The following transcript is intended to aid in your study. However, while we try to go through the transcript, our transcripts are primarily computer-generated and often contain errors. Please forgive the transcripts’ imperfections.

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[00:00:00] So I'm at the age where vitamins and supplements are highly recommended to help with the effects of aging. How do you like that? And I figured if I took everything that the internet tells me to, as well as what my doctor recommends, I would need a pill box the size of a shoe box. I mean, there's just so many things to take.

So what do vitamins have to do with this exact pursuit? Well, Doctrine and Covenants sections 12 through 17 are about this great and marvelous work we call the restoration. And with regards to the restoration, President Nelson encouraged us to take our vitamins because apparently every single one of us are at the age where vitamins and supplements are highly recommended to help us with the effects of not aging, but living in the restoration.

Welcome to the Sunday on Monday study group, a desert bookshelf plus original brought to you by LDS living, where we take the come follow me lesson for the week. And we really dig into the scriptures together. I'm your host, Tammy Uzelac Hall. If you're new to our study group. Please follow the link in our description, and it's going to explain how you can best use this podcast to enhance your come follow me study.

Just like our long time listeners. Oh, this is a fun one because our guest knows this person. It's Janet and Jeff Carson from Heber city. No way. Shout out. Hey, Janet. It was my young women leader. Oh, like Good times. Good times with Janet and Jeff. That is so fun because she came up to me and she said, I listened to you every week and I love Jalyn.

I've known her since we were in young women's together and I said, you give me your name. We're giving you a shout out when Jalyn is on. Oh, Janet and Jeff. Hey, guess who's on today, Jalyn and Aliah. This is my favorite part about our podcast is each week we're joined by two friends. So here they are, Jalyn and Aliah.

Hi ladies. Hi. How are you, Tam? Oh, I'm good. Now, just to remind everybody, especially people who are new, you two have a Hollywood couple name. What is it? Julia. Julia. In the house. We figured we've been doing this for six years now, this podcast. And you guys, you've been together with me since the very beginning.

Yes. The first time I walked into the room and Shalyn was sitting there, I was like, who's her? Why are we not friends? It's true. We had a whole conversation outside before we ever went in. Yeah, we, we were best friends by the time we even made it into the room. Yeah. Yeah, it's true. I was a little bit jealous of how quick that friendship developed, but whatever.

And then you, now you guys won't even live by each other because now Jalyn just did that one podcast together because then COVID hit. Yep. True. And then we started doing zoom, but now we can't even get together for lunch because you both left me. So thanks a lot. You jerks. But we're meeting up in Hawaii.

Yes. Cause where do you guys live? Tell everybody where you're living. I am in Memphis, Tennessee. And I have moved to La Jolla. There you go. So. And if you don't think I am taking advantage of that friendship, then you're crazy because I'll be sitting on her floor. The Memphis one, right? You're really jealous about the Memphis one.

I actually would like to come to Memphis, but I haven't gotten a formal invite yet. Please do. Come on over. Hey, I'll bring my girls. You bet. We can go for some barbecue. For sure. Oh, yeah. Everybody loves the barbecue. Yeah. How can you not? You know, I have some music, some like bluegrass, some blues. Yeah.

Listen, I have a cross stitch on my kitchen wall that says, I love me the saucy meats. Tammy. Cause that's my, I do say that. I love me the saucy meats. And I quote myself. Cross stitch. This is your place. Oh, we're going to have so much fun today. This is going to be a fun discussion. When I saw it, I was like 12 through 17.

Jeez, that's a lot of sections. Then you dig into them and you see them and you're like, Oh yeah, 12 through 17. That's exactly right. Those are exactly the same. Yeah. Word for word. Yeah. Beat that. So kind of bad for the second one. I was like, yeah. Well, don't worry. We'll get to that and tell you, and I'll tell you why this is going to be fun.

Okay. Well, if you guys listening, want to know more about my guests, make sure you go check out their bios so you can see their pictures. Go ahead and take pictures of where you live to maybe show us Tennessee and Hawaii. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. It looks like, um, you can find them in our show notes, which are at LDS living.

com slash Sunday on Monday. So everyone grab your scriptures and something to mark your scriptures with. We are going to study doctrine and cabinets sections 12 through 17 K you to ride out of the gates. Here's my first question. What did the Holy ghost teach you as you read these sections? I will tell you, as I read these sections, how.

Yeah, I mean, we know that there's urgency in spreading the gospel to all the earth But I feel like it's even more urgent like the Holy Ghost was just like this is so urgent [00:05:00] That we do that and I mean when you think of what year they were, you know, these were being Written and when all these events took place in 1829, you know, they were thinking this is urgent and we have to do this and this is going to be soon.

So how much more, you know, urgent is it for us to really be spreading? The gospel. I like that. I'm writing at the very beginning of 12, sections of urgency. That's cool. The Holy Ghost doesn't really tell me things, but the Holy Ghost is like, um, he's more like some Socratic questioning. Of course he is, you're a therapist.

Yes. Yeah. I would only expect that. Yes. So he does some Socratic questioning. So he's like, Aliah. What is your great and marvelous work? Mmm, that is good. Yeah, and so like the whole time I'm reading it I'm off like what am I supposed to be doing? What's the greatest worth to me? What's my You know great marvelous work like what am I supposed to be doing?

What is it if I know you can't think of what you've done in the past that's great and marvelous cuz I got stuff Well, you're, you're Tammy Hall, of course, you know, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, I didn't mean it like that. Us mortals, the rest of us are like, uh, I don't know. I meant Aliah, I can think of Aliah's thing she's done for me.

Like she elite, listen, Aliah has helped me repair family relationships with her advice. She thinks we're just getting breakfast together and meanwhile, I'm taking so many notes in my brain, but I can fix all of the damage. I mean, that's kind of the people, the life she has, you have changed. You have reframed so many aspects of the gospel of Jesus Christ for me.

I mean, I have an entire BYU women's conference talk that's in a book because of you. Because of what you taught me. Great and marvelous, I should say. I'll tell you a great and marvelous Aliah story. The first time we met, I tell, I tell this story to everybody because I It really kind of hit me when you, when you told me this, you were saying that you had a therapy session that day and you worked with a lot of, um, immigrants, like refugees, right?

And you had a woman in the morning who came in and, um, was just beside herself, like just devastated because her son had chosen not to go on a mission. And in the afternoon You had a refugee who went to go get water down by the river, and when she came back, the entire village was gone. It had been set on fire, destroyed, or whatever.

Um, and in my head I was going, well, pfft, I'm in my head, I'm judging, like, you know, that Mormon mom whose kid didn't go on a mission thinks she had it hard, right? But what you said was, It doesn't matter what it is. It's the event is just as devastating. Devastation is devastation to whomever is experiencing it.

It doesn't matter what the, the situation is. It doesn't matter the degree or anything like that. Like if you feel devastated, you feel devastated and it doesn't matter that there's no degree of difference, even though we can look at the circumstance and go. Well, okay, Mormon mom, calm down a little bit, but that was not your take.

