Dear Mitchell,
Happy
12th Birthday! This is a special birthday because you will receive the Aaronic priesthood.
The priesthood is the power of God given to man to act in His name. Remember
your authority comes through your ordination but your power comes through
personal obedience and worthiness. The priesthood is a gift from God that
blesses all His children. Your
Heavenly Father now trusts you enough to give you the responsibility to help
others.
Up until now your parents, extended family
and church leaders have been taking care of you and helping you grow and learn.
Now it is your turn. For example, this Sunday you will pass the sacrament for
the first time. Isn’t it wonderful that God allows you to be part of this most
sacred event? You will represent the Savior as you offer the emblems of the
bread and water as a symbol of His great Atonement. The sacrament is the most
important reason we go to church.
What a great blessing it is to hold the
priesthood. I hope you take the time to go to a quiet private place and pray to
your Heavenly Father and ask him how you can magnify your priesthood. Praying
and asking questions has been a great way for God to send messages to you. In
fact, did you know when the Prophet Joseph Smith was translating The Book of Mormon he
found a part that mentioned baptism? On May 15, 1829, he and his scribe Oliver
Cowdery went into the woods to ask God about baptism. As they prayed, a
messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light. This messenger was John
the Baptist, the prophet who baptized Jesus Christ. John the Baptist, now a
resurrected being, laid his hands on Joseph and Oliver and conferred upon each
of them the Aaronic Priesthood, which had been taken from the earth during the Apostasy.
With this authority, Joseph and
Oliver were able to baptize one another. John the Baptist was chosen by
Heavenly Father to prepare the way for the Savior and be the one to baptize
him. John did this through the authority of the Priesthood of Aaron.
After baptism, a sacred opportunity comes
to members of the Church each week as we partake of the sacrament, renew our
covenants with our Father in Heaven, take upon us the name of his Son and
promise to keep his commandments. Those holding the Aaronic Priesthood have the
sacred privilege and honor of preparing, blessing, and passing these holy
emblems of Jesus Christ’s body and blood. God
wants us to repent, come to Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit and
partake of the sacrament. When we renew our baptismal covenants in this way,
the Lord renews the cleansing effect of our baptism. In this way we are made
clean and can have His Spirit to be with us. That is why it is so important to
take the sacrament each week.
As
you know, the offices of the Aaronic Priesthood are bishop, priest, teacher,
and deacon. With the authorization of the presiding priesthood leader, deacons
pass the sacrament. They also help the bishop watch over Church members by
giving service and assisting with temporal matters such as gathering fast
offerings for the poor. Teachers perform all the duties of deacons and also
receive other opportunities to serve. They prepare the sacramental bread and
water and serve as home teachers. Priests may perform all the duties of deacons
and teachers. With the authorization of the presiding priesthood leader, they
may also bless the sacrament, baptize, and ordain others to the offices of
priest, teacher, and deacon.
As you serve in your priesthood responsibilities,
always remember that serving your own family is the most important because the
most important exercise of the priesthood takes place in the home. Your parents
and brothers need you to love them and serve them as only you can. Remember the
best friend you will ever have is Jesus Christ. He will save you whenever you
are in trouble or hurt.
You now stand at the beginning a life-time
of service. As you serve in the Aaronic Priesthood, it will prepare you to
receive the Melchizedek Priesthood, receive the blessings of the temple, serve
a full-time mission, be a loving husband and father, and continue in lifelong
service to the Lord. I love you so much Mitchell. I have so enjoyed watching
you grow up and become such a wonderful young man. I will always be your
biggest fan. I am so lucky to have you
for my grandson. I will love you forever.
Love,
Grandma Baadsgaard
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