Covenants and ordinances strengthen our testimony of Jesus Christ

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Covenants and ordinances strengthen our testimony of Jesus Christ

As we are beginning to figure out what we are supposed to be doing, we turned to the General Handbook of Instructions.  Elder Dunn counseled us to pay special attention to the first four chapters of the Handbook.  Those first chapters lay the doctrinal foundation for everything we do.  The rest of the Handbook describes in detail policies and procedures for organizing and executing the Lord’s church.  But in those first chapters we are reminded of our purpose here on Earth and why we make covenants, obey the Lord, and serve in His kingdom.

3.5 Priesthood Power

Priesthood power is the power by which God blesses His children. God’s priesthood power flows to all members of the Church—female and male—as they keep the covenants they have made with Him. Members make these covenants as they receive priesthood ordinances. (See Doctrine and Covenants 84:19–20.)

The blessings of priesthood power that members can receive include:

    Guidance for their lives.

    Inspiration to know how to serve family members and others.

    Strength to endure and overcome challenges.

    Gifts of the Spirit to magnify their abilities.

    Revelation to know how to fulfill the work they are ordained, set apart, or assigned to do.

    Help and strength to become more like Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.

3.5.2 Ordinances

An ordinance is a sacred act performed by the authority of the priesthood. Ordinances have always been part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The first ordinances on earth were performed in the days of Adam and Eve (see Genesis 1:28; Moses 6:64–65).

In many ordinances, individuals make covenants with God. Examples include baptism, the sacrament, the endowment, and the marriage sealing ordinance. In other ordinances such as patriarchal blessings or blessings on the sick, individuals do not make covenants, but they do receive guidance and strength to keep covenants.

Ordinances have symbolic meaning that point individuals to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. In the ordinances that include covenants, the symbolism helps individuals understand the promises they make and the blessings they receive through their faithfulness.

Each ordinance allows individuals to receive rich spiritual blessings. The Lord revealed, “In the ordinances [of the priesthood], the power of godliness is manifest” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:20). Ordinances of salvation and exaltation are essential for eternal life.

We just read that ordinances and covenants point us to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  What is it about ordinances and covenants that do this?  First, the covenant describes to us in words what we are promising to do and what the Lord is promising in return.  In the sacrament ordinance we promise to take upon us the name of Christ, to always remember him, and to keep his commandments.  In return, the Lord promises that His Spirit will always be with us. He promises the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost to help accomplish those things we read earlier, Inspiration, Strength, Gifts of the Spirit, Revelation, etc.

If the words of the sacrament ordinance remind us of the covenant what is the symbolic meaning of the sacrament?  I tend to be a very literal person.  Probably to a fault.  I have a difficult time finding meaning in symbolism.  So what I share is only a very tiny part of what is to be had.  Several years ago while I was a Bishop we received some instruction on offering the sacrament to those with Gluten intolerances.  It was suggested that the member provide a small piece of gluten-free bread or something similar instead of a small cracker so that the bread could still be broken to symbolize how the Savior’s body was broken.  In all my life to that point I had never realized that was one of the reasons why the bread was broken.  I guess I just assumed it was for convenience.  My point is that there are probably many other things about the sacrament, other than the bread representing the body of Christ and the water representing the blood of Christ, that we can learn from if we pay attention and pray for inspiration.  In recent years I have made more of an effort to understand more about the sacrament ordinance and it has been truly enlightening.

Similarly we can say the same things about the temple ordinances.  There are the words to the covenants that we make but there is also great meaning in the symbolism of the things we do and see in the temple.  Frequent and regular temple attendance will prove this to be true for you.  In the same way we can pay greater attention to the sacrament, we can pay greater attention in the temple and be taught.

