If you have been a Mormon for the last 30 to 40 years, you may already know that the topic of rescuing a prodigal child is a recurring teaching and has been since the beginning of Mormonism.
The following passage from a Boyd K. Packer talk, is one I'm quite familiar with. It has brought my parents, and thousands of other parents, comfort and a perception of control over their children's salvation.
It is not uncommon for responsible parents to lose one of their children, for a time, to influences over which they have no control. They agonize over rebellious sons or daughters. They are puzzled over why they are so helpless when they have tried so hard to do what they should.
It is my conviction that those wicked influences one day will be overruled.
“The Prophet Joseph Smith declared—and he never taught a more comforting doctrine—that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.” (Orson F. Whitney, in Conference Report, Apr. 1929, p. 110.)
We cannot overemphasize the value of temple marriage, the binding ties of the sealing ordinance, and the standards of worthiness required of them. When parents keep the covenants they have made at the altar of the temple, their children will be forever bound to them. President Brigham Young said:
“Let the father and mother, who are members of this Church and Kingdom, take a righteous course, and strive with all their might never to do a wrong, but to do good all their lives; if they have one child or one hundred children, if they conduct themselves towards them as they should, binding them to the Lord by their faith and prayers, I care not where those children go, they are bound up to their parents by an everlasting tie, and no power of earth or hell can separate them from their parents in eternity; they will return again to the fountain from whence they sprang.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols., 2:90–91.)
Packer goes on to discuss repentance, but it is un-mistakable, in this doctrine, that there is a path to heaven for wayward children ... a path that will ensure both parents and child live together in the after-life.
The anguish of my heart is that many people whom I love, whom I admire and respect, decline his invitation. They ignore the pleadings of Jesus Christ when he beckons, “Come, follow me.” I understand why God weeps; I also weep for such friends and relatives. They’re wonderful men and women, devoted to their family and civic responsibilities. They give generously of their time, energy, and resources – and the world is better for their efforts. But they have chosen not to make covenants with God. They have not received the ordinances that will exalt them with their families and bind them together forever.
How I wish I could visit with them and invite them to seriously consider the enabling laws of the lord. I’ve wondered what I could possibly say so that they would feel how much the savior loves them, and know how much I love them, and come to recognize how covenant-keeping women and men can receive a fullness of joy.
They need to understand that while there is a place for them hereafter, with wonderful men and women who also chose not to make covenants with God, that is not the place where families will be reunited and be given the privilege to live and progress forever. That is not the kingdom where they will experience the fullness of joy, of never-ending progression and happiness. Those consummate blessings can come only by living in an exalted celestial realm, with God our eternal father, his son Jesus Christ, and our wonderful, worthy, and qualified family members.
The above passage seems to be talking only of people who never are baptized Mormon. But the last part of the above paragraph, and later in his talk, he makes it clear that he is including those "who have distanced [themselves] from the church" which would include prodigal children.
My belief is that God and Justice and Mercy are perfectly aligned; and that the only thing we truly have control over is how well we live the first and second great commandments. If we truly obey those commandments through our life, then we can stand fully prepared before the judgement bar of God.
I simply cannot believe that God would deny people like Mother Teresa and many other great people, entrance into heaven over a technicality such as baptism and temple work. If God is all-powerful and controls the judgement bar; and given the Mormon doctrine of proxy ordinance work, it seems very reasonable God could ensure a technicality were met in order to allow a person entrance into heaven, thereby allowing mercy her space, while ensuring men and women are granted the opportunity to learn through works (justice), which is what is most important in life.
Today's announcement reversing the "November 2015" policy is the latest in a long-line of examples of God's spokesmen mis-speaking. One of these three conclusions must be true:
Either,
God is waffling in the management of doctrine or policies or
His spokesmen are are often mistaken or confused in the revelatory process or
Those claiming to be His spokesmen really aren't His spokesmen.
In any case, it makes me wonder why we need a middle-man, especially when large swaths of members knew (and said so) the original "November 2015" policy was incorrect. It's hard for many members to place confidence in men who are seemingly no different than other men who don't claim to be the only living prophets authorized on earth to speak for God. And furthermore, how do individual members know the real, true will of God? Was the "November 2015" policy the true will of God, or is the reversal of that policy in April 2019 the true will of God?
