Thomas Monson

Thomas S. Monson is the president and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The role of prophet is one of the few full-time religious positions available to Mormons. (There are, of course, ordinary jobs such as secretaries to do administrative-type work.) Only the prophets and apostles, among all the church’s religious leadership, work full-time. The remainder are volunteers. For instance, when Mitt Romney served as a bishop (a lay pastor) he held regular employment in his community and this supported his family. The extensive work of a bishop was all done after work and family responsibilities were met.

Although the prophet, his two counselors, and the twelve apostles (the counselors are also apostles) serve full-time, they do not receive a salary. This is due to biblical warnings about priestcraft—the ability to become wealthy doing the work of the Church. Since most who serve in these positions are older, they often have pensions or other sources of private income, even though they can no longer hold outside employment. Those who do not receive a modest stipend which allows them to live at a reasonable standard of living, but not to become wealthy. While most religions pay their ministers and many leaders of popular churches become wealthy, a Mormon leader can only achieve wealth prior to his call to full-time service. No matter how much money the Church makes, leaders do not personally profit from that money.

Due to privacy, the church does not reveal who is receiving financial help from the church, whether it is an ordinary church member receiving charitable assistance or a leader receiving a small stipend. Thomas S. Monson became an apostle at the age of 36, an unusually young age for such a call. (He was also an unusually young bishop.) Prior to his call, he had worked in the printing industry as the General Manager of Deseret News Press. It is possible he receives a stipend, due to how young he was when he gave up paid employment, but it’s also possible his children and other relatives support him instead. He may even have savings invested that support him. How he supports himself really isn’t important. However he does so, he does not receive a paycheck or a share of the money brought in by the church.

 If a stipend is given, it does not come from tithing money. Unlike many churches, which count all their businesses as part of their ministry, the Mormons operate a for-profit arm for their businesses. These businesses pay taxes at the same rate as any other businesses. They are operated under a holding company. It is the for-profit arm that provides the stipend, so that the money donated by members is not used for salaries. The prophet does not own these businesses, nor does he receive a share of the profits from them. The profits are used to fund church work, including things like salaries that must not be paid from tithing funds.

Mormons love being part of a volunteer system. It allows them to serve God entirely unselfishly. They don’t accept service to gain a paycheck; they accept it entirely because they love God and want to serve Him and to be a part of His work. There are, of course, rewards that go far beyond anything a paycheck could provide.

Mormons normally don’t choose their callings. When a leader of an organization needs someone to fill a position, he or she considers possible names of people she knows or who might be available. She then evaluates those names, praying for inspiration, and then chooses one. She prays to find out if this name is acceptable to God and if it is, she submits it to the bishop for approval. This is done because he knows more about the person and whether or not that person is actually available for the position. When everyone has prayed and is in agreement, the chosen person is invited to accept the call. Knowing it is from God, most Mormons will accept even if they feel unqualified for the position. Of course, if there is information he or she might have that is pertinent, such as a serious family situation requiring priority, the person will ask to have that considered.

People generally change positions every few years. This allows them to serve in a wide range of positions over the years and to gain many skills. It also improves their understanding of the organization of the church because they see it from many different viewpoints. There is no promotion, so a person might be the president of the children’s Primary one week, and helping a toddler nursery leader the next and not consider it a demotion in any way. It is simply another responsibility.

The skills learned through church service often force people outside their comfort zones. A shy follower may find herself asked to lead a large women’s organization. A man who doesn’t feel organized might be asked to be the secretary—a position requiring extensive organizational skills. A person new to the church can be asked to teach a class, even though she will first have to learn the doctrines she will be teaching. As people accept positions they would never have volunteered for, they become more than they imagined they could be. Mormons believe God knows them perfectly and knows all they are capable of becoming. When He chooses a calling for them, He is often putting them into a situation that requires the growth needed to become the person God knows they can be.

From a practical standpoint, some church-learned skills later become job skills. A teenager who discovers she has a knack for teaching might decide to major in education. Someone invited to teach literacy may find it very rewarding and go on to major in adult literacy or decide to volunteer to teach it in the community once it is no longer her church work. Many who gain public speaking skills or leadership skills in church go on to become leaders in business or government. This too is part of God’s plan to help us create the life He wants us to lead.

Mormons at all level of the Church serve God happily and lovingly, thrilled to be a part of His gospel.

Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life has just released a 125-page report which resulted from an extensive survey of Mormons. Mormon is the nickname some use to describe members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This study is the first to be done by non-LDS researchers and looks into the religious and daily lives of Mormons. The survey involved more than 1100 Mormons of varying levels of testimony and activity.

The name of the report demonstrates the basic results of the study: Mormons in America: Certain in Their Beliefs, Uncertain of Their Place in Society,” Mormons in the study showed some concern over how they are viewed. They don’t want to be just like everyone else, but they do want their beliefs treated with dignity and respect.

