Post # 185 – Spiritual Treasures -- By President Russell M. Nelson

Dear Family and Friends

It was such a lovely day outside today; the wind was still and the temperature was perfect😊 you will not hear me say that very often😊 I struggle with the hot temperatures, especially when there is not even a little breeze☹ I have never been able to handle those really warm to hot days.

I am curious, have any of you noticed the birds and how they are flocking to the trees and making the bare trees without any leaves look like the tree is filled with black living leaves. 

It is truly an awesome sight. Then when they all take flight at the same time, it is like the rustling of the leaves -- well sort of😊 They all seem to move as a large cloud moving across the sky😊

If you have not seen this sight, believe me – it is quite an amazing sight. Then to hear those birds talking to one another😊

It reminds me of how our Heavenly Father takes such good care of the need of the birds, then He will take care of my needs as well as the needs of all of His children.😊And guess what? YOU are one of His children!!!

For today’s post I would like to share a talk by our Prophet President Russell M. Nelson, it is titled: ‘Spiritual Treasures’ This talk was given during the general women’s session of the October 2019 general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

As you exercise faith in the Lord and His priesthood power, your ability to draw upon this spiritual treasure that the Lord has made available will increase.

Thank you for that beautiful music. As we all stood to sing that intermediate hymn, “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet,” I had two overpowering thoughts come to me. One is about the Prophet Joseph Smith, the prophet of this dispensation. 

My love and admiration for him grows with every passing day. The second thought occurred as I looked at my wife, my daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters. I felt like I’d like to claim every one of you as part of my family.

Several months ago, at the end of a temple endowment session, I said to my wife Wendy, “I hope the sisters understand the spiritual treasures that are theirs in the temple.” Sisters, I often find myself thinking about you, including two months ago when Wendy and I visited Harmony, Pennsylvania.

This was our second trip there. Both times we have been deeply moved as we walked on that sacred ground. It was near Harmony that John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and restored the Aaronic Priesthood.

It was there that the Apostles Peter, James, and John appeared to restore the Melchizedek Priesthood.

It was in Harmony that Emma Hale Smith served as her husband’s first scribe while the Prophet translated the Book of Mormon.

It was also in Harmony that Joseph received a revelation manifesting the Lord’s will to Emma. The Lord instructed Emma to expound the scriptures, to exhort the Church, to receive the Holy Ghost, and to spend her time “learning much.” Emma was also counseled to “lay aside the things of this world and seek for the things of a better” and to hold fast to her covenants with God. The Lord concluded His instruction with these compelling words: “This is my voice unto all.”¹ 

Everything that happened in this area has profound implications for your lives. The restoration of the priesthood, along with the Lord’s counsel to Emma, can guide and bless each of you. How I yearn for you to understand that the restoration of the priesthood is just as relevant to you as a woman as it is to any man. 

Because the Melchizedek Priesthood has been restored, both covenant-keeping women and men have access to “all the spiritual blessings of the church”² or, we might say, to all the spiritual treasures the Lord has for His children.

Every woman and every man who makes covenants with God and keeps those covenants, and who participates worthily in priesthood ordinances, has direct access to the power of God. 

Those who are endowed in the house of the Lord receive a gift of God’s priesthood power by virtue of their covenant, along with a gift of knowledge to know how to draw upon that power.

Did you get that part ladies and gentlemen? Let me read it to you again, because I want to make sure you do get it😊 

President Nelson is teaching us some very important things here: “Because the Melchizedek Priesthood has been restored, both covenant-keeping women and men have access to “all the spiritual blessings of the church” or we might say to all the spiritual treasures the Lord has for His children.” 

Wow!!! So this means that each one of us, women and men who make and keep their covenants with the Lord do [if your are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] or will [ if you choose to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] have access to all the spiritual treasures the Lord has for His children”. And what have I been telling each one of you in almost every post? Each one of You ARE a Child of God!!!