That was, you know, and so I very much have remembered that of it, anybody's emotional pain is their emotional pain and it doesn't matter why, um, and it's just our job to love them through it. I'm very kind. I don't know if either of those things are great or marvelous, but. They were in my life. Yep. They were in my life.

Wow. That's a great way to think of this. What is your great marvelous work? I think everyone should write that down and think about it. Pray about it even, because I do know if you aren't sure, God will point it out. You will know because we are great and marvelous and he sent us here to do that and to be that.

So that is a great way to look at that. Well, that was so great. That was so fun. Thank you. Okay. So we have six chapters of goodness here. And so in the next segment, we are going to just dive into these chapters and find out some more about this phrase. Great and marvelous. We'll do that next.

Segment 2

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[00:10:00]

Okay. This is a fun question that I asked these two to think about. I'm really curious to know. My question was in your careers, is there advice that you keep finding yourself repeating to your customers or your clients like over and over again? Single. Day. Okay. What is it? Buy low, sell high. Do not sell out on your stocks when the stock market is going down on, it'll go back up.

Just hold on. Okay, I love it. Every day. You're saying that. Every day. Every day of my life. Just hold on. I love it. Bye. That's good advice. That is. I should probably take that advice. I just don't look at them. I'm like. That's a good way to do it. Yeah. That's a good way to do it. Don't look at it. Yep. She's not kidding though, because one time I called her and I said, should I just cash out and get this money?

And you're like, I don't know. Keep it where it is. Let it mature. You're going to need it when you retire. Then I said, then I love how you said, that's what financial planner Jalyn's telling you. Now friend Jalyn's telling you, you better cash that check and get yourself some new carpet.

I love that so much. You'll be proud to know I kept the money where it is. I listened to the financial advisor Jalyn, not best friend Jalyn. I don't know. Financial advisor Jalyn now tells a lot of people like, Here's the one I really do say all the time is like, man, y'all better start playing first class.

Cause if you don't, your kids are going to, and they did not work as hard as you. Oh, now that's good advice. Yeah. You better start traveling and doing the things cause. Yeah. Cause they won't appreciate the money as much as you will. Boy, that's the truth. What about you, Aliyah? The thing that I say to my clients almost every day is.

What did you think was going to happen?

That's good. That's a good one. These crazy stories. And I'm like, what did you think was going to happen? And then they tell me and I'm like. Yeah, that's not how it works. Oh my gosh, that's great. Yeah, I'm writing that down because I want to ask everybody that. Yeah, yeah, right. Well, I wanted you to be thinking about this idea because in my mind, if there's something we repeat often, It's because it's important, right?

Like it, there's a point to us saying it. And I, I thought of that when I went through each one of these sections, because each one of them, and actually going back to section four, this phrase is repeated in section four, section six, section 11, section 12, and section 14, and then 18, which we're not doing today.

And it's the only place in the doctrine of covenants. This phrase is repeated. This is it right here. What we're studying. Let's go to this phrase. It, let's start with it. We're going to go to Doctrine and Covenants chapter 12 verse 1. Angelina, will you read verse 1? A great and marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.

There it is. Highlight it. The Lord's going to repeat that in all of these sections. Do we ever get a great and marvelous work anywhere in the Book of Mormon? Oh, absolutely. And we do read the Old Testament for sure when they're talking about the Book of Mormon coming forth. Yes. Oh, right. Right. Yes. Yeah.

And now going into this, and I want us to think about this idea and I appreciated what some scholars wrote about these sections that kind of repeat themselves and Aliah, you pointed that out, especially when you get to section 15 and 16. They're word for word the same. And I love how these scholars say this isn't some sort of form letter from God.

According to these scholars, they say it emphasizes the importance of the calling made to these servants and to all who have followed them in the Lord's service. So when we read these, it, it is for us as well. And it's the same wording for us. So here we have this preamble, this beginning, a great, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.

I just want you to imagine for a minute though, that it's now. 1829. And we're among these people. Like, what do you think they thought was coming forth? All of these men are like, we want to help put us to work. What can we do? But when they hear in this blessing, a great and marvelous work is about to come forth.

What could they have possibly imagined? When I hear that, like I know that in the, the, it's referring like in the Book of Mormon, it's referring to the Book of Mormon. Mm-hmm. But because of section four is what we read when we go on a mission. Yeah. That, whenever I hear that, I think of missionary work.

Okay. And I think that like in 1829. It would have been like the gathering of Israel, that like, we, like this small band [00:15:00] of men, this small community of saints, like this little seed is going to start spreading all over the world. And Joseph Smith had, I mean, he had already started the, the translation, right?

Like we had, he had some, he was already a little bit into it. When, um, these sections, he's already lost 116 pages. Yeah, right, right, right. He's yeah, he's almost done with it. And so like these men know they've heard they've heard like an angel has come down. And shown him where gold plates are, like, can you imagine?

I mean, I would be, I think you would just be like, whoa, this is like legit. And I'm, I mean, you would have, for me, I would have had to have, the Holy Ghost would have had to really borne the truth of that to me. Cause I'd have been like, uh, angel, gold plates, like, you know, but, but like, you know, that they were, you know, men of God and they, They knew that.

So I'm sure it was just like, they kind of knew what the Book of Mormon was about, and it was about, you know, Christ coming to the people on this continent. Oh my gosh, we're getting new scripture. And they were, they were living in among that religious chaos of the time too. So I'm sure it was like, Oh, okay.

Like this is the, the gospel is going to be restored. The gospel, how Jesus Christ set you up is coming back on the earth. Like they must've just been so excited. I love how you framed that because I imagined, I think you're exactly right. Where they're like, Oh my gosh. And angels and gold plates. This is so exciting.

Great. Marvelous. Even beyond what we already know this blown my mind and it must've been. So exciting. And now apply these words to our day. Because now my question is, what are, what is great and marvelous that we're waiting for? That's why I sense the urgency among this, right? Is because, and, and they thought, I mean, while are waiting for the second coming of Christ, right?

I mean, Yeah. Jesus, take the will. We are in some trouble down here, right? And I'm sure that they were thinking it was very close then, too, right? That they probably had no idea what they were laying the foundation for, right? And so Um, if they were feeling that, that urgency and all that, like, and then you hear the stuff that president Nelson has said to us, like it is very much, you know, what the, the field is white, ready to harvest and y'all better eat your vitamins.

Oh, I'm so glad you brought that up. The vitamins. So one of the things I asked Aliah and Jalun to do is watch a video clip of our prophet In the actual interview where he said to eat your vitamins and I wanted to know as you two are watching this. So it's elder Stevenson and president Nelson. And we've put the link in our show notes so you can go watch the six minute clip.

They said something really awesome about this great and marvelous work. And I just want to know what stood out to you as they were talking about this great and marvelous work for us today. I, um, I loved the language that they used like they kept saying because it was the temple dedication and they kept saying how amazing and how, um, just the, the spirit that they felt, especially from the youth.

