President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Parenthood is considered one of the most sacred callings any person can be given by God. It’s not easy, and some days it seems impossible, but in the eternal scheme of things nothing we do in our lifetime will matter more than the time we spent as parents.

When is the last time you thanked your parents for the service they gave you? Following are thoughts from Thomas S. Monson, Mormon prophet, on the sacredness of parenthood and our responsibility to love and honor our parents. Read the rest of this entry »

Although we usually think of pioneers as those who walked from Nauvoo to Utah, many Mormon pioneers began their journey in another country, coming to the United States before heading west. Other immigrants, born long after the Utah migration, were pioneers in that they pioneered their family’s way to a new nation. Following are two stories President Monson has told about those who left their homelands for a new country, one to the United States and one to Canada. Read the rest of this entry »

What is a Pioneer?

This summer we mark 159 years since the pioneers, under the inspired leadership of Brigham Young, entered the valley of the Great Salt Lake and proclaimed: “This is the right place. Drive on.”

Often we honor the great leaders and followers on this historic journey, but I wish to call attention to other “pioneers” who preceded that trek. In doing so I pause and ponder the dictionary definition of the word pioneer: “One who goes before to prepare or open up the way for others to follow.”2

Let us turn back the clock of time and journey to other places, that we might review several who I feel meet the high standard of the word pioneer.

Such a one was Moses. Raised in Pharaoh’s court and learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, he became mighty in words and deeds. One cannot separate Moses, the great lawgiver, from the tablets of stone provided him by God and on which were written the Ten Commandments. They were binding then—they are binding now.

Moses endured constant frustration as some of his trusted followers returned to their previous ways. Though he was disappointed in their actions, yet he loved them and led them, even the children of Israel, from their Egyptian bondage. Certainly Moses qualifies as a pioneer.

Another who qualifies is Ruth, who forsook her people, her kindred, and her country in order to accompany her mother-in-law, Naomi—worshipping Jehovah in His land and adopting the ways of His people. How very important was Ruth’s obedience to Naomi and the resulting marriage to Boaz by which Ruth—the foreigner and a Moabite convert—became a great-grandmother of David and therefore an ancestress of Jesus Christ.

The book of the Holy Bible that bears her name contains language poetic in style, reflective of her spirit of determination and courage. “And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

“Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.”3

Yes, Ruth, precious Ruth, was a pioneer.

Other faithful women also qualify, such as Mary, the mother of Jesus; Mary Magdalene; Esther; and Elisabeth. Let us not overlook Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, nor fail to include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and some from a later period.

Thomas S. Monson, “Led by Spiritual Pioneers,” Liahona, Aug 2006, 2–8

President Monson’s Pioneer Ancestors

Not surprisingly, as the pioneer theme is presented, each goes back in memory to his or her own family line. There are usually examples to identify and which fit the definition of a pioneer: “one who goes before, showing others the way to follow.” 3 Some, if not all, made great sacrifices to leave behind comfort and ease and respond to that clarion call of their newly found faith.

Two of my own great-grandparents fit the mold of many. Gibson and Cecelia Sharp Condie lived in Clackmannan, Scotland. Their families were engaged in coal mining—at peace with the world, surrounded by relatives and friends, and housed in fairly comfortable quarters in a land they loved. They listened to the message of the missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and were converted to the depths of their very souls. They heard the call to journey to Zion and knew they must answer that call.

They sold their possessions and prepared for a hazardous voyage across the mighty Atlantic Ocean. With five children, they boarded a sailing vessel, all their worldly possessions in a tiny trunk. They traveled 3,000 miles across the waters, eight long, weary weeks on a treacherous sea—night and day nothing but water—eight weeks of watching and waiting, with poor food, poor water, and no help beyond the length and breadth of that small sailing vessel.

In the midst of this soul-trying situation, their son, Nathaniel, sickened and died. My great-grandparents loved that son just as much as your parents love you; and when his eyes were closed in death, their hearts were torn asunder. To add to their grief, the law of the sea must be obeyed. Wrapped in a canvas weighed down with iron, his body was consigned to a watery grave. As they sailed away, only those parents knew the crushing blow dealt to wounded hearts. Gibson Condie and his good wife were comforted by the words “Not my will, but Thy will, O Father.”

Thomas S. Monson, “Pioneers All,” Ensign, May 1997, 93

We need modern pioneers

The passage of time makes us forget, and we lose our appreciation for those who walked the path of pain, leaving behind a tear-marked trail of nameless graves. But what of today’s challenge? Are there no rocky roads to travel, no rugged mountains to climb, no trails to blaze, no rivers to ford? Or is there a very real need today for that pioneer spirit to guide us away from the dangers that threaten our society?

Standards of morality are lowering. Today there are more people in jail, in reformatories, and in trouble than ever before. From small to great, crime spirals upward. Decency appears to head rapidly downward. Many seek the thrills of the moment while sacrificing the joys of eternity. We conquer space but cannot control self. Thus we forfeit peace.

Can we somehow find the courage and that steadfastness of purpose which characterized the pioneers of a former generation? Can you and I, in actual fact, be pioneers today? A dictionary defines a pioneer as “one who goes before, showing others the way to follow.” Oh, how the world needs pioneers today!