To this end, as the title suggests, many Mormons are unsure of their acceptance in society. Half felt evangelical Christians were usually unfriendly to them. 54 percent felt media portrayals were damaging to their faith and 62 percent felt Americans don’t know much about them. Although two-thirds of Mormons don’t believe most Americans see them as part of the mainstream, 63 percent feel that their level of acceptance is improving.

The other part of the study’s title reveals that Mormons themselves have very sure testimonies of their beliefs. 97 percent of Mormons describe their religion as a Christian religion. 74 percent were raised in the Mormon faith and 65 percent have current temple recommends. This last statistic is important because a temple recommend requires a member to have belonged to the church for at least a year and to have a strong testimony of several key doctrines. In addition, they have to be living a moral and spiritual lifestyle. As a result, it is one indicator of a person’s commitment to his or her religion.

Deseret News, which summarized the lengthy report, said:

“In terms of religious beliefs and practices, the survey makes it clear that Mormons are highly religious — again, not a big surprise. Eighty-two percent say that religion is very important in their lives, and 77 percent say they believe wholeheartedly in all of the church’s teachings. Fully 83 percent say they pray every day, 79 percent say they donate 10 percent of their earnings to the church in tithing and 77 percent say they attend church at least once a week. According to Pew, “Mormons exhibit higher levels of religious commitment than many other religious groups, including white evangelical Protestants.”

Looking at basic, core religious beliefs, 98 percent say they believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 94 percent believe the president of the LDS Church is a prophet of God, 95 percent believe that families can be bound together eternally in temple ceremonies, 94 percent believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ are separate, physical beings and 91 percent believe that the Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets.

Clearly, Mormons are believers.” (See ‘Mormons in America’ Pew survey explores beliefs, attitudes of LDS Church members, By Joseph Walker, Deseret News; Published: Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012 10:00 p.m. MST.)

Despite facing the ordinary trials of life, 87 percent of Mormons say they are satisfied with life, a figure higher than that of the general public. However, they also feel a strong responsibility to help others achieve better lives. 73 percent said that helping the poor was an essential element of Mormonism.

The study, and previous Pew studies in which Mormons were ranked against other religions, demonstrate that the Mormons are doing something right. The religion creates a high level of faith and morality. Mormons are well-known for their commitment to living clean, moral lives and for being happy while they do it. In a world that claims we can’t enjoy life without being immoral, Mormons are proving that morality is rewarding and joyous.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes nicknamed Mormons, believe the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, is the third member of the Godhead. The Godhead consists of God, the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Mormons do not accept the trinity, a post-Biblical belief that the Godhead is not made up of three separate and individual beings.

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me (John 17).

These verses are taken from the King James translation of the Great Intercessory Prayer given by Jesus Christ. In other places, Jesus had said that He and His Father were one, and in these verses, we are given an understanding of what He meant by this. He is saying He wants His apostles to be one in the same way God and Jesus Christ are one—unified. It is obvious He did not mean to add them to the trinity.

Mormons believe that God and Jesus Christ have physical, but perfected and glorified bodies, but that the Holy Ghost is a spirit without a body. Stephen’s vision demonstrated that both God and Jesus Christ are physically visible and are separate beings:

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. (Acts 7)

It is important to note that Stephen was murdered for daring to testify of this.

However, the Holy Ghost does not have a body, in order to better fulfill His role in the Godhead. One responsibility of the Holy Ghost is to testify of God and Jesus Christ, as well as of other gospel truths. When we want to know what is true, we can pray and ask God. The answer will be given to us through the Holy Ghost.

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come (John 16:13).

We understand from this verse that we can trust the promptings of the Holy Ghost because He never offers His own opinions. He tells us only what God tells Him to say. God has promised us that if we ask Him for wisdom and knowledge He will give it to us.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him (James 1:5).

Mormons consider this to be a critical scripture. It helps us understand that the only way to know what is true is to ask God, who will answer us through the Holy Ghost. Mormons are taught not to trust the testimony of other mortals. While hearing the testimony of others is helpful and important, it must not be our final source of truth. If we pray and ask God what is true, we will never be misled. Although there are some who reject the Mormon teaching to pray about truth, suggesting we can’t tell where the answer is coming from, Mormons trust the Bible and they trust God. Mormons know that God keeps His promises. If He promises He will answer our religious questions, then He will also ensure the Holy Ghost can present those answers in a way the person praying can recognize as coming from God. One way this happens is that when a person tells God he believes something to be true, and asks for confirmation of this—the proper way to approach a request for wisdom—the petitioner will have a feeling of peace and joy. Satan cannot bring about peace and joy. Many people feel a stirring in their heart that feels warm and comforting. Satan cannot bring comfort. The more often we turn to God for advice, the better we become at recognizing how He answers us. These answers always come through the Holy Ghost.

Another role of the Holy Ghost is to provide comfort. The Savior called the Holy Ghost the Comforter for this reason. He can comfort our hearts when we are frightened, worried, or struggling. This comfort reassures us that God is in charge and is helping us through our trials.

