I am grateful that we have a living prophet on the earth today. I’m grateful for the life and service of President Gordon B. Hinckley, who had served as the prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as “the Mormons“) from 1995 up until his recent passing. And I’m grateful that even though we love and miss him, the Lord has provided us with another prophet who has been raised up to this position.
President Thomas S. Monson has been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since the young age of 36. (By comparison, the youngest currently serving member of the Twelve, David A. Bednar, is 56. The Quorum of the Twelve is the highest leadership body in the Church, under the prophet and First Presidency. Apostles stand as special witnesses of Jesus Christ.) Serving as an apostle is a huge responsibility, but Brother Monson had served in other Church leadership capacities prior to his call and was prepared for the challenge.
And so it is today. Forty-four years later, including years of service as a counselor in the First Presidency, he has been trained and gained experience that can be had in no other way. Of succeeding President Hinckley, President Monson said, “(It’s) not difficult because he blazed the trail. I worked with him for so long, 44 years, that we knew each other so well. I knew and I testify afresh that he was the Lord’s prophet.” (News conference, 4 February 2008, quoted in the LDS Church News, 9 February 2008.)
Still, the call to serve as the Lord’s prophet on earth is not an easy one to step into. President Monson said, “I found that most helpful to me was going to my knees and thanking my Heavenly Father for life, for experience, my family, and then directly asking Him to go before my face, to be on my right hand, to be on my left hand, and His spirit in my heart and His angels round about me to bear me up.” (News conference, 4 February 2008.)
That’s a lesson we can all learn from. Perhaps Nephi said it most memorably in the Book of Mormon. When faced with a difficult task from the Lord that his brothers declared was impossible, Nephi replied: “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” (1 Nephi 3:7)
Like Nephi, President Monson understands that when the Lord asks us to do something -even something that seems impossible to our limited understanding – He will provide a way for us to accomplish it. With the help of the Lord, we can succeed in all He would have us do. I am grateful to have a prophet today who deeply understands this principle and will rely on the Lord to help him to do the work He has given him.
