Random Thoughts

Here are two random thought I had today while in Stake Conference:

CALAMATIES
Perhaps one of the reasons the physical calamities (e.g. earthquakes in Haiti and now in Chile,) are SO significant in these “Last Days,” is because of the immediacy of knowing when these things happen.

100 years ago it may have taken a few days or a few weeks for a neighboring state or country to receive word of such a calamity. 1000+ years ago a whole entire civilization (e.g. Pompeii) could have been destroyed without anyone ever knowing it even existed!

With information technology in our day, we know – almost IMMEDIATELY - when things are occurring! This makes our day, even these Last Days, a prophecy being fulfilled right before our eyes,

LIVING PROPHETS
I was pondering how incredible it is to know that the Unbroken Line of Divine Revelation began that miraculous spring morning of 1820. The significance of living prophets “in a world where people are confused . . .” assures me that “I CAN get direction all along my way, if I heed the prophets – Follow. What. They. Say."
This made me think that, perhaps, our generation has even a greater obligation to heed the Lord’s commandments from His servants.

I say that because so many parts of the world (though I realize not all), have access to HEAR the words of living prophets. That was not as possible 15 or 25 or even 50 years ago, even though there were ways that those voices of warning could be heard. But today, in 2010, with a click of a button, I can listen and know what they say. Internet. Digital Radio. Satellite TV. It is that easy to HEAR the words of the prophets, for their words will carry the Holy Ghost to our hearts. That was not true a little under 200 years ago. But it is today! And that’s so incredibly significant!

Moroni, concerned that the written words of God would not be transmitted in the same power as the spoken words of God lamented, “Lord, the Gentiles will mock at these things because of our weakness in writing; for Lord thou hast made us mighty in word by faith, but thou has not made us mighty in writing; for thou hast made all this people that they could speak much, because of the Holy Ghost which thou hast given them” (Ether 12:23).

1000 or so years earlier, Nephi wrote this: “I, Nephi, cannot write all the things which were taught among my people; neither am I mighty in writing, like unto speaking; for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men” (2 Nephi 33:1).

In our day we have 15 (15!) living prophets, seers and revelators – Special Witnesses of Christ - and one living, breathing mouthpiece of God, even President Thomas S. Monson! I will be held accountable if I do not to feel the Holy Ghost teaching me, touching my heart, or feeding my soul! Because a prophet of God is, literally, ONE MOUSE CLICK A WAY!