The scripture below shares the first event from the life of Elijah to which we have access. Read it and try to determine what this experience may be typifying in relation to the power associated with the Keys of the Priesthood Elijah restored.

1 Kings 17:1 — And Elijah the Tishbite who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

Sealing the heavens in a temporal manner such as creating a drought may point us to the eternal power Elijah typifies of sealing ordinances eternally.

Matthew 16:19 — And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Note that Elijah restored the sealing keys to Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration and to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple.

D&C110:13 — After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said:

14 Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come—

15 To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse—

16 Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.

From the following experience from the life of Elijah, identify some principles you are taught about becoming involved in family history and temple work. What does the widow learn from the requests of Elijah that you will also wrestle with as you yield to the Spirit of Elijah?

1 KINGS 17:9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath … Behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

Consider the following thoughts in relation to the insights you have already developed:1 KINGS 17:9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath … Behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

When we follow through on family history and temple opportunities we are helping the prophet succeed.10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there

gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a

cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. [Many of the things God requests of us are not easy. He does not shy away from requesting sacrifices from us that are difficult. All of us are too busy to do family history and temple work. The key is to determine to fit the work into the context of our busy lives rather than wait for times of ease.]

13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. [This is like the object lesson where you have golf balls and sand and try to put them both in a jar. When you put the sand (less important things) in first, the golf balls will not fit. When you put the golf balls (important things) in first, the sand also fits.]

14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. [The very things that seem like a sacrifice in the end will be the things that save us and bring us the greatest satisfaction.]

15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. [When we follow through so that we “not only say, but also do according to that which God has requested” (D&C 84:57) we open the doors to blessing that were conditional on our obedience.]

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

Note the following quote on “grace” that illustrates this relationship between our obedience and God’s blessings.

“It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.” —Bible Dictionary. “Grace” pg. 697.

What insights do you gain from the following experience of Elijah that helps you understand the promises that are ours through the keys Elijah delivered?

1 KINGS 17:17 … The son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.

18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.

21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.

22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.

1 KINGS 17:17 … The son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. [In this life we will all lose loved ones and suffer many other forms of adversity. God’s promise is not to remove the trials of this life. Actually, death is part of the plan.]

18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? [Many people who are focused on this life rather than the next become bitter toward God because He does not shield us from temporal death and trials.]

19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. [The key to obtaining the joy God desires to give us is to give ourselves and our loved ones to God. When that happens, He can work miracles in our behalf.]

21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. [Because of the atonement and the ordinances associated with the keys Elijah administered, we can reclaim all our loved ones and other treasured eternal blessings.]

22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him

unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. [The promise of the gospel is that though the atonement and the ordinances of the gospel we will be reunited with our loved ones despite temporary separations. This is one of the most beautiful and motivating aspects of the Gospel. Talk about good news!]

Consider the following quotes in relation to the promise of power through the gospel to be reunited with loved ones that are separated from us in ways other than death:

I believe and accept the comforting statement of Elder Orson F. Whitney: “The Prophet Joseph Smith declared—and he never taught more comforting

doctrine—that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.”

… Perhaps in this life we are not given to fully understand how enduring the sealing cords of righteous parents are to their children. It may very well be that there are more helpful sources at work than we know. I believe there is a strong familial pull as the influence of beloved ancestors continues with us from the other side of the veil.

—James E. Faust. “Dear Are the Sheep That Have Wandered.” Ensign May 2003, 61.

“… President Hinckley [said], don’t you be a weak link in the chain of your generations. Well, if there’s a break in the chain, then the new chain starts with you. And as you forge your link in that chain, it will bless not only you, but it will reach in both directions to strengthen other links; so it begins with you. We read the statement by the Prophet Joseph, and Orson F Whitney, and the elaborations by President Packer, about the tentacles that will reach out to wayward children. Some parents, I believe, over-interpret that to mean that if I’m faithful to my temple covenants then my children will be okay. Well, that can’t be right; we believe that men will be punished for their own sins, not for Adam’s transgressions, and therefore you can’t be saved through the faithfulness of your parents. But the tentacles that reach out because of the faithfulness of parents in honoring temple covenants exert a spiritual pull and a tug on those wayward children. Well, couldn’t that work the same way from children who are faithful to temple covenants and the tentacles reach out to a mom and a dad who are not as faithful as they need to be? So it will extend both ways and they can help forge that chain of the generations, and help repair some of the broken links, regardless of the direction.”

--(Elder David A. Bednar. CES Satellite Training Broadcast, Aug. 2011)

What principle does Elijah teach in the following verse that is central to our success in family history and temple work?

