Mormonism is a nickname for the practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sometimes when people who aren’t Mormon want to witness to Mormons or to talk about their church, they get all tangled up in Brigham Young. They quote him extensively as if he were the current prophet and then wonder why Mormons aren’t really interested in their conversation. In this article, we’ll explore Brigham Young’s relationship to the modern Mormon Church.

Brigham Young, Second Mormon Prophet

Brigham Young was born in 1801. When he was fourteen his mother died and he began to support himself. In time, he would become a carpenter. He and his first wife became Mormon in 1832, a few months before she died, leaving him a single parent. In later years, he would tease LDS (Mormon) women by telling them he could probably keep house as well or better than most of them. It took him two years of study after his family obtained copies of the Book of Mormon to decide to join. He was looking for a church that more closely matched the New Testament church set up by Jesus than did the one to which he currently belonged and would not join until he was certain it was true.

In 1835, the Mormons organized the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who functioned as did the apostles in biblical times, and Brigham Young was ordained to be one of these original apostles. Although today, apostles gain seniority based on when they became apostles, all the original apostles were called at the same time, so seniority was based on age. For that reason, when Joseph Smith was murdered, Brigham Young became the new prophet.

The Mormon Church was young and new and functioning in a time that is not like ours. It is important to remember this when looking at things Brigham Young said. It is also important to understand the role a prophet plays in the Mormon church, so let’s start there.

In the Bible, we see God provided the world with a series of prophets, not just one. Each one added new things to the gospel. Some commandments were given just for their own time, such as building an ark or traveling to the promised land. Other laws were preparatory laws, meant to be a step towards a higher law. The Law of Moses is an example of this. We don’t practice the Law of Moses today, but it prepared us for the higher laws Jesus would introduce. From this, we see that God is looking at His church in a longer-range view than we are. We see things only in terms of our life. God looks at His church as an entity to be built line upon line, step by step.

Jesus’ teachings that when the Law of Moses was fulfilled we would move on to a higher law did not in any way undermine Moses’ role as a true prophet. Moses taught God’s law—for that time in history. Each prophet took us a little closer to the fullness of the gospel, but God’s followers had to learn to recognize the difference between practices and doctrine in order to understand why things sometimes changed.

Today, Mormon beliefs include an acceptance that God has not retreated and abandoned us, leaving us with no guidance to prepare for the Second Coming. The Bible never said God would never restore prophets to the earth. He said, in fact, that He would do nothing except through His prophets. Each prophet today, as in Biblical times, teaches God’s word according to eternal principles, the needs of the current day, and our place in the progression of revealed truths. This last is, remember, demonstrated in the Bible as teachings were gradually added to our knowledge of truth.

Today, we live in a world where something a leader says can be instantly transmitted around the world. Mormon leaders, like everyone else, have learned to be more specific in explaining what is official and what is not. If you visit LDS.org, the official Mormon website, you’ll see a few sections, such as the blog, clearly described as non-official. Apostles sometimes preface remarks given to non-LDS groups as being their own opinions, not as official LDS statements. In the early days there was less expectation that every word would be preserved and so leaders were more casual in their talk. Because the church was new and there was so little revealed, people often asked Brigham Young questions that did not yet have an official answer. Where God has not spoken, we are free to come to our own conclusions based on our understanding of the gospel. Even a prophet is allowed to have opinions, and so, Brigham Young would sometimes offer an opinion. In the actual setting, people probably understood the difference, but today, many people mistakenly believe that if he said it, it is official doctrine.

General Conference, the semi-annual meeting of the Mormons, was also different then. While today it is very formal, in those days it was not. People could ask questions and get impromptu answers, a combination of revealed doctrine and personal opinion. Some of these answers and talks were recorded in the Journal of Discourses. While interesting to read, the Journal is not official doctrine. It is not a compilation of Brigham Young’s speeches. It is a compilation of notes taken in shorthand by others when he spoke. Brigham Young did not review these transcribed notes or correct them or clarify. Today, when a talk is given in General Conference, each speaker is allowed, on Monday morning, to review the actual talk given and make corrections. This allows them to alter any opinions that appeared to be given as fact or to correct the unclear or incorrect statement that invariably slips in when one is speaking. This was not done then, and the Journal of Discourses was never vetted for accuracy or monitored to be certain that what was said is what was meant. Therefore, Mormons do not quote the Journal of Discourses when sourcing official teachings. They are used only to back up official statements or for personal interest.

