It is good to be with you today at the beginning of a new semester. It is another great day at BYU-Idaho. I am grateful to have this opportunity to speak to you and pray that the Holy Spirit will be with us.
One of the wonderful blessings of the Restoration is the presence among us of living prophets, seers, and revelators who lead and guide the Lord's true and living Church. In the beloved hymn, "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet," we sing:
We thank thee, O God, for a prophet
To guide us in these latter days.[1]
The scriptures teach us that whenever the Lord's people follow the prophets and heed the words of the Lord, they are protected and greatly blessed. When they do not, they fall into spiritual darkness and do not prosper in the land.
I would love to sit with you in a small group, or perhaps even one-on-one, and discuss the critical importance of following the Lord's living prophets. We could go back and look at what the prophets have been teaching us and reflect together to see if we have heard them and acted with faith in Christ to do what they have taught.
Today, I want to create that experience with you as much as I possibly can. I invite you to listen with your minds and your hearts as I speak. I hope you will engage what I say by writing down impressions and questions that come to you.
I will begin with a brief look at the blessings of living prophets. We sustain all of the Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators; but I will concentrate today on the messages that President Thomas S. Monson, the Lord's prophet on the earth, has delivered to us in general conference. In order to give our discussion focus, I will highlight four themes in President Monson's talks that constitute a call to action from the Lord. The themes are: 1) keep the world out of your heart; 2) reach out to rescue; 3) be of good cheer; and 4) stand for truth with courage.
I will conclude with some thoughts on how we all might more consistently hear and feel the words of the prophets and act with faith in Christ to do what they call us to do.
The Blessing of Living Prophets, Seers, and Revelators
When the Lord called Joseph Smith to lead the dispensation of the fullness of times, He called Joseph to be a prophet, seer, and revelator and bestowed upon him "the keys of the kingdom of God . . . committed [to] man on the earth."[2]
The Lord's prophet bears special witness of the name of Jesus Christ in and to all of the world. He teaches existing truth and receives revelation for the whole Church and the whole world. He directs the Lord's work. He speaks for the Lord.
The living prophet is a seer and a revelator. He sees beyond the horizon, both into the past and into the future. He sees below the surface and behind the façade. As Ammon said of seers:
By them . . . shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known.[3]
This is the great blessing that the Lord has promised us if we will heed the prophet's voice:
For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.
For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name's glory.[4]
Brothers and sisters, in God's eternal plan there is no substitute for a living prophet who speaks the word of the Lord by the power of the Holy Ghost. And there is no substitute for the Lord's covenant people to hear that word by the power of the Spirit. In this way we receive both the Lord's messages for all of His children and very personal, specific impressions and feelings about what we individually need to do. These impressions are personal assignments, or commandments, from the Lord.[5] Following the prophet, therefore, is an act of faith in Jesus Christ, and it always comes with His promised blessings.
The promise that the Lord will "disperse the powers of darkness from before [us]"[6] has great relevance. We live in a time when the powers of darkness seem to be all around us in a swirling, shifting, changing mix of temptations and deceptive ideas which seek to lure us away from the true path and blind our minds.[7] If we act with faith in Him to obey His assignments and commandments, the Lord will bless us with guidance, protection, and power.
I turn now to four themes in President Monson's teachings since he became the prophet of the Lord. As we consider each one, I invite you to ponder what you have done with what the Prophet has taught. You may remember things you have already done, and you may receive new impressions, new assignments from the Lord this very day.
The Teachings of the Living Prophet 2008-2014
Theme #1: Keep the World Out of Your Heart
From the very beginning of his ministry as the Lord's prophet, President Monson has lifted the voice of warning about the nature of the world in which we live. In the language of the revelations, he is a "watchman on the tower" who has "seen the enemy" afar off while there is yet time.[8] He has sounded the trumpet warning us of the dangers of moral decay, secularism, materialism, and sin:
We live in a world where moral values have, in great measure, been tossed aside, where sin is flagrantly on display, and where temptations to stray from the strait and narrow path surround us. We are faced with persistent pressures and insidious influences tearing down what is decent and attempting to substitute the shallow philosophies and practices of a secular society.[9]
The world seems to have slipped from the moorings of safety and drifted from the harbor of peace.
Permissiveness, immorality, pornography, dishonesty, and a host of other ills cause many to be tossed about on a sea of sin and crushed on the jagged reefs of lost opportunities, forfeited blessings, and shattered dreams.[10]
The Prophet's persistent warning about moral decay in society is clear: we must be on our guard against the temptations and the shallow philosophies abroad in the world. He has warned us to keep the world out of our hearts.
