Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it go?

For discussion of liberty, freedom, government and politics.
User avatar
Seed Starter
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1444
Contact:

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by Seed Starter »

marc wrote: January 27th, 2023, 2:46 pm
endlessQuestions wrote: January 27th, 2023, 2:22 pmThat's so interesting, marc, because it was seven and a half years ago I moved to Nashville and began my own journey.

Sounds like you were out ahead of me by several years (I had some growing up to do), but I would add my testimony to yours in that the results of my actions, which are nearly identical to yours, have born the same types of fruit.

If you have been sitting on the fence, I would invite you to prayerfully consider "standing for something", to steal the line of one of those we sustained as a prophet, seer, and revelator.

And don't just "stand for something", stand for SOMEONE - Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior, and King!
Definitely not a fence sitter. I've been a watchman for the last ten to twelve years. Or maybe the second half of your post was directed to the forum in general?
I just found this forum a few days ago. Marc, I really appreciate what you've written in your book.

User avatar
cab
captain of 1,000
Posts: 2986
Location: ♫ I am a Mormon! ♫ And... dang it... a Mormon just believes! ♫

Re: Share your story...Anyone shared concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other new revelations. How it

Post by cab »

endlessQuestions wrote: January 27th, 2023, 2:12 pm
cab wrote: January 27th, 2023, 1:47 pm
endlessQuestions wrote: January 26th, 2023, 3:44 pm
BigT wrote: January 26th, 2023, 3:42 pm
Uh, what? Could you elaborate?
You left us too early on the "Apostle or Aristocrat" thread, BigT. We miss you!

Here's a link to the page that contains the information and request I sent our leaders:

viewtopic.php?p=1345929#p1345929

I am a late arriver to this thread. I only frequent the forum as a touch and go visitor. So I missed this one. I am currently on page 8 and have watched the slide show.. I plan on spend all next week catching up and beginning to read to volumes.
Fascinating stuff and I appreciate the work you put in. Truly thought provoking
Well, you don't sound like much of a lazy learner to me... perhaps you'll have to change your avatar? :)

Welcome to the conversation. All are welcome, those willing to carry some water are greatly appreciated!

Don’t you know that anyone who doesn’t doubt their doubts is a lazy learner?

User avatar
BeNotDeceived
Agent38
Posts: 8960
Location: Tralfamadore
Contact:

Re: Share your story...Anyone shared concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other new revelations. How it

Post by BeNotDeceived »

cab wrote: January 28th, 2023, 12:08 am
endlessQuestions wrote: January 27th, 2023, 2:12 pm
cab wrote: January 27th, 2023, 1:47 pm
endlessQuestions wrote: January 26th, 2023, 3:44 pm

You left us too early on the "Apostle or Aristocrat" thread, BigT. We miss you!

Here's a link to the page that contains the information and request I sent our leaders:

viewtopic.php?p=1345929#p1345929

I am a late arriver to this thread. I only frequent the forum as a touch and go visitor. So I missed this one. I am currently on page 8 and have watched the slide show.. I plan on spend all next week catching up and beginning to read to volumes.
Fascinating stuff and I appreciate the work you put in. Truly thought provoking
Well, you don't sound like much of a lazy learner to me... perhaps you'll have to change your avatar? :)

Welcome to the conversation. All are welcome, those willing to carry some water are greatly appreciated!

Don’t you know that anyone who doesn’t doubt their doubts is a lazy learner?

When doth the vitriol begin. :?:

endlessQuestions
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 6429

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by endlessQuestions »

cwass wrote: January 27th, 2023, 6:32 am
Reluctant Watchman wrote: January 27th, 2023, 5:58 am My own personal experience of asking questions didn’t go well. (Actually… it did go well, I awoke to the fallen nature of the LDS church.) I was asked (while serving as a high councilor) by my stake president: “Will you sustain me and your bishop in wearing a mask?” No… no I wouldn’t, I asked to be released. He was going to remove my temple recommend if I didn’t. He chose his words carefully. What a crappy way to wield whatever supposed authority he had. Talk about unrighteous dominion.

