Prophets
Church History Gems - 14 December 2009
Same Revelations
"President Young had said, 'If the people of the United States will let us alone for ten years we will ask no odds of them' (Brigham Young, "Remarks," Deseret News, Sept. 23, 1857, 228).
"Eight years to the day after the 1849 celebration, the Saints were in Big Cottonwood Canyon to celebrate another 24th of July. Four horsemen rode in to report that an army 2,500 soldiers strong was on the plains. The army of the United States, commanded by Colonel Albert Sydney Johnston, was ordered by President James Buchanan to crush a nonexistent Mormon rebellion.
"The Saints broke camp and headed for home to prepare their defenses. . . .
"Neither mobbings nor the army could turn the Saints aside from what they knew to be true. A settlement was negotiated, and the Utah War (later called Buchanan's Blunder) was over.
"We are guided by the same revelations and led by a prophet. When the Prophet Joseph Smith died, another took his place. The order of succession continues today. . . .
"The senior leaders of the Church will virtually always be seasoned by decades of preparation.
"President Monson is ideally suited for the challenges of our day. He is sustained by two counselors and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles—all prophets, seers, and revelators."
Church History Gems - 1 July 2009
Cut the Thread
"The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the First Presidency—follow them and be blessed—reject them and suffer.
"President Harold B. Lee relates this incident from Church history:
" 'The story is told in the early days of the Church—particularly, I think, at Kirtland, Ohio—where some of the leading brethren in the presiding councils of the Church met secretly and tried to scheme as to how they could get rid of the Prophet Joseph's leadership. They made the mistake of inviting Brigham Young to one of these secret meetings. He rebuked them, after he had heard the purpose of their meeting. This is part of what he said: "You cannot destroy the appointment of a prophet of God, but you can cut the thread that binds you to the prophet of God, and sink yourselves to hell." ' (Conference Report, April 1963, p. 81.)"
Topics: Prophets
Daily Gems - 15 May 2009
True Religion
"The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is the faith of our Heavenly Father. It is His truth, revealed to His servants the prophets from the days of Father Adam until our own time. The Father and the Son appeared to Joseph Smith to restore the faith of our Father on this earth, never to be taken away again. God desires that all of His children receive it, irrespective of their background, culture, or tradition. True religion should not originate from what pleases men or the traditions of ancestors, but rather from what pleases God, our Eternal Father."
Topics: Restoration, Gospel of Jesus Christ, Prophets
Church History Gems - 22 April 2009
The Prophet Living in Our Day
"President Wilford Woodruff tells of an interesting incident that occurred in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith: . . .
" 'Brother Joseph turned to Brother Brigham Young and said, "Brother Brigham I want you to go to the podium and tell us your views with regard to the living oracles and the written word of God." Brother Brigham took the stand, and he took the Bible, and laid it down; he took the Book of Mormon, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and he said: "There is the written word of God to us, concerning the work of God from the beginning of the world, almost, to our day. And now," said he, "when compared with the living oracles those books are nothing to me; those books do not convey the word of God direct to us now, as do the words of a Prophet or a man bearing the Holy Priesthood in our day and generation. I would rather have the living oracles than all the writing in the books." That was the course he pursued. When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation; "Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth." ' (Conference Report, October 1897, pp. 18–19.)
". . . Therefore the most important prophet so far as you and I are concerned is the one living in our day and age to whom the Lord is currently revealing His will for us. Therefore the most important reading we can do is any of the words of the prophet contained each month in our Church Magazines. Our instructions about what we should do for each six months are found in the General Conference addresses which are printed in the Church magazine."
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Topics: Prophets
Daily Gems - 4 March 2009
Comfort in the Lone and Dreary World
"When Adam and Eve willingly stepped into mortality, they knew this telestial world would contain thorns and thistles and troubles of every kind. Perhaps their most challenging realization, however, was not the hardship and danger they would endure but the fact that they would now be distanced from God, separated from Him with whom they had walked and talked, who had given them face-to-face counsel. After this conscious choice, as the record of creation says, 'they saw him not; for they were shut out from his presence' (Moses 5:4). Amidst all else that must have troubled them, surely this must have troubled them the most.