And as a child of God, you are given your own agency [ to choose for yourselves], I ask you mow – what kind of choices have you been making for your life? Have those choices made you truly happy? 

I have heard it said that if you don’t choose to have Jesus Christ in your lives, it doesn’t really matter what choices you make☹ 

I honestly believe that we need Him in our lives! When you feel like you need to make a change in your lives, try choosing Jesus Christ as your next choice. I know that you will be blessed beyond measure when you choose Jesus Christ over the choices the world would have you make. You can and will gain access to “all of the spiritual treasures that the Lord has for His children”. What more can you need? Now I Want you to go down a sentence or two and read again with me:

“Every woman and every man who makes covenants with God and keeps those covenants, and who participates worthily in priesthood ordinances has direct access to the power of God’. 

For those of you who are not yet members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this is a promise from a Prophet of God – that both women and men can have direct access to the power of God! 

Wow!!! Who wouldn’t want to have this power in their lives? You must understand the rest of this statement because you do have to do your part to gain this access. 

President Nelson teaches us here that we must make covenants [promises] with our Heavenly Father [God] and we must keep those covenants that we make. We must “participate worthily in priesthood ordinations”, after we do these things it is then that we are granted direct access to all the power of God.

Then the next sentence says that “those who are endowed in the house of the Lord “[this refers to the temple endowments] we then “receive a gift of God’s priesthood power by virtue of our covenant, along with a gift of knowledge to know how to draw upon that power.” 

Again, I say wow!! Who would not want to work towards these blessings? 
I know that I want to learn more😊 I know this talk is directed to the women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but I believe all women should aspire to gain these promised blessings. And all of you men out there have the opportunity to gain access to many blessings through the priesthood of God as well😊

The heavens are just as open to women who are endowed with God’s power flowing from their priesthood covenants as they are to men who bear the priesthood. 

I pray that truth will register upon each of your hearts because I believe it will change your life. Sisters, you have the right to draw liberally upon the Savior’s power to help your family and others you love.

Now, you might be saying to yourself, “This sounds wonderful, but how do I do it? How do I draw the Savior’s power into my life?”

You won’t find this process spelled out in any manual. The Holy Ghost will be your personal tutor as you seek to understand what the Lord would have you know and do. This process is neither quick nor easy, but it is spiritually invigorating. What could possibly be more exciting than to labor with the Spirit to understand God’s power—priesthood power?

What I can tell you is that accessing the power of God in your life requires the same things that the Lord instructed Emma and each of you to do.

So, I invite you to study prayerfully section 25 of the Doctrine and Covenants and discover what the Holy Ghost will teach you. Your personal spiritual endeavor will bring you joy as you gain, understand, and use the power with which you have been endowed.

Doctrine and Covenants 25                          Doctrine and Covenants

SECTION 25

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, July 1830 (see the heading to section 24). This revelation manifests the will of the Lord to Emma Smith, the Prophet’s wife.

1–6, Emma Smith, an elect lady, is called to aid and comfort her husband; 7–11, She is also called to write, to expound scriptures, and to select hymns; 12–14, The song of the righteous is a prayer unto the Lord; 15–16, Principles of obedience in this revelation are applicable to all.

1 Hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God, while I speak unto you, Emma Smith, my daughter; for verily I say unto you, all those who receive my gospel are sons and daughters in my kingdom.

My dear Sisters out there in the world of cyberspace who are reading this, as you read the verse above please insert your name in place of Emma Smith, because you too are a daughter of our Heavenly Father too😊 Actually if there any of the Brothers out there in cyberspace reading this today you could insert your name as well only change the daughter part to son😊 because you are each one His son too!

2 A revelation I give unto you concerning my will; and if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion.

Our Heavenly Father will give each one of us personal revelation to guide our lives if we seek it and we are worthy to receive it😊

3 Behold, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an elect lady, whom I have called.

4 Murmur not because of the things which thou hast not seen, for they are withheld from thee and from the world, which is wisdom in me in a time to come.