When President Nelson said the following, it left little room for members to doubt the gravity of the revelation. The language was 1978-esque.
"This prophetic process was followed in 2012 with the change in minimum age for missionaries and again with the recent additions to the Church’s handbook, consequent to the legalization of same-sex marriage in some countries. Filled with compassion for all, and especially for the children, we wrestled at length to understand the Lord’s will in this matter. Ever mindful of God’s plan of salvation and of His hope for eternal life for each of His children, we considered countless permutations and combinations of possible scenarios that could arise. We met repeatedly in the temple in fasting and prayer and sought further direction and inspiration. And then, when the Lord inspired His prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, to declare the mind of the Lord and the will of the Lord, each of us during that sacred moment felt a spiritual confirmation. It was our privilege as Apostles to sustain what had been revealed to President Monson. Revelation from the Lord to His servants is a sacred process, and so is your privilege of receiving personal revelation." emphasis added; Russell M. Nelson, Becoming True Millennials, January 10, 2016
Today's announcement, too, uses similar language in emphasizing discussion, thought and prayer.
“These policy changes come after an extended period of counseling with our brethren in the Quorum the Twelve Apostles after fervent, united prayer to understand the will of the Lord,” wrote President Russell M. Nelson and his counselors in the First Presidency, President Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring, in the statement. (source)
The Church's announcement today is not only a reversal of the "November 2015" policy, but it also revises its policy with regard to how it deals with homosexual and lesbian members - they will no longer be considered apostates.
While Church leaders still consider a same-gender marriage by a member to be a serious transgression, it will not be treated as apostasy for purposes of Church discipline. Instead the “immoral conduct in heterosexual and homosexual relationship will be treated in the same way,” Dallin H. Oaks said.
This is yet another example why the Church is not trustworthy - this compass is unreliable. Please don't mis-understand me; I'm supportive of the changes the Church leadership made today. It's not enough, but at least it's moving in the right direction.
There were those who knew the resting-state of will of the Lord before the living prophets, with regard polygamy, allowing all members access to the priesthood and temple and other controversial doctrines and practices. Thankfully, some had courage to agitate the leaders to change. Members of our generation have similarly had the courage to agitate for change when it comes to LGBTQ issues. When thousands resigned in 2015 and 2016, after the "November 2015" policy was issued, a clear message was sent to the leadership, leading in the culmination of today's revelation. We all have a part. It's just a bit unfortunate that the pace is slow, and some leaders have to demonize those are who agitating for change - who are simply doing the will of the Lord.
I watched this video on lds.org this week. It is one of the most touching and powerful videos I've ever seen or listened to.
After watching it several times, I tried finding the entire talk on the General Conference page, but I didn't find it there. I expanded my search using Google and eventually found it at BYU's speeches site. The audio of the video was taken from a talk President Faust gave at BYU on September 5, 1993.
Additionally, you can listen to the entire talk (something I highly recommend) by clicking here.
When I read this talk, I had one of those 'wow!-this-is-a-prophet-of-God' moments. This is the part of his talk when my eyes went wide open and my heart skipped a beat:
In your generation you will be barraged by multitudes of voices telling you how to live, how to gratify your passions, how to have it all. You will have up to five hundred television channels at your fingertips. There will be all sorts of software, interactive computer modems, databases, and bulletin boards; there will be desktop publishing, satellite receivers, and communications networks that will suffocate you with information. Local cable news networks will cover only local news. Everyone will be under more scrutiny. There will be fewer places of refuge and serenity. You will be bombarded with evil and wickedness like no other generation. As I contemplate this prospect, I am reminded of T. S. Eliot's words, "Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?" (The Rock [1934], I).
He gave this talk in 1993! True - the World Wide Web had just been born two years previous, but it was broadly unknown. It wasn't until 1996 that the real explosion of the information highway took place. Ever since then, we have indeed been overloaded with "voices." Read that paragraph over and over again. It was as if he wrote that in 2003 and not 1993.
Follow the prophets. Follow the voice of the Spirit.
Sunday May 9, 2010
"Chapter 9: Prophets of God,” Gospel Principles, (2009), 39-43
Opening
Goal of the Lesson
To develop an understanding of the roles of prophets and to strengthen our testimonies of the living oracles of God.