When looking at Brigham Young as a source of official Mormon doctrine we must remember several things. Mormons believe in following a living prophet, not a dead one. This concept was clearly taught by Jesus every time people tried to use the Law of Moses to overthrow what He was teaching. He was the living prophet in addition to being the Savior, and it was His words they needed to follow. Mormons today also follow first the teachings of the living prophet. When quoting Brigham Young, it is important to then go forward to see what the most recent statement on the issue is. God has always treated his gospel as an ongoing course of study and learning, not a static one. Otherwise, Adam would have been the last prophet. It is the most recent statement that is the official one on canonized doctrine.

Canonized doctrine means doctrine that has been made official. Not all Mormon beliefs are equal. Some are official canonized doctrine and are those that affect our eternal salvation. These are really the only ones Mormons are interested in. Everything else is just interesting at best. Who is God? Who is Jesus Christ? How do we know what is true? What do we have to know and do to return to God? What is the Plan of Salvation? These are the questions Mormons focus on.

Thomas S. Monson, Mormon Prophet

However, these tend not to be the questions outsiders talking about Mormonism focus on. Instead, they often get sidetracked by things that are not official doctrine at all. Some things are simply speculation, more commonly believed in the past. Some are no more than insider jokes mistaken by outsiders as doctrine. Some are fringe things that simply aren’t important to us. If it doesn’t impact our ability to be saved and to return to God, it isn’t that important to us and Mormons pretty much don’t care today whether those things are true or not.

It’s also important to remember that everything credited to Brigham Young was not really said by him or was said in a different context. While we honor Brigham Young for his significant contributions to the Mormon Church in extraordinarily difficult times, and we do study his words, we do not consider him the current prophet. To find out what Mormons really believe, you need to look at the church today, not how it was in the 1800s.

If you’d like to know what parts of Brigham Young’s teachings Mormons do focus on, it can be enlightening to read a book that was taught in Mormon classes a few years ago. Mormons have been studying the words of past prophets and the manuals are considered appropriate research materials. Reading this can help you to understand the contributions Brigham Young made to the church and the parts of his teachings that apply to modern times. It will become clear that he is honored and respected and that we teach much of what he taught today. We know he was a prophet for his time, just as Thomas S. Monson is the prophet of ours. However, we do not consider him the current prophet, any more than we build our entire church on the teachings of Moses.

Read Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young

However, to get official and current teachings, you need to study the teachings of Thomas S. Monson, the current Mormon prophet.

Study teachings of Thomas S. Monson.

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.

Sin Plays for Keeps

No enumeration of failure’s many faces would be complete without the Face of Sin. This culprit plays for keeps. The stakes are high. Paul declared: “The wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23.) And who can disregard the word of the Lord:

“That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment.” (D&C 88:35.)

Thomas S. Monson, “Faces and Attitudes,” New Era, Sep 1977, 47

There is a way back

If any has stumbled in his journey, there is a way back. The process is called repentance. Our Savior died to provide you and me that blessed gift. Though the path is difficult, the promise is real: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” (Isa. 1:18.)

Don’t put your eternal life at risk. Keep the commandments of God. If you have sinned, the sooner you begin to make your way back, the sooner you will find the sweet peace and joy that come with the miracle of forgiveness.

Thomas S. Monson, “That We May Touch Heaven,” Ensign, Nov 1990, 45

Make Wise Choices

Many of you are familiar with the play Camelot. I’d like to share with you one of my favorite lines from this production. As the difficulties among King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, and Queen Guinevere deepen, King Arthur cautions, “We must not let our passions destroy our dreams.” This plea I would leave with you tonight. Do not let your passions destroy your dreams. Withstand temptation.

Remember the words from the Book of Mormon: “Wickedness never was happiness.”

