Here is Janel's talk:
You Matter to Him
Good morning brothers and sisters, my name is Janel Calahan, but I started out as a Zink. In the summer of 1994, during the height of country line dancing, I went out with my sister and cousin. We met a group of military police, stationed in California, who had been given a four month long task of “baby sitting” a road construction crew on a secure portion of Tooele Army Depot. The first time I danced with Josh he asked me if I was a Mormon, after I answered “yes” he asked me “if I would teach him about the Mormons”. I remember thinking to myself, well he has been in town just long enough to know what kind of pick up lines worked best around here. He started missionary discussions within a few weeks, and I quickly learned he was sincere in his desire to learn about the Mormons. My dad baptized him less than two months later.
Lucky for us my dad had joined the church while in the Navy, so he understood the challenges of being a convert in the military. With my parents blessing, we got married and I headed out to California to be with him. We were sealed in the Salt Lake temple a year after Josh’s baptism. We have two kids, Charley is 16, and was born in Reno, Nevada. Kari is 14 and was born in Honolulu, Hi..
After the Army, we moved to Josh’s home town in Shelbyville, Tn.. It’s a rural community, 50 miles south of Nashville. For those of you are familiar with horses, it is known as the Walking Horse capitol of the world. But if I really want impress people I tell them it is where they make Sharpies. We lived out in the country on 5 acres, our yard was full of deer, bobcats, possum, blue jays, and my favorite, - cardinals. My kids grew up chasing fireflies in the summer and praying for snow to cover the green in the winter. We were members of a small close knit branch that comprised of an entire county. It took 30 minutes to get to most of our friends homes. I could have been happy on our hill forever, if it had been close to my family. After 13 years in Tennessee, Josh finally decided it was time to bring me home. It quickly became obvious that it was Heavenly Fathers plan and not just ours, as all the details of our life involving Josh’s employment, school, and selling our home, lined up faster than we could keep up. We couldn’t be happier to be here, and are looking forward to getting to know all of you.
In chapter 8:3-6, the Psalmist asked:
“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
What is man that thou art mindful of him?
For thou hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.”
The answer to this question is so important that it taught by God himself and through angels sent by him. It was taught to Adam and Eve in the very beginning. It has been taught in every dispensation to prophets. These prophets have borne testimony of the truth revealed to them, and through the Holy Ghost we too may come to know who and what man is.
Moses stood in the presence of God and spoke to him face to face. In Moses Chapter 1 we read - God spake unto Moses saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning or days or end of years.. And behold, thou art my son.
During the meeting God showed Moses the workmanship of his hands, granting him a glimpse of his work and his glory. God also repeatedly calls Moses “my son”. When the visitation ended Moses fell to the earth for the space of many hours. When he regained his strength, he said “I know that man is nothing”.
Satan did not waste any time in his attempts to confuse Moses. He begins by calling Moses “son of man”. Every time I read this, I ponder his choice of words. There is no doubt that Satan’s words were chosen carefully. He has much to gain in his influence over those he can mislead into seeing themselves merely as “sons and daughters of man”.
We are dual beings, a living soul, composed of a body of spirit and a physical body. Our spirits existed in a pre-mortal life long before this earth was created.
D&C 76:24 states That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.
In our last General Conference, President Uchtdorf said “And while we may look at the vast expanse of the universe and say, “what is man in comparison to the glory of creation?” God himself said we are the reason He created the universe!His work and glory is to save and exalt all mankind. Our Heavenly Father created the universe that we might reach our potential as his sons and daughters. This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God.”
When I read about Moses and then Enoch who declared that “were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations.” It is overwhelming. I have to remind myself that our Heavenly Father does not expect us to understand all of these things right now. The entirety of the glories of God are not comprehensible to the human mind. However, I do know that he expects us to trust him and start with what we do understand. Just as any other gospel topic, we pick up the pieces within our grasp and we hold on to them, and add to them as we continue in our testimonies.
One of the clearest examples in my life on the subject of mattering to Him happened one very early morning, I got up to watch my friends baby while she took a class. She was running late, and I was trying to stay awake. I suddenly felt prompted by the Spirit to make her some hot chocolate. I thought to myself, that’s just silly. After a few more, unmistakable promptings, I filled the pot with water. I quickly became completely focused on the urgency to make hot chocolate. By the time she arrived, I was embarrassed at what appeared to be once again, just silly. At she started to head out the door I casually asked her if she had time to wait while I fixed her a hot chocolate to go. She looked at me and asked, can I just have some boiling water? I left my house with a dry mug and Postum wondering where I could possibly finish making my drink. That next fast Sunday she came to church and told us all that she knew she was important to her Heavenly Father because he blessed her life in even the smallest, seemingly insignificant ways. And I knew that she was right.
