"Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice" His
name is Gordon B. Hinckley, and is the 15th1
prophet we've had in this dispensation. President Hinckley has held this
position since 1995, after President Hunter passed away. So what exactly is a prophet? Well, the word "prophet" conjures up images of Moses carrying the ten commandments down from Mount Sinai, or maybe Elijah with the 450 priests of Baal (see 1 Kings 18:19-39). A prophet doesn't necessarily have to do great and marvelous things such as these to be deserving of such a title. A prophet is one who is called to tell the Lord's word unto the people. This can include giving new doctrine, like Moses did, calling the people to repentence, like Jonah, or foretelling events in the future, like Isaiah did in certain chapters. Our modern-day prophets also have done these things: Joseph Smith and Spencer W. Kimball are more notable examples of those who have brought forth new doctrine2. All of our latter-day prophets have instructed us to follow the Lord's commands more closely and to repent when we need to. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young are examples of latter-day prophets who have foretold future events3. (Now, that's not to say that more recent prophets haven't foretold future events - we just can't recognize them as fulfilled prophecies until they actually happen.) When do we get to hear the prophet speak? The most notable time is at General Conference every April and October, but he also speaks at Christmastime, temple dedications, and when he visits places around the world. The best way to keep up with his latest teachings is through the Ensign magazines. The Conference messages are printed in the May and November issues, and three or four times a year there's a section in the back devoted to recent teachings by President Hinckley. The very first article is always by the First Presidency, which means you'll either hear from President Hinckley or one of his two counselors. So what has President Hinckley taught us recently? Well, he hasn't introduced any new doctrine, if that's what you're looking for. He has, however, reiterated what the prophets have been teaching us for the past 170 years. Why does he need to teach us, then? It's good to be reminded of what we nee dto do. Otherwise, we may fall into laxity, thinking that since the prophet hasn't told us anything recently, then we don't need to worry about it. Think about building a house. If you just build a house and leave it for the next twenty years, what's going to happen? It won't be as you left it, but will be leaky, crumbling, and broken in various places. The house needs periodic repairs, just like our resolve to live the commandments. "I hope you [young people] will get all the education that you can get... I hope that if it involves sacrifice, you will get all the education that you can get. The Lord has laid a mandate upon the people of this Church that they should learn and study by faith, that they should seek not only after spiritual knowledge, which is most important, but that they should seek after secular knowledge. You will bring honor to theis Church if you will educate your minds and your hands, if you will remain true and faithful as you go into the world. The people of the world will honor you and respect you for your qualifications, and you will bring honor to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." - President Hinckley, meeting, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (August 6, 1998). Quoted in July 1999 Ensign, p73.Now, here we have the prophet telling us to go get an education. Think of today's youth. We know that their parents are consistently nagging us to get an education, to go to college, to do sometihng with our lives. We roll our eyes and say that we're well aware. They might even quote former prophets to us, saying "The glory of God is intelligence"4.But how much more will we listen if it's our modern prophet, speaking by the power of the Spirit, speaking the mind of the Lord? No wonder Utah has one of the highest high school graduation rates in the country!5 
As the time before the Second Coming slowly dwindles to a close, the importance of having a prophet will become more evident. Their sayings will provide anchors for us against the world's evilness and will provide us with anchors to hold fast to. Whosoever abides by the prophet's word's will still abide at the time of the Second Coming, and those who don't will be burnt like chaff. Remember, the Lord ltold us "whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same"6, so by willfully disobeying the prophet, we are willfully disobeying the Lord. It is in our own best interests to "come, listen to a prophet's voice." By the time of the Second Coming, "every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue"7, so there will be no excuse for those who do not listen to the prophet. Footnotes:1. The prophets in this dispensation have been Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, Joseph F. Smith, Heber J. Grant, George Albert Smith, David O. McKay, Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, Spencer W. Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson, Howard W. Hunter, and our current President Gordon B. Hinckley.2. For new doctrine introduced through Joseph Smith, see Doctrine and Covenants, especially 20, 76, 88. For new doctrine introduced through Spencer W. Kimball, see Official Declaration 2. 3. For an example of a fulfilled prophecy of Joseph Smith, see D&C 87. In this section, Joseph Smith prophesied the start of the Civil War and its particulars more than 30 years before its beginning. Brigham Young was able to see the place where the Saints were to go before they got there. 4. D&C 93:36 5. See Adherents.com for more info. 6. D&C 1:38 7. D&C 90:11
All this was written by Beth Siler on February 27, 2000. Please
do not use without permission. |
