"The duty of the
President of the office of
the High Priesthood," the Lord
revealed, "is to preside over the whole church, and to be
like unto Moses . . . yea, to be a seer, a revelator, a translator, and a
prophet,
having all the gifts of
God which he bestows upon the head of the
church." At
a conference in Amherst, Ohio, 25 January 1832, Joseph
Smith was ordained President of the High Priesthood, and
acknowledged as such at the conference in Independence,
Missouri, 26 April 1832.
As President of
the Church, the Prophet Joseph received constant guidance
from heaven. "It is my meditation all the day," he said, "to
know how I shall make the Saints of God comprehend the visions
that roll like an overflowing surge before my
mind."
"The grand rule
of heaven," Joseph said, "was that nothing should ever
be done on earth without [God] revealing the secret to his
servants the prophets." This rule holds true for the
Church in relation to the living prophet in our day:
"Thou shalt give heed unto all his words and
commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth
them, walking in all holiness before me; for his word
ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all
patience and faith."
President of the office of the High Priesthood
Today the President of the High Priesthood is the President of the Church and the presiding high priest upon the earth.
gifts of God
"We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth" (Articles of Faith 1:7). If we are faithful to the end, we "shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God" (D&C 14:7).
prophet
A person who has been called by and speaks for God. As a messenger of God, a prophet receives commandments, prophecies, and revelations from God. His responsibility is to make known God's will and true character to mankind and to show the meaning of His dealings with them. His primary responsibility is to bear witness of Christ. (The Guide to the Scriptures, "Prophet," 201–202).
seer
A person authorized of God to see with spiritual eyes things which God has hidden from the world (see Moses 6: 35–38). He is a revelator and a prophet (see Mosiah 8:13–16; The Guide to the Scriptures, "Seer," 224).
revelator
One who reveals the will of God to His children. Members of the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators.
Saints
A faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ (The Guide to the Scriptures, "Saint," 215–16).
