A Living Prophet

I am looking forward to General Conference this weekend. Okay, I’m downright excited! How can you not get excited about hearing our very own Living Prophet? 

“Whether by mine own voice, or the voice of my servants, it is the same.” 

Doctrine and Covenants 1:38
 

Janette Hales Beckham shared this story in the April 1996 General Conference: “One day as a neighbor and I were talking about our beliefs, she became curious about what was different about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I told her briefly about the Restoration, and I explained that the restored Church of Jesus Christ has a living prophet today. This really seemed to pique her interest, and she wanted to know what the prophet had said. As I started to tell her about the Doctrine and Covenants and modern revelation, she said, “But what has he said lately?” I told her about general conference and that the Church had a monthly publication with a message from the prophet. Then she got really interested. I was so embarrassed to admit that I hadn’t read the current message. She concluded our conversation by saying, “You mean you have a living prophet and you don’t know what he said?”

I hope I can remember what the prophet has said recently, when asked.

Also, I hope to learn from the prophet’s life - I’m amazed at the lives of service and accomplishment the prophets and apostles lead.

Elder Nelson said something about following the prophet that has stuck with me - “My experience is that once you stop putting question marks behind the prophet’s statements and put exclamation points instead, and do it, the blessings just pour. I never ask myself, ‘When does the prophet speak as a prophet and when does he not?’ My interest has been, ‘How can I be more like him?”  (Lane Johnson, “Russell M. Nelson: A Study in Obedience” January, 1983 Liahona)

In the October 1975 General Conference, President Spencer W. Kimball said, “We hope you have made copious notes of the thoughts that have come to our mind as the Brethren have addressed you. … Many helpful thoughts have been given for the perfection of our own lives, and that, of course, is the basic reason for our coming.”

So, I am going to use this to take notes during conference:

 

Happy Conference Weekend!