ChurchofJesusChrist.org  IglesiadeJesucristo.org

TaylorsvilleStake.org

Hello beloved sisters and brothers,

New Members

We extend a loving and cordial welcome to Sister Janeth Dewey of the Millrace Ward.  She was baptized last Saturday by one of her English language teachers, Scott Burton.  We are pleased and excited for Sister Dewey as she takes her first steps on the Covenant Path.

International Food and Dancing Event

The Young Women of the Millrace Ward are inviting all stake members to come to their annual youth camp fundraiser featuring delicious food from Mexico, Central, and South America.  There will be authentic folkloric dance performances and fun activities for children.  Doors open Saturday, May 6 at 5 PM at the Stake Center.

New Bishopric

On Sunday, April 23, the Bishopric of the Oak Hill Ward was reorganized.  Bishop Adam Moore, Brother Ben Bagley and Brother Nathan Sanders were released along with Steve Huston, the Executive Secretary.  

Bishop Nathan Sanders was sustained along with Eric Gale (1st C), Geoffrey Shupe (2nd C), and former Bishop Scott Seiter as the new Executive Secretary.  We express heartfelt gratitude to the outgoing brethren for their faithful service and look forward with optimism and support for these newly called brothers.

Weekly Message: Good “Works”...Why They Matter

Many years ago, a friend came to me with this question…

Do members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in salvation through the grace of Jesus Christ?

I answered that we did.  

He expressed surprise and commented that he had gotten a different impression from conversations with other members of our faith.  I shared with him that his question was an excellent one, yet had a layer of complexity, I could try to explain.  

We all rely on the saving grace of Jesus Christ for salvation and exaltation.

Sometimes in our zeal to distinguish our doctrines and faith from other Christian denominations, members of our church have placed emphasis on the ordinances of salvation and exaltation without helping the questioner understand that those ordinances only have power because of the great atonement of Jesus Christ and the grace that flows from Him. To some Christians, these ordinances are viewed as “works”, which they believe are not necessary because of their interpretation of Ephesians 2:8,9. 

In James 2:26, we learn that faith in Jesus Christ without works is dead.

So, do these two scriptures contradict each other…or do they help us have a clearer picture when understood together rather than separately.  Are they really complimentary to each other?

I believe our understanding is enhanced when we think about the “why” rather than the “what” or “how” of the ordinances and the good things that we do.  

We learn from the New Testament that our Savior, “... went about doing good. (Acts 10:38)  When we also “do good”, we are following a divine pattern established and endorsed by Jesus Christ who taught the two great commandments and the golden rule in His earthly ministry.  It was the Savior who invited everyone everywhere to “take [His] yoke upon [us]” (Matthew 11:29-30).  As Elder Bednar explained in his April 2023 general conference address, our efforts to emulate the Savior are examples of how we “abide” in Him. 

Our works, which originate from an obedient spirit, with sincere love of God, and love of neighbor, are a manifestation of our faith, our love, our devotion to our Father in Heaven and to the Savior.  Our works are the “fruits” of our repentance and faith.  They show our acceptance of divine guidance (D&C20:37)  They are a reflection of our true desires which have shifted toward God away from mammon.

But they are so much more…

Our service to others and our compliance with the ordinances of salvation and exaltation should not be seen as boxes to be checked through which we “earn” our way to heaven or “pay” for our sins.  Rather, they provide a framework and conduit through which we can “abide” in God’s love (John 15:15) and receive His healing power (grace) in our lives.  Through our obedience, we open ourselves to receiving promised blessings.  Perhaps the greatest blessing we receive is a spiritual transformation through the Holy Ghost from our “natural” self to a more saintly self who not only loves God more than the world but increasingly desires to emulate the Savior and do good to all men.  

In a 2011 Conference address, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf explained it this way…

“...we sometimes see the gospel as a long list of tasks that we must add to our already impossibly long to-do list, as a block of time that we must somehow fit into our busy schedules. We focus on what the Lord wants us to do and how we might do it, but we sometimes forget why.”  

“...the gospel of Jesus Christ is not an obligation; it is a pathway, marked by our loving Father in Heaven, leading to happiness and peace in this life and glory and inexpressible fulfillment in the life to come. The gospel is a light that penetrates mortality and illuminates the way before us.”

“…when we remember why we committed to making it a foundational part of our lives, the gospel ceases to become a burden and, instead, becomes a joy and a delight. It becomes precious and sweet.”

“It magnifies our small acts of obedience into holy acts of consecration”

When our works include making covenants, we bind ourselves to the Savior, allowing His grace (enabling power) to lift us above life’s obstacles, temptations, sorrows, and challenges.  And through this process, He brings us closer to Him and gives us His rest and peace.

Doing good will not fill some imaginary spiritual bank account from which we pay our way to heaven.  Instead, it allows us to access the saving power of Jesus Christ through which we are perfected. 

I love you all.

President Gardner