Essential to your success and happiness is the advice “Choose your friends with caution.” We tend to become like those whom we admire, and they are usually our friends. We should associate with those who, like us, are planning not for temporary convenience, shallow goals, or narrow ambition—but rather with those who value the things that matter most, even eternal objectives.

Maintain an eternal perspective. Let there be a temple marriage in your future. There is no scene so sweet, no time so sacred as that very special day of your marriage. Then and there you glimpse celestial joy. Be alert; do not permit temptation to rob you of this blessing.

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 which testifies of truth. As the prophet Isaiah promised, “Thine ears shall hear a word … saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.”

The tenor of our times is permissiveness. All around us we see the idols of the movie screen, the heroes of the athletic field—those whom many young people long to emulate—as disregarding the laws of God and rationalizing away sinful practices, seemingly with no ill effect. Don’t you believe it! There is a time of reckoning—even a balancing of the ledger. Every Cinderella has her midnight—it’s called Judgment Day, even the Big Exam of Life. Are you prepared? Are you pleased with your own performance?

Thomas S. Monson, “Be Thou an Example,” Liahona, May 2005, 112–15

Noah Preached Repentance

“A just man and perfect in his generations,” one who “walked with God,”11 was the prophet Noah. Ordained to the priesthood at an early age, “he became a preacher of righteousness and declared the gospel of Jesus Christ, … teaching faith, repentance, baptism, and the reception of the Holy Ghost.”12 He warned that failure to heed his message would bring floods upon those who heard his voice, and yet they hearkened not to his words.

Noah heeded God’s command to build an ark that he and his family might be spared destruction. He followed God’s instructions to gather into the ark two or more of every living creature that they also might be saved from the floodwaters.

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) taught in general conference more than half a century ago: “As yet there was no evidence of rain and flood. … [Noah’s] warnings were considered irrational. … How foolish to build an ark on dry ground with the sun shining and life moving forward as usual! But time ran out. … The floods came. The disobedient … were drowned. The miracle of the ark followed the faith manifested in its building.”13

Noah had the unwavering faith to follow God’s commandments. May we ever do likewise. May we remember that the wisdom of God ofttimes appears as foolishness to men; but the greatest lesson we can learn in mortality is that when God speaks and we obey, we will always be right.

Thomas S. Monson, “They Marked the Path to Follow,” Ensign, Oct 2007, 4–9

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.

Most Christians have no difficulty accepting Moses or Noah as true prophets of God. After all, they lived a long time ago and they’re in the Bible. It is

easier to believe that someone who lived anciently is a prophet than to believe someone in your own time is a prophet.

This was a problem faced by many Old Testament prophets, as well. When Noah preached of the flood and repentance, no one outside his own family took him seriously. He was just Noah, a man they saw working his orchards and going about town each day. It was hard to imagine someone so ordinary could be a prophet and so, when he prophesied, they didn’t listen. By the time the rain began, and they realized he really was a prophet, it was too late.

Jesus Christ himself commented on this challenge. He himself was just the carpenter’s son to many. He was too familiar, and without the distance of space or time, He seemed too ordinary to be a prophet and a God to the people who had watched Him all His life. “A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.” (Mark 6:4) In other words, He was too familiar to those around Him, including His own brothers until His resurrection.

Today, people note there is a Mormon prophet, but they find it hard to believe a person in their own time could be a prophet. They presume that God is incapable or unwilling to talk to His children today, although they have no trouble believing He could and would talk to His children long ago. Distance lends validity.

God sent prophets to the early Israelites to prepare them for Jesus’ ministry on earth. He didn’t just teach Adam everything and then hope it all got passed down correctly. He continued to bring new prophets after Adam was dead, and they continued to prepare the world for the Savior’s birth. Times change, and the prophets taught practices that applied only to that time period—build an ark, gather manna, or head for the promised land, for instance. Without a prophet, no one would have known what to do in those unique situations.

Periodically, prophets were taken from the earth and the Israelites were left to fumble through on their own, due to their lack of obedience. However, each time, God eventually restored the prophets.

Now, we are preparing for Jesus to come again. Just as prophets were sent to prepare the world for the first coming, prophets have been sent to prepare for the second coming. If we needed prophets to prepare for one, we also need them to prepare for the other.

