“Prophets Speak to Us Today,” New Era, November 2017
Prophets Speak to Us Today
President Thomas S. Monson
Although President Monson was not present, many conference speakers drew on his counsel. President Henry B. Eyring testified, “I bear witness that Thomas S. Monson is the only man who holds and exercises all the keys of the holy priesthood on earth.”
“President Thomas S. Monson has taught us: ‘As we follow the example of the Savior, ours will be the opportunity to be a light in the lives of others.’”
Elder Vincent O. Halek
“During this conference, we have thought of our dear prophet. We love you, President Monson. I close with his words given from this pulpit. I believe it is a blessing that he would want to give to each of us today, were he able to be with us. He said: ‘As we leave this conference, I invoke the blessings of heaven upon each of you. … I pray our Heavenly Father will bless you and your families. May the messages and spirit of this conference find expression in all that you do—in your homes, in your work, in your meetings, and in all your comings and goings.’
“He concluded: ‘I love you. I pray for you. May God bless you. May His promised peace be with you now and always.’”
Elder Neil L. Andersen
“President Thomas S. Monson has counseled us, saying, ‘Let us examine our lives and determine to follow the Savior’s example by being kind, loving, and charitable.’”
Elder Jose L. Alonso
“In the Sunday morning session of the April 2017 general conference, President Thomas S. Monson pleaded with ‘each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day.’ …
“Since President Monson’s challenge six months ago, I have tried to follow his counsel. …
“I know that President Thomas S. Monson is the prophet of God on the earth today. I love him and sustain him with all of my heart.”
President Russell M. Nelson
“President Thomas S. Monson has pleaded, ‘May we ever choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong.’”
Elder Stanley G. Ellis
President Henry B. Eyring
First Counselor in the First Presidency
The Lord Leads His Church
“I wish to speak about the wonderful way in which the Lord leads His kingdom on earth. You already know the fundamentals. …
“First, Jesus Christ is the head of the Church in all the earth.
“Second, He leads His Church today by speaking to men called as prophets, and He does it through revelation.
“Third, He gave revelation to His prophets long ago, still does, and will continue to do so.
“Fourth, He gives confirming revelation to those who serve under the leadership of His prophets.
“From those fundamentals, we recognize that the Lord’s leadership of His Church requires great and steady faith from all who serve Him on earth.
“For instance, it takes faith to believe that the resurrected Lord is watching over the daily details of His kingdom. It takes faith to believe that He calls imperfect people into positions of trust. It takes faith to believe that He knows the people He calls perfectly, both their capacities and their potential, and so makes no mistakes in His calls.
“That may bring a smile or a shake of the head to some in this audience—both those who think their own call to serve might have been a mistake as well as those who picture some they know who seem poorly suited to their place in the Lord’s kingdom. My counsel to both groups is to delay such judgments until you can better see what the Lord sees. The judgment you need to make, instead, is that you have the capacity to receive revelation and to act on it fearlessly.
“It takes faith to do so. And it takes even greater faith to believe that the Lord has called imperfect human servants to lead you. My purpose … is to build your faith that God directs you in your service to Him. And even more importantly, my hope is to build your faith that the Lord is inspiring the imperfect persons He has called as your leaders.”
Fear Not to Do Good
“Last April, President Thomas S. Monson gave a message that stirred hearts across the world, including mine. He spoke of the power of the Book of Mormon. He urged us to study, ponder, and apply its teachings. …
“Like many of you, I heard the prophet’s words as the voice of the Lord to me. And, also like many of you, I decided to obey those words. …
“The happy result for me, and for many of you, has been what the prophet promised. Those of us who took his inspired counsel to heart have heard the Spirit more distinctly. We have found a greater power to resist temptation and have felt greater faith in a resurrected Jesus Christ, in His gospel, and in His living Church.
“In a season of increasing tumult in the world, those increases in testimony have driven out doubt and fear and have brought us feelings of peace. Heeding President Monson’s counsel has had two other wonderful effects on me: First, the Spirit he promised has produced a sense of optimism about what lies ahead, even as the commotion in the world seems to increase. And, second, the Lord has given me—and you—an even greater feeling of His love for those in distress. We have felt an increase in the desire to go to the rescue of others. That desire has been at the heart of President Monson’s ministry and teaching. …
“The Lord told His leaders of the Restoration, and He tells us, that when we stand with faith upon His rock, doubt and fear are diminished; the desire to do good increases. As we accept President Monson’s invitation to plant in our hearts a testimony of Jesus Christ, we gain the power, the desire, and the courage to go to the rescue of others without concern for our own needs. …
“That desire to bless is the fruit of people gaining a testimony of Jesus Christ, His gospel, His restored Church, and His prophet. That is why the Lord’s people doubt not and fear not. That is why missionaries volunteer for service in every corner of the world. That is why parents pray with their children for others. That is why leaders challenge their youth to take President Monson’s request to immerse themselves in the Book of Mormon to heart. The fruit comes not by being urged by leaders but by the youth and members acting on faith. That faith, put into action, which requires selfless sacrifice, brings the change of heart that allows them to feel the love of God. …
“The best days are ahead for the kingdom of God on the earth. Opposition will strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ, as it has since the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Faith always defeats fear. Standing together produces unity. And your prayers for those in need are heard and answered by a loving God.”
