The Stake President mentioned when I was called that I would have the opportunity to speak. When I heard what the topic would be, I was very excited to have this chance. Living prophets are one of the things that make our Church unique. I am grateful that our Heavenly Father has given us a living prophet.
The first hymn in our hymnbook is called “The Morning Breaks.” It was written by Parley P. Pratt and goes, in part, like this:
The morning breaks, the shadows flee;
Lo, Zion’s standard is unfurled!
The dawning of a brighter day,
The dawning of a brighter day
Majestic rises on the world.
The clouds of error disappear
Before the rays of truth divine;
The glory bursting from afar,
The glory bursting from afar
Wide o’er the nations soon will shine.
Jehovah speaks! Let earth give ear,
And Gentile nations turn and live.
His mighty arm is making bare,
His mighty arm is making bare
His cov’nant people to receive.
Angels from heav’n and truth from earth
Have met, and both have record borne;
Thus Zion’s light is bursting forth,
Thus Zion’s light is bursting forth
To bring her ransomed children home.
For too long the people of the earth languished in the dark night of ignorance. Then, to marveling eyes in a grove which would later be called sacred, the boy Joseph Smith beheld the Father and the Son. In that moment, the morning did indeed break forth and the earth was filled with light. What is this light that God has given us? Is it not the light that comes from our Heavenly Father? The light of truth and knowledge as revealed to His holy prophets.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency recently spoke about the need for a living prophet:
Today, we have again apostles, seers, and revelators who are watchmen on the tower, messengers of supernal, healing truth. God speaks to us through them. They are profoundly aware of the different circumstances we members are living in. They are in this world but not of this world. They point the way, and they offer help for our difficulties, not through the wisdom of this world but from an eternal Source.
This counsel and guidance is only as valuable to us as we are diligent in giving heed to the words of eternal life. President Uchtdorf goes on to explain further that we should:
…in humility and faith refresh our dedication and our commitment to follow the prophets, seers, and revelators in all diligence. Let us listen and be instructed and edified by those who hold all the keys of the kingdom. And as we listen and follow them, may our hearts be changed that there will be a great desire to do good (see Alma 19:33). Thus we will be pioneers in building a spiritual foundation that will establish the Church in every part of the world, that the gospel of Jesus Christ may become a blessing for each child of God and unite and strengthen our families.
Why is it that people have such a hard time accepting modern day prophets, while seeming to easily accept ancient ones? Whatever the reasons, they are not unique. Each prophet throughout history has had detractors. Even the Savior Himself was subject to ridicule and scorn.
But this should not be the case for us. Alma the Younger, in speaking to his son Helaman regarding the word of God, gave this counsel (Alma 37):
43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.
44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.
45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.
46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.
47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live…
How can one look to God and live, as is directed by Alma? Nephi said that (2 Nephi 32:3):
Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.
And who then are these Angels, these messengers from God, authorized to speak in His Name? The Doctrine and Covenants gives us the answer (D&C 1:38):
What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.
Seems pretty straight forward, doesn’t it. Why then do we continue to struggle? Mark Twain remarked that those who can read good books but do not have no advantage over those who cannot read at all. How can we follow our living prophets if we do not even know what they said? This is in part why the home teaching program of the Church is so important. It is the responsibility of each home teacher to bring the words of the watchmen to the families and individuals in their homes each month.
I would like to share an experience I had on my mission. I was on my mission for about a year when the Area Presidency changed. Our Area President had been Elder Bateman, and the new Area President was Elder Sorensen. When he came to visit our mission, he came across as being very stern. I was a missionary who kept the rules (surprise!), but I didn’t like the way he seemed to be – very strict and cold.
In the afternoon session of the mission conference we met for a final session with Elder Sorensen. He spoke to us regarding how we should invite people to be baptized. I was amazed at the ideas he suggested and thought that I surely knew better. I mean, this guy had never even been to Korea before, and here he comes telling us how to do our job?