A third role of the Holy Ghost is protection. When we are trying to do the right thing, the Holy Ghost will accompany us and warn us of danger or that we are about to sin. When we listen to these promptings, we have increased safety, sometimes physically, and always spiritually.

It is through the Holy Ghost that we’re sanctified when we repent. This sanctification also occurs when we receive special ordinances, such as baptism.

Everyone, from birth, is entitled to the influence of the Holy Ghost. Otherwise, we would be unable to learn what is true. However, to have the Gift of the Holy Ghost, which is to have Him with us every moment if we are worthy, we must first be baptized by someone who has the appropriate priesthood authority and confirmed a member of the Church. At the time of confirmation, the Gift of the Holy Ghost is given. Mormon children are baptized at the age of eight, which is considered the age of accountability—the age when they are old enough to understand right from wrong if taught.

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38).

 With this gift, a person has the right to receive the Holy Ghost as a constant companion. However, this is contingent on worthiness. If we are living unworthily or if we ignore the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we lose His companionship. If we intentionally put ourselves in danger—particularly spiritual danger—and ignore the warnings of the Holy Ghost to flee—we will lose His companionship because He can’t accompany us into evil settings we have chosen for ourselves. It is our responsibility to live in a manner that is worthy of His companionship and to obey His promptings.

Following are some thoughts Thomas S. Monson, president and prophet of the Mormons, has offered concerning the Holy Ghost:

When you, my dear young friends, frame your life with faith, you will merit the companionship of the Holy Ghost. You will have “a perfect brightness of hope” (2 Ne. 31:20). (From “The Lighthouse of the Lord: A Message to the Youth of the Church,” Ensign, Feb. 2001, 2–7.)

 

Long years ago a divine command was given by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, as He said to His beloved eleven disciples: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”¹ Mark records that “they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them.”²

This sacred charge has not been rescinded. Rather, it has been reemphasized. The Prophet Joseph Smith set forth the purpose of the Church when he declared: “It is the bringing of men and women to a knowledge of the eternal truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Redeemer and Savior of the world, and that only through belief in Him, and faith which manifests itself in good works, can men and nations enjoy peace” (That All May Hear, General Conference, April 1995).

Precious young people, make every decision you contemplate pass this test: What does it do to me? What does it do for me? And let your code of conduct emphasize not “What will others think?” but rather “What will I think of myself?” Be influenced by that still, small voice. Remember that one with authority placed his hands on your head at the time of your confirmation and said, “Receive the Holy Ghost.” Open your hearts, even your very souls, to the sound of that special voice that testifies of truth. As the prophet Isaiah promised, “Thine ears shall hear a word … saying, This is the way, walk ye in it” (Isaiah 30:21) (Standards of Strength, New Era, October 2008).

 

A Mormon apostle testifies of the Holy Ghost in this video:

A new poll by USA Today and Gallop show that Thomas S. Monson, prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is the tenth most admired man. The poll is taken by telephone calls to people in the United States. Members of the church President Monson leads are often nicknamed Mormons. Although the presidents of the Church often get mentioned, this is the first time a Mormon president has made the list.

Thomas S. Monson is best known for his compassion for others. Raised during the depression, he remembers his mother feeding what were then called hobos. These young men, who rode the rails across country, marked the fences of people who were known to feed the homeless. Each man who knocked at her kitchen door received a hot bowl of soup and was asked only to contact his mother and let her know he was safe.

At Christmas time, the family took gifts to those in need. President Monson remembers delivering food and toys to homes, and once, as a child, provided one of his own beloved birds to give a friend a Christmas dinner.

This childhood training in compassion led to President Monson becoming as compassionate as his parents in adulthood. When he was only twenty-two, he was called to be the bishop of his congregation. A bishop is a lay pastor—the Mormons don’t use paid clergy—who does all the work of a paid minister, but has a family and secular employment at the same time. He was unusually young for a bishop, and his congregation was particularly challenging due to being larger than usual, with 1050 members, and having 85 of those members be widows.

Mormons have programs to help care for their church members who are in need. It is called a welfare program, and is administered by the bishop, usually in conjunction with the president of the women’s Relief Society. Bishop Monson, as he was then known, oversaw a congregation whose boundaries ran alongside the railroad tracks. Mormon congregations have specific boundaries and people attend a congregation based on where they live. Many people lived in basements, back rooms, or falling apart houses and it was his job to track them all down and make certain they were not hungry, sick, or in need. J. Reuben Clark, a high level church leader who helped train Bishop Monson, focused on ways to help the widows. President Monson said of this training:

“Knowing that I was a new bishop presiding over a difficult ward, he emphasized the need for me to know my people, to understand their circumstances, and, in the spirit of tenderness, to minister to their needs. One day he recounted the example of the Savior as recorded in Luke, chapter seven, verses eleven through fifteen:

“And it came to pass … that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him. …

“When he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. …

“And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

“And he came and touched the bier. … And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

“And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.” [Luke 7:11–15]

When President Clark closed the Bible, I noticed that he was weeping. In a quiet voice he said, “Tom, be kind to the widows, and look after the poor.’” (See Thomas S. Monson, “The Bishop, Center Stage in Welfare,” October 1990 General Conference Address.)

