Difference between revisions of "Mormon prophet"

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Mormons believe in prophets, both ancient and modern. This belief is intertwined with the belief that God has an interest in talking to man, and does so through the prophets that He chooses. The Bible contains a record of God's dealings with prophets in those days, and modern scripture contains a record of God’s dealings with prophets in modern days. Mormons believe that the heavens were not closed after the biblical record, and that He still talks to His children today, just as in days of old.
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[[image:President_Nelson_and_Sister_Nelson.jpg|300px|thumb|right]]
  
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Most Christians have at least a passing familiarity with the prophets of the Bible. Stories of Moses, Joshua, Isaiah, Samuel, Elijah, and dozens of other major and minor prophets are included in the Bible. These prophets talked with the Lord and related the Lord’s will to the people. The teachings and warnings of the biblical prophets were heeded or ignored; the choice rested with the people to whom the prophets spoke. The consequences for exercising that choice—good or bad—also rested upon the people as a whole.
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The '''Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints''' is a prophet of God and is also known as the [[Mormon president|president]] of [http://Mormon.org The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints].
  
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==Becoming a Prophet==
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Latter-day Saints believe that [[God]] has an interest in talking to man, and does so through His prophets, whether ancient or modern. The [[Bible]] contains a record of God's dealings with prophets in the past, as do the [[Book of Mormon]] and the [[Pearl of Great Price]]. Modern [[Mormon Scripture|scripture]], such as the [[Doctrine and Covenants]], contains a record of God’s dealings with prophets in modern days.  
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A prophet is not someone born to that position, it is not a job that someone can apply for, nor is it something that someone can take upon themselves. Based on the biblical record, prophets always seem to go through a specific process in order to become a prophet. This process includes a call, a commission or charge, and a message to be delivered.
 
  
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===Calling a Prophet===
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As of January 2018, the current prophet is [[Russell M. Nelson]].
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All prophets share a calling, initiated by God, in which the individual is summoned to serve as God’s messenger. The event attendant to the calling, and the circumstances in which the event occurs, are powerful and realistic enough to convince the individual that the communication is from God, and not some mental aberration or hallucination.
 
  
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The Bible records the calling of prophets such as Moses, Samuel, Elisha, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and others. There are a few prophets (such as Elijah, Nathan, and Ahijah) for whom the record is incomplete and the calling is not recorded. A prophet’s call often occurs through visionary experiences, but not all the details are exactly the same from prophet to prophet. It is not uncommon for the visions to be accompanied by an unusual or miraculous event, such as Moses and the burning bush.  
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==What is a Prophet?==
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The title "prophet" is closely connected with the word "prophecy."  Most people think of prophets as select individuals chosen to prophesy. Prophets do prophesy, but that is only one of their functions. In the Bible, there is a record of prophets raised up to ancient Israel.  Prophets were called then, for the same reasons they are called today—to teach the commandments of God, to instruct people how to live those commandments, to call people to repent and improve, and to bear witness of the Messiah, [[Jesus Christ]]. The witness they bear of Christ is a personal witness, born of personal experience with the Savior. Prophets were and are messengers, bringing God's will decreed in Heaven for people on earth. Prophets are teachers and expounders of heavenly truths. They receive those truths through close communion with the Lord.
  
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===The Prophet's Charge===
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A prophet is a revelator. He receives revelations from the Lord. These revelations have to do with the prophet's stewardship. An example of prophetic stewardship can be found in the ministry of John the Baptist. He was a revelator, called to serve as a forerunner to the ministering Christ, to lead people to Him. He received his knowledge of Christ mostly through revelation. He preached and served in a very small area of Judea, within the confines of his calling and stewardship. Later, the apostle Paul was given a stewardship to preach to the Gentiles. This he did, and he received a revelation, according to that realm of service. Much of what prophets teach is of a practical nature, geared to the current condition of the people they serve. This is why the world always needs prophets, and why God has chosen to send prophets to modern society. Said the ancient prophet Amos: "Surely the Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7).
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God's calling of a prophet is always accompanied by that individual being charged with a specific task. In other words, the prophet is called and then asked by the Lord to do something. The charge is seldom easy and often related to others. For instance, a prophet may be charged with preaching repentance to a city or people. Others may be asked to condemn individuals or a group of people.
 