I decided to try it. I knew it wouldn’t work, but hey, what did I have to lose? We had a perfect person to try it out on, also – an eternal investigator. One of those guys who seemed to know the Church was true and liked to be around the missionaries, but who was afraid to commit. When we met with him, we followed the instructions and example of Elder Sorensen. After he prayed, the Spirit was so strong in the room. He looked up into my eyes with tears in his own and said, “I need to get baptized, don’t I?” We said of course you do, and our next baptism is in two weeks. Two weeks later he was baptized.
That was so effective I tried it again, with the same results. Clearly, Elder Sorensen knew what he was talking about. But how? How could he have known that it would be so effective when he had never been to Korea, knew nothing of the language or the culture, and knew nothing of the way we did the work in Korea? The answer is obvious, now. The Lord inspired him, and he, acting as the Lord’s servant and as a living prophet, spoke. And it was true.
The beautiful thing about the process of revelation is that we are not to be led by those who would deceive us. We have the right and privilege and obligation to ask the Lord for the sweet confirmation available to us through the Holy Spirit. The main role of the Holy Spirit is to testify of Christ and of all truth. We know of truth when we hear it because of how it makes us feel – it swelleth and sprouteth and beginneth to grow, as Alma says (Alma 32:33). And as the Doctrine and Covenants explains (D&C 50:24):
That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.
If we receive the light, or the things of God, and continue in them, we will receive more light. That light will grow until perfection is attained. What more could we ever want?
Which brings me back to the boy Joseph in the grove. He lacked wisdom. He knew it. He had faith that if he asked that God would answer. And oh, what an answer! (JS-H 1:16-17):
…I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me….
When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!
In answer to a young boy’s prayer, the world was changed. Thank God for His eternal mercy, for He will not leave us in darkness. Thank God for our living prophets. And thank God for the Holy Ghost, which testifies of the truth of His gospel.
The first hymn in our hymnbook is called “The Morning Breaks.” It was written by Parley P. Pratt and goes, in part, like this:
The morning breaks, the shadows flee;
Lo, Zion’s standard is unfurled!
The dawning of a brighter day,
The dawning of a brighter day
Majestic rises on the world.
The clouds of error disappear
Before the rays of truth divine;
The glory bursting from afar,
The glory bursting from afar
Wide o’er the nations soon will shine.
Jehovah speaks! Let earth give ear,
And Gentile nations turn and live.
His mighty arm is making bare,
His mighty arm is making bare
His cov’nant people to receive.
Angels from heav’n and truth from earth
Have met, and both have record borne;
Thus Zion’s light is bursting forth,
Thus Zion’s light is bursting forth
To bring her ransomed children home.
For too long the people of the earth languished in the dark night of ignorance. Then, to marveling eyes in a grove which would later be called sacred, the boy Joseph Smith beheld the Father and the Son. In that moment, the morning did indeed break forth and the earth was filled with light. What is this light that God has given us? Is it not the light that comes from our Heavenly Father? The light of truth and knowledge as revealed to His holy prophets.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency recently spoke about the need for a living prophet:
Today, we have again apostles, seers, and revelators who are watchmen on the tower, messengers of supernal, healing truth. God speaks to us through them. They are profoundly aware of the different circumstances we members are living in. They are in this world but not of this world. They point the way, and they offer help for our difficulties, not through the wisdom of this world but from an eternal Source.
This counsel and guidance is only as valuable to us as we are diligent in giving heed to the words of eternal life. President Uchtdorf goes on to explain further that we should:
…in humility and faith refresh our dedication and our commitment to follow the prophets, seers, and revelators in all diligence. Let us listen and be instructed and edified by those who hold all the keys of the kingdom. And as we listen and follow them, may our hearts be changed that there will be a great desire to do good (see Alma 19:33). Thus we will be pioneers in building a spiritual foundation that will establish the Church in every part of the world, that the gospel of Jesus Christ may become a blessing for each child of God and unite and strengthen our families.
Why is it that people have such a hard time accepting modern day prophets, while seeming to easily accept ancient ones? Whatever the reasons, they are not unique. Each prophet throughout history has had detractors. Even the Savior Himself was subject to ridicule and scorn.
But this should not be the case for us. Alma the Younger, in speaking to his son Helaman regarding the word of God, gave this counsel (Alma 37):
43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.
44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.
45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.
46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.
