According to Elder Quentin L.
Cook, “President Russell M. Nelson has been a commissioned agent of the Lord especially
with respect to revelations to” accomplish the following. Elder Cook categorized
them thusly:
Further comments from Elder Cook about these and other prophetic revelations follow, as given in conference:
The below questions (in bold) were submitted to me for answer by Kurt Manwaring of the “From the Desk” website. This version of the interview, as given below, is considerably expanded from the version posted on his website, which eliminated much of the more sacred content he felt less-appropriate for his reading audience. Also, his final question with answer is found here, but not in the version there.
When
President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke at Elder David B. Haight’s funeral, before
relating a sacred spiritual experience he had shared with Elder Haight,
President Hinckley said that he hoped he was not going beyond the bounds of
propriety in sharing that precious experience. I have the same hope in sharing
the material below—that I have not gone beyond the bounds of propriety in doing
so. I take comfort in the counsel given by President Boyd K. Packer that more
may be shared about deceased members and leaders than living ones. I do not
wish to cast pearls before swine, nor give that which is holy unto the dogs,
who turn again and rend. On the other hand, I do desire to build the faith of
others, and keep certain precious matters from being largely lost to history.
If no one knows about them they don’t do anybody any good. When studying the
lives of faithful people, miracles and spiritual experiences naturally appear;
“signs follow those who believe” as the scripture says.
While the
below information is admittedly a little long, those who read till the end will
be amply rewarded with minds and hearts edified and lifted concerning the
things of the Spirit; they will feel to rejoice as I have and hopefully finish
with stronger faith in Christ.
I think
highly of and appreciate The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ newsroom
website, and also the Church’s Gospel
Topic essays. These are fine and sound sources for accurate information
about the Church, portions of its doctrine, and some little of its more
controversial or oft-misunderstood history. However, despite the strong writing,
vetting, and approvals they receive before posting, sometimes some rare error
creeps in.
I suggest
that one reason a few things are stated poorly (or wrongly) is because the authors
explaining these varied topics are striving to diplomatically inform two very
different audiences. On one hand, church members need accurate and faithful
sources of information about the Church’s history and doctrine. On the other
hand, non-Latter-day Saints, with little or no background or
understanding of church history and doctrine, also need accurate and
understandable sources of the same information. Satisfying both spectrums in one
essay or a few topic paragraphs is so difficult that it is virtually impossible.
Spiritually mature and faithful church members that study and love the
scriptures can better understand the more advanced and difficult areas of
church history and doctrine than can others (such as curious or critical sectarian
Christians or atheist readers). This point is explained in President Boyd K.
Packer’s superb book, The Holy Temple (25-26). Therein he wrote:
At the luncheon, held in President Lee’s honor, President Eyring recorded that “President Lee began to speak. . . . He spoke with power, emotion, and informality that I cannot recreate on this page. He spoke of his own calling, saying, ‘If you think Satan doesn’t try to tempt the prophet, you’re wrong. I’m his prime target on earth.’”[1] This event foreshadowed the spiritual intensity of the coming devotional, held immediately afterward.
[Originally posted here on Saturday, February 13, 2021]
“We do not expect the people of the world to understand such things, for they will always be quick to assign their own reasons or to discount the divine process of revelation.”
(President Spencer W. Kimball[1])
The purpose of this piece is to substantiate the inspired genesis and continued correctness of the priesthood restriction on black male members (meaning of African descent) until June of 1978. With the many confused or contrary voices of critics, activists, liberal academics and scholars, doubters, and dissenters now proclaiming the restriction was instituted by a prejudiced and political President Brigham Young, presentation of the abundant contrary evidence is both helpful and needful. Many lacking understanding have labelled the former restriction in the Restored Church of Jesus Christ as wrong and racist, and even call for the Church to issue a public apology (something that won’t happen). They suppose if they shout loud and long enough, or write enough articles and blogs, what they say will displace truth and become the main narrative.
Because The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s Church and Kingdom of God on earth, the truth is that the restriction was implemented by Him, and thereafter continuously maintained and sustained by Him, through His prophets, until He removed it by revelation in 1978. The following items reinforce and support this reality:
[Readers desiring to obtain their own hardback copies of volume one of I Know He Lives: How 13 Special Witnesses Came to Know Jesus Christ can find copies on sale here Softbound copies can be purchased here, on sale. An ebook (Kindle) edition is available on Amazon here, for cheap. The Amazon page also includes the Introduction and first chapter of volume one for free.]
(by Dennis B. Horne)
Brothers and
sisters, let me give you a caution:
you won’t be of
much help to others
if your own faith
is not securely in place.
(Elder Neil L. Andersen[1])
Regarding this subject, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught: “Now, the Doubter. I don’t want this to immediately have to get theological, but who do you suppose is the father of doubt? If you had to have an antonym to doubt, wouldn’t it be perilously close to faith? . . . This is a battle for the souls eternally of men and women. This is part of the plan of eternity. And it was not meant for us to come here and to be doubtful, or discouraged, or depressed, or blunted, or muted. We are here to grow and blossom and develop eternally. So, while there are some practical things we can talk about, keep the doctrine in mind and remember who you are.”[2] A strong and beautiful statement of truth.
[Readers desiring to obtain their own hardback copies of volume one of I Know He Lives: How 13 Special Witnesses Came to Know Jesus Christ can find copies on sale here Softbound copies can be purchased here, on sale. An ebook (Kindle) edition is available on Amazon here, for cheap. The Amazon page also includes the Introduction and first chapter of volume one for free.]
(by Dennis B. Horne)
Set watchmen round
about them, and build a tower,
that one may
overlook the land round about,
to be a watchman
upon the tower,
that mine olive
trees [Church] may not be broken down
when the enemy
shall come. . . .
(D&C 101:45)
An uncompromising duty of those ordained to
the Apostleship—of a special witness—is to warn and guard the Church and its
members against the devices of the enemy, the Adversary. President Ezra Taft
Benson explained:
