Mormon Women: What is the Priesthood?

The Priesthood really is a wonderful gift we have. I don't fully understand it. I'm still learning. But what I do know and have learned has really strengthened my faith and testimony and relationship with God. I mentioned in the "Ask Questions" post of this series that I wasn't ever that concerned about learning more about the Priesthood. I just accepted that God was perfect; He loves us perfectly; He guides, directs, and organized this Church. That was good enough for me.

Or so I thought.

About a month ago, I was asked to teach a Relief Society lesson based off of Elder Dallin H. Oak's April 2014 General Conference address entitled "The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood." I really struggled trying to learn from God what it was He wanted me to teach to my fellow Relief Society sisters; the majority of whom are college students, young, newlywed, new mothers, and/or expecting. I felt strongly that the goals of this lesson should be:

1. The sisters learn something new about the Priesthood.
2. The sisters understand more of how the Priesthood applies to them.
3. The sisters gain a desire to learn more themselves.
4. The sisters feel and are inspired by the Spirit.
5. The sisters are involved in their own learning.

You may recognized that these goals are similar to the ones I have for this Mormon Women blogpost series. In this particular post, I hope to focus on the first goal: learn something new about the priesthood. Or even be reminded about things you already knew.

What is the Priesthood?

Priesthood is the power and authority of God. The priesthood is also the power and authority that God gives to man to act in all things necessary for the salvation of God’s children ("Priesthood"). Elder Oaks said:

President Joseph F. Smith described the priesthood as “the power of God delegated to man by which man can act in the earth for the salvation of the human family.” Other leaders have taught us that the priesthood “is the consummate power on this earth. It is the power by which the earth was created.” The scriptures teach that “this same Priesthood, which was in the beginning, shall be in the end of the world also” (Moses 6:7). Thus, the priesthood is the power by which we will be resurrected and proceed to eternal life ("The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood").

It's the power that created the world, the galaxy, and us. It's the power by which we are healed and given ordinances whether living or dead to gain eternal life. It's the power and authority o God. It is amazing.

Priesthood Keys
Keys are the rights of presidency, or the power given to man by God to direct, control, and govern God’s priesthood on earth ("Keys of the Priesthood").

One of the girls explained what keys are in a great analogy. You probably have a set of keys: a key to the car, a key to your home, a key to the mailbox. You can't use a key to your home to unlock anyone else's home nor to open your mailbox. A key to your home only unlocks and allows you to open your home. It doesn't unlock office doors, or file cabinets, or cars. It unlocks your home. Now you are probably careful with your set of keys. You don't just let anyone have a copy of the key to your home. You give them to certain individuals you trust and have proven worthy like a close friend or family member. You trust this friend not to make more copies of your house key without your permission and handing them out. They would need your permission to make copies and permission of who to give the copies too.

This is the same way priesthood keys work. They each have a different job. They each 'unlock' something to allow individuals to choose whether they will open the door or not. The May 2012 New Era states:

Priesthood keys are the right to preside over and direct the Church within a jurisdiction. Keys usually apply to a geographic area, like a ward, stake, or mission. They also usually include authority over specific ordinances and activities (for instance, baptism, the sacrament, missionary work, and temple work).

All the priesthood keys come from Heavenly Father through His son, Jesus Christ. The keys belong to them. To give someone a certain priesthood key, they must obtain permission from God Himself. Our modern day prophet, Thomas S. Monson, currently holds and can exercise all the priesthood keys for this dispensation. Others who hold specific keys are Stake Presidents, Temple Presidents, Mission Presidents, Patriarchs, Elder's Quorum Presidents, Bishops, Teacher's Quorum President, and Deacon's Quorum Presidents.

Priesthood Authority
This is where individuals who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and those who are not can become confused. The reason for this is because the priesthood authority functions differently in the home and the Church. One very worthwhile talk to read on this matter is another address by Elder Dallin H. Oaks entitled "Priesthood Authority in the Family and in the Church."

In the Church
You receive authority from those who hold priesthood keys. You can be a man or a woman to receive this authority, but not all men or women have it. When you are extended and receive a call, and are set apart, you are given priesthood authority for that calling. For example, I was extended a call to be a Relief Society Teacher. I accepted the call. I was sustained in Sacrament meeting by the ward. I was then set apart in my calling as a Relief Society Teacher. As such, I have priesthood authority to teach Relief Society and as such I will be blessed and inspired for that calling. When I am released, I will no longer have that authority to be a Relief Society Teacher. Same goes for Relief Society Presidents, Primary Presidents, Quorum Presidents, and all other callings. President Boyd K. Packer said,

The Relief Society works under the direction of the Melchizedek Priesthood, for "all other authorities or offices in the church are appendages to this priesthood." It was organized "after the pattern of the priesthood" (Daughters in My Kingdom).

This is where the world gets so confused! Even our own members! While sisters are not ordained the priesthood, we enjoy all the blessings and powers of the priesthood and even the authority of the priesthood in our callings! Just like the men! The world thinks that in order for women to have a say and participate in a church, you have to be part of the "clergy" or be ordained the priesthood. Other churches have done so. But in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we do not have a paid clergy. I've talked more about this in my "Administration and Membership of the Church" post.

