Sustaining the Lord's Prophets

I'm going through the arduous motions of prepping to move. This means cleaning out all drawers, snagging the dust bunnies under the beds, and sorting through boxes I've shoved aside all too long. Today I came across this quote...and it caused me to forget my aching back (at least, for a moment).

President Harold B. Lee warned:

"The only safety we have as members of this church is to do exactly what the Lord said to the Church in that day when the Church was organized. We must learn to give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through his prophet, 'as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; ... as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.' (D&C 21:4-5).

"There will be some things that take patience and faith. 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..."

I'm going to stop the quote right here and exclaim how much these words from this prophet sound as if they were given this very week! But they weren't. They were spoken nearly 40 years ago in 1970. President Harold B. Lee died a long time ago, yet his words remain as clearly focused and urgent for our day as for his.

I had heard that some members of the Church had planned on walking out of Sacrament meeting a few weeks back when the First Presidency letter was read regarding supporting traditional marriage. Thus, when I came across this quote today I thought how each day we make choices whether to abide with the prophet or not. If we do, in patience and faith, the Lord watches and takes note. It particularly takes patience and faith when the prophet's counsel feels to go against what we thought to be correct. This is where faith in God and His oracles is proven to be in existence or not. I'm not perfect in this, THAT's for sure, but I'm trying every chance I get to get better.

The times we are in are not surprising in some ways. For nearly 2000 years, the Christian world has had (generally speaking) the Lord's words contained in the Bible, where we're told that in the final times before Christ comes there will be much confusion. It is for this purpose the Lord specifically speaks through His prophets, so that in the midst of the cacophony of opinions, we can know God's perspective on the things that matter.

When all is said and done, no matter how painful, I believe Amos 3:7.