The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Gospel of Priesthood Ordinances and Covenants. We are all familiar with the Ordinances and Covenants of Salvation and Exaltation. Many of us have received most of these ordinances, and we are actively working towards worthily receiving the remaining ordinances and covenants. There is an entire world of Priesthood ordinances outside of the ordinances that have associated covenants. They are referred to as ordinances for comfort and guidance, they help us endure to the end.
As a Missionary serving in New England, our mission president often would teach us about the Priesthood, he wanted the Elders to understand that the Priesthood should not be the “last resort” when we need help, but the first resort. We often would administer the ordinances of comfort and guidance to members and non-members alike.
The three of ordinances of comfort and guidance that I want to talk about are “Dedicating a Home” “A Fathers Blessing”, and ” A Blessing of Comfort and Counsel” We rarely talked about these ordinances, but they contain some of the greatest blessings for our families safety and happiness as we endure to the end.
- Dedicating a Home
Every home should be dedicated, from the newlywed to the college students living in an apartment complex, ever member even non-members should have a dedicated home! As a missionary, I loved teaching members, and investigators about this. They would often tell us things like. “I love who it feels when you’re here, but when you leave that feeling leaves.” We would then teach them about dedicating their home, and they would ask us to help them do it. Investigators and members alike need the safety and refuge that comes with a dedicated home where the Spirit is invited, especially as they prepare for Baptism and Temple Ordinances. It does not matter if it is a house or apartment both can be dedicated.
It is important to remember whereas you may dedicate a home, or cast out evil spirits, if the actions of the residents drive the Holy Spirit out, or invite evil in, the dedication will be of little lasting effect.
*A Home does NOT need to be debt free to be dedicated
(See Appendix B: Priesthood Ordinances Missionary Handbook, (2010), 69–82 “Dedicating Homes”)
“Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.”
~Elder Gary E. Stevenson
Read the rest of this article at Jeremy Goff’s blog.
Aleah is a graduate of Southern Virginia University, where she studied English, Creative Writing, and Dance. She now works full time as a marketing and product manager, writer, and editor. She currently hosts the podcast “Single to the Glory” about singlehood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Aleah served a mission in California and loves baking, Lang Leav poetry, Gaynor Minden pointe shoes, and Bollywood movies.
