Back in the October 2010 General Conference, Elder Claudio R. M. Costa spoke of the the blessing of having prophets in our day. His remarks are entitled Obedience to the Prophets.

Key Points

• Joseph Smith and his successors have each been called to speak for God.
• Prophets can see the future for the purpose of benefitting mankind.
• Believing in prophets means faith, confidence, and obedience.
• Elder Costa reviews and summarizes President Benson’s 14 Fundamentals.

Reflection Questions

Elder Costa said, “Pay attention.” What steps are you taking to identify prophetic priorities?

Which of the 14 fundamentals he reviewed do you find the most difficult to follow? How can you strengthen your testimony of that principle?

This is part of a series sharing talks and resources related to the role of living prophets in our personal lives and in the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I attempt to share reliable sources and accurately represent what the Lord and His authorized servants have taught, but my insights are my own and I am not an official Church representative.

In the April 2016 General Conference, Elder Ronald A. Rasband spoke of the importance of faith in our relationships with the leaders the Lord has chosen for this time. His remarks are entitled Standing with the Leaders of the Church

Key Points

• Our sustained leaders have been called to guide us through the dangers of our day.
• Relationships with leaders are important and can influence us for good.
• Often the Lord’s outreach and care for us comes to us through our leaders.
• The role of leaders is to share their testimony and point us to Christ.

Reflection Questions

What leaders have influenced you to grow in your testimony of the Savior?

How can you build a faith-focused relationship with local and general leaders?

This is part of a series sharing talks and resources related to the role of living prophets in our personal lives and in the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I attempt to share reliable sources and accurately represent what the Lord and His authorized servants have taught, but my insights are my own and I am not an official Church representative.

In the April 2023 General Conference, Elder Alan Haynie spoke about a childhood memory when his Saturday Morning cartoons were replaced with a conference broadcast and he felt the power of seeing David O. McKay. His comments are entitled A Living Prophet for the Latter Days.

Key Points

• “Knowing by revelation that there is a living prophet on the earth changes everything.”
• We were chosen to be born during these troubling times, and prophets are a tool God has given us to navigate them.
• The most recent prophetic teachings are the most important.
• Parable of the crushed water bottle: learn to have a prompt response to prophetic counsel.
• Our response to prophets can have generational impact.
• Set aside distractions and focus on the blessing of living prophets.

Reflection Questions

Following a prophet does not mean mimicking his every action, but what lessons did you learn from the water bottle parable?

How did your parents’ response to prophetic teaching influence you? What example are you offering to others?

Can you name some of the most recent counsel received from the prophet? How are you living that counsel?

This is part of a series sharing talks and resources related to the role of living prophets in our personal lives and in the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I attempt to share reliable sources and accurately represent what the Lord and His authorized servants have taught, but my insights are my own and I am not an official Church representative.

I wasn’t familiar with this talk until my mom pointed out To Guide Us In These Latter Days in the October 2023 digital version of the Liahona magazine. It’s from Paul V. Johnson’s BYU-H devotional given on Feb. 18, 2020.

Key Points

• When We Follow the Prophet, We Are Blessed
• When Societies Start to Drift, Many Reject the Counsel of Prophets
• We Make a Personal Choice to Follow the Prophet or Not
• Blind Guides Try to Separate Us from Jesus Christ
• Prophets Beckon Us to Come to the Savior

Reflection Questions

What do you learn from President Nelson’s example of following prophets?

How can you soften your heart and be open to correction from prophets? How can that humility bless you?

What “blind guides” do you maybe pay more attention to than the prophets?

This is part of a series sharing talks and resources related to the role of living prophets in our personal lives and in the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I attempt to share reliable sources and accurately represent what the Lord and His authorized servants have taught, but my insights are my own and I am not an official Church representative.

President Kevin J. Worthen gave a BYU Devotional about The Power of Prophetic Promises on Jan. 10, 2023.

Key Points

• We can overcome our anxieties and challenges by focusing on prophetic promises.
• God’s promises are certain and operate in accordance with eternal laws.
• President Nelson makes prophetic promises following this pattern:
  • States “I promise” . . .
  • Identifies prerequisites for obtaining the promised blessings
  • Describes the promised blessings
• Studying these promises can change us.
• President Nelson repeated promises miracles.

Reflection Questions

What promises has President Nelson made most recently? What are the prerequisites to obtain those promises?

In what areas of your life can you “seek and expect miracles”?

What would it take for President Nelson’s promises to change you? How might that happen?

This is part of a series sharing talks and resources related to the role of living prophets in our personal lives and in the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I attempt to share reliable sources and accurately represent what the Lord and His authorized servants have taught, but my insights are my own and I am not an official Church representative.

In honor of President M. Russell Ballard, who passed away this week, I wanted to share one of his talks with his testimony of the Savior’s involvement with his church and leaders. The message is titled, “God is at the Helm.”

Key Points

• Though imperfect, prophets and apostles can lead us safely through our mortal journey.
• Christ leads his church through prophets. “We cannot separate Christ from His servants.”
• Prophets are commissioned to testify of Christ, and they have been historically unpopular.
• Rather than focusing on their human weakness, try to see God’s hand in their ministry.
• Prophets are duty bound to raise a voice of warning.
• Stay “in the boat,” and trust that God’s plan is in place.