How, though, do Mormons know Thomas S. Monson is the prophet who has

been sent? Among all those who have claimed to be prophets, how have they identified this particular man as God’s true prophet?

Mormons are taught from their childhood or from the days they are contemplating converting to Mormonism, to find this out for themselves. They’re told that the testimonies of their parents, teachers, or missionaries are only a starting point. They must find out for themselves, and they must get this information from the only one they can completely trust to lead them on the correct path. This, means, naturally, they must ask God. Only God can tell them who their prophet really is.

Mormons believe they can go to God with any question and ask for guidance and wisdom. This was promised in James 1:5 in the Bible. It’s interesting to note many scholars believe the author of this book is the half-brother of Jesus Christ. The scripture reads:

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)

This is the scripture that launched the restoration of the gospel. After the death of the Savior and the apostles, people began to get confused about doctrine. In fact, it began even before the apostles died, and they often worried about this in their letters found in the New Testament. Joseph Smith, a fourteen-year-old boy, read this scripture in the early 1800s and put it to the test. He went into the woods and prayed to know which church to join. God and Jesus Christ came in person to tell him not to join any of them, because the full gospel was no longer on the earth. There was not to be a new reformation—which may have been why he couldn’t join a church in the interim—but a restoration of truth.

This critical scripture was not written just for future prophets. It is a promise from God for every person with faith. While God and Jesus are not likely to appear to us in person, since we aren’t going to be launching the restoration in the future, we can still receive answers from God, and this is what Mormons are taught to do.

When a Mormon, or someone learning about the Mormons, wants to know what is true, they go to God in prayer. We teach our investigators (people learning about Mormons) to first study and learn from reliable sources, such as missionaries, Mormon friends, and the official Mormon websites. Then they think about it and even test it out. For instance, the best way to find out if the Savior really wants us to love our neighbor is to begin treating others with love and kindness and then see how we feel as we do. It’s often said by Mormon leaders that we cannot do wrong and feel right. If we can feel God’s spirit and feel peaceful and right, we know this is a true commandment.

Answers do not always come immediately. Sometimes a person must pray for many days or weeks to know the answer. Some have even prayed for years. Sometimes we can pray for one small part of the answer and then pray for other parts in other prayers. As our ability to understand how God communicates with us improves, we can better prepare to receive answers to the big questions.

Here’s how this might work in actual practice:

Susan has been talking to her Mormon friend about Mormon beliefs. The prophet topic really interests her, because she’s often wondered why God didn’t care enough about us to help us prepare for the Second Coming. She is encouraged by her friend to pray. However, she’s just not ready to know if Thomas Monson is the prophet. She decides to start a little smaller. She reads about Old Testament prophets and what God has said about them. Then she goes to God in prayer and tells Him she believes He must have sent a prophet at some time in recent years and asks if this is true. At first she feels nothing, because she’s not used to asking for confirmation, rather than physical help. However, she perseveres and trusts God. Soon she feels a powerful, warm, and comforting feeling in her heart. She knows it is from God, because she feels at peace.

In time, she is ready to know who that prophet is and returns to God in prayer. When she receives an answer again, she understands immediately the implications of this answer.

There are some who try to convince investigators not to pray about this. They say we can’t know who is answering the prayer. However, Mormons know God can do anything and that means He is capable of answering us in a way we can recognize. Mormons don’t underestimate God. We know Satan is not the author of peace and true joy. That comes only from God. Knowing this, Mormons are able to know in a way no one can take from them that God has sent us prophets in the last days because He loves us as much as He loved His early Israelites.

Thomas S. Monson is the prophet of the Mormons today, but he loves to share stories and lessons from the Mormons‘ very first prophet, Joseph Smith.The long-awaited day of restoration did indeed come. But let us review that significant event in the history of the world by recalling the testimony of the plowboy who became a prophet, the witness who was there-even Joseph Smith.

Describing his experience, Joseph said: “I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, … 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.“ 17

“At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. …

“I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. …

“I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. …

“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

“When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other-This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!“ 18

The Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, had appeared to Joseph Smith. The morning of the dispensation of the fulness of times had come, dispelling the darkness of the long generations of spiritual night.

