I'm Thankful for...a living Prophet

Today in Relief Society, we talked about the Millennium. It was a great lesson and there was some great comments made. The question was asked, 'What comfort do we get from knowing about the signs of the Second Coming?' One sister answered that it comforts her to know that we are guided by a LIVING prophet. I completely agree. Today, I am grateful for a living prophet. Without getting political.....this past week has brought a lot of changes in our world and specifically with our country. It's hard for me to hear and see members of the church go against the prophet of the Lord. How they justify it, I don't know but I do know that we will one day have to answer for all of our choices. An article by Elder Neil A. Maxwell from the Feb. Ensign in 1979 was sent to us from a friend and I think it sums up what I am trying to say. Here's part of it......

"Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life.'

"This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ. . . . Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. . . . This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions.

"Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened....Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, 'summer is nigh.' Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat."

The full article is here

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/EmailArticleProcess?action=view&cmlId=324376&locale=0&emId=957681339

This article is a testament to me that the prophets know what they are doing and saying to us. This talk was given almost 30 years ago and it is talking about what is taking place right now. I know that the Lord does indeed talks to us through his servants. How grateful am I to hear their words!