Speaking to Ezekiel, the Lord appointed him to a sacred responsibility: “Son of man,” He said, “go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them” (Ezekiel 3:4). Ezekiel’s duty, like that of all the prophets who preceded him and all those who followed after him, was to convey the word and will of God to the people of the earth. As the Lord Himself explained to the newly called prophet, “I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me” (Ezekiel 3:17). Ezekiel’s mission, then, was to warn the people of future perils and teach them the way to live in order to ensure that they could receive God’s protection from the dangers ahead.
The New Testament teaches, “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:18). God was able to tell Noah of the coming flood, to warn Joseph of seven years of famine, and to advise Moses to lead the Children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage. Whenever He acted, He acted for the benefit of those who heard His voice and obeyed. That God of mercy and miracles yet lives—and He is unchangingly dedicated to our welfare. He has restored the Church of Jesus Christ as it existed anciently, and He directs the Church through a living prophet named Thomas S. Monson. Like every prophet before him, President Monson receives the word of God and conveys it to us. This weekend (and every six months) he addresses the Church and the world alongside twelve modern Apostles to teach us all what God wants us to know. It is my testimony that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God, and I’m eager to hear his messages during the General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, held today and tomorrow, April 5th and 6th.
President Thomas S. Monson is God’s prophet on the earth today (lds.org).
Just as the Lord called Ezekiel to be a watchman in Israel, He has called a prophet today to see the perils and opportunities that lie ahead and to warn and advise us as we make our way through life. I know there is safety and happiness in following the words of the prophet: as I strive to live according to the prophet’s teachings, I have recognized the blessings that follow obedience. Speaking of prophets, Jesus Christ taught, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20). We cannot know if a man is a prophet of God without knowing his fruits—without receiving his counsel and testing it out in our lives.
Thus, I invite you to “Come, listen to a prophet’s voice, / and hear the word of God” during the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ, streamed live in four sessions on April 5th at 10:00 a.m. and at 2:00 p.m. MDT and on April 6th at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. MDT. I know that there is a watchman in Israel on the earth today, and I hope and testify that the messages that will be shared this weekend will teach us the way to walk safely through the coming months, for, surely, they will be the words of a loving and merciful Father in Heaven.
Casting Mites 