“Prophets Speak to Us Today,” New Era, May 2017
Prophets Speak to Us Today
Our beloved prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, shared messages with us that encouraged us to be kind and to study the Book of Mormon. We also heard from President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency.
Messages from President Monson
Kindness, Charity, and Love
“The scriptures teach us that the righteous exercise of the priesthood is dependent upon our living the principles of kindness, charity, and love. …
“… Let us examine our lives and determine to follow the Savior’s example by being kind, loving, and charitable. As we do so, we will be in a better position to call down the powers of heaven for ourselves, for our families, and for our fellow travelers in this sometimes difficult journey back to our heavenly home.”
The Power of the Book of Mormon
“We live in a time of great trouble and wickedness. What will protect us from the sin and evil so prevalent in the world today? I maintain that a strong testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and of His gospel will help see us through to safety. If you are not reading the Book of Mormon each day, please do so. If you will read it prayerfully and with a sincere desire to know the truth, the Holy Ghost will manifest its truth to you. …
“If you do not have a firm testimony of these things, do that which is necessary to obtain one. It is essential for you to have your own testimony in these difficult times, for the testimonies of others will carry you only so far. However, once obtained, a testimony needs to be kept vital and alive through continued obedience to the commandments of God and through daily prayer and scripture study.
“My dear associates in the work of the Lord, I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives.”
Messages from President Eyring
“My Peace I Leave with You”
“The Father knows you—knows your needs and your name—loves you, and hears your prayers. His Beloved Son is inviting you to come unto Him. And They send the Holy Ghost to attend you in your efforts to serve others for Them.
“Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost will have a sanctifying and purifying effect on your spirit. You will then feel the peace the Savior promised to leave with His disciples. With that peace will come a bright hope and a feeling of light and love from the Father and His Beloved Son, who leads His kingdom on earth through revelation to His living prophet.”
Gathering the Family of God
“To gather and unite God’s family requires more than just warm feelings. It requires sacred covenants made in connection with priesthood ordinances.
“Many of your ancestors did not receive those ordinances. But in the providence of God, you did. And God knew that you would feel drawn to your ancestors in love and that you would have the technology necessary to identify them. He also knew that you would live in a time when access to holy temples, where the ordinances can be performed, would be greater than ever in history. And He knew that He could trust you to accomplish this work in behalf of your ancestors. …
“… The work of gathering Heavenly Father’s family is not just for young people, and it is not just for grandparents. It is for everyone. We are all gatherers.”
“Walk with Me”
“Brethren, our ordination to the priesthood is an invitation from the Lord to walk with Him. And what does it mean to walk with the Lord? It means to do what He does, to serve the way He serves. …
“… We may lack a full understanding of what the priesthood is or how to exercise it as He does. But if we pay close attention to those moments when our hearts ‘burn within us’ (Luke 24:32), our eyes can be opened and we will see His hand in our lives and in our service. I testify that we come to know Him best by working with Him and serving Him in the great work of bringing salvation to God’s children.”
Messages from President Uchtdorf
The Greatest among You
“You can’t get honor in the kingdom of heaven by campaigning for it. Nor can you ‘power lunch’ your way to eternal glory. …
“In God’s kingdom, greatness and leadership means seeing others as they truly are—as God sees them—and then reaching out and ministering to them. …
“God’s greatest reward goes to those who serve without expectation of reward. …
“… Opportunities to go about doing good and to serve others are limitless. …
“In addition, every member of the Church is given specific formal opportunities to serve. We refer to these opportunities as ‘callings.’ …
“In the eyes of God, there is no calling in the kingdom that is more important than another. …
“Each time we give of ourselves to others, we take a step closer to becoming good and true disciples of the One who gave His all for us. …
“Let us serve others humbly—with energy, gratitude, and honor.”
Photograph taken in Comayaguela, Honduras
Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear
“Fear can have a powerful influence over our actions and behavior. But that influence tends to be temporary and shallow. Fear rarely has the power to change our hearts, and it will never transform us into people who love what is right and who want to obey Heavenly Father. …
“He wants us to reach out and take firm hold of the iron rod, confront our fears, and bravely step forward and upward along the strait and narrow path. He wants this for us because He loves us and because this is the way to happiness. …
“One of the ways Satan wants us to manipulate others is by dwelling upon and even exaggerating the evil in the world. …
“[God] has given us an abundance of reasons to rejoice. We just need to find and see them. …
“… If we ever find ourselves living in fear or anxiety, or if we ever find that our own words, attitudes, or actions are causing fear in others, I pray with all the strength of my soul that we may become liberated from this fear by the divinely appointed antidote to fear: the pure love of Christ, for ‘perfect love casteth out fear’ [1 John 4:18].”