  
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Prophets are not always eager to accept the charge given them by God. Perhaps the most famous example is Jonah, who tried to run from his prophetic charge, only to be miraculously delivered by God to the location where he finally accepted it. There are other instances, as well, of reluctance among prophets—Jeremiah protesting that he was too young (Jeremiah 1:6) or Moses coming up with reasons why people wouldn’t listen to him (Exodus 3-4).
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A prophet is chosen by God as His authorized representative. The fifth [[Articles of Faith|Article of Faith]] says, "We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the [[laying on of Hands|laying on of hands]], by those who are in authority to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof." This authority is all-important. A man cannot call himself to the prophetic ministry.
  
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For other prophets the biblical record indicates no reservations; they went straightway and did what the Lord asked. Prophets such as Isaiah and Ezekiel are characteristic of this type of personality.
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A "seer" sees with spiritual eyes. Because he sees the meaning of God's message to mankind, whether the message comes from scripture or from personal revelation, he can clarify and interpret the message for mankind. A seer can prophesy; he can see into the future and into the past, if God wills it. [[Moses]] saw all of mankind: "And it came to pass that Moses looked, and beheld the world upon which he was created; and Moses beheld the world and the ends thereof, and all the children of men which are, and which were created; of the same he greatly marveled and wondered (Pearl of Great Price, Moses 1:8 [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moses/1]). The president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a prophet, seer, and revelator.
  
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===A Prophet's Message===
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When the Lord calls a prophet, he chooses a man who is already wise:
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The charge given to a prophet invariably includes some sort of message that the Lord wants delivered. The message may be one of warning or consolation; it may be one of promise or consequence. The message often contains some prediction of the future, conditioned on the reception or rejection of the message. The message is seldom the same, and the details are oriented to the needs of the people and the expectations of the Lord.
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:Men are called to prophetic office because of their humility and their willingness to be in the hands of the Lord as clay in the hands of the potter. Yet a man called to the prophetic office is almost without exception of high native endowment, often with large experience in life, and possessed of wisdom and sound judgment. That is, the prophet, though but a man, is an able man" ([[John A. Widtsoe]], ''Evidences and Reconciliations, p. 257).
  
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God communicated His will to prophets in various ways. Some prophets experienced visions, heard voices, or had dreams. At least one prophet, Moses, spoke with God mouth to mouth (Exodus 33) or face to face (Deuteronomy 34). Most prophets only sensed the presence of the Lord, whereas Moses actually saw His form and person (Numbers 12, Exodus 33-34).
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<embedvideo service="youtube" urlargs="rel=0" dimensions="500x281" alignment="inline">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmeXMEhFIYA&rel=0</embedvideo>
  
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==The Character of Prophets==
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==Book of Mormon Prophets==
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Prophets are not all cut out of the same character mold; they are people with different characteristics, different capabilities, and different skills. The Bible records that some prophets were dynamic, commanding speakers, while others are self-conscious or poor speakers. Some were pleasing to look at, while others were not much to look at. Prophets have no physical marks that would identify them as such, and they carry no credentials that would lead to unquestioned recognition of their position. Prophets are individuals, the same as everyone else, and easily mistaken for any other regular person.
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Members of the Church of Jesus Christ accept as holy scripture the [[Book of Mormon]]. This inspired record recounts God’s dealings with His covenant people in the Western hemisphere for about a thousand years, from approximately 600 BC to AD 400. The record describes the call, charge, and message of many [http://modernprophets.com/category/book-of-mormon-prophets prophets], all following the biblical model for messengers from God.
  
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This "plainness" of a prophet led many people to reject biblical prophets—the man called of God did not fit the image of a prophet that was expected by the people. Rejection may have been because the prophet was someone known to the people before his call, or it may have been because they expected messages from God to be delivered in some other manner and through some other messenger.
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The concept of prophetic records being in a book other than the Bible is undoubtedly foreign to many Christians. Latter-day Saints believe that such a concept is consistent with Christianity, however, because God loves all His children, and it makes logical sense that He would select messengers (prophets) to minister to those children, as well. It is important that such selection would exhibit the same characteristics as the selection of prophets in the Bible—and members of the Church feel that such consistency is evident in the Book of Mormon.
  
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The individuality of a prophet also means that their messages weren’t always delivered in the same way. One prophet might speak directly to a king or other leader, while a different prophet might preach in the streets. One might use threatening language, while another used pleadings and promises. The Lord did not transform the prophets into carbon copies of each other; He gave them a message to deliver and then usually left it to the individual prophet to figure out how to best deliver the message.
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The Old Testament prophet Isaiah told of a future time in the history of the world when the words of prophets would "speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust" (Isaiah 29:4).
  