That were there. Uh, and so you just, and, and President Nelson points out that like, you know, in Latin America, the gospel is incredibly young still, like it was very, it's still very young. There's still a lot of work to be done. Um, but it, It was just very encouraging, like it was so uplifting the words they used of how, you know, the power and the spirit and everything that they had felt, um, and especially from the youth that were there.

Yeah, oh, for sure. Every prophet that I can remember has had, uh, two vitamins, like President Hinckley was like, I don't even buy. You know, ripe bananas, you know, I eat my dessert for sort of conversations with us and not that that diminishes. The urgency, um, but I think it's easy for us to, to fall into complacency, you know, and I think that, you know, and I think Brigham Young was the one who said, like, my greatest fear for the church is not that, you know, you know, that we'll be chased out of this or that or whatever, but that we will, like, grow rich and fat and kick ourselves out of the gospel.

Mm. But they also talked about you, you have to have the ordinances done, um, in [00:20:00] order to, it's not, and he talked about, because I hear this so much of like, well, I'm a good person. He goes, you can't just do that alone and think you're going to make it. To the celestial kingdom, you have to have the ordinances, um, that are found in the gospel.

So, I mean, that was really good too, just to hear it. Yeah. Yeah. And to hear him say that we're living, I love that we're living in the restoration that reframed everything. Like it's, we're not done. There's still so much more to come, but that he would say to take your vitamins. And then that was. You know, a few years ago that this happened and 2018, yeah, 2018.

And then here we have our last October general conference where in his final talk, four different times he said, Jesus is coming. And so I just think it's super exciting and yeah, a great and marvelous work. If it is the second coming of Jesus Christ, then I love how you said that Jalen, there is some urgency there for all of us.

To get ready because what is it that we're going to do? And, and I like that. I Aliah so much, like what is my great and marvelous work that I am here to do in preparation for the second coming of Jesus Christ? That's the question we should all be asking ourselves as we study these sections, because even though they're individual revelations for different men, they are for us and specifically Section 15 and 16, though it is word for word verbatim.

I want everyone to put their names at the beginning because those revelations are for us and they're so good. So thank you. Thank you for sharing. And we're going to get more into that video clip. I can't wait to discuss that. But in the next segment, then what we're going to do is we're going to see such a great and marvelous thing that happened that I am certain no number of vitamins could have even have prepared these men for this great and marvelous moment.

And we'll do that in the next segment.

Segment 3

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Okay, let's turn to Doctrine and Covenants section 13. Let's find out what this great and marvelous thing was that happened. It's one verse. Aliyah, will you read it for us? Yes. Upon you, my fellow servants, in the name of the Messiah, I confer the priesthood of Aaron, which holds the key of administering of angels and of the gospel of repentance and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins.

And this shall never be taken Again, from the earth until the sons of Levi to offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness. Thank you. Let's read a little bit more about this event. Let's cross reference it with Joseph Smith history, chapter one, or only one chapter, but you can put J S H one 66 through 75.

And we're going to turn there J S H one 66 through 75. Let's read a little bit more about those words that we just read. Jalyn, will you go there and read for us Joseph Smith history one and the italics that we have in above verse 66. I'm going to read that and then I'm going to have to Lynn read a verse for us.

So the italics above verse 66 says, Oliver Cowdery serves as scribe in translating the book of Mormon, Joseph and Oliver received the Aaronic priesthood from John the Baptist. They are baptized, ordained and receive the spirit of prophecy. Now the day that this happened, it says on the 5th day of April, 1829, Oliver Cowdery came to my house until which time I had never seen him.

He stated to me that having been teaching school in the neighborhood where my father resided, and my father being one of those who sent to the school, he went to board for a season at his house. And while there, the family related to him the circumstances of my having received the plates, and accordingly he had come to make inquiries of me.

Two days after the arrival of Mr. Cowdery, being the 7th of April, I commenced to translate the Book of Mormon, and he began to write for me. And while they're writing, they have this miraculous experience. And so, Jolynn, will you please read verse 68 for us? Yeah. We still continued the work of translation when in the ensuing month, May 1829, we, on a certain day, went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord, respecting baptism for the remission of sins.

that we found mentioned in the translation of the plates. While we were thus employed, praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying, Verse 69 is section 13 that we've already read. And then he says this, so now Jalyn, continue to read and will you read verse 70 and 71.

He said this Aaronic priesthood had not the power of laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but that this should be conferred on us hereafter. And he commanded us to go and be baptized and gave us directions that I should baptize Oliver Cowdery and then afterwards he should baptize me.

Accordingly we went and were baptized. I baptized him first and afterwards he baptized me. After which I laid my hands upon [00:25:00] his head and ordained him to the Aaronic Priesthood, and afterwards he laid his hands on me and ordained me to the same priesthood, for so we were commanded. Now at the end of that verse, there's a little asterisk.

Circle that and highlight it because we're going to read a little bit more about this event. And if you take that asterisk and go down to the bottom of your page, there is Oliver Cowdery's own written account about what it was like to receive the Aaronic Priesthood from John the Baptist. And so I asked you two to read this account because I sometimes think it goes unread or untalked about, and it is so glorious to me.

I love it. And I just want to know, as you guys read Oliver Cowdery's account, was there anything specific that stood out to you or any wording that you liked as he described this moment?

I have, I, I have read this before. I've read, read other things by Oliver Cowdery. I think to read the things written. And maybe this is not the direction you want to go. So please correct me. Let's go. No. I love it. But to read the things that Joseph Smith wrote at this time, and then to read the things that Oliver Cowdery wrote at this time, are so distinctly different.

Yeah. Why does that stand out to you? Because Oliver Cowdery was a learned man, and Joseph was not. And you can see the difference. Mm hmm. Like, people, like, and not that it, like, my testimony isn't based on, like, whether Joseph Smith could or could not have written the Book of Mormon and all these kind of things that people say, but, like, when you read things that Joseph wrote, even though Emma was helping him and all, like, it's very rudimentary, even with Emma's, even with Emma's, I hope it's very rudimentary.

It's not poetic. It's not, um, flowery. It's not very descriptive. It's just, it's very, just kind of dry and to the point. Yeah. And Oliver Cowdery does not write like that at all. You're right. It's very, it's very flowery. Like it is. And it's beautiful. Beautiful. It's so beautiful. He writes beautifully. It's so beautifully.

And so emotional. Yes. It's so touching. Mm hmm. That like, if Jo, like if Joseph wanted to like fool people or persuade people, he would have had all of them right. I'm sorry. I just have to pause there for a minute. I just felt the spirit. There's a truth I've never considered before. You're totally right. It would have made sense.

He's a teacher. Mm hmm. Who wouldn't have said to him, you know what, I'm going to tell you what the plate's saying, you fix it. He writes beautifully. He writes beautifully. I just gained a stronger testimony of Joseph Smith. But I think that Armand and Thom, as well as like the gift that, like, the Lord will speak to you through the language that you know.

