FLDS Priesthood History for 3rd – 8th Grade Students

Taught by Warren Jeffs

Tape # 31 – March 12, 1996 (Tape # 30 is blank)

Subject: Life of the Savior
As we study these stories, young people, remember you're learning lessons of how to live, not
just to be entertained. A mote is a little wrong we see in our neighbor, a beam is a big wrong in us.
How you see things proves whether you have the spirit of God or the spirit of evil.

(Story of adulterous woman and Jesus' forgiveness)

It said the woman believed in Him and rejoiced in Him. Some people said that the woman was
one of His wives and it was not. Nowhere in the Bible does it say He married such a woman. When the
judge of all is there, we leave it to the judge. So often, we accuse others of what we're guilty of
ourselves. If somebody criticizes others in your hearing, one day they're going to criticize you too. The
great evil of accusing shows that a person is guilty themselves. Accusing is when you don't know
firsthand, but you just pass on the rumor. Be careful. If you love God and love one another - if that's the
reason you do things, when people do a wrong and you see it, you will encourage them and build them
up. We are not to protect evil. If we help others or protect others in their sins, we are guilty of it
ourselves. We are to encourage them to do better - even report on them, to their priesthood head and
then we leave judgment to the priesthood. We don't go about and say they are wicked, bad, naughty. If
we saw a wrong, we say what we saw and then we be quiet. Leave it in the hands of the judge. It takes
revelation, Heavenly Father's spirit, to speak to that person's priesthood head, to judge right.
One of the worst things you can do is to judge the prophet and figure out that he isn't doing just
right. Anybody who feels like he's not doing just right, that is a revelation to themselves that they are not
doing right. The Lord said let no man judge the prophet for the Lord will handle him. You can't even
understand why he does things unless he tells you. His job is so big and far reaching; he is led by
Heavenly Father's spirit. President Jeffs, sometimes, if a young person is brought to him, will say,
"Get out of town." That's because the spirit of the Lord tells him to do it. Maybe other young
people are brought to him for wrong-doing and if they're real repentant, bringing forth good works,
he will say, "Let's let them stay." It takes revelation to decide what to do, and whatever the
prophet decides to do, that's what we go with. We don't complain against it. Now, what about in
your own families?
A God or a man of the priesthood can command in the authority of the priesthood, and the
materials can be brought and formed into what you need. He doesn't just make it suddenly appear out of
nothing. At his command, he takes the materials of what seems to be empty space, which it isn't, and he
makes what you need.

(Story of Jesus feeding the crowds).

He is our example. The crumbs - the extra that people didn't need - and they had twelve baskets
full, starting with only a few loaves of bread and a few fishes.
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 President (John Y.) Barlow was in prison for over five months. The people that ran the prison
saw he was different - he wasn't a criminal. They offered that if he would sign a paper that said, "I will
not teach or practice plural marriage" he would be let out of jail. He agreed with them and signed it.
When he got out of jail, he went right back and lived plural marriage and taught it. He ‘agreed with his
enemies’ while they had a hold of him so he could get out of their hands, but he didn't obey them. He
obeyed the Lord. Many people apostatized because President Barlow signed that paper. In fact, nearly all
the men that were in jail with him, turned against him. All of them did, eventually. Whatever the Lord
commands is right, and the Lord told him to sign that paper. Everybody who accused him apostatized.
Those who rejoiced in what he did, stayed faithful.
I remember reading father's words (Rulon Jeffs). He said in a sermon about a year later. John Y.
Barlow did what the Lord wanted him to do, and anybody who accuses him of doing wrong, will
apostatize if they do not repent. These stories of the prophets show the meaning of our Savior's
teachings.

March 13, 1996

Subject: Life of the Savior
There are millions of people that read these very same words that we're giving you. They don't
understand - because you know the prophet, the spirit of God comes to us through him. You can
understand.

