“Who Is This Prophet?”

By Jane McBride Choate

A true story

Jenelle heard her best friend, Michelle, invite their friend Rebecca to her birthday party on Sunday. It was going to be a swimming party.

Michelle had already invited Jenelle, and Jenelle had not given her an answer yet. But she knew she wouldn’t be going to the party.

Michelle and Jenelle had been friends since they were six years old. But after Jenelle’s family had become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints nine months ago, things had changed between them. Becoming a Church member hadn’t changed what Jenelle felt for her friend, but Michelle was having a hard time understanding why Jenelle was different than before.

After school, Jenelle trudged home more discouraged than ever. Everyone else Michelle had invited to her party would be there. Mom will know what I can do, Jenelle thought. I always feel better after talking things over with her.

At home, she told her mother the whole story. “What am I going to do?” she asked.

Mom put her arm around Jenelle’s shoulders. “You have to decide what’s more important to you—going to your friend’s party or obeying the commandments,” she said.

Jenelle sighed. She knew what she should do. That didn’t make it any easier, though. She didn’t want to hurt her friend’s feelings, and she wanted to go to the party. But she couldn’t break one of the commandments, especially after hearing the prophet speak in general conference about the importance of keeping the Sabbath day holy.

She knew what she had to do. After school the next day, she hurried home and wrapped the present she had made for Michelle. Then she walked to her friend’s house.

“I made you something special for your birthday,” she said. “I’m sorry I can’t come to your birthday party. It’s because it’s on Sunday.”

Michelle unwrapped the present and held it up. “A birdhouse!” she said. “This is great! You made this yourself?”

Jenelle nodded. “At Primary achievement day.” She told Michelle about Primary and the achievement days for girls her age.

“What’s the big deal about going swimming on Sunday?” Michelle asked after thanking Jenelle for the gift. “We’ll be going in the afternoon, after your church is over.”

“The prophet said we need to keep the Sabbath day holy,” Jenelle explained.

“What does that mean?” Michelle asked.

“It means we don’t shop on Sunday or go swimming or to ball games—stuff like that.”

“What do you do?” Michelle wondered.

“We go to church, spend time with our families, listen to music, read the scriptures.” Jenelle smiled, remembering last Sunday. “Sometimes we take a nap.”

Michelle frowned. “Who is this prophet? Why do you have to do what he says?”

“He’s the President of the Church,” Jenelle explained.

“So he’s like the boss?”

Jenelle smiled again. She’d never heard the prophet described as a boss, but she supposed it made sense to people who weren’t members of the Church.

“What makes the prophet so special?” Michelle asked.

“He teaches us things Heavenly Father wants us to know.”

“You mean he talks with God?”

“Yes,” Jenelle answered firmly. She knew a lot of people didn’t understand that.

“Who is he?” Michelle asked.

“Our prophet’s name is President Gordon B. Hinckley.”

“Do you have to do everything he says?”

“We don’t have to. We choose to,” Jenelle said, hoping Michelle understood.

“Can you come to my birthday party next year if it isn’t on Sunday?” Michelle asked.

Jenelle hugged her friend. “I’m already counting the days till then!”

Illustrated by Taia Morley