Here is my talk:
The Power of Scripture
Good morning brothers and sisters. It is a pleasure to be here as a member of this great ward family. We feel at home here; you all are so welcoming. As a young soldier about 18 years ago I was baptised in this historic valley in a large ward such as this. Bill Zink baptized me. I still remember coming up out of the water feeling so clean, it was a great day. Before I could give my first sacrament talk I was transferred to another duty station. It was a tiny branch in Northern California where I grew up in the Gospel.
Now I didn’t tell Brother Schofield when he asked that Janel and I speak in Church because I didn’t want to frighten him. The first time my branch president asked me to speak in Church I agreed, then secretly purchased a plane ticket to avoid that first talk. I looked for plane tickets this week but they were too expensive... :-)
“We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” (Articles of Faith 1:9). Those revelations are scripture.
I was asked to speak on The Power of Scripture. Alma observed: “As the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else” (Alma 31:5).
During the reformation period the scriptures became open to the world. Previously restricted to a select few, the scriptures became available to all of mankind through the work of men such as William Tyndale and John Wycliffe. Declared Tyndale before later being burned at the stake: “If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough, shall know more of the Scripture than thou dost!” It turned out that a future plow boy, Joseph Smith, would be directed to ask in prayer what church to join based on what he learned from reading the scriptures.
This dispensation of the fullness of times was opened with the appearance of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to the boy Joseph Smith. An angel showed Joseph Smith where golden plates containing The Book of Mormon was buried. Through power from on high the plates were translated into the English language, opened to all the world. The power of God was restored including necessary ordinances of salvation. The power of scripture is shown in the ordinances of baptism, blessings, the sacrament, the bestowal of the Holy Ghost and in temple ordinances.
The year 2000 was a key year in my gospel study, specifically with the Book of Mormon. That year I resolved to go through that sacred book chapter-by-chapter, page-by-page, and verse-by-verse. I purchased a copy of the LDS Institute Book of Mormon Guide and proceeded an in-depth study of the book. I took my time in pondered the teachings. I studied what modern day prophets said about the teachings of Nehpi, Mormon, Mosiah, Alma, Moroni, and others. I felt the power contained in the book and I continue to feel the power of the scriptures even today. Many times our family has read the Book of Mormon cover-to-cover. Those readings of the sacred book opened my eyes to the Gospel. Even today, I cannot open the book and read its pages without being reveled small and simple things that I need to do for myself, my family, and others.
Sometime, but not often, well meaning priesthood brethren will begin a blessing with the phrase “by the power of the priesthood.” This is slightly incorrect and should, according to the brethren, be phrased something like “by the authority of the priesthood.” Doctrine and Covenants 121:42-23 “No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; by kindness, and pure knowledge.“ A priesthood bearer is given authority, but gains power in the way his life is lived according to gospel teachings. Similarly the scriptures contain authority because they are canonized works by Heavenly Father and His Prophets. The standard works are the Bible, The Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. The scriptures contain power because they teach true doctrines of Christ and true principles of His Gospel.
Power in the scripture comes because they center around the Atonement of Jesus Christ, because of they teach the Great Plan of Salivation, and because they prophesy of this very Restored Gospel. The scriptures are powerful because they testify of Christ. The scriptures teach Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; Repentance of Sin; authorised Baptism by immersion; bestowal of the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and endurance the end of this life.
One of my favorite gospel practices is to read John chapter 17 while the sacrament is being passed. The sacrament is a time to repent and renew; it is like unto a new beginning each week. Repentance is made possible because of the Atonement of Christ. John 17 is an account of the great Intercessory Prayer when Jesus prayed to the Father in our behalf during that Atonement. In this prayer He glorified the Father, He reported on His earthly mission, He prayed for those who believed, He declared His oneness with The Father, He spoke of joy and hope, He prayed for the safety of His followers, He prayed for you! (“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word”, verse 20), He prayed for unity, finally He declared His love.
Another of the gospel practices that I enjoy is fathers blessings. This is a powerful scriptural pattern that is replayed over and over in these latter days. Each year before school... [Fathers blessing this week]
Elder Richard G. Scott describes scriptures as friends (see The Power of Scripture, Ensign, November 2011). He uses words like: “enduring friends”, “stalwart friends”, "filling a cabinet with friends", "a foundation of support", “willing friends”. Elder Scott says: “Great power can come from memorizing scriptures. To memorize a scripture is to forge a new friendship. It is like discovering a new individual who can help in time of need, give inspiration and comfort, and be a source of motivation for needed change. For example, committing to memory this psalm has been for me a source of power and understanding:”
“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
“For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
“He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation” (Psalm 24:1–5).
The scriptures have authority because of their source and contain power because of their pure and truthful message. The scriptures testify of the Atonement, Plan of Happiness, the Restoration, of Faith, Baptism, the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End. I love the scriptures!
To paraphrase Nephi: “And now, my [friends], hearken unto [the scriptures] and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in [the scriptures] believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in [the scriptures], for they are the words of Christ, and … they teach all men [and women] that they should do good” (2 Nephi 33:10).