Like the prophets down through the ages, President Monson's warning voice has come with a companion message of love, hope, and power centered in the Lord Jesus Christ:
Our code of conduct is definitive; it is not negotiable.
It may appear to you at times that those out in the world are having much more fun than you are. . . . I declare to you, however, that there is nothing which can bring more joy into our lives or more peace to our souls than the Spirit which can come to us as we follow the Savior and keep the commandments.
We must be vigilant in a world which has moved so far from that which is spiritual. . . . We . . . will be far better equipped to deal with [the storms of life], to learn from them, and to overcome them if we have the gospel at our core and the love of the Savior in our hearts.[11]
Theme #2: Reach out and Rescue
In his very first address to the Church as the prophet, President Monson laid out a theme he would return to over and over again. It is the great work of rescuing our brothers and sisters:
Over the years we have issued appeals to the less active, the offended, the critical, the transgressor--to come back. "Come back and feast at the table of the Lord, and taste again the sweet and satisfying fruits of fellowship with the Saints."
In this spirit, we again issue that heartfelt invitation: Come back. We reach out to you in the pure love of Christ and express our desire to assist you and to welcome you into full fellowship. To those who are wounded in spirit or who are struggling and fearful, we say, Let us lift you and cheer you and calm your fears.[12]
The work of the rescue embraces all the work of salvation. The prophet's call to help rescue our brothers and sisters is a call to follow the Savior. Through wonderful stories and stirring calls to serve, the Prophet has inspired us to reach out to the less active, to those who have fallen away, to those who are not yet members of the Church,[13] to those in the throes of sin, and to those who are suffering or spiritually wounded in any way.[14]
In his memorable words, "There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save."[15] I know that many of you have responded to the prophet's call. It is inspiring to see you reach out to lift and strengthen your roommates, classmates, friends, and family. This is especially true when you love your roommates and friends enough to help them come back to the light when they have wandered into darkness. Over the years we have seen thousands of souls saved on this campus because someone like you had enough trust in the Lord to say to a roommate in trouble, "We need to talk." As President Monson has taught:
[M]ay we remember the Lord's precious promise to those who trust in Him: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."[16]
Theme #3: Be of Good Cheer
President Monson always has been sensitive to the needs of people who struggle with the afflictions and troubles of mortal life. Sister Clark and I know that troubles are part of your lives. Every Monday night we hold a home evening with 150-200 students. In your questions and discussions with us, we have heard about and felt the pain and sorrow that comes from sin, mental and physical illness, divorce, death of a loved one, a wayward family member, difficulties in learning, disappointment in dating and marriage, and the weakness of the natural man.
President Monson's message is a message for you. Many times during his ministry he has spoken with love and empathy to encourage and inspire us when the storms of life strike. His basic message is the message of the Master: Fear not, be of good cheer.[17]
I testify to you that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments. There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us.
My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith.[18]
Brothers and sisters, please note that the Prophet's message is a message of protection against the forces of evil. The storms of life make us vulnerable to temptation and to the voices of the world that would make us doubt and fear and fall away. If we are not resolute in our faith and in our commitment to be of good cheer, adversity can lead to cynicism, bitterness, and anger. It can lead us to turn away from the Lord and His church.
It is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that sustains us through the storms of life. Jesus descended below all things. He has felt and overcome everything we feel and face. He has all power over all things. That is why He said to His apostles, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."[19] He has that power, and He will use it to bless and sustain us if we turn to Him and act with faith in Him:
The history of the Church in this, the dispensation of the fulness of times, is replete with the experiences of those who have struggled and yet who have remained steadfast and of good cheer. The reason? They have made the gospel of Jesus Christ the center of their lives. This is what will pull us through whatever comes our way. We will still experience difficult challenges, but we will be able to face them, to meet them head-on, and to emerge victorious.
From the bed of pain, from the pillow wet with tears, we are lifted heavenward by that divine assurance and precious promise: "I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."[20]
One of the sweetest blessings of serving at BYU-Idaho is to experience the good cheer that is on this campus. Sister Clark and I have often been inspired to see the good cheer and faith in your attitudes and in your lives, even when you have faced difficult challenges.
Theme #4: Stand for Truth with Courage
Echoing a theme he has emphasized all through his service as an apostle of the Lord, President Monson has called us to stand for truth with courage.[21] The Prophet has taught us that we stand for truth in two ways, both of which take courage.
