Howard W Hunter expresses his new calling as a prophet in a very touching way:
“My greatest strength through these past months has been my abiding testimony that this is the work of God and not of men. Jesus Christ is the head of this church. He leads it in word and deed. I am honored beyond expression to be called for a season to be an instrument in his hands to preside over his church. But without the knowledge that Christ is the head of the Church, neither I nor any other man could bear the weight of the calling that has come."
This is a reassurance we need from time to time, especially now. Satan's war of words are still being launched at the same full venom as in the preexistence, especially among our younger, internet-savvy generation. This lesson will prove essential to more than one sister is your class either for herself or someone she deals with.
It's important for you to prepare and teach this principle of modern-day prophets with a real connection to heaven. Because the world is determined to tear the Mormon faith down with derision and "proof" of no connection to the Savior.
Why do they succeed sometimes? Because prophets are mortals and men are flawed and you CAN find their mistakes and follies. Every single last one of them are, well, human. Sometimes we (the world collectively) look for any evidence of a learning curve or blunder and then decide any such occurrence means spiritual leaders weren't really who they said they were (prophets) and they don't represent God. Because if they represented God, there would be no mistakes, no learning curves and no dead ends.
It's the false doctrine of infallibility (no errors or failures). It's quite problematic. It's a benchmark no entity, (academic, scientific, gov't, religious, etc.) could meet since the dawn of time. Why we let others hold us to this false benchmark is not logical if we stop to analyze it. Unfortunately, such anti-mormon arguments are often emotionally loaded in the moment and make it hard for one to think it through clearly.
Infallibility (free from any errors or character flaws) as a qualifier to be a prophet is an invention of modern culture. Detractors from our dispensation invented the benchmark and then argue if there's anything they can ridicule or thought process they can put on trial or any questionable event, they've made some great point.
Except...
The Bible is full of the chastisements, learning curves and mistakes the prophets have made. Infallibility is not something God has ever claimed of his prophets. In fact, He's quite open about scolding them when they need it and they had wide and deep enough souls to publish their failed, embarrassing moments to the world.
Since God has never required infallibility of His Bible prophets, why does it seem necessary of our leaders? And look what we do to ourselves...feel anxious and fret over the mistakes of leaders from this dispensation as if it proved anything new? As if somehow we must answer for them, defend them or accept the Gospel isn't true after all?
The human imposed requirement of infallibility is a miserable, confusing smoke screen which inhibits our spiritual understandings and destroys peace and joy.
If the test of infallibility were a bonafide identifier of a connection to God, Adam wouldn't be a prophet, Jonah wouldn't be a prophet, Moses wouldn't be a prophet, Peter certainly wouldn't be a prophet (and the cock crew) and so forth.
If the test of infallibility were a real one, every educational, scientific and governmental institution would be disqualified in this day and age based on their past "works in progress." If we used the same methodology on Bible prophets of - fallibility as proof of no Heavenly connection or no legitimacy ~ there would be no prophet and no connection to God since the Garden of Eden. Because every prophet had human failings.
"A prophet is a prophet only when he is acting as such." (Joseph Smith)
In other words, when a prophet is having a revelation, a heavenly visitor, composing scripture and reveals it as such ~ he is fulfilling the raison d'être of his calling. When such events take place, they become scripture, core doctrine and official canon. When a prophet is not in that revelation, seer mode, he is a mortal man and learns line upon line, precept upon precept just like every single one of us. And they are subject to the cultural, scientific beliefs of the day just like all of us. Granted they have marvelous wisdom, the Holy Ghost accompanies them in force, and they're certainly worth listening to at other times...nonetheless, they will have humbling, unsavory moments. It's called "being born."
These verses in D&C 1:24-28 sum up this idea perfectly in Christ's own words:
24 Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding.
25 And inasmuch as they erred it might be made known;
[The Lord has never purposed for his servants to appear pious, perfect and unquestionable.]
26 And inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be instructed;
27 And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent;
28 And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time.
If we chronicled your life, every thought process, every event, every conversation ~ what could we write about you? How might we present you to others? Every one of us would end up with lots to scoff at ~ as in tons. And we know it.
Nonetheless, our failed natures do not disprove the treasured and real moments we've had with the Spirit and other faith-promoting experiences.
There is only one perfect being on Earth, and that is the Savior.
The rest of us are doomed to the nature of the Fall and repentance. No exceptions, including prophets and apostles.
Now for the good news.
The Lord loves us despite our failings and sins. He comes back into our life every time we straighten up and allow it. And sometimes even when we don't straighten up, with the hope to reach us anyway.
He grants us leadership opportunities to grow us. Christ never expected his prophets and saints to be ready-made for instant translating. We're works-in-progress and we depend on our Savior for grace to make up for what we don't achieve. We understand this for ourselves, and it is true for every other person who has ever been born.
