and our teachers today to discover what the Lord would have you do to move yourself and your family closer to the Lord and closer to the temple that you may enjoy the “power of a Christ-centered home where the gospel is taught, covenants are kept, and love abounds.” And I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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