Like, the Book of Mormon reads, yes, as the language of the Lamanites, but also the language that Joseph knew, that he was familiar with. And the language, yeah, and the language that Oliver Caltry was familiar with is very different than the language that Joseph Smith was familiar with. When we listen to it, he says, these were days never to be forgotten, to sit under the sound of the voice dictated by the inspiration of heaven beautifully.

Yeah. I love when he says to, um, the assurance that we were in the presence of an angel, the certainty. That we heard the voice of jesus and the truth unsullied as it flowed from a pure personage Dictated by the will of god is to me past description And I shall ever look upon this expression of the savior's goodness with wonder and thanksgiving while i'm permitted to tarry And in those mansions where perfection dwells and sin never comes.

I hope to adore in that day, which shall never cease um, but I love when he just I mean talk about pure testimony of, you know, the certainty that we heard the voice of Jesus. He, it's so glorious that he can't even begin to describe it. But it, it does just really Beautifully, it touches your soul. I mean, so does so does the way Joseph Smith describes it.

Right. But you're absolutely right. And that it is [00:30:00] very, he's a lot more eloquent and poetic and how he writes and how Joseph Smith does. Oh my gosh, I'm just seeing this now to in the paragraph that begins with this was not long desired. So it's like 123 for the fifth paragraph down. Mm hmm. In the middle where there's a, an end dash, he's talking about this experience.

He says, Oh, what joy, what wonder, what amazement. So just go above that and dash what joy, what wonder, what amazement while the world was racked and distracted while millions were groping as the blind for the wall. And while all men were resting upon uncertainty as a general mass, our eyes beheld our ears heard as in the blaze of day.

Yes. More. Above the glitter of the May sunbeam, which then shed its brilliancy over the face of nature. I mean, just that. Oh, it's beautiful, Aliah. You're totally right. What a great description of that moment. I really do like that you can. You can go to the New Testament and have that same language of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus the same way you can go to the Book of Mormon, both before Christ comes, this happens, and after Christ comes, it happens where, where there's two men and one of them is they are commanded to baptize the other person.

And then here it is in the restoration of it happening again. And talk about, I mean, you know, if you have, I mean, of course, it's the, the true gospel on the earth. I mean, it just follows that. The exact pattern. It does follow the pattern. A pattern of truth. That's really cool. I'm fascinated by the fact that it said, um, He said that we're not going to get the laying out of hands yet, because that's going to come later.

Yep. But then they turn around and do the laying on of hands. So he's referring. Oh, sure. That is such a great question. I'm glad you asked that. So he's directly referring to the laying on of hands, which bestows the gift of the Holy Ghost. That's the Melchizedek priesthood, right? So 16 year old men can baptize because they have the Aaronic priesthood.

But when you get the Melchizedek priesthood is when you can then confirm and give the gift of the Holy Ghost. So that's exactly what it's referring to. So at this point, they're just getting baptized, then roughly, and we're not sure when, because we don't have a revelation other than section 18, which they believe is about the time that the Melchizedek priesthood was restored, given the wording and the storyline.

So it won't be much longer. But that's when the Melchizedek priesthood, Peter, James, and John will come and restore that onto the earth after the three witnesses are called. And then they're going to get baptized and they'll be given that authority, the gift of the laying on of hands. Good question. Thing that I think is really interesting about section 13 is they do get their Aaronic priesthood.

And even though these are like two grown men getting the Aaronic priesthood, when I think of the Aaronic priesthood, I still think of 12 year old boys. And that even in, like with our 12 year old boys, they get the administering of angels. Yes. And what that, that they, even at 12 years old are called to administer to the Lord.

But the ministering of angels, like he is called to be a little angel and to minister to the Lord. Doesn't it make so much sense now that they're the ones giving us the bread and water? The emblems of the Savior Jesus Christ. Of course they are. I just think that's so lovely. Oh, I think it's so lovely.

This has been a powerful segment. Thank you both of you for what you shared. That was awesome. So we're going to talk some more about priesthood because now that we have the Aaronic Priesthood restored on the earth, how we talk about it in our understanding of this great and marvelous thing has expanded over time.

So we're going to talk about how it affects us as women in the next segment.

Segment 4

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Okay. So this is going to be fun. We are going to play a soundbite. From the interview that I had you guys listen to, and it's just a couple of seconds, Angeline, you alluded to this at the very beginning, but I love what our prophet has to say in connection with the idea of the priesthood. And you brought this up with ordinances.

It's awesome. Well, the Book of Mormon refutes the mistaken impression that all you need is good works and to be a nice fellow. You have to have ordinances if you're going to reach the celestial glory that God has in mind. [00:35:00] So. There are so many wonderful people in the world who have that feeling that as long as I don't break the law and I'm polite and careful to people, uh, then I'll, that's all I need to do.

But that, the Book of Mormon teaches over and over again that you need to have the ordinances. And of course the temp, that's why we have temples. So that all the potential that God has in store for his children can become a fact, a reality. So let's turn to Joseph Smith History 1. We're still talking about the day that the priesthood was restored, the Aaronic Priesthood.

In Joseph Smith History 1, we're going to read verse 73 and 74, and we're going to talk about this idea of ordinances. I like how the prophet said, some people think you just need to be a nice fella. Just a nice fella. Okay. And we'll each take, we'll just each read a verse. Jalyn, will you read 73 and Aliah, will you please read verse 74.

Immediately on our coming up out of the water after we had been baptized, we experienced great and glorious blessings from our Heavenly Father. No sooner had I baptized Oliver Cowdery than the Holy Ghost fell upon him, and he stood up and prophesied many things which had shortly come to pass. And again, so soon as I had been baptized by him, I also had the spirit of prophecy.

When standing up, I prophesied concerning the rise of this church and many other things connected with the church and this generation of the children of men. We were filled with the Holy Ghost and rejoiced in the God of our salvation. Our minds being now enlightened, we began to have scriptures laid open to our understanding and the true meaning and intention of their more mysterious passages revealed unto us in a manner which we never could attain to previously, nor ever before had thought of.

In the meantime, we were forced to keep secret the circumstances of having received a priesthood and our having been baptized owing to a spirit of persecution, which had already manifest itself in the neighborhood. Thank you. Now we're going to read Oliver Cowdery's description of this moment. And this is going to be found in the fourth paragraph.

It begins with after writing the account, you see that. Okay. So we're, I'm going to read this paragraph cause I've read it and reread it and highlighted it. And I just love it. The way he writes about this moment. He says after writing the account given of the savior's ministry to the remnant of the seat of Jacob.

And remember, Jacob is. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, that's the Jacob we're talking about. Upon this continent, it was easy to be seen, as the prophet said it would be, that darkness covered the earth and gross darkness the minds of the people. On reflecting further, it was as easy to be seen that amid the great strife and noise concerning religion, none had authority from God to administer the ordinances of the gospel.

For the question might be asked, have men authority to administer in the name of Christ? Who deny revelations when his testimony, meaning Christ, when Christ testimony is no less than the spirit of prophecy and his religion based, built, and to sustained by immediate revelations in all ages of the world, when he has had a people on earth for a pause there, right there, he's saying, and I love that line.