Thomas S. Monson, “Come Follow Me,” Tambuli, Nov 1988, 2

Mormons believe in honoring, obeying, and sustaining the law. Their leaders work with governments when they want to do the Lord’s work in a nation, a pattern that sometimes leads to interesting miracles, even in counties that do not have freedom of religion. Following are some stories and thoughts from Thomas S. Monson, Mormon prophet, on the Mormon Church’s experiences working with various world governments. Read the rest of this entry »

From the beginning of time, a prophet’s job has been to cry repentance. Noah, Jeremiah, Moses, and all of God’s prophets, in both ancient and modern times, have had the responsibility to call people to repentance. Most often, people didn’t want to hear the call, and some prophets, like Jeremiah, found their lives in danger as a result. However, a prophet isn’t sent to do what is easy or pleasant. His only duty is to God. Following are some thoughts from Thomas S. Monson, a modern day prophet, on sin and repentance. Read the rest of this entry »

Mormon beliefs teach that life on earth is the center point of a three-part life. The first part takes place with God prior to our birth, where we lived as spirits and learned to love God and His gospel. Then we agreed to come to earth to gain bodies, families, and experiences, and to be tested. Death is only a transition that allows us to return to the place we started, back with God and Jesus Christ. Following are stories and thoughts from Thomas Monson, the Mormon prophet, on the subject of death. Read the rest of this entry »

Mormons teach, as Jesus taught, that each person must be baptized. Mormons may be baptized no sooner than age eight, when they are old enough to choose for themselves with parent permission and to understand right from wrong. Following are stories the Mormon prophet, Thomas S. Monson, has told about the baptisms of others:

During the message I delivered at general conference in October 1975, I felt prompted to direct my remarks to a little girl with long, blonde hair, who was seated in the balcony of this building. I called the attention of the audience to her and felt a freedom of expression which testified to me that this small girl needed the message I had in mind concerning the faith of another young lady.

At the conclusion of the session, I returned to my office and found waiting for me a young child by the name of Misti White, together with her grandparents and an aunt. As I greeted them, I recognized Misti as the one in the balcony to whom I had directed my remarks. I learned that as her eighth birthday approached, she was in a quandary concerning whether or not to be baptized. She felt she would like to be baptized, and her grandparents, with whom she lived, wanted her to be baptized, but her less-active mother suggested she wait until she was 18 years of age to make the decision. Misti had told her grandparents, “If we go to conference in Salt Lake City, maybe Heavenly Father will let me know what I should do.”

Misti and her grandparents and her aunt had traveled from California to Salt Lake City for conference and were able to obtain seats in the Tabernacle for the Saturday afternoon session. This was where they were seated when my attention was drawn to Misti and my decision made to speak to her.

As we continued our visit after the session, Misti’s grandmother said to me, “I think Misti has something she would like to tell you.” This sweet young girl said, “Brother Monson, while you were speaking in conference, you answered my question. I want to be baptized!”
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Brigham Young was the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes called Mormons. A Mormon prophet fills the same role as a Biblical prophet—he relays the words of God and leads the church. He is not worshipped, but he is respected and considered the earthly leader of the church, under the direction of Jesus Christ. Following are stories Thomas S. Monson, the current president and prophet of the Mormons told of Brigham Young, or of lessons learned from Brigham Young:

Brigham Young’s Missionary Example

Sometimes cities and nations bear special labels of identity. Such was a cold and very old city in eastern Canada. The missionaries called it “Stony Kingston.” There had been but one convert to the Church in six years, even though missionaries had been continuously assigned there during the entire interval. No one baptized in Kingston. Just ask any missionary who labored there. Time in Kingston was marked on the calendar like days in prison. A missionary transfer to another place—any place—would be uppermost in thoughts, even in dreams.
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The job of a prophet is not to replace Jesus Christ, but to lead people to Him.

Joseph Smith was the first prophet in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are often referred to as Mormons. He was a prophet in the same way Noah and Moses were prophets in their time and Mormons view him and other prophets in the same way. They don’t worship him or put him above Jesus. He is a messenger, sent to testify of Jesus Christ and deliver messages from God that apply to our times.

Noah delivered God’s message of repentance and warned the people of a flood that would kill those who did not repent. It was a message only for that time, since God no longer floods the entire earth when people don’t repent. Had there not been a prophet at that time, no one would have received the message. In other times, other prophets have delivered different messages, such as John the Baptist’s message that Jesus had been born and would soon begin his ministry.

Mormons put their faith in Jesus Christ, but they also trust their prophets. God has taught us repeatedly to do so.

22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days (Acts 3, King James version of the Bible).

Joseph Smith was the first prophet after an unusually long period of apostasy. Just as God sent prophets to help His children prepare for the first coming of Christ, He loves His modern day children enough to send prophets to prepare them for the second coming. While we have the words of the previous prophets, times change and today we have questions and challenges that were not even around in the days of the first prophets. God needs a way to send us direct revelation concerning these new challenges and to remind us of the commandments already taught.

All Christians believe in prophets. We know about God and Jesus only through the teachings of the prophets. Christians don’t replace God with the prophets, but they do make use of what is taught by them. After all, they weren’t there when Jesus was on the earth and Jesus wrote nothing Himself, at least nothing that has come down to us. Everything we know about God and Jesus comes to us through the words of the prophets. We treat those words with respect and devour them in our search to know more about the Savior.

Does it seem so odd that God is talking to us again today? Mormons don’t believe God is incapable of continuing to speak to His children, nor do they believe He is so uninvolved and so caring He would leave us floundering as we prepare for the critical Second Coming. There are thousands and thousands of churches teaching conflicting information on what God wants us to do, all claiming to get their information from the same book, but interpreting it in different ways. Sending a prophet to us was a great act of love, and proof of God’s continuing involvement in our lives.

Joseph Smith was the first prophet of modern times. When he died, Brigham Young became the prophet. There has been a continuing progression of prophets to guide us, just as prophets came to guide the Jewish people through the process of preparing for Christ’s coming.

The job of a prophet is not to replace Jesus Christ, but to lead people to Him. Read the rest of this entry »