Several months later I shared a video with my stake president from a nurse where he was in tears recounting how his nursing home patients were falling like flies after the shot, within just weeks. He (the nurse) knew it was killing people. And the response from my stake pres? I was called to repentance (twice in fact in the same email) for even questioning the “safe and effective” claim from the brethren. He thought I was calling the FP “lairs” and “deceivers.” At the time, I just thought they were wrong… but it is clear today that they really are liars and deceivers.

So we left the church so we could keep the covenants we made to follow Christ’s gospel. I have to believe that any honest seeker of truth will realize that some of the most treacherous and deceptive doctrines are being flaunted as truth within the church.

Here’s another example I shared on a different thread about one man’s experience of questioning the brethren. This man in particular left his employment as a fire fighter due to the jab mandate:
Question asked:
"Did they actually kick people out for not supporting the jab or masking?"

Response, all from one person:
"We were kicked out because we publicly expressed our belief that church leadership, particularly the First Presidency and the Quorum of the 12 had blood on their hands for endorsing and promoting the vaccine, causing many members to take it when they wouldn't have otherwise. In particular, we refused to "sustain" them regarding that particular matter."

"If you keep quiet and don't cause a stir, they will let you stay. If try to do anything about it, and it questions leadership, you will be out like that."

"I guess I should add that I didn't do anything to lessen the blow, or delay, I didn't want to beat around the bush, I wanted my Bishop and Stake president to go over scriptures with me and really look at the matter, which at the time I thought they would have some respect for my position, as life long member, RM, etc, etc... but there was none of that, it was conform and sustain immediately or we will be forced to take action against you."

"My hope for anyone is that they will be courageous in what the spirit guides them to do. I felt guided to press the matter with my leaders. My mom felt guided to "stay in for now" which has become quite tedious to her of late. But that said, if don't answer the interview questions correctly, or don't raise your hand to sustain, or if you quietly represent a dissenting point of view, sooner or later you're gonna be out."

"My Stake President actually told me "It's so much better now! We don't have to use a disciplinary court, we can just remove membership directly if necessary." (I'm assuming this was in regards to him having his records removed voluntarily)

"It's an odd feeling at these moments when you realize how different you are from someone who grew up in the same tradition and culture. I thought my leaders believed as I did; if we could just get the core of things, we would agree, which of course, turned out to be a misconception. For me, this seems like the wheat and tares parable on display. Two different species growing together and hard to distinguish from one another, until harvest time, and the workers start the separating process."
This is just me spit balling but what if you continued to go to church and continued to be a good person after they have purged you. That would seem to be the ultimate in humility as well as showing them that their attempts to control people could backfire on them.
Maybe even a bigger influence.
This is my plan and my promise, should the Church leadership choose to take such action against me.

I love the people in my ward. All of them.

I love serving.

I won't stop attending, or learning, or growing.

But I will sit quietly and not make a fuss.

It's their club, after all (the corporation, that is).

Have to play by their rules.

User avatar
Reluctant Watchman
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 15309
Location: “if thine eye offend thee, pluck him out.”
Contact:

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by Reluctant Watchman »

cwass wrote: January 27th, 2023, 2:16 pm I estimate our attendance is down 25% from a couple years ago. Can't imagine how low it would go if the leaders decide to give people ultimatums...confess the holiness of the 15 or be disciplined... Seems like a recipe for disaster.
Many members were given ultimatums.

User avatar
Reluctant Watchman
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 15309
Location: “if thine eye offend thee, pluck him out.”
Contact:

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by Reluctant Watchman »

endlessQuestions wrote: January 28th, 2023, 6:48 am
This is my plan and my promise, should the Church leadership choose to take such action against me.

I love the people in my ward. All of them.

I love serving.

I won't stop attending, or learning, or growing.

But I will sit quietly and not make a fuss.

It's their club, after all (the corporation, that is).

Have to play by their rules.
Do you have to?

