Priesthood keys... and when someone else turns them.

cbcmariners77 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-11-2011, 11:46 PM

A high priest group leader does not have priesthood keys like an elders quorum president, so even though the group and quorum are so darned similar, while I still think the group leader would use inspiration like any calling would require, it would be good for them to take some cues from the stake president. I mean, technically, since the stake president is the president over that group, they'd be the ones directing the labors in that portion of the vineyard.

But what about an elders quorum president? An EQ president has keys, right? Doesn't that mean implementing things, making decisions, leading in administrative and minstrative tasks?

Example: In my own PPI for EQ, however, I was told that the presidency could do home teaching interviews, but ONLY the president was to do PPIs. I asked this second counselor, "well, President, why is it that YOU can do a PPI as a counselor, but my counselors can't?" I never really got a good answer. It doesn't say in the book that the EQ counselors can't do this! However, the trump card is played. So, when a person has priesthood keys, but someone else is always turning them for you, how is a person even using their keys?

I realize there is a chain of command, all the way up through the prophet. But if someone else is micromanaging every move you make, are you really directing the labors? Are you really given the opportunity to use the inspiration you receive?

I just throw this out here to see if anyone else has had this experience, has any insights, etc. I don't need a lecture about how I should get my own answers... trust me, I am getting answers. But information leads to inspiration and I'm not above getting that in a myriad of different ways

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skippy740 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-11-2011, 11:55 PM

So, your real question is:

"How can I work more effectively with the church heirarchy that is above me in my calling when we don't necessarily see eye-to-eye?"

Lately, the best response I've been hearing is:

"Can we look it up in the Church Handbook and see what it says?"

cbcmariners77 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-12-2011, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skippy740

So, your real question is:

"How can I work more effectively with the church heirarchy that is above me in my calling when we don't necessarily see eye-to-eye?"

Lately, the best response I've been hearing is:

"Can we look it up in the Church Handbook and see what it says?"

No, that's not the question at all. Whether you work well with or don't work well with is not the question. H, for example, work very well with my stake president. However, if he's running my quorum, then I'm not running my quorum. So, what are the keys for? I hear and read to direct the labor. But what is NOT being written?

Trust me, I know the handbook.

Spartan117 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-12-2011, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbcmariners77

But what is NOT being written?

Apparently the answer you need.

MarginOfError · #5 (**permalink**) 10-12-2011, 06:07 AM

I am wildly confused, and that makes it very hard for me to make any kind of comment.

I can't decide if you're an elder or a high priest. I also can't decide if you are in quorum or group leadership. Who was conducting your PPI?

I guess the context of your situation isn't clear to me. Could you clarify it please?

rameumptom · #6 (**permalink**) 10-12-2011, 06:39 AM

Sometimes it is an issue of being tested to see if we will obey or if we will murmur.

Yes, there may be more effective ways of doing some things, but sometimes the Lord is more interested in the test of faith.

Are we fully sustaining our leaders, even if we sometimes may have a better way of doing things (or at least we think we do)? Or do we murmur behind their backs?

Perhaps right now the issue is to obey, and show that you are worthy of additional trust. Sometimes there are reasons we may not be aware of in the guidance we are given. I know there have been times in the past when priesthood leaders have given me counsel, and I now wish I would have followed it. But hindsight is 20/20, I guess.

Follow the counsel given, and you will be blessed for being obedient. There is a reason for this that you do not yet see. But the day will come when the wisdom behind the guidance will become apparent to you.

rameumptom · #7 (**permalink**) 10-12-2011, 06:42 AM

BTW, while an EQP holds keys for his quorum, it still is under direction of the Stake President, who holds the keys to the Melchizedek Priesthood in the entire stake. He delegates keys to the HPG leader, so there really is no difference between an EQP and HPGL in regards to authority, except that the HPGL is over a group of High Priests and not over the entire quorum (which entails all the High priests in the stake).

cbcmariners77 · #8 (**permalink**) 11-08-2011, 07:08 PM

Thanks for your comments.

annewandering · #9 (**permalink**) 11-08-2011, 07:17 PM

For some reason it reminds me of doing dishes when I was a kid. My mom did them one way. I saw an aunt do them differently and liked that way better. My mom did not like that way. I lived in my moms house. She had authority over me. I did them her way. Now I do them my way.

cbcmariners77 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-08-2011, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by annewandering

For some reason it reminds me of doing dishes when I was a kid. My mom did them one way. I saw an aunt do them differently and liked that way better. My mom did not like that way. I lived in my moms house. She had authority over me. I did them her way. Now I do them my way.

I like your analysis. I guess that's my point. In this case, Mom keeps telling me I have the ability to do the dishes however I want, except, I see that's not really the case. So, my question, then, is: what does Mom really mean when she says I have the ability to direct my own dishwashing?

Nice analogy

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