The First Presidency (2018–): Russell M. Nelson (seated), Dallin H. Oaks (left), and Henry B. Eyring (right). Courtesy of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

Elder Neil L. Andersen emphasized that amid the commotion and confusion of our modern world, “trusting and believing in the words of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve is vital to our spiritual growth and endurance.”[1] God, knowing the calamity that would come in our day, called a prophet (Doctrine and Covenants 1:17–18) and continues to call living prophets. The role of living prophets is a recurring theme throughout the Doctrine and Covenants (28:2–7; 52:9; 58:18; 107:91–92). Both the preface (1:14, 17, 37–38) and the appendix (133:71) emphasize the significance of prophets. On the very day the Church was established, the Lord encouraged members to give diligent heed to the words of living prophets with patience and faith (21: 3–6).

During the fall of 1831, a group of elders found themselves with “fears in [their] hearts” (67:3) concerning the revelations received by the Prophet Joseph Smith. These elders were aware of Joseph’s imperfections and raised questions about the language used in his revelations (67:5). In response to their concerns, the Lord revealed truths in section 67 to strengthen the faith of these troubled elders in the revelations of their living prophet. Remarkably, these same truths continue to hold relevance for us, the present-day members of the Church, as they provide valuable insights into placing our trust in the words of living prophets.

As we seek to align our life with the teachings of living prophets, sometimes we become fearful and begin to question their words when our personal views may not initially be in harmony with their teachings.[2] Like the elders in 1831, we may even begin to see their imperfections and wish they expressed their teachings differently. A careful examination of Doctrine and Covenants 67 can also help us to rise above our fears related to living prophets and increase our trust in their words.

This essay will examine section 67 to answer the question: What should we do when we fear or question the words of living prophets? The background to section 67 will be examined, and then five truths from this section will be proposed: (1) experiment on their invitations, (2) recognize the righteousness in their revelations, (3) purify our motives, (4) follow the enticing of the Spirit, and (5) act in faith with patience. Teachings from living prophets will be shared to bring clarity to each truth. These five truths can help individuals trust today’s living prophets amid confusion, doubt, fears, and questions.

Background of Section 67

On November 1, 1831, ten elders gathered in the upstairs bedroom of the John and Elsa Johnson home in Hiram, Ohio, to examine a proposal to publish the revelations Joseph Smith had received. These revelations were highly valued by the Saints, who often shared copies with family and friends. Publishing the revelations would make it possible for more members to have access to them. At this time, there was also a series of letters being published by Ezra Booth that contained erroneous claims about Joseph Smith and the revelations. In response to this, Joseph Smith and others felt the need to publish the revelations to counter Booth’s allegations.[3]

Ezra Booth had traveled with Joseph to Independence, Missouri, in the summer of 1831. When they arrived, Ezra felt deflated because he had expected to find a thriving city but instead thought Independence appeared gloomy. He was surprised to find there were only seven members of the Church, not a large congregation as he had expected. When the outcomes of Ezra’s experience did not meet his expectations, he became upset with Joseph Smith. This caused a wedge to come between him and Joseph Smith. Ezra quickly traveled back to Ohio and began publishing letters criticizing the Prophet.[4] Like Ezra Booth, our expectations of prophets can sometimes be a stumbling block to accepting their words.[5]

The elders voted to publish ten thousand copies of Joseph Smith’s revelations. They also reviewed a draft of a preface written by William McClellan, Sidney Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery, which McClellan said the “Conference picked it all to pieces.”[6] The elders then requested that Joseph inquire of the Lord regarding the preface. During the break between the morning and afternoon sessions, Joseph received the preface to the Book of Commandments (i.e., Doctrine and Covenants 1) as he sat by the window and dictated it by the Spirit to Sidney Rigdon.

Joseph wanted the Book of Commandments to include a written testimony like the Testimony of the Three and Eight Witnesses in the Book of Mormon. Joseph asked the elders what testimony they were willing to attach to the Book of Commandments.[7] A discussion of the language of the revelations commenced.[8] Some elders criticized the language of the revelation and felt it should be more sophisticated. Later that day or the next, Joseph received what would become section 67. It contained “procedures the elders could follow to verify that Joseph Smith’s revelations were the result of inspiration.”[9] Like these elders, some may at times question the revelation received by living prophets. Understanding the truths taught in section 67 can help us gain our own witness of the truthfulness of their revelations.

