Thoughts on ordaining Philip to the office of High Priest

Thoughts on ordaining Philip to the office of High Priest

When I was a young man my father conferred upon me the Aaronic Priesthood and ordained me a Deacon, Teacher and Priest.  This was the pattern that I grew up with and one that I expected to continue.

I do not remember what my priesthood line of authority was when my father was an Elder. Just prior to moving to Lander my father was called to be a counselor in the bishopric and as such it was necessary for him to be ordained a High Priest and set apart as a member of the bishopric. At that time this was only done by a general authority. Elder Joseph Francis Merrill of the Council of the Twelve was assigned to the Denver stake conference and was given the assignment to ordain my father to the office of High Priest and set him apart as a member of the bishopric.

Elder Merrill was the son of my grandmother Gee's grandfather Marriner W. Merrill. Thus he was her uncle. He came to dinner at our house. That is about all that I remember.

Between my freshman and sophomore year in college I came home for the summer to work. My father was the branch president and he interviewed me to receive the Melchizedek priesthood and be ordained to the office of Elder. Since we were in the West Central States Mission, I had to be interviewed by the mission president, Sylvester Broadbent.

My parents and I went over to Riverton to meet with President Broadbent. He had some business to do, so he gave me the assignment to read the 84th section of the Doctrine and Covenants. He then brought me in to the branch president's office and laid his hands upon my head and conferred upon me the Melchizedek priesthood and ordained me to the office of Elder. I was expecting my father to do this. I am sure that he was disappointed as well. I got President Boadbent's line of priesthood authority. I wrote it down and then copied it later into my missionary journal.

At that time it was not the practice for people to follow the patriarchal line of priesthood authority. Although there are still some priesthood leaders in the church that are of the opinion that it really doesn't matter and that the priesthood is the same, I have always thought that, if possible, the father, if worthy, should ordain the son.

After I came back from California l was called to serve on the high council. As a result it was necessary for me to be ordained to the office of High Priest. My father was, at that time, serving as a counselor in the stake presidency. He ordained me to the office of High Priest and thus my priesthood lineage was again through my father's line of authority.

All of my sons were ordained to the office of Elder by me so their line of priesthood authority followed mine.

While we were serving our mission in Frankfurt Clark was called to serve on the high council. He obtained permission from his stake president to fly to Frankfurt for me to ordain him to the office of High Priest. We were able to accomplish this.  I was pleased that they would allow him to be ordained by his father.

During the time that we were home from our first mission John was asked to be the secretary of the high priest's group and he asked me to come down to Provo and ordain him to that office. I was then able to honor that request.

While we were on our mission to Russia Joseph was called to serve in the bishopric and wanted me to ordain him to the office of High Priest. He arranged for a flight to Frankfurt and we obtained permission from the area presidency to fly from Moscow to Frankfurt as well.  Marcus came to Frankfurt and we all met together in a hotel room and I ordained Joseph to the office of High Priest.

Philip also wanted me to ordain him as well and knew that I was getting older. He visited with the stake president and asked him if that were a possibility. There was no reason for him to hold that office and so nothing was done about it.

I recently received a call from Philip asking if we would not come down to Dallas. He had been released as a seminary teacher and called to be a member of the bishopric and wanted us the fly down and for me to ordain him to the office of High Priest, which was done on August 16th.

I feel honored and humbled to be able to have had this singular opportunity granted to me. I think of all those who I have ordained as Elders and High Priests who carry my line of priesthood authority. I think of those whose fathers were worthy to perform this ordinance and were not given the opportunity.
Although it doesn't really matter who does the ordaining, I believe that in the beginning that The Lord wanted the priesthood to go from righteous father to righteous son whenever possible. I take this from the book of Abraham, where he "Sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers."

I am humbled and honored to be able to pass on my line of authority to my sons. It is a privilege to be able to do that sacred ordinance.

Do not take this opportunity lightly.

Love

Grandpa