So, this begs the question, "why do we want a prophet"? President Hunter frames it beautifully:
"We testify to all the world that heavenly ministers have already appeared in our age, bringing authority from heaven and restoring truths lost through corrupted teachings and practices. God has spoken anew and continues to provide guidance for all his children through a living prophet today. We declare that he, as promised, is with his servants always and directs the affairs of his Church throughout the world. As in times past, revelation directs missionary labors, the building of temples, the calling of priesthood officers, and warns against the evils of society that may deny salvation to our Father’s children."
We need our prophets, we need them to fulfill their roles. Prophets are a great gift from heaven, designed for our benefit.
Question: What might our life be like without guidance from a Prophet? (i.e. We wouldn't have a Book of Mormon.) What kind of understandings about God, the world and our life might we be left with? (One answer: Since there are so many people learning line upon line, we have many different stages of understanding all feeling and claiming to be "the true understanding." A prophet can bring a lot of clarity to the conflict of millions of learning curves among us.) Is there security knowing that a prophet and apostles are in place? (For me they feel like a secure anchor, which keeps any of us from drifting too far from the truer sources of happiness and well-being and from losing the most essential bits of relevant, saving gospel truths.)
I am quite grateful God's house is a house of order and we have inspired leaders sifting through the huge amount of opinions, precepts and theories ~ who let us know what is real and what is not important.
For example, I have a retired economics professor from the University of Utah for a neighbor who recently wrote me how negligent the Mormon Church is for not championing global warming and climate change.
I wrote him back ~ and he is someone I can be quite frank with:
"...For your story to work, one has to believe the cause you personally espouse and are most drawn to [climate change] dictates the center of the religious universe and is indeed of most concern to the heart and soul for everyone. And one would have to believe that a church should be in charge of technology, EPA issues and have control over economics and industry and businesses and dictate to owners, governments and environmentalists how they should operate."
"People are pressed, suffering, dying and children are hungry, and humans are sad and lonely. It's not up to you to decide where someone else's religious values and focus should be and then condemn them because they are not in lock-step with your own personal philosophies."
There are countless causes and cries in this world ~ how fortunate we are to know calamities must be, they are in fact scheduled into the grand plan of the last days, and also fortunate to know not to panic and where our energies are best donated.
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
Another reason we need a prophet is to counteract the workings of Satan and guide us through perilous, confusing times.
Howard W. Hunter teaches:
"In a revelation to a modern oracle, Joseph Smith, the Lord said:
“For I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion."
“And also the Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst.” (D&C 1:35–36.)
"The Savior is reigning in the midst of the Saints today through continuous revelation. I testify that he is with his servants in this day and will be until the end of the earth."
Peace IS being taken from the earth! In just about every imaginable corner: social, military, financial, nature etc. A prophet helps us to know what to prepare for and which issues to worry the most about.
"No respecter of persons" ~ is one of my favorite of Christ's self-descriptions. This phrase is repeated in several places amongst the scriptures.
"No repecter" most importantly means He shows no favoritism. He doesn't grant one person visions and blessings more than another based on personal preference and He doesn't worry about human kind in some periods of world's history more than others.
It means that a soul today is just as important and relevant as a soul He knew while walking the Earth or a soul He was revealing himself to in the Americas.
Christ beholds you with the same worth, potential as he beholds anyone. What we experience in the gospel and with Christ and with the heavens wholly depends on us. The offer is held the same to everyone.
President Hunter's point here makes a lot of sense:
"May our vision not be so narrow that we would relegate revelation to only the ancients. God is merciful and loves his children in all ages and has revealed himself to this time in history."
"The Lord has revealed his mind and will to his anointed prophets. There is an unending stream of revelation flowing constantly from the headwaters of heaven to God’s anointed servants on earth. Since the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, the voice of the Lord to his prophets has continued as before."
Question: What does the Lord mean when He is "no respecter of persons?" Why is that important to know in this day and age? (The patterns of prophetic leadership and visions continue today).
The topic of prophets is a very reassuring one, so don't let the world bowl you over with it's cunning, distracting, out-of-context doubt.
Jesus Christ loves his Church. The Lord loves His prophets. The Savior loves the world.
He loves you.
Sometimes we just have to let that be, despite the myriad details we can't always research to the core or to our complete, scientific satisfaction.
Especially when those details have nothing to do with the most essential truths, inner happiness and accomplishments of the Gospel: a Savior, an Atonement, a companionship with the Holy Ghost, a confident and peaceful soul, prayer, baptism, holy writ, service, love, and more service.
Our Gospel encourages people to be at their best and to be beautiful (and handsome) and a light bearer to the world.
Anti-mormonism and prophet doubt encourages confusion, bitterness and pessamism.
Compare the fruits of faithful living and doubtful living?
That message must be for someone out there, because it just flowed through the fingers!
Best Lesson Plan For This Topic (says me)
"Conference time is a season of spiritual revival when knowledge and testimony are increased and solidified..."
Probably the most effective message from this lesson comes from the last section on Conferences. This makes for an easily engaging and memorable lesson plan.