Each year he took a chicken, obtained from a local farm, as his personal gift to each of the widows for their Christmas dinner. He promised to speak at each of their funerals, and he did, even though by the time some died he was an apostle and constantly traveling the world for the Church.

President Monson’s sermons frequently dwell on the importance of individual responsibility toward those in need. He advises church members to look for ways to serve without waiting for an assignment. This focus on service is one of the reasons he is so highly admired, both within and without the church.

President Monson was unusually young for a bishop and he was also unusually young for an apostle. Apostles are called to their position for life, just as they were in the time of Jesus Christ. Thomas S. Monson was only thirty-six years old when he became an apostle. The Church has twelve apostles, following the pattern established by Jesus, and a First Presidency, consisting of the prophet, who is also the President of the Church, and two counselors. The senior member of this group becomes the new prophet on the death of the current prophet. He selects his own counselors.

President Monson first served in the First Presidency in 1985, giving him many years of experience under three presidents before becoming the prophet in February of 2008. He is the sixteenth president of the church.

Mormon leaders are, as mentioned earlier, lay leaders, so they have private sector experience in most cases. President Monson graduated from the University of Utah in Business Management. He taught there as well and later received an MBA from Brigham Young University. He served in the Navy near the end of World War II. He was a General Manager for Deseret Printing until he became an Apostle.

President Monson is married to the former Frances Johnson and has three children, eight grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

President Monson has served in many capacities in the secular world and in 1981, he was appointed to the President’s Task Force for Private Sector Initiatives, serving under President Ronald Reagan. He remained on the task force until its work was complete. He has also been a member of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America.

In April 2008, shortly after becoming the prophet, Thomas S. Monson offered the following promise to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

“With all my heart and the fervency of my soul, I declare that God does live. Jesus is His Son, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. He is our Redeemer; He is our Mediator with the Father. He loves us with a love we cannot fully comprehend, and because He loves us, He gave His life for us. My gratitude to Him is beyond expression….

I pledge my life, my strength in serving Him and in directing the affairs of His Church in accordance with His will and by His inspiration.” (Thomas S. Monson,” Looking Back and Moving Forward,” Ensign, May, 2008.)

When Jesus Christ organized His church, He chose twelve men to assist Him in His work. He called them apostles, which means, “one sent forth.” (See Luke 6:13.) In John 16, He taught them their role in His ministry:

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

From this we learn that a man cannot call himself to be an apostle—the call must come from God. Their assignment was to be a special witness to the divinity of Jesus Christ and to be missionaries to the world. Later in the chapter, he warns them the world will hate them, not because of who they were as people, but because of Jesus and His teachings.

We can see the Savior considered it important to have twelve apostles, because when Judas turned on Jesus Christ and was removed as an apostle, he was replaced by Matthias.

The structure of the early church, then, was to have Jesus at the head of the Church, with twelve apostles serving under Him. From the Old Testament, and the earliest days of the New Testament, we see that God placed a prophet as the earthly head of the church. Jesus Christ, of course, was always the head of the church, with the prophet serving as His representative.

The apostle Paul outlined how the Savior’s church was meant to operate. In Ephesians 2:20, he said, “20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” In Ephesians 4:11 he enlarges his explanation of how the church is to be built:

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Since this was meant to be the form for God’s church until we were all unified in the faith, it is clear there is a still a need for that structure. We are not yet unified as a world in the Christian faith.

However, most churches have abandoned the original, Christ-chosen method of leading God’s church. They have abandoned the concept of prophets and apostles for newer structures. Many churches reject the idea that God will continue to provide prophets today to help us navigate these complex religious times, and some believe prophets were not needed once Jesus came. That, of course, is not found in the Bible. In fact the Bible reports that at least two of the apostles were considered prophets after Jesus died:

And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them (Acts 15:32). This chapter helps to illustrate the reason apostles and prophets were still needed after Jesus died. In this chapter, we learn the Saints at Antioch were arguing over the need for circumcision. The apostles made the decision. In times in which there were no apostles and prophets, people simply had to guess and these types of dissentions led to the formation of many different churches.

Because God understood the wisdom of having a church structured with prophets and apostles, when He restored the church in modern times, He instructed Joseph Smith to use this same structure. Since Jesus is no longer on the earth, a prophet takes the place of earthly head of the church, under the direction of Jesus Christ.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are nicknamed Mormons, structure their church under the ancient pattern described in Ephesians 4:11. They demonstrate the truthfulness of God’s promise to do nothing except through His prophets. (See Amos 3:7.)

Today, the apostles are the second highest presiding body of God’s modern restored church. The highest presiding body is the First Presidency, consisting of the prophet and two counselors. Together, these fifteen compose a group of full-time servants of God, who travel the world testifying of the divinity of Jesus Christ. They also manage the work of the church.