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==Miracles and Prophets==
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Members of the Church of Jesus Christ believe that the coming forth of the Book of Mormon is part of the fulfillment of this prophecy by Isaiah. It was written on metal plates so that the record could be buried and preserved, and was translated by the prophet Joseph Smith in 1829. Those who read it with sincere intent to learn about Jesus Christ find that it does ring true. They learn that those Book of Mormon prophets foresaw the turmoil and confusion of our day, and gave us messages of hope, faith, and inspiration concerning how to draw closer to Jesus Christ as individuals and families.
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When people think of prophets, they often think of miracles performed by those prophets. Mention Moses, and people often think of the miraculous plagues pronounced upon the Egyptians, the parting of the Red Sea, or striking a rock and having water come forth. Moses is not the only prophet to perform miracles; there are many including Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, and Isaiah.
 
  
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Miracles do not seem to be a common characteristic of all prophets, however. Some prophets have no recorded miracles, yet the Lord affirms that they are prophets nonetheless. Miracles seem to be associated with the needs of the prophet and the people and always consistent with the will of the Lord.
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==Latter-day Prophets==
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The first prophet in modern times was [[Joseph Smith]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=1&topic=facts], and his call, charge, and message is consistent with the pattern established for prophets in the Bible. Joseph Smith's particular stewardship was to restore the fullness of the gospel for the "Last Days," to preside over the "dispensation of the fullness of times." Since the death of Joseph Smith in 1844, an unbroken series of [http://modernprophets.com/category/latter-day-prophets prophets] have led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
  
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==Testing Prophets==
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* [[Brigham Young]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-brigham-young/chapter-1?lang=eng (1847-1877)]
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The book of Deuteronomy offers rules of procedure to determine if a prophet is a true prophet. The first rule is located in Deuteronomy 13:1-5, and specifies what shall happen if a prophet attempts to lead people to follow “different gods” than the true God:
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* [[John Taylor]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-john-taylor/the-life-and-ministry-of-john-taylor?lang=eng (1880-1887)]
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* [[Wilford Woodruff]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-wilford-woodruff/the-life-and-ministry-of-wilford-woodruff?lang=eng (1887-1898)]
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* [[Lorenzo Snow]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-lorenzo-snow/the-life-and-ministry-of-lorenzo-snow?lang=eng (1898-1901)]
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* [[Joseph F. Smith]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-joseph-f-smith/the-ministry-of-joseph-f-smith?lang=eng (1901-1918)]
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* [[Heber J. Grant]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-heber-j-grant/the-life-and-ministry-of-heber-j-grant?lang=eng (1918-1945)]
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* [[George Albert Smith (Prophet)|George Albert Smith]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-george-albert-smith/life-and-ministry?lang=eng (1945-1951)]
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* [[David O. McKay]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-david-o-mckay/the-life-and-ministry-of-david-o-mckay?lang=eng (1951-1970)]
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* [[Joseph Fielding Smith]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-joseph-fielding-smith/the-life-and-ministry-of-joseph-fielding-smith?lang=eng (1970-1972)]
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* [[Harold B. Lee]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-harold-b-lee/the-ministry-of-harold-b-lee?lang=eng (1972-1973)]
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* [[Spencer W. Kimball]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-spencer-w-kimball/the-life-and-ministry-of-spencer-w-kimball?lang=eng (1973-1985)]
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* [[Ezra Taft Benson]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-ezra-taft-benson/the-life-and-ministry-of-ezra-taft-benson?lang=eng (1985-1994)]
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* [[Howard W. Hunter]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-howard-w-hunter/the-life-and-ministry-of-howard-w-hunter?lang=eng (1994-1995)]
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* [[Gordon B. Hinckley]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-gordon-b-hinckley/the-life-and-ministry-of-gordon-b-hinckley?lang=eng (1995-2008)]
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* [[Thomas S. Monson]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/prophets-and-apostles/biographies/president-thomas-s-monson?lang=eng (2008-2018)]
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* [[Russell M. Nelson]] [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/learn/russell-m-nelson?lang=eng (2018-)]
  
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:1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
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These prophets have dedicated themselves to their appointed mission of helping the people of the world prepare for eternal life and for the second coming of Jesus Christ, delivering the message that the Lord would have delivered. The living prophet continues to receive revelations, selects leaders by the spirit of prophecy, and serves as the principal teacher of the Church.
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:2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
 
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:3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
 
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:4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
 
