I know that some of you here today are probably Star Wars fans. We have been watching with interest how some people are so taken with Star Wars, that they have been camped in front of a movie theater for five weeks to be the first to buy tickets to the new movie that will be opening soon. For those of you unfamiliar with the original story, a young man named Luke Skywalker who lives many years in the future, learns that he is entitled by birth to hold a remarkable power known as the Force, as in "May the force be with you." He finds out about this power, and struggles to discipline himself against all kinds of natural and unnatural forces, so that he becomes worthy and skilled in its use.

Yesterday, I witnessed some of our own young men from this ward, who likewise are trying to discipline themselves. They hold a remarkable power as well. They went up against a natural force of a snowstorm. Yesterday was the Comemoration of the Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood, and the young men and their fathers and Priesthood leaders had gone to Downata Hot Springs for an outing. Since we have an older son and his family living about twenty miles away, we killed two birds with one stone and attended the outing and later went on to visit them. I sat in the car during this snowstorm and watched the priesthood holders as they climbed the nearly 80 steps to the top of a hill, where they stood shivering, wet and cold in the falling snow, to await their turn to slide down one of the two tubes into the welcomed warmth of the water below. Those cold, shivering boys hold a power much greater than Luke Skywalker; they hold the power of the Aaronic Priesthood, which is a preparation for an even great power, the power of the Melchizedec Priesthood.

To those who hold the priesthood of God, and to those of us who benefit from it, comes a great blessing. We have an anchor that keeps us from being "no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive."

Last Monday, the first and second graders at Declo Elementary School, as part of the Enough is Enough program against drug use. Each child held a helium-filled balloon by a string. Tied to the string was a blue card with their name and address of the school. At a given signal, the balloons were released, and as they began to ascend up into the air, they were caught by the strong wind that was blowing that day, and were rapidly swept away. Some never made it past the fence and the tall trees, but others colorfully disappeared from sight.

Nine hours later, a man was visiting his grandfather 40 miles out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He left the house to get something from his car, and his eye was caught by a blue object drifting down from a mesa and becoming lodged in a tree. He climbed the fence and retrieved the blue balloon with the name of a little boy in Idaho. All these balloons had been launched with great hopes, but there was no control as to where they would go. They were carried about with the winds and drifted aimlessly. How different we are who benefit from the Priesthood. If we follow the Priesthood teachings, we will not drift aimlessly, carried about with every wind of doctrine. We have been given a way, a straight and narrow way. We know how to act, how to dress, what to take into our bodies to be healthy, what kind of music, what kinds of literature, movies and even jokes to listen to. We know the kind of thoughts we should have and we know where we should be on a Sunday and how to keep it holy. We know what kind of person we should marry to bring us greatest happiness, and where that marriage should take place. We know what every young man should do when he reaches the age of nineteen. We know how to raise our children to be obedient and how to protect them from the evils of the world. These are all great blessings.

Those who hold the priesthood and those who benefit from it have great responsibilities. Joseph Fielding Smith said, "Never before in the history of the Church has the responsibility which has been given to the Priesthood brethren been more necessary. If we do not serve Him with all our heart, might and strength; if we are not loyal to this calling which we have received, we are not going to be blameless when we stand before the judgment seat. It is a very serious thing to hold the Priesthood. I wish when our young men are ordained, they would be impressed with the importance of the calling which they are about to receive. Brethren of the priesthood, the responsibility to perform this labor came to you from the Son of God. You are His servants. You will be held accountable to Him for your stewardship, and unless you magnify your calling and prove yourselves worthy and faithful in all things, you will not stand blameless before Him at the last day."

When the Isrealites built a golden calf in the wilderness, and were given a lesser priesthood, Moses' older brother, Aaron, became the first priest, and the men of his tribe, the Levites, were assigned to assist him in his duties. This is where the Aaronic priesthood, named after Aaron began. Some, however, were not happy with just assisting Aaron, who had greater authority. They wanted the same authority he had. Moses and Aaron's cousin, Korah and his friends Dathan and Abiram rebelled against him and stirred up 250 princes as well. They complained that not only had Moses dragged them off into the desert when they thought they were going to a land of milk and honey, but now he and Aaron thought they were better than everybody else. Even though these men held the priesthood, which other tribes couldn't, they were not content.

Moses was told by the Lord to have all the rebellious men bring their censers, which are little metal pots that hold charcoal or burning coals from the alter. Then a priest would sprinkle incense on them. Then the Lord would show whose offering would be accepted. 250 men brought their censers the next day, all except Dathan and Abiram, who defiantly refused to come. The Lord told Moses and Aaron to stand back while he destroyed the whole congregation. Moses pleaded with the Lord to spare the innocent, and was told by the Lord to leave the people and take Korah and go to the tents of Dathan and Abiram. There the Lord caused a great crack to appear in the earth which swallowed up these rebellious men, their families, and everything they owned. Then fire came out from the Lord and burned up the 250 princes. Moses commanded that the 250 censors be gathered up and pounded into a sheet to cover the altar, as a memorial that no one would try to take the priesthood unto themselves, or fail to support the leaders who hold it.

As a mother of seven sons who have all been blessed to receive the Aaronic and some the Melchizedec priesthood, I have great gratitude for this most important event that occurred May 16th, 1829 on the banks of the Susquehanna River, when the resurrected John the Baptist conferred this priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Little did the world know of this event. There was no public announcements that would result in many people camping out five weeks ahead in order to be among the first to witness this gtreat happening. But the world was forever changed.