The apostles hold the keys to the kingdom of God. This term means they hold the authority to preside over the church. We read of these keys of authority in the Bible, in Matthew 16:19, when Jesus tells Peter:

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

We saw that the Bible described two of Jesus’ apostles as prophets. All apostles are called as prophets, seers, and revelators, although only the prophet, who also acts as president of the Church, holds all the keys and can receive revelation for the entire church. He must then take that revelation to the apostles and allow them to receive personal revelation on the subject for themselves. Finally, the prophecy is given to the entire church for a sustaining vote, meaning the members promise God they will live by the revelation and support it. Revelation is never received and then kept private. It is given for the purpose of helping God’s children understand what God wants them to do or to know, just as it was in Biblical times.

Having a church built on prophets and apostles protects us. During the long apostasy that began when Jesus and the apostles were dead and ended when Joseph Smith was chosen as the first prophet of the restoration, the Christian faith survived, but it lacked a foundation. Just as the apostles found church members arguing over circumcision, throughout history, churches have debated a wide range of critical doctrine. These debates could not be resolved by having the prophets and apostles ask God for the truth, because there were none. Church leaders could search the Bible, but often interpreted it in different ways. When they could not agree, they had to either put the doctrine to a human vote or divide the church. Over the years, many churches have formed due to disagreements over important saving doctrines.

A foundation of prophets and apostles avoids this. Just as in ancient times, Mormons can turn to the apostles and prophets to guide them when they don’t understand a scripture reference or don’t know how to apply Biblical teachings to decidedly modern issues. In those who have prayed to God to know who today’s prophet really is, there is security in knowing God is at the head of the Church, still guiding, directing, and teaching His children through his apostles and prophets, just as He promised to do in the Bible.

On November 2, 2011, Thomas S. Monson spoke to students at Brigham Young University. Thomas Monson is the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and is also their prophet. The members of this church are sometimes referred to as Mormons, an acceptable nickname for the people, but not for the religion.

President Monson advised his listeners, who filled the Marriot Center on campus, to become examples of the believers, as counseled by the apostle Paul in the Bible:

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity (1 Timothy 4:12).

Paul also called on us to be a light unto the world. President Monson defined light as something that illuminates. When we are examples of righteousness, we illuminate a dark world.

Every person is given the light of Christ, which helps us to discern truth when we hear it. Moroni, a prophet whose writings are found in the Book of Mormon, taught a similar truth:

“For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God” (Moroni 7:19).

President Monson said many people have let outside influences dim their lights until they are almost out, and we must be careful not to let that happen. We have a responsibility to keep our light strong so it can shine for others. We need to strengthen our testimonies and recognize our reliance on God. Too many think they are in need of nothing greater than themselves.

President Monson shared a story of Clayton Christiansen, a well-known professor at Harvard. HE received a scholarship to Oxford after leaving Brigham Young University. He realized it would be hard to live the gospel at Oxford, given the demands for meetings and activities the scholarship demanded. He had read the Book of Mormon seven times, but felt he had not yet received an answer as to whether or not it was true. He felt he needed to know the church was true in order to remain strong in the church during this time. Previously, he had only read the Book of Mormon when assigned to do so, and his goal had merely been to complete the assignment. He decided he needed his own testimony, not one based on his parents’ faith.  He decided to read the Book of Mormon every night from eleven to midnight. He didn’t know if he could afford to spend a full hour on this, but he committed to do it—for himself this time. He began by promising God that if God would tell him it was true, he would dedicate his life to the gospel, and if it wasn’t true, he’d dedicate his life to finding what was true. Night after night he read and prayed. When he finished 2 Nephi, he received a personal testimony of the Book of Mormon. He continued reading each night, and each time the Spirit confirmed to him the truthfulness of the book.

To be a light to others, we first have to strengthen our own testimony, or to gain it, as Clayton Christiansen did. Then we can share that with others. Those who are good examples are witnesses of Christ’s teachings through their own actions and can have a powerful impact on the lives and faith of others. Thomas S. Monson admonished the students to always be known as followers of Christ, not afraid to share their beliefs and always showing others how a follower of Christ lives.

Quoting the Lion King movie, he said, “Look inside yourself. You are more than you have become. Remember who you are.”

Watch the entire address by Thomas S. Monson.

We can draw lessons from prophets of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon Church“).

I believe a prophet’s example is one of the strongest sermons given over the pulpit of life.

VISUAL ACUITY

In John 1:35-36, John the Baptist discerned Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the Law of Moses, saying, “Behold the Lamb of God.”

I hope to increase my visual acuity of the Savior, discerning who He really is and what He means to me: His divinity, His doctrine, His Atonement He alone could only perform, and His work shouldered by prophets and apostles even to this day.

John’s special witness of Jesus did not fall on deaf ears either.