1 Kings 18:21 — And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt (limp) you between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

Many of us spend much of our lives starting and stopping—going one direction and then another until we make little progress in life. Consider the following quotes:

“We are tested and we are tried. We are going through some of the severest tests today and don’t realize perhaps the severity of the tests that we are going through. In those days, there were murderings, there were mobbings, there were drivings. They were driven out into the desert, they were starving and they were unclad, they were cold. They came here to this favored land.

We are the inheritors of what they gave to us. But what are we doing with it? Today we are basking in the lap of luxury—the like of which we have never seen before in the history of the world. It would seem that probably this is the most severe test of any test that we have ever had in the history of this Church.”

—President Harold B. Lee. “Address to Church Employees” 13 Dec. 1973

Are there so many fascinating, exciting things to do or so many challenges pressing down upon you that it is hard to keep focused on that which is essential? When things of the world crowd in, all too often the wrong things take highest priority. Then it is easy to forget the fundamental purpose of life. Satan has a powerful tool to use against good people. It is distraction. He would have good people fill life with “good things” so there is no room for the essential ones. Have you unconsciously been caught in that trap?

… Why has your moral agency been given to you? Only to live a pleasurable life and to make choices to do the things you want to do? Or is there a more fundamental reason—to be able to make the choices that will lead you to fully implement your purpose for being here on earth and to establish priorities in your life that will assure the development and happiness the Lord wants you to receive.

—Richard G. Scott. “First Things First.” Ensign May 2001, 6

How does one “waste” the days of this probation? Turning to sin is surely part of it, but there is another, more subtle way, a way that may not seem evil at all. In the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord gave a similar warning in these words: “Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy

talent that it may not be known” (D&C 60:13).

Why would I speak of that with you? Because one of the ways Satan lessens your effectiveness and weakens your spiritual strength is by encouraging you to spend large blocks of your time doing things that matter very little. I speak of such things as sitting for hours on end watching television or

videos; playing video games night in and night out; surfing the Internet; or devoting huge blocks of time to sports, games, or other recreational activities.

Don’t misunderstand me. These activities are not wrong in and of themselves (unless, of course, you are watching salacious programs or seeking out pornographic images on the Internet). Games, sports, recreational activities, and even television can be relaxing and rejuvenating, especially in times when you are under stress or heavily scheduled. You need activities that help you to unwind and rest your minds. It is healthy to go onto the soccer field or the basketball court and participate in vigorous physical activity. So, again I say, these things are not wrong in and of themselves.

No, I speak of letting things get out of balance. It is not watching television but watching television hour after hour, night after night. Does not that qualify as idling away your time? What will you say to the Lord when He asks what you have done with the precious gift of life and time? Surely you will not feel comfortable telling Him that you were able to pass the 100,000-point level in a challenging video game.

—Elder M. Russell Ballard. “Be Strong in the Lord, and in the Power of His Might.” Brigham Young University. 3 March 2002

The Zode in the Road

By Dr Seuss

 Did I ever tell you about the young Zode, Then he stopped, and he said, “On the other hand though …

Who came to two signs at the fork in the road? On the other hand … other hand … other hand though …”

One said to Place One, and the other, Place Two. And for 36 hours and a half that poor Zode

So the Zode had to make up his mind what to do. Made starts and made stops at the fork in the road.

Wel l … the Zode scratched his head, and his chin Saying, “Don’t take a chance. No! You may not be

and his pants. right.”

And he said to himself, “I’ll be taking a chance Then he got an idea that was wonderfully bright!

If I go to Place One. Now, that place may be hot! “Play safe!” cried the Zode. “I’ll play safe. I’m no dunce!

And so, how do I know if I’ll like it or not? I’ll simply start out for both places at once!”

On the other hand though, I’ll be sort of a fool And that’s how the Zode who would not take a chance

If I go to Place Two and find it too cool. Got no place at all with a split in his pants.

In that case I may catch a chill and turn blue!

So, maybe Place One is the best, not Place Two,

But then again, what if Place One is too high?

I may catch a terrible earache and die!

So Place Two may be best! On the other hand

Though …

What might happen to me if Place Two is too low?

I might get some very strange pain in my toe!

So Place One may be best,” and he started to go.

What do you learn about the role of Elijah in the last days from Elijah’s contest with the Priests of Baal?

1KINGS 18:30 — And Elijah … repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.31 And Elijah took twelve stones …32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar …33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels

with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it

the third time.35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said,

LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain.

1KINGS 18:30 And Elijah…repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. [After almost 2,000 years of apostasy and the absence of temple ordinances, The Spirit of Elijah and the keys he administered resulted in the restoration of working temples that provide ordinances of salvation and exaltation.]