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:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn [you] away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
 
  
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The second rule is recorded in Deuteronomy 18:20-22 and specifies a test for prophets relative to the predictions they make:
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Some who claim that there have been no prophets since the death of Christ's apostles also claim that there is no need for a prophet today. But prophets are the voice of God to reveal "new programs, new truths, new solutions" fitting for the current condition of mankind ("Prophets and Seers of Ancient Times, LDS Old Testament Institute Manual).
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:"[T]here is again a living prophet on the earth speaking in the name of the Lord.  And how we need such guidance! Our times are turbulent and difficult. We see wars internationally and distress domestically. Neighbors all around us face personal heartaches and family sorrows. Legions know fear and troubles of a hundred kinds.
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:Referring to the prophet and apostles who lead the Church: [N]ever in my personal or professional life have I ever associated with any group who are so in touch, who know so profoundly the issues facing us, who look so deeply into the old, stay so open to the new, and weigh so carefully, thoughtfully, and prayerfully everything in between. It is no trivial matter for this church to declare to the world prophecy, seership, and revelation, but we do declare it. It is true light shining in a dark world." (Elder [[Jeffrey R. Holland]], "Prophets in the Land Again," ''Ensign'', November, 2006, 104–107.[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2006/10/prophets-in-the-land-again?lang=eng])
  
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:20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
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==The Spirit of Prophecy==
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:21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?
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"The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19:10). Everyone who receives a witness from God that Jesus is the Christ has been blessed with the spirit of prophecy. He receives this witness independent of his study or the arguments or proofs provided him by man. Moses said: "Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!" (Numbers 11:29)  Moroni (a Book of Mormon prophet) said: "Ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost" (Moroni 10:7 [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/moro/10?lang=eng]). Moroni's invitation—to ask God if the gospel is true—is the same invitation offered by [[Mormon missionaries]] around the world.  In the Book of Mormon, in Mosiah 5 (1–3)[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/5?lang=eng], it says, "We, ourselves, also through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come; and were it expedient, we could prophesy of all things."
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:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that [is] the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, [but] the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
 
  
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The problem is that the rules outlined in Deuteronomy will not work in many situations. For instance, what the predictions carried in a prophetic message have no specific timetable attached? When should a person determine that the prediction did not come true? If the person judges too soon, then the person will be wrong. If the person judges too late, then the person will end up following a false prophet.
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''See also [[Quotes from the Prophets]] and [[Choosing a Prophet]]''
  
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In historical terms, many of the biblical prophets gave predictions without timetable which could not be judged within the lifetime of the hearer. For instance, Isaiah and many Old Testament prophets prophesied about the coming of the Messiah. It was impossible for a hearer to listen to such predictions and wait for their eventual fulfillment and make a decision that would affect how the hearer lived his or her life.
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==External Links==
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*[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2003/10/the-clarion-call-of-prophets?lang=eng "The Clarion Call of Prophets," a conference talk by Shirley D. Christensen]
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In most cases, the decision of whether a prophet is a true prophet or not must rely upon factors not addressed in the Deuteronomic tests. Perhaps the primary factor, besides whether the prophet speaks in the name of the true and living God, is the affect that the prophet has upon the person asked to judge the truth of the prophet’s message. Each person must make the determination of the truthfulness of the prophet’s message based upon whether that message resonates with what the individual knows to be real and true.
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*[http://www.josephsmith.net/portal/site/JosephSmith Joseph Smith - Home]
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*[http://www.josephsmith.com/ Joseph Smith - American Prophet]
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==Book of Mormon Prophets==
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*[http://www.jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/FQ_prophecies.shtml Fufilled Prophecies of Joseph Smith]
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Mormons accept as holy scripture the [[Book of Mormon]]. This inspired record recounts God’s dealings with His covenant people in the Western hemisphere for about a thousand years, from approximately 600 B.C. to 400 A.D. The record indicates the call, charge, and message of many prophets, all following the biblical model for messengers from God.
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*[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/topics/joseph-smith/testimony?lang=eng The Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith]
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*[https://askgramps.org/agree-with-prophet-says-pray/ Ask Gramps]
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The concept of prophetic records being in a book other than the Bible is undoubtedly foreign to many Christians. Mormons believe that such a concept is consistent with Christianity, however, because God loves all His children, and it makes logical sense that He would select messengers (prophets) to minister to those children, as well. It is important that such selection would exhibit the same characteristics as the selection of prophets in the Bible—and Mormons feel that such consistency is evident in the Book of Mormon.
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[[Category:Priesthood]][[Category:Church Callings and Leadership]][[Category:Church Organization]]
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[[Category:Brigham Young]]
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==Latter-day Prophets==
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[[es:Profeta mormón]]
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Besides the prophets of the Bible and the Book of Mormon, Mormons recognize modern prophets. These prophets, like those in ancient times, are viewed as messengers of God; as His servants chosen to convey messages from the Lord to His people and to the world as a whole.
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[[de:Prophet]]
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[[it:Profeta Mormone]]
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The first prophet in modern times is [[Joseph Smith]][http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=1&topic=facts], and his call, charge, and message is consistent with the pattern established for prophets in the Bible. Since the death of Joseph Smith in 1844, an unbroken series of prophets have led the Mormon Church:
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[[fr:Prophètes Mormons]]
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[[ru:Мормонский пророк]]
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* [[Brigham Young]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=2&topic=facts (1844-1877)]  
 