Then none other. No one else had authority from God to administer the ordinances of the gospel. And so now we have ordinances on the earth. It's been restored. Joseph didn't come up with this idea of ordinances and covenants or anything like that, but the ability to perform ordinances has now been restored starting with the.

gift of baptism, and then the gift of the Holy Ghost. And so ordinances are restored. Men are going to be ordained to an office of the priesthood solely to perform these saving ordinances for all of us. But all of us have access to the priesthood because of ordinances. So I think sometimes we got caught up in the idea that saying men had the priesthood meant they're the only ones that had the power.

But now the way we're talking about it, and I'm so grateful that we're living in the restoration because now we're saying men perform the saving ordinances. We all have access to power. Benjalin, can you read the first quote from President Nelson? This is in October of 2019. Every woman and every man who makes covenants with God and keeps those covenants and who participates worthily in priesthood ordinances has direct access to the power of God.

Those who are endowed in the house of the Lord receive a gift of God's priesthood power by virtue of their covenant along with a gift of knowledge to know how to draw upon that power. [00:40:00] Thank you. This next quote by Sherry Dew, because then it sometimes lends us to think, well, what does that look like in our everyday lives to have priesthood power?

Because the men are giving blessings. The men are giving the gift of the Holy ghost. The men are all these things, but here's what it looks like for women. And I love this quote, sister Sherry Dew. Go ahead. Jalyn. She's your woman. She is my woman. What does it mean to have access to priesthood power? It means that we can receive revelation, be blessed and aided by the ministering of angels, learn to part the veil that separates us from our Heavenly Father, be strengthened to resist temptation, be protected and be enlightened, and Made smarter than we are all without any mortal intermediary I want you to look over that quote real quick.

And as you look at those things again, what what power? Do you appreciate the access to there's a lot of good things in there the veil that separates us from our heavenly father? Why because it goes to that and made smarter than we are Right, like if if you can when you when you Read these, um, you know, like what the Aaronic Priesthood does and the ordinances they're getting to open up, um, the heavens to receive revelation from Heavenly Father.

Like, the language is very, like, you have access to angels and to all those things, and I think that, um, you know, President Nelson alluded to that in his talk as well, is that God wants us to have all the potential that He endowed us with, that He has given us, right? And I think, me personally, I live far below those, you know, those gifts.

I think we all are not accessing, I mean, if I could really Split the veil and and get direction from Heavenly Father, right? I think I mean talk about confidence to move forward and to know, you know What is my great and marvelous work moving forward? Like what is it? And I think we're entitled to know that.

I don't think We always want to know that, or we put ourselves in a place to really be able to know that, um, because the answer might be too hard. It might be, I don't know that I have that in me, or, um, maybe I'll find that out after I do X, Y and Z, right? When I'm ready, uh, and so I think that, you know, like President Nelson said, we all have, it's the potential that God has given us.

To be able to communicate directly with him. Now I find that fascinating and I'll tell you why. Because of all my friends, Jolynn, you're the one who has taught me that we have the power to part the veil that separates us from Heavenly Father. It's one of my favorite lessons I ever learned from you. I know I've probably shared it before when we were in grad school together and you told me the story about how your air conditioner went out and it was at a time in my life.

Where we were, listen, we're in our thirties, we're single, we're wondering, are we ever going to get married? How's this going to work out? And I was in a really dark place spiritually. Like I wasn't sure that God was hearing me and I was just kind of going through the motions and out of the blue, you just share this story with me about how, well, I mean, if I'm, I think I'm remembering it correctly.

Um, you were so sad because your air conditioner broke. You didn't know anybody who could help. And you remember you were praying to God saying, my dad is deceased because if he were here, I'd call him and he'd come fix it. And you were pleading with the Lord to help you. And you didn't call a home teacher or anything.

You just didn't want to, you just wanted your dad, right? Just wanted your dad. And you parted that veil because in that prayer, then your air conditioner started up. And you know, what's funny is I, I was praying. Because I felt like a loser. I was praying because it was like, it was hard being single, right?

Like you and I were probably in that exact same space of like, this is just hard and when is this gonna end? And you know, and can't the air conditioner just work? It really was like an aside. It really was like, you know, you took my dad. I don't have the priesthood. Like I'm trying to I mean, it was kind of that whole thing of, you know, I need a man.

Yeah. Yeah. I would never be that way now. Once you turn 40, forget about it, but you know, Ben, but it did like, I, it just was an aside and like, and my air conditioner doesn't work. And um, it kicked back on right in the middle, right, right after that prayer, it kicked back on. But the, the really funny thing about that story.

Um, is that, oh, it went out again the next day. And so what it was is my, I mean, we always laugh, um, my friend Heather and I, [00:45:00] because it's, it's like, okay, yeah, he, he turned it back on, but you still got to call the repair man. Right? Like you still have to do some work. Yeah. Like it wasn't just magical, but, and I was so worried that it was going to cost so much money.

And, um, the repair man comes in and he literally just. Tightened a wire. He's like, and like, he felt guilty even charging me anything, but, um, you know, he gave me that tender mercy, but then it was still like, yeah, you still need to call the repairman and do your part of it. I just, that, that story has changed my life and I needed it at a time.

And you didn't even know that. And you part of the veil for yourself and then for me. So. That's what priesthood power looks like, my friends, right there, in action for two people. Oh, Ali, I'd love your thoughts. When I was reading that and hearing the two of you talk, my mind kind of cast back to like the temple, which is where we do, you know, a bulk of those saving ordinances and that board, like the veil that separates us from our Heavenly Father, and like, that is Our greatest wound by being separate from our Heavenly Father and I guess if If we're thinking, uh, you know, that separation from our heavenly father is our greatest wound.

And if that is the purpose of the priesthood to, um, to reunite us with our heavenly father, you know, to seal that wound or to, to do, um, so that we can do the ordinances so that we can come back into his presence. Then I guess in that quote, I sure do, where I would jump from, is that the veil that separates us from our Heavenly Father down to that last part without any mortal intermediary, that I myself can set and heal that wound, but I don't need anybody else.

to heal that wound. I, I do need other people to do the ordinances. Because it's not an individual wound, it is a family wound. But I think about, too, when you say that, without any mortal intermediary, I think of all the mortal intermediaries I try to heal the wound with, right? Well, that's what I'm saying, yeah.

Yeah, all of us are seeking pleasure. It's a family wound. It is, you're right. I think that's what, I think that's where we get. What we get stuck is that, like, we want to do it by ourselves, like, we want to not have any mortal intermediary, and that's why we get stuck with this priesthood idea, like, oh, well, I want to have the priesthood, I want to do it myself, I want to do, we want to not have a mortal intermediary because it's this wound between me and God, and men cannot perform ordinances on themselves.

Right. And so, and women, and women can't give birth to themselves and women can't, men can't nurture themselves. Like none of us can do this on our own. Like we each have a role to play and not that women's only role are to nurture or to have babies and not that men's only role is to have a priesthood.

