Joseph Smith used to say that some times he speaks as a man and some times he speaks as a Prophet. Every man and woman and child has a right to receive an answer to prayer. Many people today are listening to God. Have you taken a look at Micah 3: lately? Jesuits and Freemasons have invaded organized religion and today, they aren’t even the same type of organization that they used to be. What is a Prophet? If we will listen to the Creator, everyone of us can be prophetic.
- D&C 1:38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my aword shall not pass away, but shall all be bfulfilled, whether by mine own cvoice or by the dvoice of my eservants, it is the fsame.
- D&C 11:25–30 Deny not the spirit of arevelation, nor the spirit of bprophecy, for wo unto him that cdenieth these things; Therefore, atreasure up in your bheartaall who have good desires, and have thrust in their sickle to reap. Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the aSon of God. I am the life and the blight of the world. I am the same who came unto mine own and mine own areceived me not; But verily, verily, I say unto you, that as many as receive me, to them will I give apower to become the bsons of God, even to them that cbelieve on my name. Amen. until the time which is in my wisdom that you shall go forth. Behold, I speak unto
- D&C 20:26–27 Not only those who believed after he came in the ameridian of time, in the bflesh, but all those from the beginning, even as many as were before he came, who believed in the words of the holy prophets, who cspake as they were inspired by the dgift of the Holy Ghost, who truly etestified of him in all things, should have eternal life, As well as those who should come after, who should believe in the agifts and callings of God by the Holy Ghost, which bbeareth record of the Father and of the Son.
- Articles of Faith 7 We believe in the agift of btongues, cprophecy, drevelation, evisions, fhealing, ginterpretation of tongues, and so forth.
Do church leaders think they have a duty to tell the truth, or to protect church authority at all costs?
Apostle Dallin Oaks: My duty as a member of the Council of the Twelve is to protect what is most unique about the LDS church, namely the authority of priesthood, testimony regarding the restoration of the gospel, and the divine mission of the Savior. Everything may be sacrificed in order to maintain the integrity of those essential facts. Thus, if Mormon Enigma reveals information that is detrimental to the reputation of Joseph Smith, then it is necessary to try to limit its influence and that of its authors.”
- Apostle Dallin Oaks, footnote 28, Inside the Mind of Joseph Smith: Psychobiography and the Book of Mormon, Introduction p. xliii
There is a temptation for the writer or the teacher of Church history to want to tell everything, whether it is worthy or faith promoting or not.”
Some things that are true are not very useful.”
That historian or scholar who delights in pointing out the weaknesses and frailties of present or past leaders destroys faith. A destroyer of faith — particularly one within the Church, and more particularly one who is employed specifically to build faith — places himself in great spiritual jeopardy. He is serving the wrong master, and unless he repents, he will not be among the faithful in the eternities. … Do not spread disease germs!”
- Apostle Boyd K. Packer, “The Mantle is Far, Far Greater Than the Intellect“, 1981, BYU Studies, Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 259-271
Apostle Russel M. Nelson: Indeed, in some instances, the merciful companion to truth is silence. Some truths are best left unsaid.”
Any who are tempted to rake through the annals of history, to use truth unrighteously, or to dig up facts with the intent to defame or destroy, should hearken to this warning of scripture:
The righteousness of God [is] revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” (Rom. 1:17–18.)
I repeat: “The wrath of God is … against all … who hold the truth in unrighteousness.”
To anyone who, because of truth, may be tempted to become a dissenter against the Lord and his anointed, weigh carefully your action in light of this sacred scripture:
These dissenters, having the same instruction and the same information … yea, having been instructed in the same knowledge of the Lord, nevertheless, it is strange to relate, not long after their dissensions they became more hardened and impenitent, and … wicked, … entirely forgetting the Lord their God.” (Alma 47:36.)
We must realize that we are at war. The war began before the world was and will continue. The forces of the adversary are extant upon the earth. All of our virtuous motives, if transmitted only by inertia and timidity, are no match for the resolute wickedness of those who oppose us.”
- Apostle Russell M. Nelson, “Truth—and More,” Ensign, Jan. 1986, page 69
Never Criticize Past or Present Church Leaders – Even if it is the Truth
“It is one thing to depreciate a person who exercises corporate power or even government power. It is quite another thing to criticize or depreciate a person for the performance of an office to which he or she has been called of God. It does not matter that the criticism is true. As Elder George F. Richards, President of the Council of the Twelve, said in a conference address in April 1947, ‘when we say anything bad about the leaders of the Church, whether true or false, we tend to impair their influence and their usefulness and are thus working against the Lord and his cause.‘ … The Holy Ghost will not guide or confirm criticism of the Lord’s anointed, or of Church leaders, local or general. This reality should be part of the spiritual evaluation that LDS readers and viewers apply to those things written about our history and those who made it.”
