At this point in the Book of Mormon, the prophet and leader of the church is Helaman's son, Nephi. Nephi encourages his people to "remember the Lord." Today we are going to talk about prophets. What do prophets do?
Prophet Game: Before the game: print and cut out pictures of the two prophets below. Glue them together back to back on a popsicle stick. Make enough so that each person may have a prophet popsicle stick.
Directions: In order to learn more about what prophets do I'm going to read you a quote and I want you to show me with your popsicle stick whether the person talking is Nephi or President Nelson. Hold the correct person out towards me.
1. Prophets cry repentance and warn of the consequences of sin.
Nephi: Helaman 7:17–19. "17 O repent ye, repent ye! aWhy will ye die? Turn ye, turn ye unto the Lord your God. Why has he forsaken you? 18 It is because you have hardened your hearts; yea, ye will not ahearken unto the voice of the bgood shepherd; yea, ye have cprovoked him to anger against you. 19 And behold, instead of agathering you, except ye will repent, behold, he shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for dogs and wild beasts."
"Repentance is the key to avoiding misery inflicted by traps of the adversary. The Lord does not expect perfection from us at this point in our eternal progression. But He does expect us to become increasingly pure. Daily repentance is the pathway to purity, and purity brings power." (President Nelson, "We Can Do Better and Be Better" General Conference, April, 2019.)
2. Prophets know by revelation from God what the people need to hear.
Nephi: Helaman 7: 29 Behold now, I do not say that these things shall be, of myself, because it is not of myself that I aknow these things; but behold, I bknow that these things are true because the Lord God has made them known unto me, therefore I testify that they shall be.
"Our Father knows that when we are surrounded by uncertainty and fear, what will help us the very most is to hear His Son. Because when we seek to hear—truly hear—His Son, we will be guided to know what to do in any circumstance...In those two words—“Hear Him”—God gives us the pattern for success, happiness, and joy in this life. We are to hear the words of the Lord, hearken to them, and heed what He has told us!" (President Nelson, "Hear Him" General Conference. April, 2020).
3. Prophets are given the power to seal on earth and in heaven.
Nephi: Helaman 10:7. "Behold, I give unto you apower, that whatsoever ye shall bsealon earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people."
"Dear brothers and sisters, I express my love for you. During this time of tension and uncertainty, and invoking the authority vested in me, I would like to confer upon you an apostolic blessing. I bless you with peace and increasing faith in the Lord. I bless you with a desire to repent and become a little more like Him each day. I bless you to know that the Prophet Joseph Smith is the prophet of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness. Should there be illness among you or your loved ones, I leave a blessing of healing, consistent with the will of the Lord. I so bless you, adding once more my expression of love for each of you, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen." (President Nelson, "Go Forward in Faith" General Conference. April, 2020).
4. Has priesthood authority to act in God's name.
Nephi: Helaman 10:6 Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with afamine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people.
"I give you my solemn witness that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, and that President Russell M. Nelson is His anointed prophet upon the earth." (Neil L. Anderson, "The Prophet of God" General Conference, April 2018).
5. Declare the word of God (the gospel).
Nephi: Helaman 10: 11 And now behold, I command you, that ye shall go and declare unto this people, that thus saith the Lord God, who is the Almighty: Except ye repent ye shall be smitten, even unto adestruction.
"So tonight, my dear brothers and sisters, in the spirit of the sons of Mosiah, who gave themselves to much fasting and prayer,14 and as part of our April 2020 general conference, I am calling for another worldwide fast. For all whose health may permit, let us fast, pray, and unite our faith once again. " (President Nelson, "Opening the Heavens for Help" General Conference. April, 2020).
So what do prophets do? Reread the 5 things prophets do in bold above. Today, our prophet is President Russel M. Nelson. Every general conference, we get to hear from him and listen to his council. We get to sustain him as our prophet, seer, and revelator. Last conference he counseled us to fast and pray, to attend the temple, to remember the work of the prophet Joseph in the Restoration of the gospel, and to "Hear Him," that is to try and come closer to the Savior and hear what He has to say to each of us.
As we read the teachings of the prophets of old and hearken unto the counsel of our current prophet, we will be blessed.
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