But we have to figure out how to be in this together. This is a familial wound, and we have to figure out how to be family with each other. And that's what ordinances do. That's what the priesthood did for us. And he sent us down here with. Our immediate families, our friends that are families, the priesthood, like, we have all these people, like you said, Aliah, that filled the role for us, that help us, and we were all, whether, whether it's my spirit squad on the other side that's helping me with that stuff, or the angels here among us, right?

That, I just really think that's what it's all about, is we're here to help each other get back. We want each other to go back home, too. Um, yep. Yeah. That's such a great way to look at it. And it's, it is our power that we receive via the priesthood that helps us figure it out. That's why we needed the priesthood restored.

That's what ordinances are for to make us smarter than we are on our own. I mean, if we were left to our own vices on how to handle family [00:50:00] relationships, Oh my gosh, Aliah, that's your life right there. What did you think was going to happen? What did you think was going to happen? I love that so much. Oh, that's such a good way to end this segment.

Yes. You're exactly right. Can you imagine if the Lord, if we didn't get the priest of what did you think was going to happen? We need it. We need it. Oh, that was good. ladies. Oh, ordinances. So awesome. Okay. Well, we have to move on. Because we have an, in the next segment, we're gonna talk about a law that's in the doctrine and covenants.

And this law is so important that Elder Oaks actually says it's a vital part of God's plan for the salvation of his children. We'll talk about what that is next.

Segment 5

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All right. I have a scripture chain and I'm going to teach us about this, this really cool law. The Elder Oaks says is a vital part of God's plan for the salvation of his children. And it's probably not a law you've ever thought of. Let's go to doctrine and covenant section 17. It's a law. This is cool.

Section 17. And we're just going to look at the section heading and Jolin, will you please read that for us? Revelation given through Joseph Smith, the prophet to Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris at Fayette, New York. June 1829. Prior to their viewing the engraved plates that contain the Book of Mormon record, Joseph and his scribe, Oliver Cowdery, had learned from the translation of the Book of Mormon plates that three special witnesses would be designated.

Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris were moved upon by an inspired desire to be the three special witnesses. The prophet inquired of the Lord and this revelation was given in answer through the Urim and Thummim. Okay, I'm gonna take you through section 17 like an institute class. So let's do this.

In that section heading, I want you to highlight where it says in the middle, Joseph and his scribe Oliver Cowdery had learned from the translation of the Book of Mormon plates that three special witnesses would be designated. And then highlight continue where it says Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris were moved upon by an inspired desire to be the three special witnesses.

To the outside of this section heading, I have a couple of scriptures I want you to mark. And write down the first one as we begin our scripture chain is second Corinthians chapter 13 verse one, because the law that we're talking about is the law of witnesses, and it's in stone. It's very important. So here we go.

Second Corinthians, chapter 13 verse one, Aliah, will you read that for us. This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. Brilliant. To the outside of that, the next scripture you want to put is Doctrine and Covenants section 5. Verses 11 through 15.

We won't read all of these, but what we will do is we're going to read verse 11. And it says, and in addition to your testimony, the testimony of three of my servants whom I shall call and ordain unto whom I will show these things and they shall go forth with my words that are given through you. So here in section five is Joseph being taught.

We're going to need witnesses. I love how he's just kind of putting that in his brain. Just think about it. Okay, the next one is Doctrine and Covenants section 6 verse 28. Angel Lynn, will you read this for us, please? You bet. And now behold, I give unto you, and also unto my servant Joseph, the keys of this gift, which shall bring to light this ministry.

And in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. The next reference is 2 Nephi chapter 27 verses 12 and 13. And Aliah, will you just read verse 12 for us? Wherefore, at the day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, but the eyes of none shall behold it save be that three witnesses shall behold it by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered, and they shall testify to the truth of the book.

And the things they're in. Thank you. And that's the verse that Joseph was reading as Oliver's his scribe and they're like three witnesses. Wow. Could you imagine that? What a relief to Joseph Smith. Tell me why. Because he's bearing this burden of like, he's the only one that's seen it. He's the, and he's just.

He needs people to believe him and some people do and that's a relief, but he's getting so much persecution as well. And so to be able to be like, Oh, I just don't, I don't have to bear it all by myself. You're totally right. It had to have been so heavy for him. Absolutely. Well, here's another witness of this verse, this law in ether chapter five verses two through four.

I'll read this and behold, you may be privileged that you may show these plates unto [00:55:00] those who shall assist to bring forth this work. I mean, isn't this fascinating that Joseph's it's right here in the book of Mormon. I love it. And then to three shall they be shown by the power of God, wherefore they shall know of a surety that these things are true.

And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established and the testimony of three and this work in which shall be shown forth the power of God and also his word of which the father and the son and the Holy ghost bear record. And all this shall stand as a testimony against the world at the last day.

And then we're going to just bring it right back to doctrine and covenant section 17. Okay. Now in section 17, they know there's going to be three witnesses. So I want you to bracket off verses one and two and to the outside of verses one and two, I want you to write what they would see. This is what Joseph's allowed to show them.

And I think it's so cool. Aliah, will you just read verse one for us? Behold, I say unto you, that ye must rely upon my word, which, if ye do with full purpose of heart, ye shall have a view of the plate, and also of the breastplate, the sword of Laban, the ermum and thummum, which were given to the brother of Jared upon the mount.

When he talked to the Lord face to face and the miraculous director, which was given to Lehi while in the wilderness on the border of the Red Sea. Thank you. Oh, that's so cool. The stuff they got to witness. So verses one and two is what they will see now bracket off versus three through nine. And this is titled right to the outside, the responsibility of what the witnesses will see.

These are the verses of their responsibility. Now, we're going to read this quote. This is from Elder Oaks about this idea of the law of witnesses and Jolynn, can you read this quote? Mm hmm. Witnesses and witnessing are vital in God's plan for the salvation of his children. In the Godhead, the function of the Holy Ghost is to bear witness of the father and the son.

The father has borne witness of the son and the son has borne witness of the father. The Lord hath commanded his servants to testify of him and all of the prophets have borne witness of Jesus Christ. Thank you. It is so important, this idea of law of witnesses, that even Jesus Christ gets in on this idea of being a witness.

Go back to section 17 and we're going to read verse 6 and verse 6 says, and he has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him and as your Lord and your God liveth, it is true. Right there is the savior's witness of the book of Mormon. Knowing this law of witnesses, what does it say to you that even the savior's a witness?

I mean, the Savior, I, I mean, I just think of it as the Savior was sent here to show us the way, right? He's here to be the example. And so I don't know what I'm trying to say, but just that He is giving us the example of this is true, right? He's showing us exactly what it's going to take, right? And that it's kind of like putting a stamp of approval on it, right?

Oh, I like that. It's exactly what it is. His stamp of approval. Yeah. Yeah. And this law, I mean, why do you think Elder Oaks would say that it is vital in God's plan for the salvation of his children to have witnesses? That's heavy. I kept thinking of it as because Elder Oaks, obviously an attorney, right?