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* [[John Taylor]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=3&topic=facts (1877-1887)]
 
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* [[Wilford Woodruff]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=4&topic=facts (1887-1898)]  
 
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* [[Lorenzo Snow]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=5&topic=facts (1898-1901)]
 
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* [[Joseph F. Smith]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=6&topic=facts (1901-1918)]  
 
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* [[Heber J. Grant]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=7&topic=facts (1918-1945)]  
 
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* [[George Albert Smith]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=8&topic=facts (1945-1951)]  
 
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* [[David O. McKay]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=9&topic=facts (1951-1970)]  
 
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* [[Joseph Fielding Smith]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=10&topic=facts (1970-1972)]  
 
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* [[Harold B. Lee]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=11&topic=facts (1972-1973)]  
 
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* [[Spencer W. Kimball]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=12&topic=facts (1973-1985)]  
 
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* [[Ezra Taft Benson]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=13&topic=facts (1985-1994)]  
 
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* [[Howard W. Hunter]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=14&topic=facts (1994-1995)]  
 
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* [[Gordon B. Hinckley]] [http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=15&topic=facts (1995-present)]  
 
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These prophets have dedicated themselves to their appointed mission of helping the people of the world prepare for eternal life and for the second coming of Jesus Christ, delivering the message that the Lord would have delivered. The living prophet continues to receive revelations, selects leaders by the spirit of prophecy, and serves as the principal teacher of the Church.
 

Latest revision as of 11:54, 15 September 2023

President Nelson and Sister Nelson.jpg

The Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a prophet of God and is also known as the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Latter-day Saints believe that God has an interest in talking to man, and does so through His prophets, whether ancient or modern. The Bible contains a record of God's dealings with prophets in the past, as do the Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price. Modern scripture, such as the Doctrine and Covenants, contains a record of God’s dealings with prophets in modern days.

As of January 2018, the current prophet is Russell M. Nelson.

What is a Prophet?

The title "prophet" is closely connected with the word "prophecy." Most people think of prophets as select individuals chosen to prophesy. Prophets do prophesy, but that is only one of their functions. In the Bible, there is a record of prophets raised up to ancient Israel. Prophets were called then, for the same reasons they are called today—to teach the commandments of God, to instruct people how to live those commandments, to call people to repent and improve, and to bear witness of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The witness they bear of Christ is a personal witness, born of personal experience with the Savior. Prophets were and are messengers, bringing God's will decreed in Heaven for people on earth. Prophets are teachers and expounders of heavenly truths. They receive those truths through close communion with the Lord.

A prophet is a revelator. He receives revelations from the Lord. These revelations have to do with the prophet's stewardship. An example of prophetic stewardship can be found in the ministry of John the Baptist. He was a revelator, called to serve as a forerunner to the ministering Christ, to lead people to Him. He received his knowledge of Christ mostly through revelation. He preached and served in a very small area of Judea, within the confines of his calling and stewardship. Later, the apostle Paul was given a stewardship to preach to the Gentiles. This he did, and he received a revelation, according to that realm of service. Much of what prophets teach is of a practical nature, geared to the current condition of the people they serve. This is why the world always needs prophets, and why God has chosen to send prophets to modern society. Said the ancient prophet Amos: "Surely the Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7).

A prophet is chosen by God as His authorized representative. The fifth Article of Faith says, "We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof." This authority is all-important. A man cannot call himself to the prophetic ministry.