Truth 1: Experiment on Prophetic Invitations

In response to the concerns of the elders, the Lord gave them an invitation or challenge to try to write their own revelation. He told them to pick any revelation, “even the least that is among them.” If they could make one “like unto it,” they were justified in not witnessing of the truthfulness of the revelations. However, if they could not make one “like unto it,” they were under condemnation if they did not bear record that it was true (67:6–8).

The history of Joseph Smith identifies William McLellin as one of the elders that tried to write a revelation. Speaking of William, the history includes the following:

The wisest man in his own estimation, having more learning than sense, endeavored to write a commandment like unto one of the least of the Lord’s but failed; it was an awful responsibility to write in the name of the Lord. The elders, and all present that witnessed this vain attempt of a man to imitate the language of Jesus Christ renewed their faith in the fulness of the gospel and in the truth of the commandments and revelations which the Lord had given to the church through my instrumentality; and the elders signified a willingness to bear testimony of their truth to all the world.[10]

Shortly after witnessing the failure of William, the elders reaffirmed their faith in the revelations Joseph had received. Experimenting on the revelations led to a testimony of their truthfulness.

In our day, God is continuing to give us invitations through his living prophets. As we actively search out and respond to the invitations given by the Lord through his living prophets, we can have experiences that help us gain our own testimony of their words.[11] Elder Andersen declared, “I promise that as you hear the voice of the Lord to you . . . and then act on those promptings, you will feel heaven’s hand upon you, and your life and the lives of those around you will be blessed.”[12] As we act in faith to experiment on prophetic invitations, we will receive confirmation of their teachings.

Truth 2: God’s Revelation is Righteous

Interestingly, the Lord helps us see that prophets are imperfect and at the same time helps us see that prophets receive revelations that have no unrighteousness in them (67:5, 9). He teaches us to avoid the false assumption that prophets are either perfect or imperfect.[13] Prophets can be mortal and at the same time, receive revelation from God that is righteous. Whether by God’s voice or the voice of his servants, it is the same (1:38). When we follow the prophet, we are following and placing our trust in Jesus Christ.[14] Their words are righteous because they bring us closer to Jesus Christ and prepare us to abide in his presence and our Heavenly Father’s (67:12–13).

Doctrine and Covenants 67:9 is not suggesting that every idle word of a prophet is the will of God. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “a prophet [is] a prophet only when he [is] acting as such.”[15] For most members of the Church, their interactions with the words of the living prophets include hearing them speak in general conference or reading their words in official publications. In these formal settings or publications, the living prophets are acting as the Lord’s mouthpiece and have carefully thought out their words and obtained the will of the Lord.[16]

It is important to consider the words of living prophets in their “totality,” rather than examining a single scripture or prophetic statement in isolation.[17] As we look for clear patterns that are consistently taught by living prophets, we can avoid the mental gymnastics that sometimes leads to “overly dissect[ing] the prophet’s words, [and] struggling to determine what is his prophetic voice and what is his personal opinion.”[18] As we consider their words in totality, we discover that doctrine is “taught by all 15 members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. It is not hidden in an obscure paragraph of one talk. True principles are taught frequently and by many. Our doctrine is not difficult to find.”[19] As we see their words in totality and follow their invitations we begin to see “there is no unrighteousness” in their words (67:9).

Understanding the role of living prophets can also help us see the righteousness in their words. The most important role of the living prophets is to “teach us of the Savior and lead us to Him.”[20] President Russell M. Nelson taught that the Prophet’s responsibility is to help prepare us for “eternal life.”[21] Their focus on our eternal salvation “attests to the goodness of their souls. Their greatest desire is to please the Lord and help God’s children return to his presence.”[22] As their counsel brings us closer to God, we can determine for ourselves that the words of living prophets have “no unrighteousness in them” and they “cometh down from above, from the Father of lights” (Doctrine and Covenants 67:9).

Truth 3: Genuinely Seek Jesus Christ

Doctrine and Covenants 67:10 encourages the elders to “strip [themselves] from jealousies and fears and humble themselves before me.” They are promised that as they purify their desires the “veil shall be rent” and they “shall see me and know that I am.” This verse can work as a self-evaluation of our own motives behind our fears or questions related to living prophets. As we seek to understand the words of living prophets, we must evaluate our motives and what we are hoping to accomplish. Any selfishness or pride in our motives can block us from recognizing God’s voice in the teachings of living prophets.

