A Prophet Speaks

"We live in a world that is complex and increasingly contentious. The constant availability of social media and a 24-hour news cycle bombard us with relentless messages. If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation. … In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost."

Noah warned of the coming flood, Moses warned Pharaoh of the plagues, and our prophet today warns, “The battle with sin is real. The adversary is quadrupling his efforts to disrupt testimonies and impede the work of the Lord. He is arming his minions with potent weapons to keep us from partaking of the joy and love of the Lord.”

Like other prophets, President Nelson is the Lord's mouthpiece. He gives warning of upcoming disasters. I read each of his talks since becoming prophet, and identified key themes regarding upcoming days. These themes include receiving revelation, repenting, and sharing the gospel.

Receive revelation and remain steadfast in your knowledge of the truth. In several talks, President Nelson has stressed that you must gain a testimony of the gospel.

He says, “If you are not sure you even believe in God, start there. … Humble yourself. Pray to have eyes to see God’s hand in your life and in the world around you. Ask Him to tell you if He is really there—if He knows you. Ask Him how He feels about you. And then listen."

Our Father in Heaven is listening, and He wants you to know Him. He wants you to know yourself as His child.

Once we receive a witness of our Father, “do the spiritual work” to know the surety of our Savior. Know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is just that— the church of Jesus Christ. No matter if you’ve never heard of the church, if you’ve been faithful for many years, or if you’ve distanced yourself from the covenant path, come and know for yourself that this is where the Lord wants us to be.

Our Father wants us to receive constant revelation to guide our lives. Testimony is critical, but we must receive guidance everywhere. President Nelson says on choosing his counselors as prophet, “Because I know that good inspiration is based upon good information, I prayerfully met one-on-one with each Apostle. I then sequestered myself in a private room in the temple and sought the Lord’s will.”

The holy temple is an ideal location to gain revelation. But you can and should access the power of heaven anywhere through earnest prayer to our loving Father in Heaven, who “wants to speak to you”. 

President Nelson’s prescription for how to increase your capacity to receive revelation is to live more purely, obey exactly, seek earnestly, feast daily on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regularly commit time to temple and family history work.

I testify that as I have approached Heavenly Father with my worries, anguish, and confusion he has poured out His Spirit with such abundance I can scarcely take it in. He truly is waiting to answer our concerns, our daily questions and our desire to know His mysteries.

Another key to surviving our mortal experience is receiving ordinances through the priesthood power of God. President Nelson emphasizes that eternal life and family are only possible if we choose to be baptized, confirmed, endowed and sealed under the proper authority, and then live our lives in accordance with the covenants we make at these times. 

It is critical to stay in the church and faithful to our covenants. Nowhere else can we find the keys of the priesthood, so where are we to go?

President Nelson explains that we need to repent:
"The word for repentance in the Greek New Testament is metanoeo. The prefix meta- means 'change.' The suffix -noeo is related to Greek words that mean 'mind,' 'knowledge,' 'spirit,' and 'breath.'
"Thus, when Jesus asks you and me to 'repent,' He is inviting us to change our mind, our knowledge, our spirit—even the way we breathe. He is asking us to change the way we love, think, serve, spend our time, treat our wives, teach our children, and even care for our bodies."

Repentance is a sacred blessing! What joy I have found in Jesus changing my heart!

As we learn to receive revelation, make covenants and repent, it’s critical that we give the same opportunities to those we love (and let us remember, the Lord invites us to love our enemies.)

President Nelson states, "Our message to the world is simple and sincere: we invite all of God’s children on both sides of the veil to come unto their Savior, receive the blessings of the holy temple, have enduring joy, and qualify for eternal life."

Our brothers and sisters need to hear this message. Are you willing to share?
Individuals who have died without receiving ordinances also need the opportunity to make sacred covenants. My husband and I recently had a chance to go to the temple and be baptized for family who have passed. I testify with no doubt that these relatives are overjoyed, and waiting anxiously for further ordinances.

As we follow these principles, we will find happiness now, we will find exaltation hereafter, and we will find miracles. President Nelson says, “Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory.”

We have been blessed with an outpouring of revelation from heaven. Now is the time to continue to seek more revelation. Now is the time to make and keep covenants. Now is the time to build the kingdom through missionary and temple work.

In April of 2019, our prophet of God, President Russell M. Nelson gave us a clear warning: “Do the spiritual work to find out for yourselves, and please do it now. Time is running out.”