Nothing showcases prophets and apostles in action and testifies to their inspiration like General Conference. We all have our favorite apostles and speakers to listen to. And hopefully we've had a chance to collect a few favorite Conference talks ~ ones which bounced around in our souls with unusual and lasting impressions.
Here's a list of my 10 favorites of all time (for now...)
*****
To Acquire Spiritual Guidance
Elder Richard G. Scott (October 2009)
--Some of the best, detailed, how-to advice for powerful, personal revelation I've ever read.
Waiting Upon the Lord: Thy Will Be Done
Elder Robert D. Hales (October 2011)
--One of the most far-reaching, buoyant explanations about human suffering. Just beautiful.
The Importance of A Name
Elder M. Russell Ballard (October 2011)
--It was this talk that forever removed every ounce of social stigma, the name "Mormon" ever held. This was he talk which branded us and made us proud of who we were. I'm not impressed with a couple of general authorities who recently tried to associate shame with this name - and advised us to admonish and correct others who called us Mormons. That was a huge fail. I remember squirming in my seat during one such Conference talk only six months before this one was given. And I knew in my heart the concepts weren't right. I high-fived the air when Elder Ballard put it to rest in a straightforward, powerful way and we've been so much better off since.
Are You Sleeping Through The Restoration?
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf (April 2014)
--A description of what it means to be a true Latter-day Saint who's caught the vision, and a delightful description of the counterfeit. It's addresses and describes the growing trend we see in Church today - a justified apathy. Dieter pretty much slays that urban LDS legend of casual sainthood.
Using New Media To Support The Work of The Church
Elder M. Russell Ballard (Dec 2007 – BYU-Hawaii)
--Changed the direction and quality of my life forever. And it's where this blog came from. Elder Ballard commissioned all of us to be spokesmen for the Church online and everywhere. One of the biggest, sweeping changes ever in our Church culture and it's been grand.
The Merciful Obtain Mercy
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf (October 2012)
--Dieter's famous "Stop It" sermon. He addresses the worst of our human nature and social behaviors often found in "ward land." Forever a classic.
The Laborers In The Vineyard
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (October 2012)
--Holland does an amazing job with a little-used parable and opens it up to address a growing problem in our Church - pride and jealousy. The pickle juice analogy is awesome. I deal with pickle juice people a lot, so this was particularly refreshing.
Pride And The Priesthood
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf (October 2010)
--Undoes the doctrine of being "specialer." Being the "chosen" or "special" one is an unfortunate culture we have developed over time. Dieter does a marvelous job of spearing it. One of the best quotes of all time:
"Pride is a deadly cancer. It is a gateway sin that leads to a host of other human weaknesses. In fact, it could be said that every other sin is, in essence, a manifestation of pride."
"This sin has many faces. It leads some to revel in their own perceived self-worth, accomplishments, talents, wealth, or position. They count these blessings as evidence of being “chosen,” “superior,” or “more righteous” than others. This is the sin of “Thank God I am more special than you.” At its core is the desire to be admired or envied. It is the sin of self-glorification."
"For others, pride turns to envy: they look bitterly at those who have better positions, more talents, or greater possessions than they do. They seek to hurt, diminish, and tear down others in a misguided and unworthy attempt at self-elevation. When those they envy stumble or suffer, they secretly cheer."
Really...how extraordinary is his insight?
Like A Broken Vessel
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (October 2013)
--Elder Holland takes mental illness and depression head on and gives us a completely different and compassionate perspective on this very current and growing problem. Bravo JRH!
Come Join With Us
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf (October 2013)
--Acknowledges every Saint is on a different level and with different combinations of understanding, viewpoints and misgivings. We all belong regardless, which point was well-made. Best line: Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith."
*****
Find 3 sisters (brothers) and ask them what their favorite conference talk by a prophet or apostle currently is, and could they please be prepared to share it and maybe a few thoughts on why it meant so much to them. Give them at least a few days notice whenever possible and 1 week generally tends to be best. When I ask folks to participate, I take them a plate of chocolate chip cookies and a personal invitation during the week ~ super effective. Great contributions are made when they have some time to think about it.
As a teacher, be prepared to share the same story ~ your favorite General Conference talk and why.
"Conference is the time when our leaders give us inspired direction in the conduct of our lives—a time when souls are stirred and resolutions are made to be better husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, more obedient sons and daughters, better friends and neighbors. …"
Possible Class Question: Who else has a favorite General Conference memory? Why did that particular talk mean so much to you?
General Conference is a divinely inspired tradition which puts us all in reach of President Monson and the apostles front and center. Modern technology is divine. The Holy Ghost attends General Conference in force and there is always at least one powerful message for any faithful listener. One talk or another will find its way into our wounded hearts and imperfect souls ~ and have the capacity to boost us and prompt us to a better place.
May you have a wonderful time sharing your most meaningful spiritual moments with each other. It's sure to be a class with lasting impact.
Timshel!
Possible Hymns: Come Listen To A Prophet's Voice #21
We Thank Thee O God For A Prophet #19