“God’s Priesthood Power,” General Conference Leadership Meeting—October 2024 (2024)
General Conference Leadership Meeting—October 2024
God’s Priesthood Power
Instruction from President Dallin H. Oaks
Prophets are increasing our understanding of the difference between priesthood power and authority.
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For example, in 2010 President Boyd K. Packer taught: “Authority in the priesthood comes by way of ordination; power in the priesthood comes through faithful and obedient living in honoring covenants. It is increased by exercising and using the priesthood in righteousness.”
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President Russell M. Nelson explained to priesthood holders in 2016 that we can develop priesthood power through faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity, diligence, and humility. He said, “The more those attributes are developed, the greater will be our priesthood power.”
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Two years later, President Nelson cautioned that “too many of our brothers and sisters do not fully understand the concept of priesthood power and authority.”
Priesthood power is God’s power which can flow to men and women through priesthood ordinances and covenants.
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President Nelson explained, “Every man and every woman who participates in priesthood ordinances and who makes and keeps covenants with God has direct access to the power of God.”
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President Nelson has reiterated this truth in many messages. For example, he taught: “[God’s] essential ordinances bind us to Him through sacred priesthood covenants. Then, as we keep our covenants, He endows us with His healing, strengthening power.”
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In recent years, President Nelson has increasingly referred to priesthood power as God’s power available through priesthood ordinances and covenants administered under the direction of those holding priesthood keys. Six months ago, he taught: “Without priesthood keys, you could not be endowed with the power of God. … Priesthood keys give us the authority to extend all of the blessings promised to Abraham to every covenant-keeping man and woman.”