"But God knew the challenges they would face, and He certainly knew how lonely and troubled they would sometimes feel. So He watched over His mortal family constantly, heard their prayers always, and sent prophets (and later apostles) to teach, counsel, and guide them. But in times of special need, He sent angels, divine messengers, to bless His children, reassure them that heaven was always very close and that His help was always very near. Indeed, shortly after Adam and Eve found themselves in the lone and dreary world, an angel appeared unto them, who taught them the meaning of their sacrifice and the atoning role of the promised Redeemer who was to come."
Daily Gems - 19 February 2009
Solemn Witness of Jesus Christ
"The Book of Mormon is a book that testifies that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world. Great prophets throughout the Book of Mormon have borne solemn witness that Jesus Christ is the Creator of the earth (see Mosiah 3:8), the Redeemer of mankind (see Helaman 5:9-12), the Only Begotten of the Father (see 1 Nephi 11:18-21; Jacob 4:11). These Book of Mormon prophets knew Him, as Abraham and Moses did, and received and taught His everlasting gospel. As we read and study their words, we gain a deeper understanding of the Savior's matchless love, His perfect life and example, and the blessings of His great atoning sacrifice."
Topics: Book of Mormon, Prophets
Daily Gems - 15 January 2009
Evidence of Christ's Divinity
"One Protestant scholar has inquired tellingly into the erroneous doctrine of a closed canon. He writes: 'On what biblical or historical grounds has the inspiration of God been limited to the written documents that the church now calls its Bible? . . . If the spirit inspired only the written documents of the first century, does that mean that the same spirit does not speak today in the church about matters that are of significant concern?' (Lee M. McDonald, The Formation of the Christian Biblical Canon, rev. ed. [1995], 255-56). We humbly ask those same questions.
"Continuing revelation does not demean or discredit existing revelation. The Old Testament does not lose its value in our eyes when we are introduced to the New Testament, and the New Testament is only enhanced when we read the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. In considering the additional scripture accepted by Latter-day Saints, we might ask: Were those early Christians who for decades had access only to the primitive Gospel of Mark (generally considered the first of the New Testament Gospels to be written)—were they offended to receive the more detailed accounts set forth later by Matthew and Luke, to say nothing of the unprecedented passages and revelatory emphasis offered later yet by John? Surely they must have rejoiced that ever more convincing evidence of the divinity of Christ kept coming. And so do we rejoice."
Topics: Prophets, Revelation, Bible
Church History Gems - 9 January 2009
Great Refining Process
"There is an interesting story in the history of the Church. It concerns a man who was great and then fell because he became somewhat arrogant. Concerning him, President Wilford Woodruff said, 'I have seen Oliver Cowdery when it seemed as though the earth trembled under his feet. I never heard a man bear a stronger testimony than he did when under the influence of the Spirit. But the moment he left the kingdom of God, that moment his power fell like lightning from heaven. He was shorn of his strength like Samson in the lap of Delilah. He lost the power and the testimony which he had enjoyed, and he never recovered it again in its fulness while in the flesh, although he died in the Church.' (As quoted by Stanley R. Gunn, Oliver Cowdery: Second Elder and Scribe, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1962, p. 73.)
"As the years pass, each of us faces challenges within ourselves, generally in areas where we need development and refinement. Questions may arise in our minds concerning the Church, its history, its doctrine, its practices. I want to give you my testimony concerning this work. I have been heavily involved in it for more than a half a century. I have worked with the presidents of the Church from President Heber J. Grant onward. I have known in a very personal way President Grant, President George Albert Smith, President David O. McKay, President Joseph Fielding Smith, President Harold B. Lee, and President Spencer W. Kimball. I have known the counselors of all of these men, and I have known the Council of the Twelve during the years of the administrations of these Presidents. All of these men have been human. They have had human traits and perhaps some human weaknesses. But over and above all of that, there has been in the life of every one of them an overpowering manifestation of the inspiration of God. Those who have been Presidents have been prophets in a very real way. I have intimately witnessed the spirit of revelation upon them. Each man came to the Presidency after many years of experience as a member of the Council of the Twelve and in other capacities. The Lord refined and polished each one, let him know discouragement and failure, let him experience illness and in some cases deep sorrow. All of this became part of a great refining process, and the effect of that process became beautifully evident in their lives."
