Erana's Sacrament Talk

Live Up to Your Privileges

Good morning everybody, my name is Erana Wihongi, and today I have been given the opportunity to speak on Sister Emily Belle Freeman's talk, “Live Up to Your Privileges” from General Conference October 2024.

When you hear the word privilege, what do you think of? For me, I think of a wealthy or well-off person. 

Well, the real definition of privilege is someone of a particular group with a special right, advantage, immunity, or benefit.

Sister Freeman in her talk often emphasizes that understanding and wielding priesthood ordinances and covenant promises will help us access God's power, and that is her version of living up to our Privileges as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and specifically as women part of the church.

Sister Freeman says, “Priesthood ordinances and covenant promises allow God to sanctify us and then work wonders in our lives. But how does this happen?”

She goes on to say that we must first manifest God's power from ordinances through the authority from the Son of God. The way I interpret this is that as a girl, I can learn from the example of my father who has the priesthood and has shown me bits of its power every time I am blessed for being sick, whenever I get a calling at church, or at the beginning of every school year.

The second step on this is that we don't just make covenant promises, we must keep them.

A few Sundays ago in my young women's class, my mum taught a lesson on covenant promises and I learned how a covenant with God is two-way and that God will always keep his promises. Knowing God always keeps his side of his promises, to me, is encouraging and lets me know he'd never leave me. It also means that every time that a covenant is broken, it is because of me, but because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I can repent and start over again. And again as you strive to keep your covenants with HeavenlyFather, he will bless you.

Even knowing these things, Sister Emily Freeman still wondered if she fully knew how to access the gift of God's power through priesthood ordinances and if she recognized how God's power worked within her.

Sister Freeman also talks about Emma Smith and her duty in Doctrine and Covenants section 25. Reading this section, the Lord tells Emma right off the bat that she is His daughter, and that all who receive His gospel are his sons and daughters, part of his kingdom. I really love verses 2 through 4 which say:

“2 A revelation I give unto you concerning my will; and if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion.

3 Behold, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an elect lady, whom I have called.

4 Murmur not because of the things which thou hast not seen, for they are withheld from thee and from the world, which is wisdom in me in a time to come.”

Emma must've also wondered the same things of her duty and place in God's plan that Sister Freeman wondered, and she also must've been scared or lonely at times as she had also lost her baby boy at this time. But these three verses from God assure her that as she keeps on walking on His covenant path, He will preserve her life and she will receive an inheritance in Zion. That he has forgiven her and sees her as an elect lady, elect meaning he has chosen her. And in the final verse, I would personally find it comforting that I do not have to worry about things I don't know yet, but that God knows these things and I can trust that He'll also let me know them when the time is right.

The Lord gave Emma purpose and she grew to learn her place in His plan, and through revelation learned about sanctification and covenant connection that would increase the priesthood ordinances working in her life. Her work in the Restoration was great as a daughter of God, and she learned how to recognize and use the priesthood to her advantages on His covenant path. Truly, living up to her Privileges.

I know that just like Emma, through the priesthood and the covenants I make with God, He can transform me into the person I need to be to have my eternal destiny. I know that I am a daughter of God and that I am also a disciple of Christ. I know God loves me and He has shown me that every time I turn to him each day and each week. And I also know that as a daughter of God, I can wield the priesthood and do good in these latter-days.

And in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.