In verse 37, we read, “And the two disciples heard him speak …”

Revelation is communication from God to mankind. From the very beginning of time, God has communicated with His children on earth, helping them to learn what is true and how to live. This revelation happens at many levels, from the revelations given to prophets for all mankind to the quiet communication of God to an individual child with a personal problem.

Most people think of revelation in terms of the Biblical prophets, who spoke directly to God and received great visions. Only a prophet can receive revelation for the entire church. When a prophet of God speaks, we are all accountable for what he teaches, even if we choose to ignore what is taught. A common example of this would be when Noah called the people to repent. When they did not, the flood came and they paid the price—choosing not to accept the revelation didn’t make it invalid or free them from the need to obey. This helps us to understand the importance of finding out what is true and what source provides truth. When a prophet speaks, God expects us to listen, so first, we must find out to whom He is speaking.

God gives revelation to those who have stewardship or responsibility over the subject of the revelation. This is why only the prophet can receive revelation for the entire church. He is the person with that stewardship. A leader of a religious congregation can receive revelation for his congregation, because that is his special stewardship. When he ends his service to that congregation, he is no longer entitled to revelation for that position. A parent can receive revelation concerning his children. All of us can receive revelation for our own lives, as well.

Even in Biblical times, important revelation meant for everyone was fairly rare. Most of the time, the prophets simply reminded people of what they’d already been taught and still needed to act on. Most revelations did not come through visions and visitations, but through quiet revelation. Prophets normally receive revelation in exactly the same way everyone else does.

That said, how do ordinary people receive revelation for their own lives?

To receive recelation from God, we must prepare ourselves to receive it. We need to build a relationship with Him so that we understand how His gospel works and how He interacts with us. This involves reading the scriptures to study how God has interacted with us in the past and what He expects of us today. Then we need to live the way He has asked us to live.

It means spending time in real prayer—not reciting prayers, but speaking to Him from our hearts about our worries and fears. We need to tell God how thankful we are for what we’ve already received because that helps us become more aware of our blessings and God’s role in them. Then we need to sit quietly and wait to see what happens. In time, we’ll come to recognize a peaceful, warm sensation in our hearts that tells us God is nearby and listening. Satan cannot bring peace or joy. These feelings are always from God.

Once we’ve learned to recognize these feelings and are living in a way that shows respect for God and His teachings, we can receive personal revelation. Revelation will most often come in quiet ways, so we have to be patient and listen with our hearts. We need to turn off the music, the television, and other distractions, especially when we are just learning to recognize what revelation feels like.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes called Mormons, are taught to first study an issue out in their minds. For instance, if a student wanted to know which college to attend, she would research a variety of them and select the one she feels is best for her. Then she would take her choice to God and ask Him if she’s chosen well. A warm and peaceful feeling is God’s reassurance that she has made a good choice. (It might be that several schools would meet with His approval.) A confused or negative feeling tells her she needs to start again.

Sometimes revelation comes in the form of a thought of impression. It will take practice to know which impressions are revelations and which are just thoughts. As you act on those thoughts, you will learn how to know which are from God. A thought from God might be a simple suggestion: “Lisa is lonely. Go visit her today.”

On rare occasions, a revelation will come in actual words you can hear. This is usually in the case of an emergency, where there isn’t time to analyze whether or not the thought was an impression or a mere thought. “Go to the baby. She’s in danger.”

Modern prophets, like prophets of old, receive revelation from God, most often in the same form we do. God considers revelation important, and we, as ordinary children of God, can receive personal revelation just as Moses received it in his day.

Who is God’s prophet today?

Have you ever finished reading the Bible and sighed in disappointment because there was nothing else? God’s words are so important, so wonderful, you wish you had more of them to read. Have you ever searched the Bible for an answer to a modern problem that simply wasn’t covered by the Bible, and wondered what God would want you to do about it?

When we study the Bible, we see that the needs of God’s people changed often. Noah needed to build an ark, but Moses didn’t. He needed to lead people through the wilderness safely. Each prophet had specific challenges he faced, based on political and social conditions and the specific behaviors of people in that time. New challenges arose, new temptations, and new ways of thinking. In the New Testament, when Jesus died, his apostles struggled to keep people from adapting false or slightly false beliefs based on their cultures, the rise of Greek philosophy, or simply a misinterpretation of teachings. Sometimes the new Christians simply had questions that hadn’t been answered, so they guessed, and often they guessed wrong. The apostles struggled to keep these from arising, but often without success. For instance, in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is found chastising members for believing there would be no resurrection of the dead. He also scolded the Galatians for their lapse into false teachings. (See Galatians 1.) Paul spoke strongly to the Colossians about their rising faith in Gnosticism, a false belief that was invading early Christianity.

Read more about early signs of the Apostasy.

After the apostles were gone, no one else had the authority to receive revelation from God. Most Christians today accept that prophecy ended either with Christ’s death or after the death of the apostles. Mormons (a nickname informally used to describe those who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) believe the apostles were called as prophets, entitled to seek truth from God and to proclaim it officially. Acts 15:32 says, “And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.” Judas and Silas, of course, were apostles ,demonstrating that apostles are also prophets.

