We be Abraham’s Seed…

We be Abraham’s Seed… Khinckley1@yahoo.com

Dear Bishop Letters Dear Bishop:My mother sometimes sings and dances in the kitchen. For no reason! Could she be going through a mental pause? Signed, Brant Dear Bishop:Our son writes that he is taking Judo lessons. Why would a boy who was raised in a good Christian home turn against the Church? Dear Bishop:What can I do about all the Nudity, Fowl Language and Violence on my VCR? Dear Bishop:I was married to Bill for three months and I didn't know he drank until one night he came home sober.

Question Scores of problems often seem to plague those who were raised in dysfunctional or broken homes. What separates those who rise above it from those who don’t?

Abraham 1 Avraham Gileadi A story I heard in rabbinic school relates how Abraham's father, Terah, in the land of Ur of the Babylonians, at times put young Abraham in charge of his store. When Terah, who made and sold idols, went into the forest to fetch wood for their manufacture, Abraham was to sell the idols in his father's place. Typically Abraham would dissuade buyers, reproving the adults for esteeming statues as gods. One day, fed up with his duty, Abraham smashed all his father's wares except a large idol that stood on a top shelf. When Terah returned from the forest, he flew into a rage, demanding an explanation. Abraham responded, "The big one did it!" implying that these were no gods at all, or they could have saved themselves. After that, Abraham became unpopular in Ur and the people sought his life. 1 In the land of the Chaldeans, at the residence of my fathers, I, Abraham, saw that it was needful for me to obtain another place of residence;

Abraham 1:2 And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge …having been myself a follower of righteousness and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace …and to keep the commandments of God and desiring to receive instructions, …I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers.

In other words… Spirit Knowledge Action Joseph F. Smith In Christ's Church we cannot be neutral or inert. We must either progress or retrograde. It is necessary for the Latter-day Saints to keep pushing on in order that they may keep their faith alive and their spirits quickened to the performance of their duties

Who is the Seed of Abraham? For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies. They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God. (D&C 84:33-34)

President Kimball Many times I have tried in my mind to span the long centuries that link us to our common fathers… and my soul is stirred when I remember that in our veins flows the blood of the Lord's elect—the great patriarchs of the Old Testament, such as Adam, and Enoch, and Noah. I am humbled to know that our common father was Abraham, of whom it is said there were no greater ones and through whose seed the Lord has chosen to carry out his holy purposes on the earth…

Question What are the blessings of Abraham? What are the responsibilities, though, of being “Abraham’s Seed”? Joseph Fielding McConkie: "In claiming to be a chosen people, we make no pretense to be superior to any other people but simply claim to have been chosen to serve as the Lord's messengers in declaring the message of salvation among the nations of the earth. Ours is a call to service, not to privilege, though the service itself is such. The promise given to Abraham was that his posterity would be called upon to bear the ministry and priesthood among all nations."

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland We are all willful people too much of the time….We must break out of our petty selves and weep for our sins and for the sins of the world. We must plead with others to yield to the father, to yield to the Son, to yield to the Holy Spirit. There is no other way.

Elder Bednar Quotes D&C 88:78 “Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, That you [the teacher] my be instructed more perfectly…in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand.”

Elder Jeffrey Holland Elisha, with a power known only to the prophets, had counseled the king of Israel on how and where and when to defend against the warring Syrians. The king of Syria, of course, wished to rid his armies of this prophetic problem. "Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city round about. . . . They compassed the city both with horses and chariots." If Elisha was looking for a good time to be depressed, this was it. His only ally was the president of the local teachers quorum. It was one prophet and one lad against the world. And the boy was petrified. He saw the enemy everywhere-difficulty and despair and problems and burdens everywhere. With faltering faith Elisha's youthful companion cried, "Alas, my master! how shall we do?" And Elisha's reply? "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them."

Elder Holland Cont. "They that be with us?" Now, faith is fine and courage wonderful, but this is ridiculous, the boy thought. There were no others with them. He could recognize a Syrian army when he saw one, and he knew that one child and an old man were not strong odds against it. But Elisha's promise was: "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." Then Elisha turned heavenward, saying, "Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see." And, we are told, "the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." (2 Kings 6:14-17.) In the gospel of Jesus Christ we have help from both sides of the veil. When disappointment and discouragement strike-and they will-we need to remember that if our eyes could be opened, we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see, riding at great speed to come to our protection. They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham's seed…

We be Abraham’s Seed…