As we humbly consider the words of living prophets, the Lord can help us rethink our life and help us align more closely with their teachings. President Henry B. Eyring shared:

Sometimes we will receive counsel that we cannot understand or that seems not to apply to us, even after careful prayer and thought. Don’t discard the counsel, but hold it close. If someone you trusted handed you what appeared to be nothing more than sand with the promise that it contained gold, you might wisely hold it in your hand awhile, shaking it gently. Every time I have done that with the counsel from a prophet, after a time the gold flakes have begun to appear and I have been grateful.”[23]

As we humbly check our desires and motives the Lord will help us see the gold flakes in the words of the living prophets. As President Nelson has taught, we can put exclamation points rather than question marks on their teachings.[24]

Truth 4: Yield to the Enticings of the Holy Spirit

The Lord taught the elders that they could see him and know him, “not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the spiritual” (67:10). He reminded them that to see God, they must be “quickened by the Spirit of God” (67:11). The “natural man [cannot] abide the presence of God” (67:12). King Benjamin teaches us that it is through yielding “to the enticings of the Holy Spirit” that we can put off the natural man (Mosiah 3:19). As we become like a child through following the Spirit, we can overcome the natural man and return to God’s presence. President Eyring taught, “Our natures must be changed to become as a child to gain the strength we must have to stand steady and at peace in times of peril.”[25] Yielding to the enticings of the Holy Ghost can help us overcome our fears and questions related to living prophets. The Spirit can help us transform our perspective and, when necessary, align with God’s will.

Elder David A. Bednar taught that one distinguishing feature of living prophets is their ability to follow the Spirit. He said, “They have learned to understand the divine language of the Holy Spirit and the Lord’s pattern for receiving revelation.”[26] Like living prophets, we can also develop our capacity to follow the Spirit. President Nelson has taught that one of the things that will help us the most is to increase our ability to receive revelation in our life. He said: “What will happen as you more intentionally hear, hearken, and heed what the Savior has said and what He is saying now through His prophets? I promise that you will be blessed with additional power to deal with temptation, struggles, and weakness. I promise miracles in your marriage, family relationships, and daily work. And I promise that your capacity to feel joy will increase even if turbulence increases in your life.”[27]

One primary role of prophets is to help us increase our capacity to receive revelation. As we develop our ability to hear the Lord’s voice, we will be led with the necessary promptings to overcome the natural man and have the humility necessary to rethink our perspectives when they are out of alignment with living prophets.

Apostle Thomas B. Marsh shared what can happen if we neglect the Spirit in our life. After leaving the church, Thomas evaluated his life and determined that it was failing to listen to the Spirit that was the genesis for his leaving the Church. He remarked:

I have frequently wanted to know how my apostacy began, and I have come to the conclusion that I must have lost the Spirit of the Lord out of my heart.

The next question is, “How and when did you lose the Spirit?” I became jealous of the Prophet, and then I saw double, and overlooked everything that was right, and spent all my time in looking for the evil; and then, when the Devil began to lead me, it was easy for the carnal mind to rise up, which is anger, jealousy, and wrath. I could feel it within me; I felt angry and wrathful; and the Spirit of the Lord being gone, as the Scriptures say, I was blinded. . . . I got mad, and I wanted everybody else to be mad.[28]

Keeping the Spirit of the Lord in our hearts will enable us to discern the truthfulness of the words of living prophets. Through the assistance of the Spirit, we can overcome our fears and find answers to our questions.

Truth 5: Act in Faith

Finally, the Lord reminds the elders to “continue in patience until ye are perfected” (67:13) and to “let not your minds turn back; and . . . in mine own due time, ye shall see and know that which was conferred upon you by the hands of my servant Joseph Smith” (67:14). Overcoming our fears, doubts, and questions related to the revelations of living prophets will often require us to “continue in patience” and to not “turn back.” As we do this, “the gates of hell shall not prevail against [us]” (21:6). The Lord will “disperse the powers of darkness from before [us], and cause the heavens to shake for [our] good, and his name’s glory” (21:6).