Every time President Nelson speaks in General Conference he speaks the most magnificent things.  You can just hang on every word he says. But one talk in particular has had a profound impact on me and has been quoted extensively.  It is the talk he gave last October about our Spiritual Foundation and the Temple. When that talk was given I had just been released as a Bishop two weeks prior.  I had started thinking about the possibility of asking to serve as an ordinance worker in the temple.  Then President Nelson, in talking about the Savior, said, “He is providing opportunities for each of us to bolster our spiritual foundations more effectively by centering our lives on Him and on the ordinances and covenants of His temple. When you bring your temple recommend, a contrite heart, and a seeking mind to the Lord’s house of learning, He will teach you.”  To me, that was an answer.  I soon thereafter began serving as an ordinance worker in the temple.

Through this experience I believe there is an intangible benefit from going to the temple.  I had hoped to learn and be taught and I certainly did learn many wonderful things.  But there was an intangible change in my life that I can’t explain from a logical level.  After a while my wife said to me, “you have changed”. I asked her how I had changed and all she said was I don’t know but you can’t ever stop going to the temple!  I did feel like I had changed somehow for the better.  I can’t explain it but it is there.  I think it was also helping to prepare me for my current calling.  I worked the Tuesday night shift but now with many stake meetings on Tuesdays I have had to be released as an ordinance worker.  I was only able to serve for six months and I miss it terribly but I will do what I can in the future to arrange my schedule such that I have an opening each work to do that great service.

In modern times the Lord uses covenants and ordinances to help us strengthen our testimony of Him.  As we have been studying the Old Testament this year we can see that the Lord has always used covenants and symbolism to draw us nearer to Him.  Unfortunately, it seems that sometimes these things were lost on the children of Israel but we can learn from them today.  We have recently studied about the Tabernacle.  Consider these things that we learn from the Tabernacle.   The tabernacle was considered the dwelling place of God.  It was always placed in the center of camp to represent that God should always be at the center of our lives.  The altar was used to make sacrifices.  The sacrifices were intended to be a foreshadowing of the great and last sacrifice of our Savior.  Today, we consider what sacrifices are required of the Lord.  We are to give up our sins and offer a broken heart and a contrite spirit.  The laver of water, the candlestick, the table of shewbread, the altar of incense, the veil, and the holy of holies all are important symbols of our relationship with Christ and our covenant duties toward him.  All of these things help to strengthen our testimony of Him.

Referring to the General Handbook again, Chapter 4 has a section that talks about ministering to all of God’s children.

4.2.2 Jesus ministered personally to people, reaching out to lift and teach those who felt alone, hopeless, or lost. Love the people you serve as Jesus did. Pray “with all the energy of heart” to be filled with His love (Moroni 7:48). Establish sincere friendships. Reach out to those who may be lonely, need comfort, or have other needs. Your love will bless their lives and help people desire to come unto Christ.

Help individuals deepen their conversion and strengthen their faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Help them prepare to make covenants as they receive their next ordinance. Encourage them to keep the covenants they have made and partake of the blessings of repentance. Help them know they can progress toward fulfilling their divine potential regardless of the challenges they face.

The idea of receiving your next ordinance is a great way to focus your efforts and points to the value ordinances have in our life.  As we consider our friends and neighbors, we should ask ourselves what is the next ordinance they need?  This is always an appropriate path to pursue.  For friends who are not of our faith we could say that baptism is the next ordinance they need.  We can then develop sincere relationships with these people so we can share the gospel in normal and natural ways.  Maybe our friends have not received temple covenants and ordinances.  Similarly we develop sincere relationships so we can offer invitations to prepare for the temple or answer questions that they may have.  Members who have been away for some time may need to return to church.  In that case, the sacrament is the next ordinance they need.  

We can also consider what our own next ordinance is.  As children are you preparing for baptism.  As youth are you preparing for temple ordinances, As young single adults are you preparing to receive the sealing ordinances.  Are we also making sure we are true to the convents we have made, enduring to the end, and learning throughout our whole life more about how ordinances and covenants bind us to our Savior and make us more like him.

I have one last story about the baptismal ordinance that has been meaningful to me ever since I learned about the story.  I learned about this story many years ago while visiting with my Grandmother.  My Grandma Stevens was born in a small community in Northern Wyoming…..

She grew up, met and married my Grandpa Stevens in the Logan temple and was faithful to her covenants her whole life.  She is a great example to me.