After it was brought to my attention that there had been some textual changes in the current handbook, I decided to review and update the priesthood foldup. So I went through and used everything out of the current online handbook. I even followed the order so it’s a little more uniformed. I also made it one download, one sheet. So now when you print it you just cut it out and fold it up – along with all the folds being in between items so on either side nothing is folded on.

I don’t have access to a laminator, but I will show you the final product in the images below.

Priesthood Blessing

Wherever we go, our priesthood goes with us.[1. Thomas S. Monson, “The Priesthood—a Sacred Gift,” Ensign, May 2007, 57–60]

A few years ago, I had this little fold out in my wallet. It was awesome, it had all the Melchizedek priesthood ordinances, including the sacrament prayers in a nice little laminated fold out. You keep it in your wallet and whenever you need it, there it was.

Well, since then, I’ve had a couple of different versions of it, most were homemade – I had heard at some point you could get them at the distribution center, but then someone had told me they no longer carried them.

Lately, I’ve been asked to participate more and more with ordinances, and blessings – and of course there’s the odd time getting tapped to take the sacrament around to shut ins and to a hospital down the street.

Of course, I’m getting better at remembering exactly what I’m suppose to say – but for awhile, I’d have to write it down or ask someone what I was suppose to say.

So I thought I would put together a quick and easy little fold out, for those – who like me, are willing to serve, but may not know what to say or remember exactly what to say.

Before I show it, I just want to say – I’m no print professional, if someone would like to update it – please do, just send me the files you use and the process so I can update it.

Alright, so really it’s 2 files – side A and side B. I did it this way for double sided printing. I don’t like a lot of extra width in my wallet, and so I tried to accommodate that.

The spacing isn’t perfect, and it’s gonna take good eye site – but it serves the purpose.

The files are in both Word 97/XP/2003 .doc format and Open Office Writer 3.0 .odt format. When you print, you’ll need to fiddle with it and figure out which way your printer prints. Face down, face up and so forth to get the double side printed right.

I went a step further and laminated mine. It adds a little bit of bulk when folding, but it’ll slim down after being in your wallet for awhile.

It’s a pdf file of the current (as of June 17th 2011) Priesthood Ordinances. Just print it, cut it out and fold it up.

It covers:

1. General Instructions (new)
2. Instructions for Naming and Blessing a Child
3. Instructions for Performing a Baptism
4. Instructions for Performing a Confirmation
5. Sacrament (prayers only)
6. Consecrating Oil
7. Anointing With Oil / Sealing the Anointing
8. Father’s Blessing
9. Dedicating Graves
10. Dedication Homes (new)

Full page layout

Cutout

Folded

Thickness

Compared to the old one

Yes it may be smaller than the old one, but it uses a smaller font and is a bit thicker when folded. It still works and fits nicely in my wallet.

So Men – let’s be completely prepared for those unknown moments when you’re called out of the blue and you’re needed for any type of ordinance, or you’re child’s baptism is coming up and you want that peace of mind right up till it’s time – this is for you! No excuses now…

Family

Originally published on May 25th, 2008

Recently, it seems my mind has been opened, and I’ve felt new needs. Today was no exception. We got on the topic of dedicating our homes.

I quickly picked up on that and it occurred to me, that even though we’d been in our home for nearly 2 years I don’t think it’s ever been dedicated. It may have been blessed by my wife’s father, but I had not taken up the yoke of my Priesthood responsibility to do so. Like I said, recently things have changed for me, call it a spiritual awakening, or a spiritual maturity – either way I feel very strongly that our home needs a change.

I love it [The Gospel], and let me put it in context of why I’m saying it right now. Our home has some issues – I mean that in our family. There’s something missing, and I think it goes along with how we treat each other and, well, the lack of family unity we experience occasionally. If I notice this, then I know my wife’s felt it a lot longer. But I believe this is why I picked up on the idea of dedicating our home so quickly. I knew I wanted to do it and I felt like it would actually be a great topic to write about too.

So I do what I always do when I want to talk about something, I visit lds.org and see what has been written on the subject. I did a simple search, “dedicate our home”.

The dedication of our home brought about a change of heart in our family.[1. Bless This House - Ensign 1989]

That was the first line of the first item listed in the return of my search. Could it be any more connected, or in tune? I know that was a long way round in explaining one of the reasons I love the Gospel, but I just wanted to express it.

I’m actually glad that I ran across this article. It sums up exactly how I feel about what a home should be. The couple who wrote the article give a perfect example (which is one of my reasons too.)

We wanted to have the Spirit of God dwell in our home to help us shape the lives of our daughters.[2. Bless This House - Ensign 1989]

Of course for us, it’s not all daughters but sons and daughter and so the level of craziness can get high pretty fast. But this is something I want my family to have. I want a sanctuary, a “sacred edifice where the Holy Spirit may reside” [3. Melchizedek Priesthood Handbook].

The couple who wrote the article weren’t aware that you could dedicate your home. I feel that if we [men] take up the call and magnify our Priesthood that this is just one more piece to having a more spiritual family, and bringing our families closer to Christ. Not to mention all the side effects this can have that we might not even think of.

We discussed as a family that my wife and I thought it to be a great idea and something that we needed to do to help our family. We also explained that we would take the opportunity to straighten the house and perform it in the morning. I’m rather excited to be able to share my faith and testimony with my children so they can see how personal the Priesthood can be and how it can be applied to their lives. As my boys grow and gain the Priesthood themselves I want them to know how to magnify it, and my daughter should expect her spouse to be an active magnifier (is that a word?).

I’ll take just a quick moment to express my testimony that the strength of a family spiritually is so important in these days, to be a stronghold against the coming storms. It’s so important to keep active in building up the family and dedicate it [the family] to the Lord, so that His strength and Spirit is an active part of it.