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught, “Without patience, we cannot please God; we cannot become perfected. Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace.” As we “continue in patience,” we will continue to follow the invitations given by living prophets even when we are not seeing any immediate blessings. We will avoid turning back and giving up on their words. Elder Uchtdorf continued: “Patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!”[29]

Often after the trial of our faith we see the “righteousness” of the words of living prophets and the Lord’s timing. President Dallin H. Oaks taught, “In our service in the Lord’s church we should remember that when is just as important as who, what, where, and how.”[30]

Elder D. Todd Christofferson explained, “It is essential that we honor and obey His laws, but not every blessing predicated on obedience to law is shaped, designed, and timed according to our expectations. We do our best but must leave to Him the management of blessings, both temporal and spiritual.” As we correctly understand the role of timing in overcoming our fears and questions, we will avoid seeing obedience to the words of living prophets as a “cosmic vending machine”[31] from which we glean immediate rewards. Continuing to follow the teachings of living prophets, even when immediate blessings seem withheld, will eventually enable us to know the truthfulness of their teachings.

Conclusion

Like the elders who questioned the revelations of Joseph Smith, we may have times when we fear or question the revelations received by living prophets. Doctrine and Covenants 67 contains truths we can draw upon to strengthen our testimony of living prophets. We can discover our own witness of the truthfulness of the teachings of living prophets as we (1) experiment on invitations of prophets to gain a witness of their words, (2) remember that revelation from God has no unrighteousness in it, (3) strip ourselves of motives that are preventing us from seeking Jesus Christ, (4) yield to the enticing of the Holy Spirit to overcome the natural man, and (5) act in faith to continue in patience until we become perfected. These truths will enable us to eventually become “perfected” and to “abide the presence of God” (67:13) and know the revelations the living prophets receive are of God (67:14).

Notes

[1] Neil L. Andersen, “The Voice of the Lord,” Ensign, November 2017, 122.

[2] Neil L. Andersen, “The Prophet of God,” Ensign, May 2018, 26.

[3] Minutes, 1–2 November 1831, 15, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[4] Matthew McBride, “Ezra Booth and Isaac Morley,” in Revelations in Context, ed. Matthew McBride and James Goldberg (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2016), www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[5] See Keith A. Erekson, “Expectations of a Prophet” (Ensign College devotional, February 1, 2022), www.ensign.edu/keith-a-erekson-february-2022.

[6] Revelation, 1 November 1831–B (D&C 1), 125, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[7] Testimony, circa 2 November 1831, 121, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[8] History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 (23 December 1805–30 August 1834), 161, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[9] Minutes, 1–2 November 1831, 15, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[10] History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 (23 December 1805–30 August 1834), 162, www.josephsmithpapers.org.

[11] Neil L. Andersen, “Hold Fast to the Words of the Prophets” (Brigham Young University devotional, March 4, 2007), https://speeches.byu.edu.

[12] Andersen, “Voice of the Lord,” 126.

[13] Keith A. Erekson, Real vs. Rumor: How to Dispel Latter-day Myths (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2021), 63, 71–72, 85–86.

[14] Sheri Dew, “Prophets Can See Around Corners” (Brigham Young University–Hawaii devotional, November 2, 2022), https://speeches.byuh.edu.

[15] D. Todd Christofferson, “The Doctrine of Christ,” in Conference Report, April 2012, 89.

[16] Andersen, “Voice of the Lord,” 125.

[17] David A. Bednar, Increase in Learning Spiritual Patterns for Obtaining Your Own Answers (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2011),xiii.

[18] Andersen, “Prophet of God,” 26.

[19] Neil L. Andersen, “Trial of Your Faith,” Ensign, November 2012, 41.

[20] Andersen, “Prophet of God,” 25.

[21] Russell M. Nelson, “Choices for Eternity” (worldwide devotional for young adults, May 2022), www.churchofjesuschrist.org.

[22] Andersen, “Voice of the Lord,” 125.

[23] Henry B. Eyring, “Finding Safety in Counsel,” Ensign, May 1997, 25–26.

[24] Russell M. Nelson, “Call to the Holy Apostleship,” Ensign, May 1984, 52.

[25] Henry B. Eyring, “Steady in the Storms,” Ensign, May 2022, 29.

[26] David A. Bednar, “Chosen to Bear Testimony of My Name,” Ensign, November 2015, 129.

[27] Russell M. Nelson, “Hear Him,” Ensign, May 2020, 90.

[28] Matthew McBride, “The Faith and Fall of Thomas Marsh,” in McBride and Goldberg, Revelations in Context.

[29] Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Continue in Patience,” Ensign, April 2010, 56–57.

[30] Dallin H. Oaks, “Timing” (Brigham Young University devotional, January 29, 2002), https://speeches.byu.edu.

[31] D. Todd Christofferson, “Our Relationship with God,” Ensign, May 2022, 78.