This Is My Work and Glory
Elder M. Russell Ballard
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
April 2013 General Conference
The source of the priesthood power is God Almighty
and His Son, Jesus Christ.
The power of the priesthood is a sacred and
essential gift of God.
Priesthood Authority versus Priesthood Power
Priesthood authority is the authorization to act
in God’s name. The authorization or ordination is given by the
laying on of hands.
The power of the priesthood comes only when those
who exercise it are worthy and acting in accordance with God’s will.
“The Lord has given to all of us, as holders of
the priesthood, certain of his authority, but we can only tap the powers of
heaven on the basis of our personal righteousness”—President Spencer W. Kimball
During the glorious days of the Restoration and
the reestablishment of the Church of Jesus Christ in the world today, John the
Baptist; Peter, James, and John; Moses; Elias; and Elijah came to the earth and
restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith all of the keys and authority of the
priesthood for the work of God in these latter days.
It is by these keys, this authority, and this
power that the Church of Jesus Christ is organized today, with Christ at the
head directing His living prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and assisted by duly
called and ordained Apostles.
Men have the unique responsibility to administer
the priesthood, but they are not the priesthood.
Men and women have different but equally valued
roles. Just as a woman cannot conceive a child without a man, so a man cannot
fully exercise the power of the priesthood to establish an eternal family without
a woman. In other words, in the eternal perspective, both the procreative power
and the priesthood power are shared by husband and wife.
It is crucial for us to understand that Heavenly
Father has provided a way for all of His sons and His daughters to have access
to the blessings of and be strengthened by the power of the priesthood.
As the literal spirit children of our loving
Heavenly Father, we have unlimited, divine potential. But if we are not
careful, we can become like the wilted tomato plant. We can drift away from the
true doctrine and gospel of Christ and become spiritually undernourished and
wilted, having removed ourselves from the divine light and living waters of the
Savior’s eternal love and priesthood power.
The primary purpose of this priesthood power is to
bless, sanctify, and purify us so we can live together with our families in the
presence of our heavenly parents…
“The Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and
existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without beginning of days
or end of years” – Joseph Smith
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