My talk on Sunday

Following modern day prophets

My name is Kathy

Husband is Brad

Grew up in Flag where we were just friends, all thru HS, just friends, we went to BYU, just friends, he went on his mission to St. Louis Missouri, I wrote to him (a lot!) and we were still just friends, he came home, I went on mission to Johannesburg, South Africa, he wrote 1 letter and we were barely still friends, I came home, still friends, both back at BYU, just friends watching a BYU football game, decided to date, 9 days later he proposed in Celestial Room of Provo temple. His sister, Jill, likes to tell people her brother went to BYU, dated a girl for 9 days and got engaged. She conveniently forgets the 20 years we knew each other before that. Here we are, almost 16 years, 4 kids, 2 apartments, 2 houses and 5 layoffs later. :>

President Ezra Taft Benson taught of a grand key. He gave us this key to help us pass crucial tests which lie ahead for all of us as we live in this ever changing world where so much darkness and chaos is surrounding us. This key, will crown us with God’s glory and bring us out victorious in spite of Satan and his fury all around us.

The key? Follow the Prophet. This simple yet all encompassing commandment is so vital to our salvation. We have been blessed in this church, with the knowledge that God has not abandon us in these last days, he has provided us with apostles and prophets today just as he has done in ancient times. We need not wonder what Moses, or Abraham might have taught if they were alive today, we know exactly what they would say because President Monson is the Lord’s mouthpiece today. We can read the scriptures and learn the teachings of the Lord but we have living scriptures today. We are unique in this world because of our knowledge of prophets in our times.

Joseph Smith once told Brigham Young, ‘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 Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and 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, 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, I would rather have the living oracles than all the writing in the books.’

A living Prophet is that important.

President Benson taught us that the living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works and the living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet:

“God’s revelation to Adam did not instruct Noah how to build the Ark. Noah needed his own revelation. 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. Beware of those who would set up the dead prophets against the living prophets, for the living prophets always take precedence.”

As we follow the teachings from the prophet, we should be mindful that he speaks for the Lord. The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.

How true! How often have you or I listened to a talk in General Conference on a subject and then discounted it as meant for someone else? Have you ever agreed completely with a particular talk, felt sprit tell you it was correct but brushed it off saying to yourself; I’ll start doing that when things are better or after I graduate or I get a different job or my kids are bigger or some other excuse.

President N. Eldon Tanner relates this story:

“The Prophet spoke out clearly on Friday morning, telling us what our responsibilities are..

“A man said to me after that, ‘You know, there are people who believe in following the Prophet in everything they think is right, but when it is something they think isn’t right, and it doesn’t appeal to them, then that’s different.

“I thought how true, and how serious when we begin to choose which of the covenants, which of the commandments we will keep and follow, we are taking the law of the Lord into our own hands and become our own prophets, and believe me, we will be led astray, because we are false prophets to ourselves when we do not follow the Prophet of God. No, we should never discriminate between these commandments, as to those we should and should not keep.”

What commandments from the Prophet do we fail to keep because they aren’t what we want to hear or think is right?

How long have we been counseled to get out of debt, spend wisely, live within our means and agreed completely with the idea but then gone out and bought things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like? (Dave Ramsey) How can the Lord bless us in time of need when we haven’t bothered to follow his Prophet?

Some things the prophet tells us to do are easier to follow than others. I remember when Pres. Hinckley told us men don’t get to wear earrings and women get 1 set only. Well, I had a double pierced ear already so was I grandfathered in? Did that rule not apply to me because I did it before the rule was made? I never asked I simply took out that second earring and have never looked back. Easy, yes, if only they were all that easy!

The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual and the prophet may advise on civic matters. As we well know, from recent and ongoing events, the Prophet’s council will not necessarily be popular with the world. As we come closer to the Lord’s second coming you can expect that as the people of the world become more wicked, the prophet will be less popular with them and if we follow him we will be unpopular as well! We might as well get used to it. I’d rather be more popular with the Lord than the world anyway!

President Uchtdorf stated:

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

These words from one of the ancient Apostles of our Savior rang with great importance for me in postwar times, even as they do today. Yet how many of us permit our fears to take control of our lives in this time of international tension, economic and political uncertainties, and personal challenges? We have a living prophet on the face of the earth again, even President Thomas S. Monson. He knows our challenges and fears. He has inspired answers. There is no need to fear. We can have peace in our hearts and peace in our homes.”

This statement is from a man who’s family “ had lost all material belongings twice within only seven years yet found a place of defense from despair: the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and His Church, led by a true and living prophet.”

He goes on to say… It is our responsibility not only to listen but also to act upon His word that we may claim the blessings of the ordinances and covenants of the restored gospel. He said, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” (D&C 82:10).

M. Russell Ballard said: “It is no small thing, my brothers and sisters, to have a prophet of God in our midst. Great and wonderful are the blessings that come into our lives as we listen to the word of the Lord given to us through him. When we hear the counsel of the Lord expressed through the words of the President of the Church, our response should be positive and prompt. History has shown that there is safety, peace, prosperity, and happiness in responding to prophetic counsel as did Nephi of old: "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded" (1 Nephi 3:7)

Is the world we face different from that of any other day and age? Absolutely, it is different for me from my parent’s generation as it will be from me to my children’s generation, technology has transformed our lives, yet I do not fear or despair for what we all will face. The Lord has not abandon us during this critical time in history, we have a living prophet to guide us and he will not lead us astray if we listen, and act upon his words in a positive and prompt way.

It is not just enough to listen, we must follow through, The Lord can’t guide your footsteps if you don’t move your feet!

I know that as we follow the direction our Prophet and the inspired leaders of this church we will be able to forge ahead with happiness in our hearts. I know Heavenly Father will never lead us astray, he’s our father and he loves us deeply and eternally. He wants us all to return to him and has given us every tool possible to accomplish that. As we follow the prophet we will be blessed beyond our wildest expectations and we will have no need to despair no matter what may come, this life is just a test and when we let everything but our faith and our families fall away we still have everything. I know that Jesus Christ himself leads this church through his Prophet, Thomas S. Monson of this I have no doubt. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.