First, we stand for truth by keeping the commandments of God and thus living according to truth.
Although the world has changed, the laws of God remain constant. They have not changed; they will not change. The Ten Commandments are just that--commandments. They are not suggestions.[22]
The face of sin today often wears the mask of tolerance. Do not be deceived; behind that facade is heartache, unhappiness, and pain. You know what is right and what is wrong, and no disguise, however appealing, can change that. The character of transgression remains the same. If your so-called friends urge you to do anything you know to be wrong, you be the one to make a stand for right, even if you stand alone. Have the moral courage to be a light for others to follow.[23]
We stand for truth foremost in our own homes with our own families and children. There, too, we may need courage and faith to hold home evening every week, to set high standards, to teach the truth with clarity and power, and to not let the world run our lives.
Second, we stand for truth by bearing witness of and defending the truth.
We will [all] face fear, experience ridicule, and meet opposition. Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God's approval.[24]
As we go about living from day to day, it is almost inevitable that our faith will be challenged. We may at times find ourselves surrounded by others and yet standing in the minority or even standing alone concerning what is acceptable and what is not. Do we have the moral courage to stand firm for our beliefs, even if by so doing we must stand alone?[25]
In many ways the temptations and opposition we face today look like the temptations and opposition we have always faced: sexual immorality, dishonesty, violating the Word of Wisdom, anger, abuse, complacency, attacks on Joseph Smith, and claims that we are not Christian. However, the Prophet has warned us of challenges to our faith that are "unique to our time."[26] Foremost among these are social and governmental promotion of same gender attraction and same sex marriage, the rampant portrayal of sexual immorality in digital media, the devaluing of motherhood and fathers, and attacks on the proclamation on the family and the doctrine of the priesthood. All of these are fundamentally attacks on the family and thus on God's eternal plan.
President Monson is the Lord's prophet, seer, and revelator. He sees the hidden danger, the unseen purpose, the catastrophe beyond the horizon, the wickedness behind the façade and the disguise. For example, there are some who promote social change in the name of tolerance, fairness, and personal fulfillment, but whose real objective is to destroy the institution of the divinely ordained family[27] where "children are . . . [born] within the bonds of matrimony . . . to . . . a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity."[28] In contrast, the Prophet of the Lord has called us to stand up and defend the truth about marriage and the family, about mothers and fathers, and about the priesthood of God, even if we face disapproval, ridicule, and persecution. President Monson has taught that when we stand for truth with courage, we always stand with the Lord Jesus Christ:
As we move forward, striving to live as we should, we will surely receive help from the Lord and can find comfort in His words. I love His promise recorded in the book of Joshua:
I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.[29]
Conclusion
Brothers and sisters, I know that President Monson has taught us the word of the Lord for our times. These four themes constitute a call to action from the Lord. As we have counseled together today, I hope you have reflected on what you have done with what the Lord has commanded you to do through His living prophet. I know that kind of assessment can open your heart to the whisperings of the Spirit.
You may have felt impressed to make a change in some aspect of your life in order to more effectively keep the world out of your heart. The name of someone whom you can help to rescue may have come to your mind. You may have felt an impression to defend the truth about marriage and the family to your friends on Facebook because you know deep in your heart that only marriage and a family so ordained of God can qualify us for exaltation and eternal life.
Whatever has come to you from the Lord today, I invite you to decide right now, this very minute, to do what you have been impressed to do. I promise you that if you will make that resolve and act on it with faith in Christ, great blessings will flow into your life.
What we have experienced together today can become part of a pattern of faith and action that will open your hearts and your minds to the Spirit of the Lord. If you follow that pattern consistently, you will always hear the voice of the Lord in the voice of His prophets and you will always express your love for the Lord and your faith in Him by doing what He commands you to do.
Here is the pattern I invite you to put into practice in your life:
First, listen to the word of the Lord through His living prophets and record impressions that come to you about things you need to do. These impressions are personal commandments or assignments from the Lord.
Second, use the notes of your impressions to create a personal agenda for action. Make your agenda a matter of prayer and study of the scriptures and the conference talks. Seek the power of the Atonement of Christ for the strength to act and to change.
Third, as you partake of the sacrament each Sunday, reflect on the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ and the evidence of His mercy, grace, and love in your work to fulfill His commandments and assignments. Let your heart be full of love and gratitude for Him. As you renew your covenants, give thanks to the Lord that the Holy Ghost will "bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever [the Lord has] said to you."[30]
My beloved brothers and sisters, I bear witness of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. I know He leads and guides His true and living church through His living prophets. President Thomas S. Monson is the Lord's prophet on the earth today.
