Living Prophets and Apostles

I have seldom, if ever, listened to addresses that so impressed me as have the words given through the servants of the Lord during this conference. It teaches that when brethren are called to important positions in the Church and Kingdom of God, by authority of our Heavenly Father they truly are clothed with the spirit of their mission and calling. To illustrate this thought: A number of years ago I was on a trip with one of the younger Apostles who had been ordained quite recently to that position. I thought he was quite a good man, but when he was called, the idea ran through my mind: "I wonder if he is the right man in the right place to fill this most important calling?" However, I accepted the will of our Heavenly Father in the matter, and sustained him in my heart. When I went off on this trip, there came an occasion where it required the best kind of judgment, and where it seemed like the spirit of the Lord alone could remove the difficulty that seemed to be in the way of this young man, and the query ran through my mind, when the question came up, as to how the matter was to be decided, how he would be able to do it. But when he stood up and decided that question, and I observed the manner in which he decided it, the wisdom used and how he maintained the dignity of the position he occupied, then I said, "Truly the Lord does clothe His people with the spirit of their calling when they are called by the authority of our Heavenly Father. I have learned to respect and to love that young man because of the spirit with which he magnifies the position he occupies." ¶

I frequently think that we look a long way for the teachings of the Spirit of the Lord. We forget that God has given us Prophets and Apostles to be in our own midst. We sometimes think comparatively too much of the Prophets of ancient times. While they are good and of great value to us, yet we have Apostles and Prophets in our day just as worthy of our appreciation. We have men inspired to give us the word of the Lord when we seek for it. The truths these brethren express are inspired of our Heavenly Father. We should be careful not to reject the word of God which comes to us through such men. I testify that I know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God, and that the Prophets who have followed after him were his legal successors, and that we have in our midst today Prophets and Apostles with the same authority that existed in ancient times. ¶