We are each being taught here that we should not murmur because of the things that we have not seen. The Lord will bring things forth in His timing. We need to put our trust in our Heavenly Father and have faith that He will reveal to each of us what we need just when we need it😊

5 And the office of thy calling shall be for a comfort unto my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun., thy husband, in his afflictions, with consoling words, in the spirit of meekness.

6 And thou shalt go with him at the time of his going, and be unto him for a scribe, while there is no one to be a scribe for him, that I may send my servant, Oliver Cowdery, whithersoever I will.

7 And thou shalt be ordained under his hand to expound scriptures, and to exhort the church, according as it shall be given thee by my Spirit.

8 For he shall lay his hands upon thee, and thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost, and thy time shall be given to writing, and to learning much.

9 And thou needest not fear, for thy husband shall support thee in the church; for unto them is his calling, that all things might be revealed unto them, whatsoever I will, according to their faith.

10 And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better.

11 And it shall be given thee, also, to make a selection of sacred hymns, as it shall be given thee, which is pleasing unto me, to be had in my church.

12 For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.

13 Wherefore, lift up thy heart and rejoice, and cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made.

14 Continue in the spirit of meekness, and beware of pride. Let thy soul delight in thy husband, and the glory which shall come upon him.

15 Keep my commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness thou shalt receive. And except thou do this, where I am you cannot come.

16 And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my voice unto all. Amen.

Part of this endeavor will require you to put aside many things of this world. 

Sometimes we speak almost casually about walking away from the world with its contention, pervasive temptations, and false philosophies. 

But truly doing so requires you to examine your life meticulously and regularly. As you do so, the Holy Ghost will prompt you about what is no longer needful, what is no longer worthy of your time and energy.

As you shift your focus away from worldly distractions, some things that seem important to you now will recede in priority. You will need to say no to some things, even though they may seem harmless. As you embark upon and continue this lifelong process of consecrating your life to the Lord, the changes in your perspective, feelings, and spiritual strength will amaze you!

Here President Nelson teaches us as the Lord taught Emma Smith, that we must put aside the things of the world. But we must not be causal in our efforts. We must examine our lives meticulously and regularly😊. 

As we each do this, we will have the Holy Ghost there prompting us about those things that are no longer need in our lives. those things that are no longer worthy of our time and energy!! 

We will need to say no to some things that may seem harmless in our minds. Remember this is a lifelong process to consecrate our lives to the Lord.  Remember too, that we will be amazed by the changes in our perspective, feelings, and spiritual strength😊 I don’t believe there could be a better go for nourishing our spiritual self😊😊😊😊!!!

Now a little word of warning. There are those who would undermine your ability to call upon the power of God. There are some who would have you doubt yourself and minimize your stellar spiritual capacity as a righteous woman.

Most certainly, the adversary does not want you to understand the covenant you made at baptism or the profound endowment of knowledge and power you have received or will receive in the temple—the house of the Lord. 

And Satan certainly does not want you to understand that every time you worthily serve and worship in the temple, you leave armed with God’s power and with His angels having “charge over” you.³

I know from my own personal experience that Satan will use whatever means that he can to keep you from going to the temple, especially for the first time. 

But he will try everything in his power to keep you from returning to the temple. He will play on your feelings about yourself – that you are not worthy, it is too time consuming, it is too costly, etc. 


He will try everything and anything that he can manage or get his followers to convince you in some way just to keep you from the temple because, as President Nelson has said: when you do go to the temple you leave ‘armed with God’s power and with His angels having “charge over” you’. 

Don't let Satan and his followers create a roadblock in your path to the temple of God☹

Satan and his minions will constantly contrive roadblocks to prevent you from understanding the spiritual gifts with which you have been and can be blessed. 

Unfortunately, some roadblocks may be the result of another’s misbehavior. It grieves me to think that any of you have felt marginalized or have not been believed by a priesthood leader or have been abused or betrayed by a husband, father, or a supposed friend. I feel deep sorrow that any of you have felt sidelined, disrespected, or misjudged. Such offenses have no place in the kingdom of God.