Volumes have been written concerning the life and accomplishments of Joseph Smith, but for our purposes here today perhaps a highlight or two will suffice: He was visited by the angel Moroni. He translated, from the precious plates to which he was directed, the Book of Mormon, with its new witness of Christ to all the world. He was the instrument in the hands of the Lord through whom came mighty revelations pertaining to the establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the course of his ministry he was visited by John the Baptist, Moses, Elijah, Peter, James, and John, that the restoration of all things might be accomplished. He endured persecution; he suffered grievously, as did his followers. He trusted in God. He was true to his prophetic calling. He commenced a marvelous missionary effort to the entire world, which today brings light and truth to the souls of mankind. At length, Joseph Smith died the martyr’s death, as did his brother Hyrum.

Joseph Smith was a pioneer indeed.

(Thomas S. Monson, “They Showed the Way,” Ensign, May 1997, 50)

No description of models for us to follow would be complete without including Joseph Smith, the first prophet of this dispensation. When but 14 years of age, this courageous young man entered a grove of trees, which later would be called sacred, and received an answer to his sincere prayer.

There followed for Joseph unrelenting persecution as he related to others the account of the glorious vision he received in that grove. Although he was ridiculed and scorned, he stood firm. Said he, “I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it.”17

Step by step, facing opposition at nearly every turn and yet always guided by the hand of the Lord, Joseph organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He proved courageous in all that he did.

Toward the end of his life, as he was led away with his brother Hyrum to Carthage Jail, he bravely faced what he undoubtedly knew lay ahead for him, and he sealed his testimony with his blood.

As we face life’s tests, may we ever emulate that undaunted courage epitomized by the Prophet Joseph Smith.

(Thomas S. Monson, “They Marked the Path to Follow,” Ensign, Oct 2007, 4-9)

The Prophet Joseph Smith faced temptation. Can you imagine the ridicule, the scorn, the mocking that must have been heaped upon him as he declared that he had seen a vision? I suppose it became almost unbearable for the boy. He no doubt knew that it would be easier to retract his statements concerning the vision and just get on with a normal life. He did not, however, give in. These are his words: “I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true. … I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it.” Joseph Smith taught courage by example. He faced temptation and withstood it.

Thomas S. Monson, “Be Thou an Example,” Ensign, May 2005, 112

The call of duty came to John E. Page when the Prophet Joseph Smith extended to him a call to serve as a missionary. John E. Page “murmured” and responded, “Brother Joseph, I can’t go on a mission to Canada. I don’t even have a coat to wear.”

The Prophet Joseph removed his own coat, handed it to Brother Page, and said, “Here, take this and the Lord will bless you.” John E. Page went on that mission to Canada and, during a two-year period, walked five thousand miles and baptized six hundred people. (See Andrew Jenson, “John E. Page,” The Historical Record, 5:57.)

Thomas S. Monson, “The Call of Duty,” Ensign, May 1986, 37

When Joseph was about six or seven years old, he and his brothers and sisters were stricken with typhus fever. Although the others recovered readily, Joseph was left with a painful sore on his leg. The doctors, using the best medicine they had, treated him, and yet the sore persisted. In order to save Joseph’s life, they said, he would have to lose his leg. Thankfully, however, soon after that diagnosis, the doctors returned to the Smith home and reported that there was a new procedure which might save Joseph’s leg. They wanted to operate immediately and had brought some cord with which to tie little Joseph to the bed so that he wouldn’t thrash about, since they had nothing with which to dull the pain. Young Joseph, however, told them, “You won’t need to tie me.”

The doctors suggested he take some brandy or wine so that the pain might not be so severe. “No,” young Joseph replied. “If my father will sit on the bed and hold me in his arms, I will do whatever is necessary.” Joseph Smith Sr. held in his arms his small child, and the doctors removed the diseased piece of bone. Although young Joseph was lame for some time afterward, he was healed.  At such a young age and countless other times throughout his life, Joseph Smith taught us courage-by example.

Thomas S. Monson, “The Prophet Joseph Smith: Teacher by Example,” Ensign, Nov 2005, 67

Beginning with Adam’s first conversation with God, the people who have lived here on Earth have benefitted from prophets. Prophets are priesthood holders who are authorized to speak for God. Many people are familiar with such Old Testament prophets as Moses or Noah.