And so I hear him reading it and I hear him an attorney voice like saying you're an attorney yourself. Yeah. So, so you're just, I mean, you wouldn't accuse someone, right? Like The human mind is we make stuff up in our head. We don't even know like it's frail. We don't We're not always right and what we think and what we assume I mean I can sit down with my brothers and sisters and we will tell the same story and it'll be Fascinating because my brother will be like, oh, I don't remember.

This is how I remember it My sister will be like this is how I remember it, right? We can agree on the main points But there's all these different, you know kind of takes on the same event that happened And, but if you have three people that are kind of reporting, this is the same thing that happened.

Right? Like you and I know the truth of it. Like it, it becomes indisputable. We just, we know the truth of what's being witnessed. Oh, good one. You're right. You're absolutely right. What were you gonna say, Aliyah? This might be the most unromantic thing I've shared on here, or ever said, but one of the things that like marriage research shows is that one of the reasons that people get married is that for like love or romance or all those things that we think about marriage is to, but is to have a witness to our like, [01:00:00] oh wow, how was that on romantic?

That just kind of hit me in the fields, like that's kind of tender. It's very romantic. Yeah. What do you think, like, oh, I love her, I love her, like, that the people stay married because this person has witnessed, like, is a witness to my life. That feeling of love can be very fleeting, right, but, but like, someone to witness, you know, bear witness to my life.

Yeah, that's very, that's fascinating. To bear witness. Oh, I think that's 100 percent awesome. But I also say, like, one of the things that, like, The longest relationships that we have in our life is our siblings, because, like, we don't meet our parents until, like, halfway through their life, we don't meet our spouse until halfway through both of our lives, usually, we, our kids don't know us till halfway through our life, but our siblings are true witnesses to the whole story.

Oh, that's the truth. That's why family relationships are so hard because I'm like, I know you, I know you, I've known you your whole life. I've said that so many times and I think that, yeah, but that's why I love, love my sisters and my brother more than life itself. Like because they're always the ones that are there and maybe that's, maybe that's kind of what it means.

Like, right. Like by, by bearing witness and doing it like. They're always there. Yeah. Any, anything can be going on in my life. The world could be falling down around me and I know that I can rely on those people. To do whatever I want them to do, you know, whatever they, they, they can do to help me, they will.

Wow. Well, I think it's even simpler than that. Like I have a friend group that I just, we're in a texting, they're my, they've been my friends since high school, some of them junior high and they're not going to come to my rescue or anything like that. But like sometimes I go on and I'm like, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, you know?

Um, they'll say. You've been like that your whole life. Like, you've, they're like, you've always taken naps. And I'm like, oh, I'm so tired. And they're like, you've always been tired. And I'm like. Yeah, I have like that's not new Like that's like just but like yeah, like you know what I mean? Like yeah Always been like that.

Like they're not coming to save me. They're not coming to rescue me I don't know. I mean, maybe I can count on them for anything. I don't know. I never put it to the test but they do so like You've always been like that. That's true. They're there to tell the truth. Yeah. Yeah. They'll call you out. Your siblings and your, your besties, they'll call you out.

But they're witnessing that like, you have always been like that. Yeah. Yeah. And there's truth rooted in the witness. I think that's what's so vital about this is that even though these three will have struggles with the church and they'll leave, but there was always truth rooted in their witness and everything that's witnessed.

So it with this idea that Elder Oaks is saying that it's a vital it's it's vital to God's plan for the salvation of his children to have witnesses. So we have these witnesses right here we get to have the three witnesses, but how much do we love. that even Heavenly Father's like, you know, I'm going to give you some others.

Like, it'll be these main three, because immediately after the three witnesses have their experience with the angel, then Joseph Smith, he's going to return to the Whitmer home. And he's going to, I love this quote, he exclaims to his parents, Father, and Jillian, I want you to read this because it's exactly what you said.

It must have been such a relief for Joseph. Immediately after the three witnesses had their experience with the angel, Joseph Smith returned to the Whitmer home and exclaimed to his parents, Father, Mother, you do not know how happy I am. The Lord has now caused the plates to be shown to three more besides myself.

They have seen an angel. Who has testified to them and they will have to bear witness to the truth of what I have said for now they know for themselves that I do not go about to deceive the people and I feel as if I was relieved of a burden, which was almost too heavy for me to bear and it rejoices my heart that I am not any longer to be entirely alone in the world.

Amen. Love that. So he gets the three witnesses and in the next segment I'm going to show you a picture of one more witness.

Segment 6

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I'm going to show you guys a picture and I want you to describe to the listeners this painting. Um, I see a older gentleman with a white beard. Um, showing gold plates to [01:05:00] a, an older woman who has a bonnet on and at first, Oh, what? Go ahead. Aliah. I said, I concur. I concur. Yes. And at first glance, I thought it was a husband wife duo, but now I'm realizing it's not.

So whoever painted this. painted this. I thought it was really interesting how they painted it. It's a picture of Mary Musselman Whitmer, Mary Whitmer. And she was the female witness to the plates. Listen to this story. In addition to the three witnesses and the eight witnesses, Mary Whitmer, the mother of David Whitmer was also blessed to be a witness of the gold plates.

The angel Moroni showed them to her as an acknowledgement of the sacrifices she made while Joseph. Emma and Oliver were living in her home. And then quote, you have been very faithful and diligent in your labors. Moroni told her it is proper. Therefore that you should receive a witness that your faith may be strengthened.

I love that story. She's the only female witness. Emma never saw the plates. Joseph's mother never saw the plates, but Mary gets to see them and she's doing a lot of work taking care of her family and her three extra guests. I love how the artist portrayed Moroni. That's a man in a hat, isn't that? So sweet.

And so here's this woman and she is another witness. And then it drove me to this idea, how all of us are witnesses because in our baptismal covenants, we make the promise to be witnesses. And every Sunday, when we take the sacrament, we are going to witness. And I just want us to be thinking about this idea.

When we talk about the witnesses. I hope we think of our witness and what is our witness and what do we believe? Because every one of us has a different aspect of witnessing. And there are things that each one of us believe so differently and strongly. And so I just want you to think about this for a minute and tell me what do you have a witness of?

What aspect of the gospel do you just believe? Tithing. Tell me. I, um, you know, back in the good old days, you could kind of rob Peter to pay Paul. And so in my undergrad days, you know, and you could write a check and you had the three day float. I was cash advancing. I was cash advancing one. The financial advisor shouldn't be saying this, but this is probably why I went into financial planning.

Um, I was, I was, um, Cash advancing one credit card to pay off the other one, to pay the bill of the other one. And so by the time I got out of school, I, I kept all of my bills were in a very sophisticated filing system. A Reebok shoe box, so, and I had all the bills and I would, so when I got my first job, I would, um, I had a budget just all lined out and this is what goes to this bill and this bill and this bill and this bill, and it just never worked out on paper.

