Hands placed on a bowed head. Most sacred words spoken. The Spirit of the Lord strong in the air.

Twice this month I experienced this joy.  The joy of standing and watching as my sons received the gift that is the Priesthood power.  Twice this month I felt my own love of the Savior grow.  Twice this month I reveled in the blessings of God.

My name is Ozma, and if you haven’t figured it out yet by reading my blog… I’m a Mormon. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I love my Church with all my heart, just as I love my Heavenly Father and my elder brother, Jesus Christ.

As Mormons, we believe that all men may hold the power of the Priesthood, the power that allows man to act in God’s name. With this power comes much responsibility, and it all begins at 12.

My youngest child, Joram, turned 12 in September.  He received the Priesthood on October 10th and began right away in fulfilling his duties.  I made sure to sit where he could pass me the Sacrament, so that he could share the bread and water that represents Christ with me the very first week he passed.  It. Was. WONDERFUL!

When he sat in Priesthood that very first week, I got to attend for his ordination.  I watched as my father-in-law placed his hands upon Joram’s head to confer the Priesthood.  I listened carefully as my father-in-law not only gave my son the priesthood, but also a blessing. The words spoken were for Joram specifically, but they also touched my heart.

I love that Joram chose my father-in-law to give him the Priesthood.  Anyone in the room could do it, but Joram wanted his Pop-Pop. I also watched as Joram asked a few other men to stand in the circle and share in this very special moment in his life. Men that he looked up to, men that influence him, men that I am so grateful are in my church family.

A mere two weeks later, I got to repeat the very same ritual.  Caramon turned 14 and that means advancement in the Priesthood.  Again, my father-in-law came down from New Jersey.  I don’t know if he knows what that means to me.  I did not grow up in this Church and thus, I did not grow up with any of these types of things.  I am the only member of my part of the family that attends the Mormon Church.

After my conversion, my dream was probably similar to many others in my shoes. I dreamt of marrying a worthy man in the Temple who would magnify his own Priesthood.  Together with men in his family I could see my future children blessed, ordained, and everything else with a circle of loving Priesthood holders from our family.

I know it is a little rose-coloured, especially in this world where families reside hundreds or thousands of miles apart. Yet, I still dreamt of it. When I married my husband, he was the only member of his family attending Church.  Now I am pleased that his brother and their father have both taken part in such major events of my sons’ lives.

Caramon makes me so proud with his attention to his Priesthood. He takes care to do what is needed of him. He is a wild and crazy 14-year-old, just like any other boy.  Yet, when he needs to do something with his Priesthood, this amazing change comes over him. It is a marvel to watch.

This Sunday, Caramon gets to prepare Sacrament for the very first time. I have to say, I’m not thrilled with needing to get to Church 15 minutes early, just because I am NOT a morning person. However, I am looking forward to it so much, knowing that my son is there performing the Lord’s work in helping prepare a most sacred gift to the members of our congregation.

Make no mistake, I love the Priesthood. I am so grateful to have such good examples in my own family of what it means to hold the Priesthood power. I am so grateful that I live in a day when this power is active on the Earth.  It was one of many things that overjoyed me when I first began my walk towards conversion.  I never imagined I would get to see two of my own children receive the blessings and powers of the Priesthood so close together, but how grateful I am.

It has truly been a blessed October.

 

–Lady O