Reflection Questions

What do Elder Ballard’s comments about human weakness in all kinds of relationships help you learn about how you can realistically view prophets and apostles?

How have prophets recently raised a voice of warning? What priorities have arisen in recent prophetic teachings?

In what ways have prophets helped you better understand God’s plan of salvation?

This is part of a series sharing talks and resources related to the role of living prophets in our personal lives and in the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I attempt to share reliable sources and accurately represent what the Lord and His authorized servants have taught, but my insights are my own and I am not an official Church representative.

In 1998, Elder Merrill C. Oaks gave a talk called, “The Living Prophet: Our Source of Pure Doctrine.” It was a brief talk with some profound insights. I recall it being the first time I began to understand the concept of an ongoing Restoration rather than a one-time event.

Key Points

• Heavenly Father will yet reveal many important things related to the kingdom of God.
• Additional scripture has continued to come through prophets since the 1820 revelation to Joseph Smith.
• “Some of the procedures of the Church were not completely developed early in this dispensation and have been amplified and clarified by subsequent prophets.”
• “Our protection from erroneous doctrine lies in an overriding belief in continuing revelation to the current prophet.”
• The teachings of a current prophet take precedence over those of a dead prophet.

Reflection Questions

What principles do you learn from President Harold B. Lee’s story?

What evidence have you seen of amplified or clarified doctrine over time by prophets?

How can prophets protect you from erroneous doctrine?

This is part of a series sharing talks and resources related to the role of living prophets in our personal lives and in the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I attempt to share reliable sources and accurately represent what the Lord and His authorized servants have taught, but my insights are my own and I am not an official Church representative.

In a classic talk from 1980, then Elder Ezra Taft Benson outlined “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet.” He debunked some of the common misunderstandings about what prophets can and cannot do and what it means to sustain and follow them. It’s worth studying and thinking about in greater depth. Consider his measuring stick for self-evaluation: “If we want to know how well we stand with the Lord, then let us ask ourselves how well we stand with His mortal captain. How closely do our lives harmonize with the words of the Lord’s anointed—the living prophet, the President of the Church, and with the Quorum of the First Presidency?”

Key Points

• First: The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.
• Second: The living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works.
• Third: The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.
• Fourth: The prophet will never lead the Church astray.
• Fifth: The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or credentials to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.
• Sixth: The prophet does not have to say “Thus saith the Lord” to give us scripture.
• Seventh: The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.
• Eighth: The prophet is not limited by men’s reasoning.
• Ninth: The prophet can receive revelation on any matter, temporal or spiritual.
• Tenth: The prophet may be involved in civic matters.
• Eleventh: The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.
• Twelfth: The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.
• Thirteenth: The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency—the highest quorum in the Church.
• Fourteenth: The prophet and the presidency—the living prophet and the First Presidency—follow them and be blessed; reject them and suffer.

Reflection Questions

What did Elder Benson help you understand about the scope of prophetic revelation?

How could pride and your own knowledge potentially become an obstacle to following the prophet?

Which fundamental surprised you the most? What did you learn?

This is part of a series sharing talks and resources related to the role of living prophets in our personal lives and in the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I attempt to share reliable sources and accurately represent what the Lord and His authorized servants have taught, but my insights are my own and I am not an official Church representative.

In October 2014, Sister Carole F. McConkie bore testimony of the blessings that come from accepting and obeying the teachings of the prophets and apostles. Her message was “Live according the Words of the Prophets.”

Key Points

• Heavenly Father sends prophets because he loves all His children and wants them to know His plan.
• Following prophets keeps us on the covenant path necessary for our eternal progress.
• Prophetic teachings are not always popular but they are always right, and we are blessed when we heed and follow.
• Teaching and living prophetic counsel in our homes can build our families on “the rock of our Redeemer.”
• The Savior warned that when we reject the prophets we put ourselves in spiritual peril.

Reflection Questions

What warnings and blessings are found in the scriptures she quoted in her talk?

What does it mean to me to “stand with the prophet,” and how does that help me grow in my relationship with the Savior?

How have the words of prophets strengthened my home and relationships?

This is part of a series sharing talks and resources related to the role of living prophets in our personal lives and in the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I attempt to share reliable sources and accurately represent what the Lord and His authorized servants have taught, but my insights are my own and I am not an official Church representative.

In the October 2023 Liahona, President Dallin H. Oaks wrote an article called “The Sure Witness of Modern Prophets.” He explains the importance of priesthood keys in the ordination and authority of living prophets.

Key Points

• The divine authority of priesthood keys is traceable only to Apostles and is only available by ordination.
• The priesthood keys originally held by Jesus Christ were lost through Apostasy and only became available again through the Restoration as revealed to Joseph Smith.
• Jesus Christ directs his church today through direction to His authorized prophets and apostles.
• Special witnesses have a unique testimony of the Savior.
• When you don’t understand every teaching that is given, you can know for yourself if a prophet is a prophet.
• An apostle is trained by the Lord for his holy calling.

Reflection Questions

What blessings do I enjoy because priesthood keys are on the earth today?

How can my own testimony of the Savior be strengthened by special witnesses?

What have I done (or can I do) to strengthen my testimony that the prophet is truly a prophet?

This is part of a series sharing talks and resources related to the role of living prophets in our personal lives and in the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I attempt to share reliable sources and accurately represent what the Lord and His authorized servants have taught, but my insights are my own and I am not an official Church representative.