During the long years in which there were not prophets, times changed dramatically. Issues that were not a concern—or not even invented yet—became challenges for Christians world-wide. Although the early church struggled, brave men and women worked hard to keep it alive and growing. However, they often struggled to know what was true. Although they studied the Bible, they often disagreed over essential doctrines. When this happened, it often led to the creation of new religions.

During the reformation, courageous men spoke out, boldly proclaiming that Christianity no longer existed in a pure form that matched what was taught by Jesus Christ. They believed corruption and false doctrine had crept in over the years. Many died for their courage. These leaders did the best they could to resolve what they considered to be incorrect doctrine, but even within the Protestant movement, there was not always agreement about what was wrong, and today there are many different Protestant sects, all teaching conflicting doctrine, even on subjects that are eternally critical.

Many people today, anxious to find the truth, look at these many churches and their conflicting doctrines, and then turn to the Bible. They note that in Amos 3:7, we are promised, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” They wonder if this means God is doing nothing important today, and yet, the last days are here and the Second Coming is approaching. Surely God is doing important things to prepare for that time. How can they know what those things are and what their own responsibility is in these last days?

Thinking people yearn for a prophet. They ask, “Does God speak today? Does He love us enough to guide us through the complexities of a world that is entirely different than the one in which the Bible was written? Is there a way to know what is true in an ever-growing complexity of competing ideas?”

Mormons say yes, God does speak today. He does love us enough to help us work through these last days knowing exactly what is true. Mormons do not believe that when Jesus died, God retreated and now refuses to speak to us, or that He is disinterested in helping us find the truth. Mormons do not believe God doesn’t want us to pray to Him to find out what is true.

In 1830, a fourteen-year-old boy named Joseph Smith had many of the same questions  with which people today struggle. In view of the contradictions taught by the various Protestant churches in his area, he wondered how he could possibly know which church to join. While reading the Bible, he came across James 1:5:

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

He decided this was the obvious solution to his problem. God was really the only sure source of truth—anyone else could be wrong. He went into the woods to pray and received his first vision—a visit from God and Jesus Christ. Jesus instructed him not to join any of the currently existing churches. The lack of prophecy had caused too many errors to slip into the doctrine.

Once he was an adult, God sent an angel named Moroni to train him for his future role as the first prophet of modern times. In Biblical times, God often took the prophets from the earth, but He always returned them in time, and He had done so once again.

Today, our complex world holds many challenges for those who want to obey God’s word. Essential doctrines on family, the road to salvation, baptism, and other doctrine are being debated with fervor and sometimes even described as unimportant or subject to modern fads. Since Joseph Smith assumed his place as the first prophet of the restoration, there has continued to be a prophet at the head of the Church. Today’s prophet is Thomas S. Monson.

Does God speak today? He does. Through his prophets and apostles, He helps us to understand the choices available to us and the consequences for each choice. When new situations arise, God can help us know how to approach them. Instead of having to pray individually about every possible doctrine—a time consuming and complicated process that essentially involves creating your own religion—you are able to pray to know if President Monson really is a prophet. God will tell you—He has promised to do so. Then, having that assurance from God, you will know you can trust him. However, if at any time he were to say something you were not sure about, you would again be free to pray to know for yourself.

Mormons believe in personal revelation. They believe God speaks to the entire church through the prophets, but they also believe God speaks to us individually if we ask Him to do so. We may not hear actual words, but our hearts will assure us the answer really is from God. Although there are some who warn people not to pray about truth, the Bible tells us we should and that God will answer—Mormons believe the promise of James 1:5. Satan cannot fill our hearts with peace and joy, so it is very easy to tell who is answering your prayers.

Do you want to know more about Thomas S. Monson? Try these websites to learn about him:

Thomasmonson.com: An unofficial website by ordinary Mormons

Biography of Thomas S. Monson

Speeches by Thomas S. Monson

Often, people who want to keep others from researching The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do so by telling others it is a cult. They use the nickname of its members—Mormons—to suggest the members follow a moral named Mormon or perhaps the first president of the Church, Joseph Smith, instead of Jesus Christ.

Labels like cult or non-Christian are common techniques designed to play on the emotions. Those who encourage name-calling don’t want their own followers to think. An emotionally loaded term like Mormon cult helps many people to simply feel something and stops them from taking the time to research or even think it through. Some who were taught this admitted they didn’t know why they used the term or even what it really meant.

If you’ve never looked up the word in a real dictionary, take a moment to do so. A quick visit to the Oxford Dictionary shows us what a cult is. In real dictionaries, the most common usage for a word is the first one. The further down the list the term is, the less common the definition is.