Agenda
1. Prophets Are God’s Representatives on the Earth
2. Through the Ages God Has Called Prophets to Lead Mankind
3. We Have a Living Prophet on the Earth Today
4. We Should Sustain the Lord’s Prophet
5. Great Blessings Follow Obedience to the Prophet
Body
Prophets Are God’s Representatives on the Earth
What powers and gifts does a prophet have?
From “The Guide to the Scriptures” under 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. A prophet denounces sin and foretells its consequences. He is a preacher of righteousness. On occasion, prophets may be inspired to foretell the future for the benefit of mankind. His primary responsibility, however, is to bear witness of Christ. The President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God’s prophet on earth today. Members of the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators.”
Ninth Article of Faith: “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”
Through the Ages God Has Called Prophets to Lead Mankind
In what ways have prophets guided God’s children in the past?
Moses led the Children of Israel out of Egypt.
Lehi and Nephi started a civilization.
Mormon compiled the Book of Mormon.
Joseph Smith restored the Gospel.
John the Baptist prepared the people for Jesus Christ.
What have you learned from the lives and teachings of prophets?
Personally, as I’ve read the Book of Mormon recently, I’ve been greatly impressed with the urgency the prophets of the Book of Mormon taught the people about Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is indeed another testament of Jesus Christ.
We Have a Living Prophet on the Earth Today
Why do we need a living prophet today?
D&C 43:25 says, “How oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by mine own voice, and by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, and by the great sound of a trump, and by the voice of judgment, and by the voice of mercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory and honor and the riches of eternal life, and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but ye would not!”
The missionaries recently visited us for dinner. Elder Clove and Lybbert gave a great spiritual thought. We were sitting in the living room. In the little hall at our entrance hangs a picture of Jesus Christ. Elder Clove had Erick stand in that hallway. As we sat in the living room, we could not see the picture of Jesus, but Erick could. Elder Clove taught us that just as Erick could see Jesus and tell us that the picture was there, so can the prophets tell us that Jesus lives and they can tell us the will of the Lord.
The living prophet knows the will of the Lord and as such he is the one person who has the right to receive revelation for the Church.
We depend on the prophet for that revelation. He can steer us in ways we cannot. We need that guidance if we want to be happy and return our Heavenly Fathers.
President Eyring said, “Looking for the path to safety in the counsel of prophets makes sense to those with strong faith. When a prophet speaks, those with little faith may think that they hear only a wise man giving good advice. Then if his counsel seems comfortable and reasonable, squaring with what they want to do, they take it. If it does not, they either consider it faulty advice or they see their circumstances as justifying their being an exception to the counsel. Those without faith may think that they hear only men seeking to exert influence for some selfish motive. They may mock and deride, as did a man named Korihor, with these words recorded in the Book of Mormon: “And thus ye lead away this people after the foolish traditions of your fathers, and according to your own desires; and ye keep them down, even as it were in bondage, that ye may glut yourselves with the labors of their hands, that they durst not look up with boldness, and that they durst not enjoy their rights and privileges” (Alma 30:27).”
“Korihor was arguing, as men and women have falsely argued from the beginning of time, that to take counsel from the servants of God is to surrender God-given rights of independence. But the argument is false because it misrepresents reality. When we reject the counsel that comes from God, we do not choose to be independent of outside influence. We choose another influence. We reject the protection of a perfectly loving, all-powerful, all-knowing Father in Heaven, whose whole purpose, as that of His Beloved Son, is to give us eternal life, to give us all that He has, and to bring us home again in families to the arms of His love. In rejecting His counsel, we choose the influence of another power, whose purpose is to make us miserable and whose motive is hatred. We have moral agency as a gift of God. Rather than the right to choose to be free of influence, it is the inalienable right to submit ourselves to whichever of those powers we choose.”(Henry B. Eyring, “Safety in Counsel,” Ensign, Jun 2008, 4–9)
In what ways has the living prophet influenced the Church?
At least in my lifetime, it seems that each of the prophets has a “theme” they wish to teach the Church. President Kimball was the prophet when I was born. I remember listening to him at General Conference. When he died, it felt a little shocking. President Benson became the prophet. He seems to be remembered for his teaching of the Book of Mormon and his talks on pride. President Hunter was prophet for a mere nine months. I was called as a missionary under President Hunter. His theme from the very beginning was for all the saints to attend and love the temple. When he passed away, President Hinckley became the prophet. In his first press conference, he said his theme would be to “carry on.” Indeed he carried on by presiding over an explosion of temple building. In 1998, there were only 51 temples. He set a goal to have 100 temples in operation by 2001. There were 102 temples built before 2001. Under his direction, the number of temples grew from 47 to 124.
