I finished rereading this article today. What impressed me the most about what Elder Packard had to say were these particular paragraphs:
The authority of the priesthood is with us. After all that we have correlated and organized, it is now our responsibility to activate the power of the priesthood in the Church. 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.
Now, fathers, I would remind you of the sacred nature of your calling. You have the power of the priesthood directly from the Lord to protect your home. There will be times when all that stands as a shield between your family and the adversary’s mischief will be that power. You will receive direction from the Lord by way of the gift of the Holy Ghost.
With my husband having the authority of the priesthood and being worthy to exercise that authority, I was thinking of ways that we as a family can help him activate that power in our home to help shield us from the world. Before the school year starts, we have him give our children father's blessings to help them take on their new load of school work. When our kids aren't feeling well and are very sick, we have him give them healing blessings. When they are struggling with certain feelings or situations, they can turn to him for council and he can give them comfort blessings (of couse, me too!). Every time we sit down at the table to eat or when we kneel together as a family at night, he asks different family members to say the prayer on our behalf. Now that we are literally within minutes of a temple (instead of hours!), we try to attend the temple a couple times a month or more to perform ordinances for our family names. When we have a dificult decision to make that affects our whole family, we sit down to discuss it, pray about it and listen to what he has to say about what he feels is best for the family. If my husband is living righteously and aligning his will with the Lord's will, then the promptings of the Spirit he receives concerning our family decisions will be what is right for our family. As he listens to the Lord, we can be assured that following his council will be right.
The Lord promises us that as we follow His commandments, that He will bless us abundantly. Here is our church leaders asking us to activate the power of the Priesthood in all homes. What can we do for our fellow brothers and sisters to help them activate this power as well??? By asking our Home Teachers to come regularly every month. To encourage our husbands to do the same and visit all their families each month, making sure that their spiritual needs are being met. Encouraging the youth who are old enough to be worthy and to participate in blessing and passing the Sacrament bread and water. What are you doing in your life to help activate this power and all the blessings that come from the Priesthood?
