If you were assigned to speak in Sacrament Meeting on the topic of following the counsel and guidance of the living prophet, but you wanted to take a unique approach, what would you say?
Speaking on following the prophet
17 thoughts on “Speaking on following the prophet”
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I would try to show how the counsel to follow the prophet and the counsel to find out for yourself are both right and essentially agree. Too often I find people are one way or the other with this as if they are mutually exclusive.
I would also tailor it to my Ward as lately frustrated leaders at being question are giving the old “It is not for you to reason why” mentality. Anotherwords just do what they ask because the blame will lie with them if it is wrong (the Just followng orders syndrome). I really think that gets misapplied and would delve into it a little bit.
That would also lead to a discussion of how to appropriately “question” or disagree. I am thinking of Elder Hollands comments about the Priesthood Ban (memory may be off on the participant). Too often the path of least resistence is to become a crank and a complainer.
One interesting approach may be to focus on the good that has come from core doctrinal changes as directed by prophets of the time. Sort of a time-line of the major events in church direction as it pertains to having a living prophet versus following only canonized (and interpreted) scripture.
You could also draw comparisons relating the large changes to the smaller ones.
You could also say something in regard to the fact that every single member is probably not following the directions of the prophet in one way or another … if you ask the right member; and how it is the job of the member to direct their own acts based on their own interpretations of the prophet’s words and personal revelation.
…or something like that. What do I know – I’m no member. =)
Great thoughts, TS and Rick. You got my gears turning.
I would use some sort of humour and not base the whole thing on scriptures.. you can still get the point across but at the same time keeping it light. If you don’t get their attention in the 1st 2 minutes they are lost. I hate the “because I said so” mentality. God gave me a brain and I continually use it even if it means I ask “why” a 1000 times. Maybe touching on how we can have a clearer path to our Father in Heaven to get guidance without ONLY following counsel from the prophets.. after all they are supposed to be His mouthpiece. But sometimes when we hear the same thing over and over again we stop listening. Maybe fine tuning our other antennas would work better.
who are you rick and what have you done with the real rick?
You didn’t hear about my upcoming baptism, JM?
Hopefully, Rick’s baptism will make it to YOU TUBE ;)
Winning the war on pigeons
I hate to sound anti but what new direction or guidance has the prophet given in the last 12 months for you to follow? How can you follow if there is no leader?
As an active LDS member, do you even know the current revelation the Lord has given to the Prophet?
I remember being asked this question when I was on my mission and I did not know what the current revelation from God was, just old ones.
The topic isn’t “new guidance and counsel”; it’s just guidance and counsel. President Monson has given plenty of counsel.
how was your talk Kim?
I haven’t given it yet.
I would include some thoughts about follwing their counsel as stated, rather than following elaborate extraplations of their counsel.
I am trying to get him to post the talk. It was excellent and he got a lot of positive feedback. The interesting thing is most of the words were NOT his, they were the words of our modern day prophets.
I think “taking a unique approach” is the last thing I would want to do. The longer I live the more I think the example of 3 Nephi 19:7-8 is the one I should strive to follow.
His approach was to quote what all the modern day prophets had to say on the subject. And it came across very well with people gaining much out of it.
That sounds like a good approach to me. I wouldn’t call it “unique,” but I would call it right.