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
Three Sisters
“A long time ago in a distant land lived a family of three sisters.
“The first sister was sad. Everything from her nose to her chin and from her skin to her toes seemed not quite good enough to her. ……
“The second sister was mad. …
“She was never first at anything, and this she could not endure. Life was not supposed to be this way! …
“Then there was the third sister. Unlike her sad and mad sisters, she was—well, glad. And it wasn’t because she was smarter or more beautiful or more capable than her sisters. …
“This sister loved to sing. She didn’t have great pitch, and people laughed about it, but that didn’t stop her. …“… If you are like most of us, you may have recognized part of yourself in one, two, or perhaps all three of these sisters. Let us take a closer look at each one.
“The first sister saw herself as a victim. …
“If you find yourself worrying about what other people say about you, may I suggest this antidote: remember who you are. Remember that you are of the royal house of the kingdom of God, daughters of Heavenly Parents, who reign throughout the universe.
“You have the spiritual DNA of God. …
“You are in His hands. …
“… Please let these divine truths sink deeply into your hearts. And you will find that there are many reasons not to be sad, for you have an eternal destiny to fulfill. …
“The second sister was angry at the world. Like her sad sister, she felt that the problems in her life were all caused by someone else. … And she lashed out. …
“ …We are responsible for our own discipleship, and it has little—if anything—to do with the way others treat us. …
“So, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ, we will love our enemies.
“We will overcome anger or hate.
“We will fill our hearts with love for all of God’s children. …
“The third sister represents the authentic disciple of Jesus Christ. She did something that can be extremely hard to do: she trusted God even in the face of ridicule and hardship. … She lived joyfully not because her circumstances were joyful but because she was joyful. …
“… If you find it difficult to hold fast to the iron rod and walk steadfastly toward salvation; if the laughter and ridicule of others who seem so confident cause you to waver; if you are troubled by unanswered questions or doctrines you don’t understand yet; if you feel saddened because of disappointments, I urge you to remember Lehi’s dream.
“Stay on the path!
“Never let go of the rod of iron—the word of God! …
“You cannot allow circumstances to make you sad.
“You cannot allow them to make you mad.
“You can rejoice that you are a daughter of God. You can find joy and happiness in the grace of God and in the love of Jesus Christ.
“You can be glad.”
A Yearning for Home
“I believe that every man, woman, and child has felt the call of heaven at some point in his or her life. Deep within us is a longing to somehow reach past the veil and embrace Heavenly Parents we once knew and cherished. …
“The sublime message of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that God is our Father, that He cares about us, and that there is a way to return to Him.
“God calls to you. …
“… If you have faltered, failed, feel broken, bitter, betrayed, or beaten—know that you are not alone. God still calls to you.
“The Savior extends His hand to you. …
“Today, let me offer two reasons why we should turn to the Lord.
“First, your life will be better.
“Second, God will use you to make the lives of other people better. …
“No one else is responsible for your personal journey. The Savior will help you and prepare the way before you, but the commitment to follow Him and keep His commandments must come from you. …
“Come, join with us and trust the Lord. Lend your talents to His wonderful work. …
“The gospel is a transcendent message of hope, happiness, and joy. It is the pathway that leads us home.”
Bearers of Heavenly Light
“We can heal spiritually. …
“Whatever causes our spiritual ailments, they all have one thing in common: the absence of divine light.
“Darkness reduces our ability to see clearly. …
“Light, on the other hand, allows us to see things as they really are. …
“Darkness is not an indication that there is no light. Most often, it simply means we’re not in the right place to receive the light. …
“… It is up to us to be in the right place to see the divine light and truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even when night has fallen and the world seems dark, we can choose to walk in Christ’s light, keep His commandments, and courageously testify of His reality and His greatness.
“As a bearer of God’s priesthood and as a disciple of Jesus Christ, you are a bearer of light. Keep doing the things that will nurture His divine light.
“… You are instruments in the hands of the Lord with the purpose of bringing light and healing to the souls of Heavenly Father’s children. …
“Christ’s light brings hope, happiness, and healing of any spiritual wound or ailment. …
“It is my prayer and blessing that you will succeed in fulfilling your destiny as priesthood holders of Almighty God and always be joyful bearers of His heavenly light.”