A "seer" sees with spiritual eyes. Because he sees the meaning of God's message to mankind, whether the message comes from scripture or from personal revelation, he can clarify and interpret the message for mankind. A seer can prophesy; he can see into the future and into the past, if God wills it. Moses saw all of mankind: "And it came to pass that Moses looked, and beheld the world upon which he was created; and Moses beheld the world and the ends thereof, and all the children of men which are, and which were created; of the same he greatly marveled and wondered (Pearl of Great Price, Moses 1:8 [1]). The president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a prophet, seer, and revelator.

When the Lord calls a prophet, he chooses a man who is already wise:

Men are called to prophetic office because of their humility and their willingness to be in the hands of the Lord as clay in the hands of the potter. Yet a man called to the prophetic office is almost without exception of high native endowment, often with large experience in life, and possessed of wisdom and sound judgment. That is, the prophet, though but a man, is an able man" (John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations, p. 257).

Book of Mormon Prophets

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ accept as holy scripture the Book of Mormon. This inspired record recounts God’s dealings with His covenant people in the Western hemisphere for about a thousand years, from approximately 600 BC to AD 400. The record describes the call, charge, and message of many prophets, all following the biblical model for messengers from God.

The concept of prophetic records being in a book other than the Bible is undoubtedly foreign to many Christians. Latter-day Saints believe that such a concept is consistent with Christianity, however, because God loves all His children, and it makes logical sense that He would select messengers (prophets) to minister to those children, as well. It is important that such selection would exhibit the same characteristics as the selection of prophets in the Bible—and members of the Church feel that such consistency is evident in the Book of Mormon.

The Old Testament prophet Isaiah told of a future time in the history of the world when the words of prophets would "speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust" (Isaiah 29:4).

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ believe that the coming forth of the Book of Mormon is part of the fulfillment of this prophecy by Isaiah. It was written on metal plates so that the record could be buried and preserved, and was translated by the prophet Joseph Smith in 1829. Those who read it with sincere intent to learn about Jesus Christ find that it does ring true. They learn that those Book of Mormon prophets foresaw the turmoil and confusion of our day, and gave us messages of hope, faith, and inspiration concerning how to draw closer to Jesus Christ as individuals and families.

Latter-day Prophets

The first prophet in modern times was Joseph Smith [2], and his call, charge, and message is consistent with the pattern established for prophets in the Bible. Joseph Smith's particular stewardship was to restore the fullness of the gospel for the "Last Days," to preside over the "dispensation of the fullness of times." Since the death of Joseph Smith in 1844, an unbroken series of prophets have led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

These prophets have dedicated themselves to their appointed mission of helping the people of the world prepare for eternal life and for the second coming of Jesus Christ, delivering the message that the Lord would have delivered. The living prophet continues to receive revelations, selects leaders by the spirit of prophecy, and serves as the principal teacher of the Church.

Some who claim that there have been no prophets since the death of Christ's apostles also claim that there is no need for a prophet today. But prophets are the voice of God to reveal "new programs, new truths, new solutions" fitting for the current condition of mankind ("Prophets and Seers of Ancient Times, LDS Old Testament Institute Manual).

"[T]here is again a living prophet on the earth speaking in the name of the Lord. And how we need such guidance! Our times are turbulent and difficult. We see wars internationally and distress domestically. Neighbors all around us face personal heartaches and family sorrows. Legions know fear and troubles of a hundred kinds.
Referring to the prophet and apostles who lead the Church: [N]ever in my personal or professional life have I ever associated with any group who are so in touch, who know so profoundly the issues facing us, who look so deeply into the old, stay so open to the new, and weigh so carefully, thoughtfully, and prayerfully everything in between. It is no trivial matter for this church to declare to the world prophecy, seership, and revelation, but we do declare it. It is true light shining in a dark world." (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "Prophets in the Land Again," Ensign, November, 2006, 104–107.[3])

The Spirit of Prophecy

"The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19:10). Everyone who receives a witness from God that Jesus is the Christ has been blessed with the spirit of prophecy. He receives this witness independent of his study or the arguments or proofs provided him by man. Moses said: "Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!" (Numbers 11:29) Moroni (a Book of Mormon prophet) said: "Ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost" (Moroni 10:7 [4]). Moroni's invitation—to ask God if the gospel is true—is the same invitation offered by Mormon missionaries around the world. In the Book of Mormon, in Mosiah 5 (1–3)[5], it says, "We, ourselves, also through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come; and were it expedient, we could prophesy of all things."

See also Quotes from the Prophets and Choosing a Prophet

External Links

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