God Wants a Powerful People

I realize how long it has been since my last post and I apologize. I don’t really have an explanation other than my heart just hasn’t been it for some reason. I hope to be able to get back to at least weekly posts.
This blog started out merely as sort of an online book review. I was reading many books and then highlighting the things that I had learned from each. Perhaps it evolved into something different than that and that is what made it difficult for me to maintain. Perhaps going back to the original format will bring me back to more frequent posts.

A couple of weeks ago I was lying in bed and was running through my head the books that I have read so far this year. I came to the conclusion that it has been 11 so far. I guess that makes me a true book geek. The books I have read so far this year include:
“Jesus the Christ” and “The Articles of Faith” by James E. Talmage, “Ten Parables” by Denver Snuffer, “Divine Signatures” by Gerald Lund, “The Continuous Atonement” by Brad Wilcox, “House of Learning” by Richard and Kathleen Walker, “God Want a Powerful People” by Sherri Dew,” The People Code” by Dr. Taylor Hartman, “The Narcotics Anonymous Handbook” (I will explain later), “The Anatomy of Peace” by The Arbinger Institute, and “To the Rescue, The Biography of Thomas S. Monson” by Heidi Swinton. Of course none of these include my regular scripture study where I am working on both the Old and New Testaments right now.
My reason in pointing this out I guess is to show that I have plenty of material to choose from. My only excuse for not writing is perhaps laziness. I have hope that I can do much better.

I have found the Old Testament to be simply wonderful. Late last year I felt a need to read the book of Isaiah. After really enjoying it I decided simply to keep going so I read Jeremiah, Lamentations, etc. until I was through Malachi. In about January of this year I was ready to begin in Genesis and simply keep going. I am currently in Ruth.

I have only read the Old Testament one time previously and that was shortly after returning from my mission in Belgium. I quite honestly don’t remember anything from that reading. This time has been very different. I have read with red pencil in hand and have thoroughly enjoyed the things I have read. The stories are amazing, and the amount of revelation that is pertinent to my life currently has been enlightening. I regret having taken so long between readings.

One of the books on my list above that I thoroughly enjoyed was the one by Sherri Dew “God Want a Powerful People.” I bought this book pretty much by dumb luck. I was in Seagull book purchasing “The “Continuous Atonement.” At the checkout counter the cashier informed me of a special they were having that let me buy Sister Dew’s book for $6.00 with the purchase of any other book. I thought to myself “maybe Ann will like this book.” I brought it home.

The book seems to be a little gem filled with many wonderful stories and insights. I already knew that Sister Dew was a wonderful woman but I guess I underestimated her power. Although there are many parts of this book I could write about, I will write about one section that stands out in my mind. It comes from a chapter called “How God Shares His Power.”

This chapter starts out by talking about the adversary and his power. It quickly reminds us that agency is critical to the Fathers plan and that we need to be able to choose for ourselves. She then goes on to explain how Heavenly Father trusts us to come forth in this time of great sin on the earth; but he hasn’t left us without help. He has given us portions of His Power. She then makes a list of where this power is found.

1. There is Power in the Word of God. Sister Dew goes on to talk about how the scriptures, words of living prophets, and personal revelation give us power. President Boyd K. Packer taught that “true doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will change behavior faster than the study of behavior will improve behavior.” President Henry B. Eyring said “Words of doctrine have great power. They can open the minds of people to see things not visible to the natural eye. And they can open the heart to feelings of the love of God and a love for truth.”
I have experienced these truths in my own life. I have learned over the past few years, as I have tried to study the gospel more diligently, that studying the gospel has improved my behavior. However, more importantly, my eyes have been opened to many wonderful parts of the gospel that come only by personal revelation.

2. There is power in the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have learned from my own experience that tremendous power comes with the gift of the Holy Ghost. I believe that the Holy Ghost speaks in a unique way to each of us and that learning how the Holy Ghost speaks to us is one of the most important things we can learn in our lives. I have learned that when promptings come, and we respond to them, we are blessed with more. As we receive a prompting, and don’t respond, they soon become less frequent.

3. There is power in the priesthood. Sister Dew explains “There is power in ordinances. Those who are endowed with power in the House of the Lord need never face the adversary alone. Couples worthy to be sealed at the altar in the holy house are gifted with power. The power of the priesthood heals, protects, and inoculates every righteous man and woman against the power of darkness.”

4. There is power in the House of the Lord. This statement is the solitary reason I am writing this post today. As I read this book… and read this statement… the spirit bore witness to me that this is true. Two years ago this April conference, Elder Richard G. Scott gave a talk where he mentioned that he has attended the temple every week for 14 years. Since it is my habit to listen to conference over and over again as I drive in my car, I have learned that it often takes until the 4th or 5th listening that I finally understand what the message for me is. As I was listening to this talk for the 5th or so time, suddenly I became aware that attending the temple weekly is what I needed to do. Since that time I have done just that. I can testify that there is power in the temple.

5. There is power in purity. “It is possible that there is no key to accessing the power of God that is more important, more crucial than purity” writes Sister Dew. Again this is something I have a personal testimony of. From Elder Bednar’s conference address, Clean Hands and a Pure Heart, I learned that it is very possible to have clean hands and not a pure heart. As I have pondered and applied this to my own life I have come to know of its truthfulness. I have learned for myself what is meant by the scripture “let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God;” D&C 121:45.

6. There is power in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Most of my life my experience taught me that the Atonement was for me and for the forgiveness of my sins. It wasn’t until a person tragedy, and the subsequent reading of “The Peacegiver” that I learned that the Atonement is for others as well and that I can forgive others because of the Atonement. The Atonement is the greatest power indeed.

There are many more great lessons to be taught by this wonderful little book of Sister Dew’s. I encourage all to read it and ponder its great teachings.