Come Unto Christ Through His Living Prophets

Thomas S. Monson

The subject of this podcast is that we may come unto Christ through following prophets of God.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, my testimony is that we are blessed to be led by living prophets—inspired men who like Moses, Isaiah, Peter, Paul, Nephi, Mormon, and other prophets of the scriptures, are called to speak for the Lord. As a messenger of God, a prophet receives commandments, prophecies, and revelations from God. His responsibility is to make known God’s will and true character to mankind and to show the meaning of his dealings with them.

We live in a day of many voices. We hear them on the radio and television. We read them on the internet, in newspapers and magazines. One of the real challenges we face in this age of information is sorting fact from fiction, truth from falsehood. Nowhere does this truth seem more evident than among the conflicting voices which speak of the Savior of the world himself. Each voice declares a Christ molded to fit their “diverse theological idiosyncrasies”.

If we are to successfully navigate through this web of discordant voices and  learn the truth, we would do well to remember how God has always revealed Himself to mankind. The answer is in found in Amos chapter 3 verse 7:  “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”

I would like to share with you now testimonies of Christ as given by three latter-day prophets;
 
The first is President Ezra Taft Benson, who served as president of the Church from 1985 - 1994.

"The fundamental principle of our religion is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ...My message and testimony is this: Only Jesus Christ is uniquely qualified to provide that hope, that confidence, and that strength to overcome the world and rise above our human failings. To do that, we must place our faith in Him and live by His laws and teachings... Jesus Christ was and is the Lord God Omnipotent. (See Mosiah 3:5.) He was chosen before He was born. He was the all-powerful Creator of the heavens and the earth. He is the source of life and light to all things. Jesus Christ is the Son of God... 
"Appropriately we praise Him as the Rock of our salvation. (See 2 Ne. 4:30.) Jesus came to earth to do our Father’s will...

"He came with a foreknowledge that He would bear the burden of the sins of us all.

"He knew that He would be lifted up on the cross.

"He was born to be the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind.

"He was able to accomplish His mission because He was the Son of God and He possessed the power of God.

"He was willing to accomplish His mission because He loves us.

"With all my soul, I love Him.

"I humbly testify that He is the same loving, compassionate Lord today as when He walked the dusty roads of Palestine. He is close to His servants on this earth. He cares about and loves each of us today. Of that you can be assured.

"He lives today as our Lord, our Master, our Savior, our Redeemer, and our God.

God bless us all to believe Him, to accept Him, to worship Him, and to fully trust in Him, and to follow Him is my humble prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

("Jesus Christ: Our Savior and Redeemer", Ensign, Nov. 1983.)

Next is a moving testimony from President Gordon B. Hinckley who served from 1995 - 2008.

“Now I leave with words that have been spoken so often from this great assembly hall—my testimony, my blessing, and my love—with you, my dear associates in this great cause. This work is true. You know that, as do I. It is God's work. You know that also. It is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the way to happiness, the plan for peace and righteousness.”

“God our Eternal Father lives. His Son, our Redeemer, the resurrected Savior of the world, lives. They appeared to the boy Joseph Smith to part the curtains in opening a great work of restoration, ushering in the dispensation of the fulness of times. The Book of Mormon is true. It speaks as a voice from the dust in testimony of the divinity of the Lord. The priesthood with its keys, its authority, and all of its blessings is upon the earth.”

“And we are partakers of these precious gifts. And so, as we might say to an old friend, good-bye. May the blessings of God rest upon this sacred and wonderful hall. And may we, as those who have come here frequently to partake of the Spirit felt here, live worthy of the title Latter-day Saints is my humble prayer in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.”
( “Good-bye to This Wonderful Tabernacle,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 91. )

The final testimony is from our current prophet, Thomas S, Monson who was sustained in April 2008 as President of the Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-day Saints.

“With all my heart and the fervency of my soul, I lift up my voice in testimony as a special witness and declare that God does live. Jesus is His Son, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. He is our Redeemer; He is our Mediator with the Father. He it was who died on the cross to atone for our sins. He became the firstfruits of the Resurrection. Because He died, all shall live again. ‘Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: “I know that my Redeemer lives!” ’ May the whole world know it and live by that knowledge, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior, amen.”
( “ I Know That My Redeemer Lives!” Ensign, May 2007, 25. )