Remember that Satan will always try to prevent you from understanding the spiritual gifts that you have been blessed with [if you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] or that you could be blessed with [if you choose to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints😊}. 

Satan does not want you to understand the spiritual gifts that you have been blessed with or even to know that spiritual gifts are available to you☹

Conversely, it thrills me when I learn of priesthood leaders who eagerly seek the participation of women in ward and stake councils. I am inspired by each husband who demonstrates that his most important priesthood responsibility is to care for his wife.⁴
 I praise that man who deeply respects his wife’s ability to receive revelation and treasures her as an equal partner in their marriage.

When a man understands the majesty and power of a righteous, seeking, endowed Latter-day Saint woman, is it any wonder that he feels like standing when she enters the room?

From the dawning of time, women have been blessed with a unique moral compass—the ability to distinguish right from wrong. This gift is enhanced in those who make and keep covenants. 

And it diminishes in those who willfully ignore the commandments of God.

I hasten to add that I do not absolve men in any way from God’s requirement for them also to distinguish between right and wrong.

But my dear sisters, your ability to discern truth from error, to be society’s guardians of morality, is crucial in these latter days. And we depend upon you to teach others to do likewise. Let me be very clear about this: if the world loses the moral rectitude of its women, the world will never recover.

We Latter-day Saints are not of the world; we are of covenant Israel. We are called to prepare a people for the Second Coming of the Lord.

Now, may I clarify several additional points with respect to women and priesthood. 

When you are set apart to serve in a calling under the direction of one who holds priesthood keys—such as your bishop or stake president—you are given priesthood authority to function in that calling.

Similarly, in the holy temple you are authorized to perform and officiate in priesthood ordinances every time you attend. Your temple endowment prepares you to do so.

If you are endowed but not currently married to a man who bears the priesthood and someone says to you, “I’m sorry you don’t have the priesthood in your home,” please understand that that statement is incorrect. 

You may not have a priesthood bearer in your home, but you have received and made sacred covenants with God in His temple. From those covenants flows an endowment of His priesthood power upon you. And remember, if your husband should die, you would preside in your home.

As a righteous, endowed Latter-day Saint woman, you speak and teach with power and authority from God. Whether by exhortation or conversation, we need your voice teaching the doctrine of Christ. 

We need your input in family, ward, and stake councils. Your participation is essential and never ornamental!

My dear sisters, your power will increase as you serve others. Your prayers, fasting, time in the scriptures, service in the temple, and family history work will open the heavens to you.

Wow!!! Sisters, did you catch that statement? “Your power will increase as you serve others😊. 

Your prayers, fasting, time in the scriptures, service in the temple, and family history work will open the heavens to you” Again, I say wow!!! So, Sisters let’s get to work serving others😊. 

Let’s be sure that we are saying our prayers, fasting at least on the first Sunday of each month, get not the scriptures every day, and let’s go to the temple and get to work on our family history😊 

Let’s make a plan and follow through so that we can each have the heavens open to us😊😊😊😊!!!

And for those of you Sisters who aren’t yet a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this is a challenge that I give to you. 

I challenge each one of you to reading the Book of Mormon, prayer for yourselves to know the truth of it😊[at least consider it]😊 

Your Heavenly Father wants each one of you to have the heaven open to you as well😊 You will never be sorry that you did, I promise you this – no matter the difficulties or the heartbreak that you may go through to become a member of His church, it will be worth it in the long run😊

I entreat you to study prayerfully all the truths you can find about priesthood power. 

You might begin with Doctrine and Covenants sections 84 and 107. Those sections will lead you to other passages. 

The scriptures and teachings by modern prophets, seers, and revelators are filled with these truths. As your understanding increases and as you exercise faith in the Lord and His priesthood power, your ability to draw upon this spiritual treasure that the Lord has made available will increase. 

As you do so, you will find yourselves better able to help create eternal families that are united, sealed in the temple of the Lord, and full of love for our Heavenly Father and for Jesus Christ.