I know if you will establish the pattern we have discussed today, you will receive the words of the prophets as if from the mouth of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ "will disperse the powers of darkness from before you"[31] and bless you with a mighty blessing of guidance, protection, strength, and redemption. You will hear His voice in the voice of His prophets. You will know His voice, and you will know Him. All through your life you will cherish these sacred words: "We thank thee, O God, for a prophet, to guide us in these latter-days."[32] In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet, Hymns, 19
[2] D&C 65:2; All those ordained to the office of Apostle likewise receive all of the keys of the priesthood that have been given to men on the earth. We sustain all of these brethren as prophets, seers and revelators
[3] Mosiah 8:17
[4] D&C 21:5-6; President Harold B, Lee commented on this passage in describing the power and protection that is in listening to the prophets: "Now the only safety we have as members of this church is to do exactly what the Lord said to the Church in that day when the Church was organized. We must learn to give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through His prophet, "as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; ... as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith" (D&C 21:4-5). There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord Himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name's glory."" (D&C 21:6)
[5] D&C 59:3-4 The assignments and commandments we receive from the Lord are the "commandments not a few" the Lord mentions in this verse
[6] D&C 21:6
[7] 1 Nephi 12:17, where the angel speaking to Nephi says that the mists of darkness in Lehi's dream could blind eyes, harden hearts and lead people away into broad roads. The mists of darkness are not an inert fog
[8] Ezekiel 33:2-3; D&C 101:54
[9] Thomas S. Monson, "Be Strong and Of a Good Courage," Ensign, May 2014
[10] Thomas S. Monson, "A Word at Closing," Ensign, May 2010
[11] Thomas S. Monson, "Stand in Holy Places," Ensign, November 2011
[12] Thomas S. Monson, "Looking Back and Moving Forward," Ensign, May 2008
[13] In the work of rescue missionary service has a special place in President Monson's heart. He has issued a direct call to young men to serve the Lord as missionaries and welcomed the missionary service of young women. He gave that call and that welcome tremendous impetus when he announced the change in the age of missionary service in October of 2012. That prophetic announcement launched the remarkable growth in the number of missions and missionaries and the initiative on Hastening the Work of Salvation in the Church
[14] Thomas S. Monson, "Finding Joy in the Journey," Ensign, October 2008; "What Have I Done for Someone Today," Ensign October 2009
[15] Thomas S. Monson, "To the Rescue," Ensign, May 2001
[16] Thomas S. Monson, "Stand in Holy Places," Ensign, November 2011/Isaiah 41:10
[17] D&C 68:6
[18]Thomas S. Monson, "Be of Good Cheer," Ensign, May 2009
[19] John 16:33
[20] Thomas S. Monson, "'I Will Not Fail Thee, Nor Forsake Thee,'" Ensign, November 2013
[21] Many of the prophets, seers, and revelators have spoken on this theme in the last few years. See for example: Elder Neil Andersen, "Spiritual Whirlwinds," Ensign, May 2014; Elder Russell M. Nelson, "Let Your Faith Show," Ensign, May 2014; Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "The Moral Force of Women," Ensign, November 2013; Elder Dallin H. Oaks, "No Other Gods," Ensign, November 2013; Elder Quentin L. Cook, "Lamentations of Jeremiah: Beware of Bondage," Ensign, November 2013; Elder Russell M. Nelson, "Decisions for Eternity," Ensign, November 2013; Elder David A. Bednar, "We Believe in Being Chaste," Ensign, May 2013;
[22] Thomas S. Monson, "Stand in Holy Places," Ensign, November 2011
[23] Thomas S. Monson, "Examples of Righteousness," Ensign, May 2008
[24] Thomas S. Monson, "The Call for Courage," Ensign, May 2004
[25] Thomas S. Monson, "Dare to Stand Alone," Ensign, November 2011
[26] Thomas S. Monson, "Be Strong and Of a Good Courage," Ensign, May 2014
[27] For examples, see: Serif Girgis, Ryan Anderson and Robert P. George, What is Marriage: Man and Woman: A Defense (New York: Encounter Books, 2012)
[28] "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," Ensign, November 1995
[29] Thomas S. Monson, "Be Strong and Of a Good Courage," Ensign, May 2014/Joshua 1:5-6
[30] John 14:26
[31] D&C 21:6
[32] "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet, Hymns, 19