Living prophet or dead prophet

                                                       

Which one is more important to us, a living prophet or a dead prophet?

    President Ezra Taft Benson once spoke of "14 fundamentals in following the prophet" you can read the whole talk by clicking on the link Obedience to the prophets.   I want to talk about one of these fundamentals today.

   The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet:

                                                                  

      We learn a great lesson about this from the scriptures. In the times of Noah it was easier for the people to believe in the dead prophets, but it was difficult for them to believe in Noah. We know that because of their incredulity they did not survive the Flood.

       The living prophet will always counsel us to read and listen to the words of the past prophets and will never say anything contrary to that which they have said.  The reason however that a living prophet is more important is that he reveals to us what the lord wants us to hear now, while also revealing things past and things to come.  He has the power given to him to lead the lords kingdom on the earth today.  In Amos the we learn about the great importance of a prophet, it says "surely the lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7) We in these days need the lord to help and guide us, but he won't do this except he reveals it to a prophet.  And only a living prophet can receive this counsel.

   I know that Thomas S. Monson is the lords prophet and that he receives revelation from god for the whole earth.  The Lord promised us that if we believe in the holy prophets, we should have eternal life ( D&C 20:26)  I know that this is true!!