31 And Elijah took twelve stones …32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar … [Can you imagine the

faith Elijah was exercising as he prepared for the reception of the miracle. Do we have faith enough in the fact that God will intervene on our behalf to begin the process of earning the miracle.]

33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. [Once again, sacrifice precedes the miracle.]

34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. [In addition to this exemplifying tremendous faith, it also causes Elijah to rely completely and irrevocably on God for solution to his problem. Are there things we should be doing to help us cut our ties to our reliance on the arm of flesh as we pursue the miracles of God?]

36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. [The power that Elijah demonstrates stems from God. The promises of the gospel are administered through the priesthood, but are a reflection of God’s power—not that of the priesthood holder.]

37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. [Just as Elijah restores the temple, he also restores the knowledge of God and access to Him. Not only are the hearts of the children turned to the fathers, Elijah also turns the hearts of the children to the Father.]

38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain.

What principle does the following verses teach about succeeding in bringing the gospel to all the nations of all the earth on both sides of the veil?

1 Kings 19:11 — And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

In spite of our tendency to feel as Alma did when he pined “Oh, that I were an angel … and could cry repentance unto every people … with the voice of thunder” (Alma 29:1–2), we must come to understand that we “ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted” (Alma 29:3). The real miracles we will usually experience related to this work will come as we follow the promptings of the spirit and help others to learn to do so. Consider this quote:

Spiritual self-reliance is the sustaining power in the Church. If we rob you of that, how can you get the revelation that there is a prophet of God? How can you get answers to prayer? How can you know? If we move so quickly to answer all your questions and provide so many ways to solve all of your problems, we may end up weakening you, not strengthening you.

When you say, “I can’t! I can’t solve my problems!” I want to thunder out, “Don’t you realize who you are? Haven’t you learned yet that you are a son or a daughter of Almighty God? Do you not know that there are powerful resources inherited from Him that you can call upon to give you steadiness and courage and great power?”

—Boyd K. Packer. “Self-Reliance.” Ensign Aug. 1975, 85.

Consider the following ideas pertaining this experience of Elijah-1 Kings 19:13 — And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face

in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? [All too often we let life lead us to places where we should not be. Is the Lord asking you where you are and wanting to suggest a change of location?]

14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. [Sometimes it can become demoralizing when it feels as though we are the only ones sacrificing for God’s work.]

18 [And the Lord said unto him] Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. [Even though it may feel as though there are too few people working to redeem the dead, we are surrounded by faithful saints who are striving to move the work forward. As we continue to add our efforts to that of other Church members, great things will happen.]

Note the interesting correlation between the power Elijah demonstrated in the following scripture and promises of the Lord concerning that power in the last days:

2 Kings 1:9 — Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.

10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

JSH 1:37 — For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

38 And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus: Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

1 Nephi 22:15 — For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of men; for the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must be burned.

16 For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous.

17 Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire.

The Saints have not too much time to save and redeem their dead, and gather together their living relatives, that they may be saved also, before the earth will be smitten, and the consumption decree falls upon the world.

I would advise all the Saints to go to with their might and gather together all their living relatives to this place, that they may be sealed and saved, that they may be prepared against the day that the destroying angel goes forth; and if the whole Church should go to with all their might to save their dead, seal their posterity and gather their living friends, and spend none of their time in behalf of the world, they would hardly get through before night would come, when no man can work.

—Joseph Smith, 6:183

What ideas do you have for how you can turn your heart to your children?

Malachi 4:5 — Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Consider the following quotes in relation to you turning your heart to your children:

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children …The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force.

—(This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995)

To be entrusted with the power to create life carries with it the greatest of joys and dangerous temptations. The gift of mortal life and the capacity to kindle other lives is a supernal blessing. Through the righteous exercise of this power, as in nothing else, we may come close to our Father in Heaven and experience a fulness of joy. This power is not an incidental part of the plan of happiness. It is the key—the very key.

Whether we use this power as the eternal laws require or reject its divine purpose will forever determine what we will become …There is something very liberating when an individual determines of his or her own free will to be obedient to our Father and our God and expresses that willingness to Him in prayer.

—(President Boyd K. Packer. Ensign Nov. 2010)

Considering the power and miracles you have seen that Elijah experienced, how do the following verses make you feel as you consider using the temple?

D&C 109:21 — And when thy people transgress, any of them, they may speedily repent and return unto thee, and find favor in thy sight, and be restored to the blessings which thou hast ordained to be poured out upon those who shall reverence thee in thy house.

22 And we ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and thine angels have charge over them;