Standing For Something

It is said that a prophet is never appreciated in his own time. We read over and over in Scripture how the prophets of old were persecuted, reviled, and slain by the people of their generation, and then are revered by later generations. I think it was because those prophets were not around anymore to disagree with the people, so they could be interpreted any way that suited the people.

I think by and large that while we don't revile and stone our modern prophets in such visible ways, many still turn a deaf ear to their words. It may not even be an active or wantonly purposeful decision to ignore them, but people let their lives get in the way. So much is going on that no lingering thought is given to their words.

President Gordon B. Hinckley passed away on Sunday, January 27, 2008. As I listened to KSL radio on my way to school the next day, I started to realize that while I loved hearing him speak at conference time and other occasions, I was just as guilty of ignoring the prophet as the people I have described. He was the prophet of my teenage years and early adulthood. I don't recall much of General Conferences before he was called. Much of my spiritual thought has been triggered and shaped by his words and deeds, and yet for all that, still I did not fully appreciate what it meant to have a living prophet. It was easy to say that I followed the prophet because I stayed away from much of the negative influences of the world while growing up. But President Hinckley was not really about the 'don'ts,' he was about 'doing'. And that's where I feel I have always lacked.

Recently I have posted that I want to break the lesser patterns of my life. To honor President Hinckley and his message is to continue with my goals. But I need to add to those goals. Within a few short days, the next prophet will be set apart. I challenge myself to follow the next prophet in the manner that I should have followed President Hinckley, not just at conference time, but everyday, in everything. If you feel a little bit like I have, then I challenge you to do the same.