By the Hand of My Servant

The Lord promised Edward Partridge:

I will lay my hand upon you by the hand of my servant Sidney Rigdon, and you shall receive my Spirit, the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which shall teach you the peaceable things of the kingdom.

Doctrine and Covenants 36:2

The Savior could have simply said, “Sidney Rigdon will lay his hands on your head,” or “I authorize Sidney to confirm you.” But how much more vivid are His actual words: “I will lay my hand upon you by the hand of my servant.”

When we represent the Savior by performing a priesthood ordinance, ministering to someone, or teaching the gospel, we need to remember that it’s not about us. We may not be a perfect substitute for Him, but we ought to try to be. Boyd K. Packer explained, “When priesthood authority is exercised properly, priesthood bearers do what He would do if He were present” (“The Power of the Priesthood,” General Conference, April 2010).

By the same token, when we are the recipients of priesthood service, we ought to recognize that the person rendering the service is merely substituting for the actual Giver of the gifts we receive. As Emily Belle Freeman has taught, “It’s not only who officiates in the ordinance that matters—what the ordinance and our covenant promise unlock also deserves the focus of our attention” (“Live Up to Your Privileges,” General Conference, October 2024).

Several times in the Book of Mormon, God emphasizes that He has chosen people to represent Him. For example, to the Nephites and Lamanites gathered at the temple in Bountiful, the Savior said:

Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and unto them I have given power that they may baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know that I am.

3 Nephi 12:1

These twelve disciples were not perfect, but they were called to represent Jesus Christ. They would strive to emulate Him in their service, and through that service, the Savior would bless the people.

Today, I will be grateful for men and women who are authorized to represent the Savior. When they teach me, He is teaching me. When they bless me, He is blessing me. I will remember that they merely function as the conduit for me to access His grace and power.