- Apostle Dallin H. Oaks, “Reading Church History,” CES Doctrine and Covenants Symposium, Brigham Young University, 16 Aug. 1985, page 25. also see Dallin H. Oaks, “Elder Decries Criticism of LDS Leaders,” quoted in The Salt Lake Tribune, Sunday August 18, 1985, p. 2B
Truth surely exists as an absolute, but our use of truth should be disciplined by other values. … When truth is constrained by other virtues, the outcome is not falsehood but silence for a season. As the scriptures say, there is “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.”
“Does the commandment to avoid faultfinding and evil speaking apply to Church members’ destructive personal criticism of Church leaders? Of course it does. It applies to criticism of all Church leaders—local or general, male or female. In our relations with all of our Church leaders, we should follow the Apostle Paul’s direction: “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father.” (1 Tim. 5:1.)”
Government or corporate officials, who are elected directly or indirectly or appointed by majority vote, must expect that their performance will be subject to critical and public evaluations by their constituents. That is part of the process of informing those who have the right and power of selection or removal. The same is true of popularly elected officers in professional, community, and other private organizations. I suppose that the same is true even of church leaders [in other churches] who are selected by popular vote of members or their representative bodies. Consistent with gospel standards, these evaluations—though critical and public—should be constructive.”
A different principle applies in our Church, where the selection of leaders is based on revelation, subject to the sustaining vote of the membership. In our system of Church government, evil speaking and criticism of leaders by members is always negative. Whether the criticism is true or not, as Elder George F. Richards explained, it tends to impair the leaders’ influence and usefulness, thus working against the Lord and his cause.”
Public debate—the means of resolving differences in a democratic government—is not appropriate in our Church government. We are all subject to the authority of the called and sustained servants of the Lord. They and we are all governed by the direction of the Spirit of the Lord, and that Spirit only functions in an atmosphere of unity. That is why personal differences about Church doctrine or procedure need to be worked out privately.”
- Apostle Dallin H. Oaks, “Criticism,” Ensign, Feb. 1987, page 68
You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.’ (DC 21:6)”
- Prophet Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, Oct. 1970, p. 152
Family Love Only Short-Term Objective Compared With Obedience and Church Loyalty
All Latter-day Saints understand that having an eternal family is an eternal goal. Exaltation is a family matter, not possible outside the everlasting covenant of marriage, which makes possible the perpetuation of glorious family relationships. But this does not mean that everything related to mortal families is an eternal goal. There are many short-term objectives associated with families—such as family togetherness or family solidarity or love—that are methods, not the eternal goals we pursue in priority above all others.”
The purpose of mortal families is to bring children into the world, to teach them what is right, and to prepare all family members for exaltation in eternal family relationships. The gospel plan contemplates the kind of family government, discipline, solidarity, and love that serve those ultimate goals. But even the love of family members is subject to the overriding first commandment, which is love of God, and the Savior’s directive, “If ye love me, keep my commandments”. As Jesus taught, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me”.
- Apostle Dallin H. Oaks, “Weightier Matters,” Ensign, Jan. 2001, 13
All Latter-day Saints understand that having an eternal family is an eternal goal. Exaltation is a family matter, not possible outside the everlasting covenant of marriage, which makes possible the perpetuation of glorious family relationships. But this does not mean that everything related to mortal families is an eternal goal. There are many short-term objectives associated with families—such as family togetherness or family solidarity or love—that are methods, not the eternal goals we pursue in priority above all others.”
The purpose of mortal families is to bring children into the world, to teach them what is right, and to prepare all family members for exaltation in eternal family relationships. The gospel plan contemplates the kind of family government, discipline, solidarity, and love that serve those ultimate goals. But even the love of family members is subject to the overriding first commandment, which is love of God, and the Savior’s directive, “If ye love me, keep my commandments”. As Jesus taught, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me”. – Apostle Dallin H. Oaks, “Weightier Matters,” Ensign, Jan. 2001, 13
In a recent General Conference President Hinckley and Apostle Holland again put “uncompromising loyalty” to church leaders above all else:
http://www.i4m.com/think/leaders/mormon_loyalty.htm
So can we trust these mortal men to always tell us the truth?