This is how it has always been since Relief Society was formed under the priesthood after the pattern of the priesthood on 17 March 1842. How do women think themselves as less? How could they think that God or the Prophet feels thusly? We sisters are more involved in our Church than the world realizes. As I was telling this to my husband, he said, "The world knows just enough about the matter to know nothing at all." I agree. They only realize we women aren't ordained the priesthood. But we still can be given its authority, and receive its power and blessings.

In the Home

"A most important difference in the functioning of priesthood authority in the family and in the Church results from the fact that the government of the family is patriarchal, whereas the government of the Church is hierarchical. The concept of partnership functions differently in the family than in the Church" ("Priesthood Authority in the Family and in the Church").

A man and a women are sealed in the temple. This is when the husband receives the things mentioned in D&C 131. He can enter into the highest degree in the celestial kingdom. Same to the wife. Elder Oaks also said,

The greatest power God has given to His sons cannot be exercised without the companionship of one of His daughters, because only to His daughters has God given the power 'to be a creator of bodies ... so that God's design and the Great Plan might meet fruition ("The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood").

Men and women are meant to be together. Before I married my husband I really did not feel complete. Yes, I made my life full, but it wasn't complete. Then we married. and it just felt right. It was just good. Remember Moses 3:24? It reads, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh" (emphasis added). I loved what Elder Ballard said,

Men and women have different gifts, different strengths, and different points of view and inclinations. That is one of the fundamental reasons why we need each other. It takes a man and a woman to create a family, and it takes men and women to carry out the work of the Lord in the Church. A husband and wife righteously working together complete each other ("'Let Us Think Straight'").

A man and a woman complete each other when they are righteously working together. That's how I feel with my husband. I don't feel lesser. President Spencer W. Kimball once said,

When we speak of marriage as a partnership, let us speak of marriage as a full partnership. We do not want our LDS women to be silent partners or limited partners in that eternal assignment! Please be a contributing and full partner ("Privileges and Responsibilities of Sisters").

Now what does this have to do with priesthood authority in the home? Well, realize that when a couple is married we have certain responsibilities.
The Family: A Proclamation to the World states many responsibilities of a couple in regards to their family. In addition it says,

By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners (emphasis added).

The father who is sealed in the temple is a Melchizedek priesthood holder. As such, he holds priesthood authority in the home to be a husband and father and preside in righteousness, provide and protect his family. The wife, through the sealing, is given priesthood authority to be a wife and mother to nurture children. Elder Oaks states, "This family authority includes directing of the activities of the family, family meetings like family home evenings, family prayer, teaching the gospel, and counseling and disciplining family members. It also includes ordained fathers giving priesthood blessings" ("Priesthood Authority in the Family and in the Church").

The following is an example of how priesthood authority works in the home when the father is not present. Elder Oaks told this story:

My father died when I was seven. I was the oldest of three small children our widowed mother struggled to raise. When I was ordained a deacon, she said how pleased she was to have a priesthood holder in the home. But Mother continued to direct the family, including calling on which one of us would pray when we knelt together each morning. ...When my father died, my mother presided over our family. She had no priesthood office, but as the surviving parent in her marriage she had become the governing officer in her family. At the same time, she was always totally respectful of the priesthood authority of our bishop and other Church leaders. She presided over her family, but they presided over the Church. ...The faithful widowed mother who raised us had no confusion about the eternal nature of the family. She always honored the position of our deceased father. She made him a presence in our home. She spoke of the eternal duration of their temple marriage. She often reminded us of what our father would like us to do so we could realize the Savior's promise that we could be a family forever (Daughters in My Kingdom).

Do you see? A husband and wife have primary responsibilities. Yet we are obligated to help each other as equal partners. We are together. We are complete. We are "one flesh." As long as we are working righteously together. This is how the priesthood authority works in the home.

Priesthood Power and Blessings
Sister Elaine L. Jack said in Daughters in My Kingdom, "When we receive the blessings of the priesthood, we are drawing on the power and grace of God." We already have mentioned how priesthood literally is the power of God. Through this power, which is accessible by everyone, we can receive ordinances, make covenants, receive priesthood blessings (healing, comfort and counsel, baby blessing, father's blessings). But there are even more blessings we receive from the priesthood that aren't technically called priesthood blessings via laying on of hands. For example, all the blessings we receive because of covenants and ordinances we made are priesthood blessings. Sister Sheri Dew said,

"We may all receive the Holy Ghost, obtain personal revelation, and be endowed in the temple, from which we emerge 'armed' with power. The power of the priesthood heals, protects, and inoculates all of the righteous against the powers of darkness. Most significantly, the fulness of the priesthood contained in the highest ordinances of the house of the Lord can be received only by a man and woman together" (Daughters in My Kingdom).

The blessings also include the many gifts of the Spirit (Daughters in My Kingdom). It pretty much is every blessing we receive from God, I think. We must all try to be worthy of this power by doing what we read in D&C 121:36-46. We must all be righteous.


Mormon Women Series:
Introduction
Ask Questions
The Administration and Membership of the Church
What is the Priesthood?
Priesthood and Women
Women's Divine Gifts