All our efforts to minister to each other, proclaim the gospel, perfect the Saints, and redeem the dead converge in the holy temple. We now have 166 temples throughout the world, and more are coming.

As you know, the Salt Lake Temple, Temple Square, and the adjoining plaza near the Church Office Building will be renewed in a project that will begin at the close of this year.

 This sacred temple must be preserved and prepared to inspire future generations, just as it has influenced us in this generation.

As the Church grows, more temples will be built so that more families can have access to that greatest of all blessings, that of eternal life.⁵ We regard a temple as the most sacred structure in the Church. 

Whenever plans are announced to construct a new temple, it becomes an important part of our history. As we have discussed here tonight, you sisters are vital to the work of the temple, and the temple is where you will receive your highest spiritual treasures.

Please listen carefully and reverently as I will now announce plans to build eight new temples. If one is announced in a place that is meaningful to you, I suggest that you simply bow your head prayerfully with gratitude in your heart. 

We are pleased to announce plans to construct temples in the following locations: Freetown, Sierra Leone; Orem, Utah; Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; Bentonville, Arkansas; Bacolod, Philippines; McAllen, Texas; Cobán, Guatemala; and Taylorsville, Utah. Thank you, dear sisters. We deeply appreciate your receipt of these plans and your reverent response.

Now, in closing, I would like to leave a blessing upon you, that you may understand the priesthood power with which you have been endowed and that you will augment that power by exercising your faith in the Lord and in His power.

Dear sisters, with deep respect and gratitude, I express my love for you. Humbly, I declare that God lives! Jesus is the Christ. This is His Church. I so testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

This talk was given during the General Women’s session of the October 2019 general conference. I believe this talk was addressed to the women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. President Nelson has pronounced a blessing upon each of us Sisters in the Lord’s Church. 

Did you catch that blessing? He blessed each of one of us as endowed Sisters that we “may understand the priesthood power with which we [each endowed Sister in the Church] have been endowed with and that you will augment that power by exercising your faith in the Lord and in His power.”

If you are not a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints, ladies you may want to take this time to pray sincerely to know if maybe this is something you should consider at this time in your lives😊 Do you have a desire to know the truth? 

Do you have the faith the size of a mustard seed? Do you want to have the heaven opened to you? 

I believe these blessings are meant for each one of you as well, because each one of you are daughters of God😊

Rereading this talk I have learned so much. I am one of those women who does not have a priesthood holder in my home. 

I have always relied on the brethren of the ward I live in to help me when I needed a blessing. 

I am so grateful for all of the men who have honored their priesthood by giving me all the blessings that I have requested throughout the years I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints😉

I am reminded of a story of a pioneer Sister who on her journey to the Salt Lake Valley blessed her oxen so that she and her children could continue on their journey. 

This women and her children were traveling with a company of Saints headed west and I believe she or her children got sick and she was left behind so she was on her own and had no help, so she called on God to help her. 

I realize from this talk that if she had received her endowment before she left Nauvoo, she would have had access to the power of God through her endowment. She then used the power of the priesthood to raise one of her oxen back to health so they could finish their journey.

I used to have to travel a lot with my job when I worked as a parent adviser for the School for the Deaf and Blind in Utah. 

At that time, I lived in the Basin and I had to travel out to Ogden for my training's, so I had a lot of miles and hours of silence to cover on each of my visits to the city😊

On my travels I would listen to the stories of the Great Mormon Women as I traveled, and this is from one of their stories. It was wonderful to listen to the stories of those amazing women of such great faith. 

I wish that I had access to those stories now, I would love to hear them again😊 if you have them it may be a time for you to listen to them again as well😊

My dear family and friends I do hope and pray that I have shared something with you today that has uplifted and inspired you to do better and to be better, to reach higher than you have possibly reached before and set a goal in your lives to gain access to the spiritual treasures that the Lord has for His children. Until  my next post, please make it a spectacular week😊