July 10

Why Is It Important to Follow God’s Living Prophets?

2 Kings 2–7

Counsel Together

Led by a member of the quorum or class presidency; 10–20 minutes

At the beginning of the meeting, repeat together the Young Women Theme or the Aaronic Priesthood Quorum Theme. Then lead a discussion about the work of salvation and exaltation using one or more of the questions below or questions of your own (see General Handbook, 10.2, 11.2, ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Plan ways to act on what you discuss.

• Live the gospel. What has the bishopric discussed in our ward youth council meetings? What actions can we take based on that discussion?

• Care for those in need. How can we reach out to people in Christlike ways when we see a need and don’t know what to say?

• Invite all to receive the gospel. What is something we have found in the gospel of Jesus Christ that brings us joy? How can we share that joy with others?

• Unite families for eternity. What are some ways we can better connect with extended family members, such as grandparents and cousins?

At the end of the lesson, as appropriate, do the following:

• Testify of the principles taught.

• Remind class or quorum members about the plans and invitations made during the meeting.

Teach the Doctrine

Led by an adult leader or youth; 25–35 minutes

Prepare Yourself Spiritually

There may be a little bit of Naaman the leper in all of us (see 2 Kings 5:1–15). Like Naaman, who grew angry when the prophet Elisha told him to simply wash in a river to be healed, we may not always understand the reasons for our prophets’ counsel. We may think that some of their counsel doesn’t make sense to us and therefore doesn’t apply to us. But God promises great blessings if we are humble enough to follow the prophet (see Doctrine and Covenants 21:4–7). How has following the prophet helped you draw closer to the Lord? What other examples from 2 Kings 4–6 show how we are blessed as we follow living prophets?

As you prepare to teach about the blessings that come from following the living prophet, think about the challenges that youth face. How can following the prophet help them with these challenges? You might also read Elder Neil L. Andersen’s message “The Prophet of God” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 24–27) or Elder L. Whitney Clayton’s message “Whatsoever He Saith unto You, Do It” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 97–99).

Following the prophet can help young people with the challenges they face.

Learn Together

To begin a discussion, you could ask each class or quorum member (or small groups) to review one of the following accounts: 2 Kings 4:1–7; 5:6–14; 6:8, 13–17. Ask them to look for something that inspires them to read and follow the teachings of today’s prophets and apostles. After each group shares something they found, you could ask a few youth to finish this sentence: “When I follow the living prophets and apostles, I …” To continue a discussion about following prophets, choose one or more of the following ideas.

• Because living prophets are found only in the Lord’s restored Church, members of your class or quorum may have opportunities to answer others’ questions about living prophets. You might write on the board the following questions that people could have about living prophets: Why do you have a prophet? How is a prophet chosen? How do you know that the prophet really speaks for God? The youth could search for answers to these questions in the resources under “Supporting Resources.” They could practice answering these questions and others they have using the truths they found and their own thoughts and experiences.

• How can the words of our living prophet help us when we face personal challenges? To help the youth answer this question, you could invite them to list on the board some of the counsel and invitations the prophet gave in the most recent general conference. What have we done to act on his counsel and invitations? What changes have we seen in our lives because of these efforts? You might invite someone to share a personal experience in which the prophet’s counsel helped him or her with a personal challenge.

• How can you help those you teach understand that following the prophet will help them come closer to the Savior? One way would be to give them each a small card and invite them to read parts of Elder Neil L. Andersen’s message “The Prophet of God.” They could write on one side of the card something they learned about how the prophet can help them come closer to Christ. On the other side of the card, they could write something they are inspired to do to follow the prophet. Invite them to share what they wrote.

Act in Faith

Encourage class or quorum members to ponder and record what they will do to act on the impressions they received today. If they would like, they could share their ideas. Invite them to think about how acting on their impressions will strengthen their relationships with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Supporting Resources

• Amos 3:7; Doctrine and Covenants 1:4, 37–38; Moses 6:26–27, 32–36; Gospel Topics, “Prophets,” topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org; “Why Do We Have Prophets?” (video), ChurchofJesusChrist.org (Why we have prophets)

• Gary E. Stevenson, “The Heart of a Prophet,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 17–20 (How a prophet is chosen)

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

“True conversion involves more than just feeling the Spirit confirming truth to our souls; we must also act on those truths. In addition to helping learners feel and recognize the Spirit, help them act on the promptings they receive” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 10).