47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live…
How can one look to God and live, as is directed by Alma? Nephi said that (2 Nephi 32:3):
Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.
And who then are these Angels, these messengers from God, authorized to speak in His Name? The Doctrine and Covenants gives us the answer (D&C 1:38):
What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.
Seems pretty straight forward, doesn’t it. Why then do we continue to struggle? Mark Twain remarked that those who can read good books but do not have no advantage over those who cannot read at all. How can we follow our living prophets if we do not even know what they said? This is in part why the home teaching program of the Church is so important. It is the responsibility of each home teacher to bring the words of the watchmen to the families and individuals in their homes each month.
I would like to share an experience I had on my mission. I was on my mission for about a year when the Area Presidency changed. Our Area President had been Elder Bateman, and the new Area President was Elder Sorensen. When he came to visit our mission, he came across as being very stern. I was a missionary who kept the rules (surprise!), but I didn’t like the way he seemed to be – very strict and cold.
In the afternoon session of the mission conference we met for a final session with Elder Sorensen. He spoke to us regarding how we should invite people to be baptized. I was amazed at the ideas he suggested and thought that I surely knew better. I mean, this guy had never even been to Korea before, and here he comes telling us how to do our job?
I decided to try it. I knew it wouldn’t work, but hey, what did I have to lose? We had a perfect person to try it out on, also – an eternal investigator. One of those guys who seemed to know the Church was true and liked to be around the missionaries, but who was afraid to commit. When we met with him, we followed the instructions and example of Elder Sorensen. After he prayed, the Spirit was so strong in the room. He looked up into my eyes with tears in his own and said, “I need to get baptized, don’t I?” We said of course you do, and our next baptism is in two weeks. Two weeks later he was baptized.
That was so effective I tried it again, with the same results. Clearly, Elder Sorensen knew what he was talking about. But how? How could he have known that it would be so effective when he had never been to Korea, knew nothing of the language or the culture, and knew nothing of the way we did the work in Korea? The answer is obvious, now. The Lord inspired him, and he, acting as the Lord’s servant and as a living prophet, spoke. And it was true.
The beautiful thing about the process of revelation is that we are not to be led by those who would deceive us. We have the right and privilege and obligation to ask the Lord for the sweet confirmation available to us through the Holy Spirit. The main role of the Holy Spirit is to testify of Christ and of all truth. We know of truth when we hear it because of how it makes us feel – it swelleth and sprouteth and beginneth to grow, as Alma says (Alma 32:33). And as the Doctrine and Covenants explains (D&C 50:24):
That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.
If we receive the light, or the things of God, and continue in them, we will receive more light. That light will grow until perfection is attained. What more could we ever want?
Which brings me back to the boy Joseph in the grove. He lacked wisdom. He knew it. He had faith that if he asked that God would answer. And oh, what an answer! (JS-H 1:16-17):
…I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me….
When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!
In answer to a young boy’s prayer, the world was changed. Thank God for His eternal mercy, for He will not leave us in darkness. Thank God for our living prophets. And thank God for the Holy Ghost, which testifies of the truth of His gospel.
Comments
I miss you so much. I can hardly stand it. I'm so glad to "hear" from you whenever you blog.
The other night I was having a real hard time sleeping, and I kept thinking about Texas. Maybe we won't move to Virginia. We're keeping our options open.
We had a bishop once who said that the spirit speaks in the language of the scriptures, so that is, in part, why it is so important to regularly read our scriptures. That way we are prepared to understand revelation when it comes to us. I was just thinking of that, in relation to something you said in your talk.
I love you.
Ruth
I wish I had known that you were landing in SLC, I would have met you at the luggage carousel, if only long enough to hug you, tell you how sorry I am about your grandpa, and see you on your way.
I'm glad you made it to the frigid north and home safely.
Jeanette - you make my day. Thank you for everything. The funeral went very well and we even had a break in the clouds at the graveside for about 30 min. - just long enough to not get snowed on. Other than that it was very gloomy and snowy the whole time I was there. I felt a little silly carrying a huge coat and scarf on the way from Phoenix to Houston - everyone else was in shorts and flip-flops...
And you know how I feel about flip flops... ;-)