Topics: Opposition, Prophets
Daily Gems - 7 January 2009
Counsel for Those Who Serve
"When the Lord called Frederick G. Williams to be a counselor to the Prophet Joseph Smith, He commanded him to 'be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees' (D&C 81:5). I believe this counsel applies to all who accept callings to serve in the kingdom of God."
Topics: Prophets
Daily Gems - 29 December 2008
Lord's Works without End
"Virtually every prophet of the Old and New Testament has added scripture to that received by his predecessors. If the Old Testament words of Moses were sufficient, as some could have mistakenly thought them to be (see Deuteronomy 4:2), then why, for example, the subsequent prophecies of Isaiah or of Jeremiah, who follows him? To say nothing of Ezekiel and Daniel, of Joel, Amos, and all the rest. If one revelation to one prophet in one moment of time is sufficient for all time, what justifies these many others? What justifies them was made clear by Jehovah Himself when He said to Moses, 'My works are without end, and . . . my words . . . never cease' (Moses1:4)."
Topics: Revelation, Scripture, Prophets
Young Single Adult Gems - 26 December 2008
The Lord's Prophets
"A characteristic of prophets throughout the ages is that, regardless of the consequences, they have had the strength to speak the words of God with plainness and boldness."
Topics: Prophets
Daily Gems - 17 December 2008
Benefit and Blessing of Scripture
"As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have the benefit and blessing of living scripture as declared by those sustained as prophets, as well as canonized scripture found in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. . . . Written scripture, especially the Book of Mormon, brings us to believe in God and 'be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son' (Jacob 4:11)."
Topics: Atonement, Prophets, Jesus Christ
Daily Gems - 5 December 2008
The Right to Exercise All the Keys
"Shortly after the death of President Gordon B. Hinckley, the 14 men, Apostles, who had had conferred upon them the keys of the kingdom, gathered together in the upper room of the temple in order to reorganize the First Presidency of the Church. . . . And in that sacred meeting, Thomas Spencer Monson was sustained by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as the President of the Church. He nominated and named his counselors. They likewise were sustained, and they were each ordained and given authority. President Monson was specifically given the authority to exercise all of the priesthood keys of authority. Now, as the scriptures provide, he is the only man on the earth who has the right to exercise all of the keys. But we all hold them as Apostles. . . . Already he was and had been sustained for years as a prophet, seer, and revelator."
Topics: Kingdom of God, Priesthood Keys, Prophets
Church History Gems - 3 December 2008
Rivet Our Attention
"When tensions ran high in northern Missouri in the fall of 1838, the Prophet Joseph Smith called for all the Latter-day Saints to gather to Far West for protection. Many were on isolated farms or in scattered settlements. He specifically counseled Jacob Haun, founder of a small settlement called Haun's Mill. A record of that time includes this: 'Brother Joseph had sent word by Haun, who owned the mill, to inform the brethren who were living there to leave and come to Far West, but Mr. Haun did not deliver the message' (Philo Dibble, in "Early Scenes in Church History," Four Faith Promoting Classics [1968], 90). Later, the Prophet Joseph recorded in his history: 'Up to this day God had given me wisdom to save the people who took counsel. None had ever been killed who abode by my counsel' (History of the Church, 5:137). Then the Prophet recorded the sad truth that innocent lives could have been saved at Haun's Mill had his counsel been received and followed.
"In our own time we have been warned with counsel on where to find safety from sin and from sorrow. One of the keys to recognizing those warnings is that they are repeated. For instance, more than once in general conferences, you have heard our prophet say that he would quote a preceding prophet and would therefore be a second witness and sometimes even a third. Each of us old enough to listen heard President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985) give counsel on the importance of a mother in the home and then heard President Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994) quote him, and we have heard President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) quote them both.
"The Apostle Paul wrote, 'In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established' (2 Corinthians 13:1). One of the ways we may know that the warning is from the Lord is that the law of witnesses, authorized witnesses, has been invoked. When the words of prophets seem repetitive, that should rivet our attention and fill our hearts with gratitude to live in such a blessed time."
