A Moses for Our Day!!!

Moses parting the Red Sea

So hopefully you all know about the story of Moses from the Bible.  He was a prophet called by God and given the special assignment to lead the captive House of Israel out of bondage from the Egyptians and take them to the promised land in Canaan.  Moses was given the power and authority of God (priesthood) to perform many miracles and wonders to help him fulfill this sacred task, including parting the Red Sea, enabling the Israelite's to escape from the pursuing Egyptian armies.  After their escape from Egypt, Moses became the Israelite's connection with God.  Moses received divine revelation from God concerning where they needed to go in the wilderness, how long they should stay, and even what they were to eat when food was scarce.  

Moses and the 10 Commandments

Among some of the most amazing feats of Moses was the revelation for what later became known as the Law of Moses.  Written upon stone tablets, it was the word and Law of God after the order of the Aaronic Priesthood, with specific rules, guidelines, and ordinances which were types and shadows of the Savior Jesus Christ's future sacrifice and Atonement.  Moses was and is one of the greatest examples of a prophet.  Through him we have so much revelation from God about Jesus Christ and His gospel.  

Moses called to be a Prophet 

Prophets are righteous and faith filled men, called by God to act as His spokesmen for His children here on earth.  They receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ through revelation from God and in turn teach that to God's children.  They warn people of dangers of things to come and blessings that are promised through obedience to God's laws and commandments.  Prophets hold all the keys of the priesthood (the power and authority to act in God's name for the salvation of His children) and use them to love and serve others as Christ would.  There are many examples of prophets throughout history.  Moses, Abraham, Noah, Isaiah, Jeremiah  Peter James & John, and Paul.  We even have Book of Mormon prophets like Lehi, Nephi, Alma the younger, Mormon and Moroni.

Our Savior Jesus Christ

Without prophets, were would our scriptures be?  Where would the Bible be?  How would we know anything about God or Jesus Christ?  We wouldn't!!  But God loves us, He wants us to be successful in this life and return to live with Him.  In order to do so, we need revelation from Him to understand His will.  He gives us the opportunity to live with Him again through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  Through prophets, we gain all the understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ we need to obtain salvation and exaltation in this life.  Giving us prophets is a sign that shows God really loves us.

Joseph Smith and Restoration of the Priesthood

So God loves and us He sends us prophets.  Sometimes His children don't listen to the prophets and even persecute or kill them.  As a result, people end up in spiritual darkness.  When they are ready again to listen to God's word, He calls another prophet.  In our day and age, He has done the same thing.  He loves us just as much as He loves His children in times of old!!  He doesn't leave us to tread this journey of life alone.  He has given us prophets in our day just like times of old!!!  In 1820, a young New York farm boy named Joseph Smith, was called to be the next prophet of God, called to restore the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it had been given during the Savior's ministry.  How exciting and amazing is this!!!

Modern day Prophets

I know Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet in our day and age.  I have come to know the truthfulness of his calling through the divine witness from God that the Book of Mormon is true.  After Joseph Smith died, prophets weren't gone from the earth.  An unbroken line of succession has followed him, each man afterward called of God.  They are the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Presidents of the Church.  We believe and know that these men are called of God as was Moses and they act as prophets, seers, and revelators in our day.  Along with the prophet, we have 12 Apostles who function in the same capacity, teaching people and maintaining the purity of the doctrine just as in days before.

Current Church President Thomas S. Monson and Counselors

We have our own Moses for our day!!  A man of great spiritual strength, who receive direct revelation from God, who leads and guides us through the sin stained world of our day.  His name is Thomas S. Monson!!!  He is our living day prophet.  Having a prophet however doesn't eliminate the need for us to receive our own personal revelation.  The prophet simply receives revelation from God for the whole Church as a body.  God still wants us to talk to Him through prayer and listen for the still small voice for answers.  But through the Prophet, He has given us another wonderful tool to better our lives, learn more of the Savior, and became more like Jesus Christ.  By listening and heeding the words of our living prophets, we can be blessed abundantly.