There was just never enough money that was going to cover all those bills and to be able to. Then buy groceries and gas and everything else, um, but I just, I, I just started really paying tithing and being generous with the fast offering and one by one, I knocked those cards out, even though my salary didn't go up that much.

Um, you know, I moved a few times in there, but I was, I was able to pay off debt and I have no, oh, clue how those funds stretched that far. I have no idea, but I never went without, I did everything I wanted to do, and I was able to pay those, those bills off. Perfect answer. That's a great witness of tithing.

Thanks. I like that. I didn't know that story. That's fun. Aliah, what's your witness? Um, I have a strong witness that there is nothing that any of us can do that can separate us from the love. That's a lot from a therapist, right? Like you would, you would be witness to that, right? Like in your, in your realm of work, you would be witness.

And you felt it. I felt it when you said it. Yeah. Um, I would like to just second witness what both of you said, because I have an absolute testimony of typing and what Jolynn said is true and there's no way to explain it. There just isn't. It doesn't make sense, but I have been promised the times in my life when I was promised, if you paid double fast offerings, when I was single, we had a single sword Bishop that said, if you pay double pat fast offerings, the Lord will bless you.

And I was like, all right, sounds good. I could use it. I can't explain it. I wasn't making a lot of money and I paid off my entire student loan debt. [01:10:00] for undergrad, which was a lot. And I can't even before I was supposed to pay it off. So I have a testimony that what Dylan said is true. And Aliah, I absolutely believe there is nothing we can do that will separate us from God.

I have such a testimony that God loves us. And I love this quote because we've been talking about the priesthood and ordinances and covenants today. And Elder Renlund said this, and it just hit my heart because he said, according to the New Testament gospel accounts in Mark and Luke, Heavenly Father spoke directly to Jesus at his baptism saying, Thou art my beloved son, in thee I am well pleased.

And then he said, when we embark on the covenant path through baptism, I can imagine Heavenly Father saying a similar thing to each of us. Thou art my dear child in whom I delight. Keep going. I love that. Like no matter where we are in our life, you are my beloved child. Just keep going. You're doing great.

And if you're not, I still love you. Just keep going. And so this is what I love about witnesses and it's why we have them. And why it's so vital because for anyone serving in a position in the church where you have in primary or Sunday school where you have a teaching partner and you think it's just because we're too deep leadership.

So we don't have, so we don't get any lawsuits or anything weird happening. That might be true, but the reality is the reason we're too deep like that. is for witnessing. And when your teaching partner bears testimony of something, you better come right in to strengthen that. If you're in any leadership position, that's why missionaries go two by two.

So one can witness of the other. That's why we have God and Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost witnesses of them. And so it really think about in, when you go to church on Sunday, notice the witnesses. Notice them in Sunday school in our Bishop bricks were always at least two or three witnesses to back up what everybody says there is power in witnessing.

And I just, I think it's so awesome how these men, they thought they were just going to witness of the Book of Mormon, but their witness. It's powerful. It needed to be three and I love it. Two or three. It really is vital to our salvation. So thank you ladies. Thanks for sharing your witness. Okay, we're done.

So gather your thoughts, look through everything we talked about today and tell me your eternal truth. I, I'll go two things is, is that, I mean, one is what is my great and marvelous work, right? What have, and then I wrote down what have I witnessed, right? Like what, what have I been? Because not everyone.

was called to look at the plates. Not everyone is called to have that same testimony of tithing. Right? Like, they don't need that. But, what have I witnessed and what is, that is part of my great and marvelous work, right? Is to, is to be, in what areas am I supposed to be one of two or three or many? Right?

Like, what is, that could, that's, goes along with what your great and marvelous work is. Is you, you are to provide that witness, um, of, of every eternal truth that you have. Know to be true in your heart. That was good. That was a full circle moment. That was awesome. Jalyn. Thank you. Oh, I love that. I never considered that.

That was cool. I think for me, something I want to deep dive more into is, is that idea of witnessing? The mind game that I'm playing with myself right now is like,

what does it mean to be a witness? And what are we witnessing? Like what are we truly witnessing? What is like, what is God's plan? What is he doing? What is his great work, great, marvelous work? How am I witnessing it? Am I truly witnessing it or am I just getting through it? How can I witness it better?

Yeah. Oh, that's good. Huh. That's really good. Am I just getting through it or am I really witnessing it? That was profound. Mm hmm. I think a lot of us are just getting through it. Yeah, I think call. You just changed me there. I gotta be a witness. Yeah. And I get that, right? Like sometimes you're just in the trenches and you're just, you really are just trying to make it day to day.

Yeah, that's that's so good. He needs us to witness. He needs us to and you know that just came I just kind of had that experience as I was talking to someone who's not a member of the church and But is Christian and is like, you know if [01:15:00] Christ comes again like I think it'll be so cool I'm so excited to see all of that and I and I was like, well all these things are already happening, right?

But for for him he was waiting. He's waiting for this big Just a miraculous thing. And so, like, I think we who have been taught the sign of the times and have living prophets, um, are witness to those things that are happening, you know, behind the scenes that are ushering in the second coming. And so it was like, me witnessing to him right there of like, look at all this stuff that's already going on.

That was prophesied up. So, yeah. Well, that goes to my truth. What I taught the spirit, the Holy ghost taught me was Jillin, when you said the urgency of a great and marvelous work that's repeated so many times, there's an urgency in that. And I think that there is for us today, there's an urgency in this.

And I think that our prophet is really doing a good job of trying to help us understand that like Jesus is coming. He's coming. So we gotta get ready. And I loved that moment. And then Aliah, I liked so much when we read the words of Oliver Cowdery and your connection in teaching us about how He must've, he could've been so frustrated and said, I'm done.

This is not correct. And just, oh, that was such a good moment. So thank you. Thank you to both of you. You, I love you both. Gosh, what a great discussion. It's always fun. Thanks. Yeah. You guys have a good time. Always a good time. So thank you. I love you both so much. Well, for those of you listening, I want to know what you learned.

What did the Holy ghost teach you as we studied these sections? So go join our group on Facebook or Instagram and share with us what you've learned or ask questions. And then at the end of the week, we post a question that has to do with this specific discussion. So make sure that you comment on the posts that relates to this lesson and share your thoughts.

You can get to both our Facebook and Instagram by going to the show notes for this episode at ldsliving. com slash Sunday on Monday and go there anyway, because it's where we're going to have links to the references as well as a transcript of this whole discussion. So check it out. The Sunday on Monday study group is a desert bookshelf plus original brought to you by LDS living.

It's written and hosted by me, Tammy Uzelac Hall. And today our beautiful study group participants were Aliah Hall and Jalyn Peterson. And you can find more information about my friends at ldsliving. com slash Sunday on Monday. Our podcast is produced by Cole Wissinger and me. It is edited and mixed by Cole Wissinger and our executive producer is Erin Hallstrom.

Thanks for being here. We'll see you next week. And please remember, like Aliah said, there's nothing you can do to separate you from God's love because you are God's favorite.