Come, Follow Me
Will You Listen?
The prophet’s guidance can protect, bless, and help us—if we will let it.
Illustration by Alyssa Talent
“Destruction is coming!”
That’s a gloomy message to receive. But imagine being the one called to give it!
Samuel the Lamanite was called by the Lord to warn the Nephites of their wickedness. Standing on a wall, Samuel declared that one day “utter destruction … shall surely come except ye repent” (Helaman 13:10).
Samuel also prophesied that in five years there would be a night without darkness and a new star in the sky to mark the Savior’s birth (see Helaman 14:2–5).
How did the Nephites respond to Samuel’s message?
They refused to listen. They “cast stones at [Samuel] … and … shot arrows at him as he stood upon the wall” (Helaman 16:2). Thankfully, people do not cast stones or shoot arrows at the prophet today, but many still reject and ridicule his words as he teaches the eternal truths of the Savior’s gospel.
When the prophet speaks, how will you respond? Will you listen?
Here are three reminders of the blessings that come from having a prophet on the earth and listening to him.
The Prophet Loves Us and Prays for Us
In many general conference addresses, President Russell M. Nelson has told us:
“I love you.” “You have been constantly on my mind and in my prayers.”
What a blessing it is to know that the prophet loves us and prays for us!
Almost five years after Samuel the Lamanite’s prophecies, some Nephites said the time had passed for his words to be fulfilled. They mocked those who believed and even chose a day to kill the believers if the signs of the Savior’s birth did not come (see 3 Nephi 1:6–9). During this terrifying time, the prophet Nephi prayed all day “in behalf of his people … who were about to be destroyed because of their faith” (3 Nephi 1:11).
Today, the prophet’s prayers help us in more ways than we may realize. The spiritual guidance he receives through prayer blesses all the world.
The Prophet Guides Us to the Savior
“Lift up your head and be of good cheer,” the Lord told Nephi. “The time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world” (3 Nephi 1:13).
As the sun went down, it did not get dark. The sign had come! (See 3 Nephi 1:15.) The next morning, everyone knew that it was the day the Savior would be born, and a new star appeared (see 3 Nephi 1:19, 21). Everything the Lord had prophesied through Samuel about the Savior’s birth had been fulfilled just as the Lord had said it would.
The Savior’s coming into the world immediately saved those believers from death. But it saved not only them. Jesus Christ came to save us all from sin and death, give us strength in times of need, and bring us hope and joy through His Atonement. This has been the main message of every prophet “who [has] prophesied ever since the world began” (Mosiah 13:33). Prophets guide us to the Savior, who is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
The Prophet Declares the Truth
The first time I read through the Book of Mormon in high school, a teaching from Samuel the Lamanite stood out to me. He told the Nephites that if they kept putting off their repentance the time would come when it would be “everlastingly too late.” He said, “Ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; … ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity,” which is contrary to the nature of our Heavenly Father (Helaman 13:38).
In our day, President Nelson has similarly taught:
“While the world insists that power, possessions, popularity, and pleasures of the flesh bring happiness, they do not! They cannot! …
“The truth is that it is much more exhausting to seek happiness where you can never find it! … Jesus Christ … , and He alone, [has] the power to lift you above the pull of this world.”
Some Nephites chose to listen to and believe Samuel’s words; many others did not (see Helaman 16:1–8). In many ways, today is not so different.
What will you choose? Will you listen to the prophet?
President Nelson has taught:
“[Prophets, seers, and revelators] may not always tell people what they want to hear. Prophets are rarely popular. But we will always teach the truth!”
As you listen to the prophet and act on his words, you will find that his prophetic guidance will protect, bless, and help you throughout your life.