Prophet Speaks

One of my favorite hymns starts with these words, "Come, listen to a prophet's voice, and hear the word of God, and in the way of truth rejoice, and sing for joy aloud. We've found the way the prophets went who lived in days of yore. Another prophet now is sent this knowledge to restore." I had the opportunity to listen to a modern-day prophet on several occasions over the past weekend.

President Thomas S. Monson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is sustained as a prophet, seer, and revelator by more than 13 million members of the Church. I am one of those who believe that President Monson is the spokesperson for God.

President Monson related the story of the Ten Lepers from the New Testament. While Jesus Christ was walking from Jerusalem to Galilee, He passed through the midst of Samaria. As He entered into a certain village, He was met by ten men who were lepers. They stood afar off and called to Him, "Master, have mercy on us." When Christ saw them, He did have mercy on them and told them, "Go shew yourselves unto the priests." As the ten men traveled, they became clean from the leprosy. One of the men, when he saw that he had been healed, went back to Jesus. He fell on his face at the feet of Christ and thanked Him for the great blessing of being healed from leprosy. Jesus Christ asked the Samaritan man where the other nine men were, and then said, "Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole" (St. Luke 17:11-19).

Following this story, President Monson told us that we need to remember to give thanks because gratitude is the key that unlocks heaven and lets the blessings pour down upon us. You too can listen to a prophet's voice at lds.org under October 2010 General Conference.

Later in the conference President Monson told us that we should read the words from the conference. He also said that our peace and safety is found in keeping the commandments of God and that we should show increased kindness to each other.

An ancient prophet taught, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, [until] he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). I believe that President Monson spoke the words that we need to guide us for the next six months. I am grateful to live in a day when a prophet of God walks the earth once more.