Lesson 2 Class Preparation Material: The Role of Prophets in Proclaiming the Doctrine of the Eternal Family
“Lesson 2 Class Preparation Material: The Role of Prophets in Proclaiming the Doctrine of the Eternal Family,” The Eternal Family Teacher Material (2022)
“Lesson 2 Class Preparation Material,” The Eternal Family Class Preparation Material
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watchman on an ancient stone watchtower
Lesson 2 Class Preparation Material
The Role of Prophets in Proclaiming the Doctrine of the Eternal Family
We are blessed to live in a day when the Lord has again called living prophets to guide and protect us. How have the Lord’s prophets helped you understand the doctrine of the eternal family? As you study this lesson, consider how you can gain a greater testimony of living prophets and more fully rely on their words in your life.
Section 1
How is God’s love shown in the counsel of prophets?
When the Lord called Ezekiel to be a prophet, He compared Ezekiel’s new role to that of a watchman. Anciently, watchmen stood on walls or in towers to help protect cities, vineyards, or fields (see “Watchmen on the Tower,” Ensign, Apr. 2016, 28). Their elevated view enabled them to see things others could not and to provide timely warnings of approaching dangers.
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Study in Preparation for Class
Read Ezekiel 3:17–19, and think about how the Lord’s prophets are like watchmen on the tower.
Prophets help us see things from God’s eternal perspective. He blesses them as seers with a divine endowment of spiritual sight. They are able to “know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come” (Mosiah 8:17; see also verses 15–16). The Lord has set them in place to protect us from spiritual and physical danger.
President Russell M. Nelson taught the following about the motivation and responsibility of the Lord’s watchmen:
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President Russell M. Nelson
Each of the Lord’s apostles is in a position to observe and feel the love that Heavenly Father has for His children, particularly for those who are struggling. …
Sometimes we as leaders of the Church are criticized for holding firm to the laws of God, defending the Savior’s doctrine, and resisting the social pressures of our day. But our commission as ordained apostles is “to go into all the world to preach [His] gospel unto every creature” [Doctrine and Covenants 18:28]. That means we are commanded to teach truth.
In doing so, sometimes we are accused of being uncaring as we teach the Father’s requirements for exaltation in the celestial kingdom. But wouldn’t it be far more uncaring for us not to tell the truth—not to teach what God has revealed?
It is precisely because we do care deeply about all of God’s children that we proclaim His truth. We may not always tell people what they want to hear. Prophets are rarely popular. But we will always teach the truth! (“The Love and Laws of God” [Brigham Young University devotional, Sept. 17, 2019], 3, speeches.byu.edu)
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Ponder in Preparation for Class
How have you felt God’s love through the warnings, correction, and counsel of living prophets?
Section 2
How is the family proclamation evidence of the Lord’s prophets acting as watchmen today?
On September 23, 1995, at a general Relief Society meeting, President Gordon B. Hinckley presented “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” Before doing so, he explained why the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles felt the need to issue this proclamation:
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President Gordon B. Hinckley
With so much of sophistry that is passed off as truth, with so much of deception concerning standards and values, with so much of allurement and enticement to take on the slow stain of the world, we have felt to warn and forewarn. In furtherance of this we of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles now issue a proclamation to the Church and to the world as a declaration and reaffirmation of standards, doctrines, and practices relative to the family which the prophets, seers, and revelators of this church have repeatedly stated throughout its history. (“Stand Strong against the Wiles of the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 100)
The following excerpt from President Nelson’s biography describes what the Lord enabled His Apostles to see that led to the creation of the family proclamation:
One day in 1994, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spent a day in their council room in the Salt Lake Temple discussing issues surrounding the family. They considered everything from the increasingly ubiquitous nature of pornography to potential anti-family legislation of various kinds. This was not a new discussion, but that day the entire agenda revolved around this one vital topic.
The Twelve reviewed both doctrine and policies, considering those things that could not be changed—doctrine—and those things that possibly could be—policies. They discussed issues they saw coming, including an intensified societal push for gay marriage and transgender rights. “But that was not the end of what we saw,” Elder Nelson explained. “We could see the efforts of various communities to do away with all standards and limitations on sexual activity. We saw the confusion of genders. We could see it all coming.”
This extended discussion, along with others over a period of time, led to the conclusion that the Twelve should prepare a document, perhaps even a proclamation, outlining the Church’s stand on the family to present to the First Presidency for consideration. (Sheri Dew, Insights from a Prophet’s Life: Russell M. Nelson [2019], 208)
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Ponder in Preparation for Class
What stood out to you from the statement by President Hinckley and the account about President Nelson? How does the issuing of the family proclamation illustrate prophets’ roles as watchmen on the tower?
Section 3
How can I receive and respond faithfully to the words of the Lord’s prophets?
In His hometown of Nazareth, the Savior was rejected when He proclaimed that He was the promised Messiah. In response to the many doubts, the Savior stated, “No prophet is accepted in his own country” (Luke 4:24).
Likewise, in our day some people choose to not accept the Lord’s prophets. At times, you may even find it difficult to understand or follow modern prophets’ counsel and teachings.
On the day The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, the Prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation from the Lord containing a commandment and promises to members of His Church.
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Study in Preparation for Class
Read Doctrine and Covenants 21:4–6 (note that these verses refer to the Prophet Joseph Smith and, by extension, can be applied to the current President of the Lord’s Church). Look for how Church members are to receive the words of the prophet and the blessings the Lord promises as we do so. (Note: One meaning of the word shake in verse 6 is to dislodge or release something from a support or a container [see Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, “shake”]. Thus, one interpretation of this verse is that when the Lord causes “the heavens to shake for [our] good,” He releases revelations and blessings, pouring them out upon those who follow His living prophets.)
Think about what it means to receive the Lord’s words through prophets “in all patience and faith” (verse 5). Consider also the blessings promised for doing so. The scriptures contain numerous accounts of people choosing to exercise patience and faith in the words of prophets. Select one or more of the following scripture passages to study:
1 Nephi 2:11–16 (Nephi leaving Jerusalem as directed by the prophet Lehi)
1 Kings 17:8–24 (The widow of Zarephath responding to a request by the prophet Elijah during a famine)
2 Kings 5:9–14 (Naaman, the Syrian, seeking to be healed of leprosy by the prophet Elisha)
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Record Your Thoughts
Thinking about what you just read, record your responses to these questions in a notebook or note-taking app:
What can you learn from the person’s effort to receive a prophet’s words with patience and faith?
Why might it have been difficult to receive and heed the words of the Lord’s prophet in these circumstances?
What do you learn about the Lord through what He asked of the person you read about?
While serving as a counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, Sister Carol F. McConkie noted:
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Sister Carol F. McConkie
According to the world’s standards, following the prophet may be unpopular, politically incorrect, or socially unacceptable. But following the prophet is always right. (“Live according to the Words of the Prophets,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 78)
We can have confidence in following the Lord’s prophets.