(Told the parable of the ten virgins - five wise and five foolish).
Jesus said this story describes the last days, right before the destructions. That's the description of
this priesthood people today. Brigham Young said, "I wish all were wise, but we still have the foolish
among the wise." The word 'virgin' means: They are priesthood people. Among the priesthood people in
this day, there are foolish and there are wise. The wise ones pray and obey. They keep sweet no matter
what. The foolish just hear the good word and do nothing about it. They live for fun and games and
selfishness of the body. President Jeffs says if you don't have the spirit of God all the time, you won't be
lifted up - you won't be protected. The five wise priesthood people, out of the ten, will be lifted up.
We have another story, how there will be two walking in the field. One will be taken and lifted up, and
the other will be destroyed. How is it with you, young people? The Lord is through with people who will
not give their all. He is looking for a group of young and middle-aged who will live their lives for the
right. You have that privilege. Today, you're choosing if you're one of the foolish or one of the wise. If
you are wise, you want to do good. If you're foolish, you figure you'll just get another time - maybe
when you're twenty or so, you'll repent. I tell you, you want to be one of the wise because we live in the
day when this parable will be fulfilled.
The parable of the talents. A talent is your ability, or it could be dollars, or Brigham Young
said it could be wives, a man and his wives. You could say, the master gave to the servants, five dollars,
two dollars, one dollar - or you could say he gave to one man five wives, another man two wives,
another man one wife. This was a test to see who was faithful and who was not. The man with five
talents worked hard and increased his to ten. The man with two talents, worked hard with his and used
what he had, and increased it to four. But the man with one talent - one dollar, just one wife - he hid it,
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he wouldn't use it properly. He didn't use it to get more blessings and bring forth more good things. He
just hid it and did nothing - kind of stayed around the good people, but really did nothing. To the man
with five talents, who increased them to ten, the Lord said, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant...
I will make thee ruler over many things." To the man who had two and increased them to four, the Lord
was pleased and made him ruler of many things. To the man who had one talent, one dollar, one wife,
one thing: "What have you done with what I gave you?" The man said, "I was afraid that I would lose
everything, so I did nothing, but I hid what I have. Here it is. I give you back what you gave me." The
Lord said, "Oh wicked and slothful servant... etc. I will take from you your one blessing and I will give
it to the man who now has ten, and you will be cast out."
When the Lord gives us blessings, He expects us to increase what we have. If a man receives a
wife, he is to use that wife, loving her and united as one, to bring forth children, an increase, unto
the Lord. If a man is given a house, he should use that house for priesthood purposes. Whatever he
earns, he should use it to increase and build up the priesthood. Those who build up the priesthood
will be rewarded. Those who take their money or whatever they have, and just use it for selfish
reasons, everything will be taken from them.
The next story is of the great judgment day. This is a story of what will happen at the
beginning of the millennium when Jesus appears. He promised He would come back in the clouds of
glory. He will rule for a thousand years and at the end of the millennium will be a day of judgment. He
will put all the righteous on His right hand and all the wicked on His left. Suppose you have the
privilege to help someone and you refuse. In the Day of Judgment what you could have done, but didn't
do, will be judged against you. If you could have said a kind word, if you could have helped the
priesthood, and you would not - that will be your destruction. So spend your life doing good, especially
obeying the prophet, for what you do to him, more especially, is what will return to you. You need to
believe this, you need to hear it. This is no joke. This is not something you can just forget. So, tonight at
home, instead of being so selfish, give and give. Don't be like those on His left hand who could have
done good but were just plain lazy or wanted to do things only for themselves. If you just build yourself
up, the Lord will humble you, and you will end up with nothing. When you get things, use those things
to build up others like the talents. The Lord will bless you forever. It's true, it's real- you see it right now.
One day, President Jeffs was inspired to go give that one hundred dollars to John Y. Barlow. He
gave all he could and now look what he has - look at this house you are in, worth over a million
dollars. His houses, the lands, and the Lord has put into his hand all this people and all their
possessions. Why is it? Does President Jeffs say, "This is mine - I want it just for myself"? No way. The
Lord gives him so much because everything he gets, he uses it to bless others, and that's why he is going
to Heaven. Now why do you want things? To build up others, or just for your own selfish self? Build up
the prophet and the Lord will return the blessings to you. That is how you earn eternal life.

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