The first definition—the most common usage—is: “a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object.” Does this describe Mormonism? Mormons do not worship objects. They worship God and Jesus Christ. If those people are accepted as particular figures, then they are part of a cult, but so is every other Christian religion. Contrary to popular gossip, Mormons do not worship either Mormon or Joseph Smith. Both these men were prophets, just as were Moses and Noah in the Old Testament. They are treated the same way we treat Biblical prophets—we honor and respect them, but do not worship them, anymore than members of other Christian and Jewish religions worship Noah.

The most common definition of a cult, then, either does not apply to Mormons or it applies to all Christian religions, depending on what you accept as the figure a cult worships. Mormon cult” is an inaccurate term according to this definition.

The second definition of cult is, “a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.” With more than 14 million people worldwide, the religion of the Mormon people is hardly small. There are approximately as many Mormons in the United States as there are Jewish people. The first part of this definition also makes the term “Mormon cult” invalid. The second part of this is that the cult must have beliefs that others consider strange or sinister. This, of course, is a subjective statement that can be applied to any religion—or any person. What seems very normal to one person seems weird or sinister to another. Every religion has aspects others see as weird or sinister—communion, tithing, angels, even belief in a Savior. Many religions have martyrs who chose to die rather than to deny their faith. Non-religious people often find it sinister that religious people are taught this is a worthwhile decision, while religious people find it inspirational. Many social issues accepted as natural to some religions seem weird or sinister to others—issues related to abortion, immigration, or the definition of marriage for instance. This definition is generally useless in terms of defining a cult.

The final and least common definition of a cult in this dictionary is: “A misplaced or excessive admiration for a particular person or thing.” Mormons don’t worship things, so this definition does not apply. As for the misplaced or excessive admiration, this again is a generic statement and subject to personal opinion. This statement would only create a Mormon cult if the person referred to is Jesus Christ, but of course Mormons—and other Christians—don’t consider their belief in Jesus Christ excessive or misplaced.

In an article on the CNN website, Richard Mouw, president of the Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, addressed this subject. Fuller is an evangelical Christian seminary. He explained that he has studied cults extensively and also meets regularly with a closed-door group of Mormons, including Mormon apostles and an equal number of evangelical leaders. While Mormons and evangelicals have many theological differences, he has found the differences aren’t as large as he once thought.

Mouw does not believe there is a Mormon cult. As one example, he says cults do not participate in respectful discussions of religious issues and feel only they benefit from God’s favor. His participation in the religious group is, he says, one sign Mormons are not a cult. They enjoy learning about other religions and discussing the issues. They also quote and study religious leaders of other faiths. (If you read through speeches by Mormon leaders, you’ll see quotes from rabbis, Mother Theresa, and leaders from many religious faiths.)

He says cults do not promote scholarship or have universities and law schools that allow them to participate in the world’s discovery of information. He reminds his readers that Brigham Young University, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is a world-class university. In addition, many of the church’s top leaders have advanced degrees from ivy league universities. They are not afraid of knowledge and education.

Mouw showed some of his students a video of a Mormon apostle speaking on the last week of Jesus Christ’s life and on the atonement. (The video can be viewed at the end of this article.) The students admitted that they would have thought he was an evangelical minister had they not known he was a Mormon. There was nothing uncomfortable, strange, or referring to a “different Jesus” in his speech.

Read My Take: This evangelical says Mormonism isn’t a cult.

When researching a religion, it is important to follow Jesus’ counsel to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Mouw said he has been asked if evangelicalism is a cult. No one wants his or her religion referred to that way, especially if it’s not true. We need to treat the religions of others the way we want others to treat our own religion.

One step to doing this is to do accurate research. Learn how to validate sources and recognize bias. If you read an article that says Mormons worship Joseph Smith, for instance, and then you discover that isn’t true (it isn’t true!), then you know the author is not a knowledgeable or trustworthy source. If someone were going to learn about you, would you ask them to go only to your enemies and those who want to destroy you for their information? Of course not. You’d want them to talk to you. When researching any religion, go to the religion’s own sources, ones its members would consider valid. This is, presumably, how you research your own religion, so it should be how you research other religions.

Visit Mormon.org or LDS.org for official information. Mormon.org is designed for people who are not Mormon and want to learn the basics. LDS.org is for Mormons, although nearly everything is accessible, including the student and teacher manuals for the actual classes taught at church and the official magazine. Only congregational websites are excluded, to protect the privacy of the members, and sections for people who hold a specific church job—but even Mormons can’t get into those unless they currently hold those positions.

Another step is to use inclusive language. Using insulting nicknames or terms is un-Christ-like. Speak using respectful terminology and show the kind of respect to others about their beliefs you want others to show for yours. Accept the way others describe themselves. Deciding who is and is not a Christian is God’s prerogative and so our job is to simply accept the self-definition of each group. We don’t have to agree with each doctrine, but we do need to respect how they see themselves.

“Mormon cult” is an inaccurate term, as a review of dictionary definitions shows. It is nothing more than a way to manipulate emotions and prevent listeners from doing what God has told us to do in order to find out which church is God’s church: Pray (James 1:5, New Testament.)

Watch the video that looked like an evangelical sermon to some evangelical theology students.