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If the priesthood is \u201cThe Power of Godliness,\u201d and if we are to learn how to use that power, we should probably think a lot about what the word \u201cpower\u201d means in this context. Most of the time power is associated with the ability to control things, often including people and usually by force. But the scriptures are clear that whatever the word \u201cpower\u201d means, it is used \u201conly by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned\u201d (D&C 121:41). I don\u2019t see control and force in that description.<\/p>\n
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What is hard to understand in section 121\u2019s description of power, at least for the understanding of most humans, is how it can lead to things like the creation of the universe. If we are to become creators, following our Heavenly Parents, we have a lot to learn about how to exercise the priesthood (that is, the power of godliness). We must go beyond learning persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness and love unfeigned, to learning how these are power.<\/p>\n
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In order to develop our abilities to use this priesthood power, we need to have access to it. We need to be able to practice its use. Fortunately, we have been given that access to some extent, although our access is limited by what priesthood we are given, by our and righteousness, and by our understanding of what our limits are\u2014it may be that our understanding of how to use the priesthood limits us more than any actual limitations God has placed on us.<\/p>\n
In the following poem, Joseph L. Townsend, author of 10 hymns in the current hymnal, including \u201cChoose the Right,\u201d explores what the priesthood is and how we access it. He also suggests something about its role in our lives.<\/p>\n
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by Joseph L. Townsend<\/p>\n
1888<\/p>\n
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Section 84 is most known for the oath and covenant of the priesthood, which is more about our relationship with the priesthood than it is any description of what the priesthood is or how it works. Mostly, we obtain the priesthood, learn the principles behind it, and practice using the priesthood.<\/p>\n
Focusing on the young boy growing into his responsibilities, Henry W. Naisbitt suggests that each of us grow into the oath and covenant of the priesthood. Naisbitt is one of the more dynamic characters of late-19th century Mormon poetry. Not only was he a prolific poet, he also collected the earliest compilation of poetry by LDS women, which is still buried in a library.<\/p>\n
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by Henry W. Naisbitt<\/p>\n
1884<\/p>\n
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We learn in this live by experience. We can be taught everything in theory, but we learn by putting into practice. The learning model practiced in our schools can easily deceive us into thinking that learning happens in a classroom or from books, through the mere communication of facts. But this life is about gaining experiences, because real learning happens from those experiences.<\/p>\n
\u2019Zion\u2019s Poetess,\u2019 Eliza R. Snow, often mused philosophically in her poems, especially her longer poems. The following musing on the priesthood recounts a visitation from \u2018the Priesthood,\u2019 and in this visitation she is told about the relationship between priesthood and man\u2014how humankind learns from its experiences in this life. Particularly notable are the parts focusing on the presence of evil on this earth and how at the end of this visitation her understanding is expanded to see how we learn through experience.<\/p>\n
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by Eliza R. Snow<\/p>\n
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