President Henry B. Eyring: 'Serve with the Spirit'

Stories of people being touched by the priesthood "are repeated across the world and will be over generations," President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, said in his address in priesthood session of conference.

"For some it will be the story of a young home teacher who said words that sparked a desire in your grandfather to come back to the Church. For some it will be the words of comfort and blessing from a patriarch that sustained your mother when tragedy nearly overwhelmed her," he said.

"There will be a common theme in those stories. It will be the power of the priesthood in a holder whose power to serve was magnified by power of the Holy Ghost."

Thus, President Eyring defined his message as this: "Let us do whatever is required to qualify for the Holy Ghost as our constant companion and then let us go forward fearlessly that we will be given the powers to do whatever the Lord calls us to do. That growth in power may come slowly, it may come in small steps that are difficult for you to see, but it will come."

Priesthood holders, President Eyring said, should never miss an opportunity to participate with all their hearts in the promise of the sacrament prayer: "To take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them."

As did Jesus' disciples when He was in mortality, "we should pray for the manifestations of the Holy Ghost to come to us in our service and to those we serve," President Eyring said. "Humble prayer to our Heavenly Father, in deep faith in Jesus Christ is essential to qualify us for the companionship of the Holy Ghost."

Humility and faith to invite spiritual gifts are increased by reading, studying and pondering the scriptures, President Eyring said. "But reading, studying and pondering are not the same. We read words and we may get ideas. We study and we may discover patterns and connections in scripture. But when we ponder we invite revelation by the Spirit. Pondering for me is the thinking and the praying I do after reading and studying the scriptures carefully."

Magnification of power to serve will come as a priesthood holder responds with faith to go forward in callings with the help of the Holy Ghost, President Eyring explained. He suggested two services to which priesthood holders are called.