General Conference

Every six months we have the opportunity to hear from our beloved Prophet.  This even is called General Conference and believe it or not, it's this weekend!!!  If you don't know or don't believe that we have prophets in our day, I invite you to listen to this upcoming session of General Conference, with a prayer in your heart and learn for yourself from God is the men that speak are truly prophets of our Lord and God.  If you have a testimony already of living day prophets, I invite you to strengthen that testimony by listening and heeding the words of the Prophet.  By doing so, we will not be lead astray.  As a former Prophet, President Wilford Woodruff said "The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the programme. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty. (Sixty-first Semiannual General Conference of the Church, Monday, October 6, 1890, Salt Lake City, Utah. Reported in Deseret Evening News,October 11, 1890, p. 2.)"  

President Thomas S. Monson

I know that we have our own Moses today.  He is not the head of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Jesus Christ is.  President Monson simply speaks for Him, as His prophet, as His Modern Day Moses!!!

What Got Me On A Mission

Missionaries

It was April of 2011 during General Conference, an entire Church wide meeting broadcast from Salt Lake City.  It's held on the first weekend of April and October each year and has a total of four general session and a priesthood session on Saturday evening.  I was home from school that weekend and with my dad at the meeting house watching the broadcast of the priesthood session.  Lots of things were on in my life and my mind was in many different places.  College was one of my main concerns but another thought was lurking in the back of my head.  My 19th birthday was coming up in July and the opportunity was before me to apply and submit my application to become a missionary.  The plan to serve a mission was always there ever since I was a kid.  But now that the time actually was coming I was a bit concerned.  I was very anxious and nervous about the whole prospect of becoming a missionary.  It would require a great deal of sacrifice including two years away from home, family, school, and possible career opportunities.  I wasn't sure I was ready or strong enough to handle those sacrifices and even handle the stresses of missionary life.

General Conference at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, UT

So all these things are going through my head as the priesthood session starts.  The first speaker was Elder Neil L. Anderson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his talk w

as entitled "Preparing the World for the Second Coming".  It was as if he was speaking to me throughout that whole time.  He talked of our priesthood duty to serve missions and the sacrifices we have to make.  But he also talked about the reward of serving a mission.  Not in terms of worldly rewards, but eternal rewards.

He talked about the example of Sid Going, a young man who gave up a lifetime opportunity to serve a mission.  He wouldn't trade that experience for anything.  The blessing of bringing others into the gospel outweighed anything he or anybody could imagine.  It took me a while to really soak that in when I heard his story.  However from that talk I knew that God wanted me to serve a mission.  So here I am now, serving my Father in Heaven by serving His children and my brothers and sisters.  It's taken me some time to really understand why I want to serve a mission, but I've learned this much.  That the blessings of the gospel are real and the ultimate outcome of living the restored gospel is happiness.  That's always the end result, pure joy and happiness that only God and Jesus Christ can give us.  I don't want to keep all that joy to myself, it's just to much.  I want to share it with others.  It's taken me some time to learn this lesson but now I feel my Savior's love and want others too as well.  I know this Church is true, that our Savior lives, that Joseph Smith was His prophet in these last days, that the Book of Mormon testifies of Him and helps us understand even more about Him.  As I said before, this gospel and church bring nothing but joy into my life.  This is why I serve, because I love others and love my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ.

Preparing the World for the Second Coming

Only Two Short Years

I had this thought come to my while me and my companion Elder Tiechert were driving from a dinner appointment. I looked down at my shirt and saw my name tag there and this thought came to me. I only get to where this for two years then I won't be allowed to put it back on. Only two short years will I be able to wear this tag and say that it is my full-time job to be the Lord's represenative here in New York. That gave thought gave me a whole different perspective of how I look at my mission ahead of me. Two years seems long but it won't seem that way after it's over. So a renewed sense of vigor and determination swept over me as I pondered on this thought. I said to myself that I will do all that I can to be worthy of this honor of being the Lord's missionary here in this area. I will put forth all that I can do help those that I serve and give all that I have to this effort so that when I return, I can say I have no regrets. I know that my Savior lives and He suffered for me in the Garden. I know the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I know that Thomas S. Monson is our prophet today and he holds all the keys to the kingdom here on earth from an unbroken line of authority down to Jesus Christ. I love this gosepl and know this church is true.