Now President Monson is the prophet. What do you think his “theme” is?
We Should Sustain the Lord’s Prophet
President Uchtdorf said, “Only a few years ago, in a First Presidency Message, President Thomas S. Monson said: “The problems of our day loom ominously before us. Surrounded by the sophistication of modern living, we look heavenward for that unfailing sense of direction, that we might chart and follow a wise and proper course. He whom we call our Heavenly Father will not leave our sincere petition unanswered.”
“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. We can each be an influence for good in this world by following the commandments of God and relying on true repentance, the power of the Atonement, and the miracle of forgiveness.
“The prophets speak to us in the name of the Lord and in divine plainness. As the Book of Mormon confirms, “For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding” (2 Nephi 31:3).
“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).
“There may be times when we feel overwhelmed, hurt, or on the edge of discouragement as we are trying so hard to be perfect members of the Church. Be assured, there is balm in Gilead. Let us listen to the prophets of our day as they help us to focus on the things that are central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. The Lord knows us, He loves us, He wants us to succeed, and He encourages us by saying: “And see that all … things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that [men or women] should run faster than [they have] strength. … [But] it is expedient that [they] should be diligent” (Mosiah 4:27)” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Heeding the Voice of the Prophets,” Ensign, Jul 2008, 4–7)
As a side note, it is interesting that in June 2008, President Eyring spoke of prophets and then in July 2008, President Uchtdorf wrote on the same topic.
What can we do to follow and sustain the prophet?
We should pray for him.
We should study his words.
We should follow his inspired teachings completely.
What has the President of the Church taught or emphasized recently?
In the Priesthood session in the April conference last month, he taught that we should consider our callings, reflect on our responsibilities and that we should follow Christ. In the Sunday morning session, he taught about the resurrected Christ.
Great Blessings follow Obedience to the Prophet
What experiences have you had when you have obeyed the counsel of the prophet?
President Eyring said, “Every time in my life when I have chosen to delay following inspired counsel or decided that I was an exception, I came to know that I had put myself in harm’s way. Every time that I have listened to the counsel of prophets, felt it confirmed in prayer, and then followed it, I have found that I moved toward safety. Along the path, I have found that the way had been prepared for me and the rough places made smooth. God led me to safety along a path that was prepared with loving care, sometimes prepared long before.” (June 2008)
President Eyring recounts a story of a man who followed the counsel of the prophet. “An example from Church history is that of Reddick Newton Allred. He was one of the rescue party sent out by President Brigham Young (1801–77) to bring in the Willie and Martin handcart companies. At the Sweetwater River near South Pass, Captain George Grant asked Reddick Allred to remain there with a few men and wagons and be ready to help when the rescuers returned with the handcart pioneers.
“The rescuers found the Willie company mired in the snow, freezing, starving, and dying. Some of the rescuers continued to search for the Martin company, while the others helped the Willie company make that heartrending pull up and over Rocky Ridge. Soon after they made camp, Reddick Allred and his men came to deliver essential assistance and supplies.
“Allred then waited for Captain Grant to return with the Martin company. Week after week passed with no sign of them. As blizzards howled and the weather became life threatening, two of the men decided it was foolish to stay. They thought the Martin company had either wintered over somewhere or perished. They decided to return to the Salt Lake Valley and tried to persuade everyone else to do the same. Allred refused to budge. President Young had sent them out, and Captain Grant, Reddick Allred’s priesthood leader, had told him to wait there.
“Those who returned took several wagons, filled with needed supplies, and started back to the Salt Lake Valley. Even more tragic, they turned back 77 wagons that were coming from the valley to help. Some of these wagons returned all the way to Big Mountain before messengers sent by President Young met them and turned them back around.
“Finally, more than three weeks after Reddick Allred had assisted the Willie company, Captain Grant arrived with the Martin company. These pioneers were even more destitute and had suffered dozens of deaths. Captain Grant’s rescue team was small and low on provisions—and still more than 200 miles (320 km) from the Salt Lake Valley. Once again, because Reddick Allred had stayed true to his assignment, even in the most trying circumstances, he was able to provide life-sustaining assistance and supplies.” (June 2008)
Close
Bear testimony of the importance of prophets.
