Part 3

Prophets! Who are they, why are they important, why do we need them, and how do we find out who they are? These are some questions that come to mind when we think of the word "prophet". We might picture in our mind great individuals of the Old and New Testaments that walked in the desert and carried a staff: Noah, Moses, Elijah, and John the Baptist. All of these individuals were called of God and were given His authority or the priesthood. With this authority they were able to administer ordinances of salvation and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ through revelation. After the prophets would receive direction from the Lord they would try and teach it to the Human family and they would record what they learned and what they taught. That is how we got the scriptures. Most of the time, the teachings of the prophets tell us to repent and change our ways and come unto Christ. The people of the world, us, don't seem to like this correction and we choose to reject the words of the prophets. When this takes place, we call it an apostasy, or a turning away from the commandments, teachings, and covenants of our Heavenly Father. As we read through the bible we can find this repetitive cycle over and over. The cycle of prophets and apostasy was even taught by the Savior during His ministry.

"And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way." (Mark 12: 1-12)

I know that God calls prophets, this is how He works. He sends us His prophet to teach us how we can follow the Savior more closely in our lives, there council is timeless and greatly bless our lives when we follow what they teach.

Other scriptures about prophets:
Amos 3:7
Hosea 12:13
Jacob 4:4,6 (Book of Mormon)
2 Nephi 25:26
Hebrews 5:4
Luke 6:13
John 15:16