Topics: Prophets
Church History Gems - 26 November 2008
Most Unusual Man
"As we look at Brigham Young and reflect upon the inspiration and direction that came to that most unusual man, we recall how he was able to fill the tragic void caused by the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, how he stepped in and was able under inspiration and revelation to guide and direct the closing of Nauvoo and the planning of the trip west. We remember the continued work there at that time on the Nauvoo Temple and the way that was organized to move forward, with the wagon trains crossing the West and into the Salt Lake Valley into what would become the Zion where they could worship and teach and preach and build the meetinghouses and all that would be needed for this civilization and for this culture that we have, to expand and grow here.
"Think of the inspiration that came to the prophet Brigham Young for those people not to just build up a big city in Salt Lake, but to move out into these other settlements. He had the genius to have people go out and look for the valleys and the areas away from Salt Lake City where the pioneers who would pour into this valley could go and settle and make their homes and build cities and communities and build their personalities and their characters and develop the talents that would be theirs. So rather than having a large city in Salt Lake, under his leadership some 360 communities were developed out in Wyoming and Nevada and Arizona and southern Idaho as well as in Utah."
Young Single Adult Gems - 21 November 2008
Characteristics of Prophets
"It is vital to understand that, first, prophets are called of God and He testifies to the world of their calling. . . . Second, the role of prophets is to teach of Christ and testify of His divinity and His mission. . . . [And] the third characteristic of prophets is that their teachings are recorded and are taught by succeeding prophets and teachers to the inhabitants of the earth."
Church History Gems - 4 August 2008
Heavens Are Not Sealed
"Perhaps the most important lesson young Joseph learned in the Sacred Grove is that the heavens are not sealed. God does communicate with mortals. He loves us today just as much as He loved those who lived anciently. He knows us and cares about us, individually and collectively. He communicates with us, either directly or through His living prophets, according to our needs."
Topics: Revelation, God the Father, Prophets
Young Single Adult Gems - 25 July 2008
Sacredness of the Prophet's Teachings
"You might ask yourself, 'Do I see the calling of the prophets and apostles as sacred? Do I treat their counsel seriously, or is it a light thing with me?' President Gordon B. Hinckley, for instance, has counseled us to pursue education and vocational training; to avoid pornography as a plague; to respect women; to eliminate consumer debt; to be grateful, smart, clean, true, humble, and prayerful; and to do our best, our very best. "Do your actions show that you want to know and do what he teaches? Do you actively study his words and the statements of the Brethren? Is this something you hunger and thirst for? If so, you have a sense of the sacredness of the calling of prophets as the witnesses and messengers of the Son of God."
Topics: Apostles, Prophets, Gospel Standards
Daily Gems - 30 April 2008
Make General Conference a Priority in Your Life
"Decide now to make general conference a priority in your life. Decide to listen carefully and follow the teachings that are given. Listen to or read the talks more than once to better understand and follow the counsel. By doing these things, the gates of hell will not prevail against you, the powers of darkness will be dispersed from before you, and the heavens will shake for your good."
Topics: Prophets
Church History Gems - 18 April 2008
He That Loseth His Life
"As we see the work move forward and move on, I would only declare to you as I stand before you today that in those 90 and more years that I've had, as I've witnessed and felt and seen and been part of the spiritual experiences that have been mine, this is the work of the Lord. It's just as has been revealed. I've sensed it and I feel it, and I so declare to you.
"I remind you that the Savior taught, as recorded in Matthew, that whosoever 'findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it' (Matt. 10:39). Now, some scholars and others have thought: 'Well, that's a paradox. It's probably a mistranslation. It really doesn't make very good sense.' It's very clear in my mind, and I hope it is in yours, that as we live in the world of materialism, in Babylon that we live in today, and see the happenings of the world, whether you read the financial pages or the political pages or whatever, you can sense and feel that where we find our strength and where we find the answer to our challenges and our problems would be as we listen to the voice of the prophet—God's prophet here upon the earth."
Topics: Prophets
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