Personally speaking, the time President Hinckley and Elder Nelson came to Guatemala stands out foremost in my mind. Both missionaries and members travelled from all over the country to Guatemala City to listen to the prophet speak. I remember getting up early in the morning to board a charter bus to drive to the capital. The bus was so full, I ended up sitting on the floor. When we got there, it was a beautiful day. As all of us missionaries entered the stake center, the feeling of overwhelming joy came over me. I felt immensely happy. Then 600 missionaries all sang at once, “We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet.” I had Goosebumps all over. The Spirit was strong and I doubt I’ll ever forget the feelings I felt that day. (Read article of his visit on the Church News website.)
I know the living prophets are indeed prophets of God and they will lead us to salvation.
One of the neatest things about the Internet is being able to hear a prophet testify to you directly at any time of the day.
Here is a precious video of President Hinckley speaking to the British saints. Watching this brought tears to my eyes. I'm sure it will do the same to you.
Watch this video of President Monson share his testimony from the recent General Conference.
I just finished posting over on my Book of Mormon Inspection blog (Mosiah 8) in which I referred to my feelings about the hymn "We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet" and the time President Hinckley visited Guatemala. As I wrote that post and thought about those experiences I've had, my heart was full and the Spirit bore testimony to me again of the truthfulness of our living prophets.
My earliest interaction with a prophet was with Bruce R. McConkie when he visited our town to organize a new stake. I remember reaching out to shake his hand, along with all the other people trying to do the same thing. It was exhilerating to shake the hand of a prophet of God. Why did I want to shake the hand of a prophet? Because as a young child, I was taught that prophets are men of God meaning they speak with God and they know His will concerning us. I am grateful to my parents for instilling within me a solid understanding of the valuable mission or the living prophets.
Years later as a young freshman at BYU preparing to depart on a mission to Guatemala, I was watching General Conference in the lobby of one of the dorms (DT). For a long time, President Benson was sick and subsequently did not speak in General Conference. He passed away May 30, 1994. In the October 1994 conference, we were able to listen to the Prophet speak again. I don't really remember the topic, but what has always stood out in my mind was how wonderful it was to have the prophet speak to us. President Hunter's service as President was short and he passed away March 3, 1995.
President Hinckley became president of the Church and Elder Eyring was called to fill the vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve. A few months later in the summer of 1995, Elder Eyring spoke to us missionaries in the MTC. I was sitting to the left of the podium about 5 or 6 rows back. Elder Eyring delivered a powerful sermon at the end of which he bore his testimony. As he bore his testimony, he voice became very emotional. I noticed his wife, at this point, lowered her head, overcome with emtion as well. The Spirit was strong and at that point I knew that Elder Eyring was a true witness of the Living Christ. I have never forgotton that day nor will I ever forget it. The Spirit touched my spirit in such a way that I will never forget those feelings I felt.
Towards the end of serving a mission, President Hinckley visited Central America. He went to Guatemala in December 1996. It was a historical occasion. The members in the area in which I was serving were very excited. We worked hard with the local leadership to arrange for buses to transport the members to Guatemala City to listen to the prophet.
The day before he spoke to the members, President Hinckley spoke to the missionaries. The day was gorgeous ... big billowy clouds with rays of sunlight shining. We met in a stake center and the building was filled to capacity. President Hinckley spoke of John O'donnal and his efforts in establishing the Church in Guatemala. It was inspiring to sit at the prophet's feet and learn from him. Elder Nelson also spoke to the missionaries.
The next day we attended the meeting where all the members of Guatemala had a chance to listen to a prophet's voice. It was a happy and sad moment seeing President Hinckley wave his white handkerchief as he exited the stadium.
As a student at BYU, I had a many opportunites to listen to the Apostles and Prophets. But the stories I've related have always been special to me and have defined my testimony with regards to the living prophets.
I know that President Hinckley is truly called of God and he is a prophet today. My life has been blessed by following the counsels of the prophets. If the whole world would listen to the prophet and obey his counsels, there would be more love, peace and spirituality in our societies and less hate.
