A Living Prophet for the Latter Days
Open talk in Gospel LibraryContents
Before Reading
Before reading or listening to the talk, consider the following questions:
- What is the role of a prophet according to Elder Haynie?
- Why does Elder Haynie emphasize the importance of following prophetic counsel?
- What does Elder Haynie suggest about the impact of our actions on future generations?
- How does Elder Haynie use personal experiences to illustrate his points?
- What scriptural references does Elder Haynie use to support his teachings?
Topics
Understanding the Role of a Prophet
Elder Haynie emphasizes the divine role of a prophet, who is personally prepared, called, corrected, inspired, rebuked, sanctified, and sustained by God. He highlights that prophets are chosen by a loving Heavenly Father to reveal truth to His children.
A prophet is someone God has personally prepared, called, corrected, inspired, rebuked, sanctified, and sustained.
That’s President David O. McKay; he’s a prophet.
- How does Elder Haynie describe the role of a prophet?
- Why is it significant that prophets are chosen and prepared by God?
- How does understanding the role of a prophet impact your faith?
- How can you better seek guidance from the prophet in your daily life?
Valuing Prophetic Counsel
Elder Haynie underscores the importance of trusting and following the counsel of a living prophet, even when we may not fully understand it. He discourages selective rejection of prophetic counsel and encourages trust in God's pattern of revealing truth.
Such revealed knowledge invites one to trust the counsel of a living prophet, even if we do not fully understand it.
That is why we are never spiritually at risk in following prophetic counsel.
- Why does Elder Haynie emphasize the importance of trusting prophetic counsel?
- What are the potential dangers of selectively rejecting prophetic counsel?
- Can you recall a time when following prophetic counsel brought blessings into your life?
- How can you better apply prophetic counsel in your daily decisions?
Preparing for the Latter Days
Elder Haynie discusses the realities of living in the latter days, including the reestablishment of Christ's Church and the prophesied challenges. He encourages faith and trust in the words of a living prophet to navigate these troubled times.
Whether we like it or not, all of us were chosen in some fashion in the pre-earth life to be born in these latter days.
The doctrine and principles that we must follow to survive spiritually and endure physically are found in the words of a living prophet.
- What are the realities of living in the latter days according to Elder Haynie?
- How does prophetic counsel help us navigate the challenges of the latter days?
- How have you seen the words of a living prophet guide you during challenging times?
- How can you strengthen your faith and trust in prophetic counsel during these latter days?
Impacting Future Generations
Elder Haynie stresses the impact of our actions on future generations. He warns of the spiritual malnutrition that can result from ignoring or selectively following prophetic counsel, and the potential for our actions to influence future generations to stray from the covenant path.
When parents ignore the counsel of the living prophet, they not only lose the promised blessings for themselves but even more tragically teach their children that what a prophet says is insignificant or that prophetic counsel can be picked through in a smorgasbord fashion without concern for the resulting spiritual malnutrition.
Our seemingly small deviations, quiet neglect, or whispered criticisms in response to prophetic counsel may result in our only walking dangerously near the edge of the covenant path; but when magnified by the adversary in the lives of the rising generation, such actions may influence them to leave that path altogether.
- Why does Elder Haynie emphasize the impact of our actions on future generations?
- What are the potential consequences of ignoring or selectively following prophetic counsel?
- How do your actions reflect your commitment to following prophetic counsel?
- What steps can you take to ensure your actions encourage future generations to stay on the covenant path?
Learning from Prophetic Examples
Elder Haynie shares a personal experience with the First Presidency to illustrate the importance of learning from the prophet's example. He highlights the willingness of President Oaks and President Eyring to follow President Nelson's example, even in a small act like recycling.
I’m confident that President Nelson was not declaring some new recycling-based doctrine in the cafeteria that day. But we can learn from the prompt response of President Oaks and President Eyring to President Nelson’s example and President Nelson’s attentiveness to help teach those involved a better way.
President Oaks responded, with a smile on his face, "Well, Allen, you need to follow the prophet."
- What does Elder Haynie's cafeteria experience with the First Presidency teach about following the prophet?
- Why is it important to learn from the prophet's example, even in small acts?
- Can you recall a time when you learned from the prophet's example?
- How can you be more attentive to the prophet's teachings and examples in your daily life?