Prophets are necessary in order for us to learn the commandments and to understand the teachings of God. Adam received teachings from God, but he was not the last prophet. God continued to send prophets to enlarge our understanding of gospel principles and to teach us how to cope with specific situations in our own time. Some teachings from prophets were meant to be followed or taught forever; others, such as the commandment to build an ark, was meant only for a specific situation or time.

Prophets helped to prepare the people of the world for the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ. They were given prophecies that would help them recognize Him when He came, and taught the gospel to a level that would allow them to be prepared for His coming. When Jesus Christ began his mortal ministry, He too became a prophet-the greatest prophet of all time. As God’s only begotten Son, He had a much closer relationship to God than any other prophet.

After His death, the apostles Jesus had chosen carried on the work and received prophecy for the church. However, when they were gone, prophecy also left the earth. No one was authorized to receive prophecy on behalf of the entire church, a time referred to as the Great Apostasy.

This apostasy ended when Joseph Smith was chosen to become the first prophet of the latter-days. These are the final days before the return of the Savior, and just as prophets were called to prepare us for the first coming of Christ, they are again on the earth to prepare us for the second coming. God has promised that with this restoration, the world will never again be without a prophet.

The Mormons are led by a prophet today. An orderly system that leaves God entirely in charge makes certain we are never without a prophet, and to ensure prophets won’t be chosen through negotiations or votes. The church is led by the prophet, two counselers, and a quorum of twelve apostles. They are ordered based on when they were chosen to become an apostle. At the death of the prophet, the First Presidency (the prophet and his counselors) is dissolved. Each person returns to his place in the quorum and the most senior person then becomes the new prophet and selects new counselors. This leaves God entirely in control, since He controls the length of a person’s life.

Following this pattern, Thomas S. Monson is the current prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often referred to as Mormons. In this role, he is the only person alive who can receive revelation for the entire church.

Every person can receive revelation for himself and for whatever he is responsible for. For instance, a father can receive revelation for his children, and a Sunday School teacher can receive revelation concerning how to teach her class. A bishop (a Mormon lay pastor) can receive revelation about how to lead his congregation. Only a prophet, however, can receive revelation for the entire church.

Mormons are taught that when they’re seeking to know what God wants them to know, they must look to the most recent prophet who has spoken on the subject. Otherwise, they might find themselves building an ark when it’s not going to rain. Although doctrine doesn’t change, practice does-as in the case of the ark. The doctrine is to follow the warnings God sends. The practice was to build an ark. Today, we still follow God’s warnings, but we don’t build arks because it’s a different time and our needs are different. So, while prophets throughout history, both in ancient times and in current times, have taught many things, it is the teaching of the most recent prophet we follow.

Many Christians today honor and follow the prophets of the Old Testament, and the Savior and His apostles. However, they find it somehow unsettling to have a prophet who is alive, even though the people of the Old and New Testament were expected to listen to their prophets while they were still alive. Today, people like their prophets to have been dead and buried for many centuries.

Theodore Tuttle said, “It is an easy thing to believe in the dead prophets. Many people do. For some mysterious reason there is an aura of credibility about them. It is not so with the prophet who lives among us, who must meet life’s everyday challenges. But it is a great thing to believe in the living prophets. Our salvation is contingent upon our belief in a living prophet and adherence to his word. He alone has the right to revelation for the whole Church. His words, above those of any other man, ought to be esteemed and considered by the Church as well as by the world. One day this truth will be understood.” (A. Theodore Tuttle, “What Is a Living Prophet?,” Ensign, Jul 1973, 18)

Jesus Christ spoke of this very problem. He said, “A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.” (Mark 6:4. In other words, we feel more secure with distant, impersonal prophets. But as Jesus understood better than most, a prophet is a prophet even if he lives next door to you. The only requirement is that he was personally chosen by God, and not by man.

Thomas S. Monson is today’s prophet. While he does not have a long beard, a white robe, or a staff, he is as much a prophet as was Moses or Noah because, like these Old Testament prophets, he was chosen by God.