If Nephi, Moroni, or even Joseph Smith were here, do you think they’d “sit quietly”?

I don’t know if you’ve read Joseph’s last dream, but I think it was quite telling: https://www.reluctantwatchman.com/josephs-last-dreams

The dilapidated barn in particular, “… a rabble rushed in and nearly filled the barn, drew out their knives, and began to quarrel among themselves for the premises, and for a moment forgot me, at which time I took the opportunity to walk out of the barn…”

User avatar
marc
Disciple of Jesus Christ
Posts: 10351
Contact:

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by marc »

Seed Starter wrote: January 27th, 2023, 11:11 pm I just found this forum a few days ago. Marc, I really appreciate what you've written in your book.
Thank you! And I love your username. I have been collecting seeds for years now and have been growing many medicinal herbs and plants like lavender, comfrey, mints, bee balm, and much more. :)

User avatar
InfoWarrior82
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 10861
Location: "There are 15 on the earth today, you can trust them completely." -President Nelson (Jan 2022)

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by InfoWarrior82 »

Pahoran, thank you for creating this thread on the forum.


I've had a conversation with my stake president. It actually went better than I thought it would. (This was summer of last year). I made it clear that I thought the popular saying in the church "The prophet will never lead the church astray" was complete false doctrine. He didn't flinch. I told him that I believe that our church leaders were getting into bed with secret combinations and being wrong about the covid response, the jabs, etc.. He asked me if I sustained the prophet. I asked him what "sustain" meant. His answer was "what is YOUR definition of sustain". (I think church leaders are trained to give this response instead of answering the question directly). So, my response was that I can sustain them not only by following them when they are acting as a prophet of God, but also pointing out when I think they're wrong. Again, he did not flinch. I could not tell if he disagreed or agreed with me. In the end, he simply urged me to continue "serving" in the church. I don't currently have a calling and I don't expect to ever get one after this interview. I'm sure they're concerned that I may spread my ideas to other members in my ward.

User avatar
InfoWarrior82
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 10861
Location: "There are 15 on the earth today, you can trust them completely." -President Nelson (Jan 2022)

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by InfoWarrior82 »

cwass wrote: January 27th, 2023, 9:55 am My time may be coming too...I've been asked to speak on the living prophet in church in a month. That's fine, they may not like what I would say. I can put a good talk together but it's more about the feeling that someone in the ward/stake is trying to call me out and put me in an uncomfortable position....could this be my Martin Luther moment?
If I could give you a suggestion....

Just literally read the talk from Elder Hugh B. Brown titled "A Profile of a Prophet".

Nothing less, nothing more.

They can't get mad at you for quoting an apostle.

Ironically, this talk conclusively demonstrates that our modern day presidents are not prophets of God.

cwass
captain of 100
Posts: 216

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by cwass »

Reluctant Watchman wrote: January 28th, 2023, 7:59 am
endlessQuestions wrote: January 28th, 2023, 6:48 am
This is my plan and my promise, should the Church leadership choose to take such action against me.

I love the people in my ward. All of them.

I love serving.

I won't stop attending, or learning, or growing.

But I will sit quietly and not make a fuss.

It's their club, after all (the corporation, that is).

Have to play by their rules.
Do you have to?

If Nephi, Moroni, or even Joseph Smith were here, do you think they’d “sit quietly”?

I don’t know if you’ve read Joseph’s last dream, but I think it was quite telling: https://www.reluctantwatchman.com/josephs-last-dreams

The dilapidated barn in particular, “… a rabble rushed in and nearly filled the barn, drew out their knives, and began to quarrel among themselves for the premises, and for a moment forgot me, at which time I took the opportunity to walk out of the barn…”
It's hard to know how I would react if I were in your shoes. RW, I hate your personal story and what happened, so I'm not sure how I would respond....and I won't and can't judge you for your approach. I'm just sorry it happened that way. My good friend that was on the high council. who encouraged me to speak up early in the pandemic is also out of the church. He is an excellent man. Top notch...and I won't judge him but I know his wife refused to wear a mask and therefore was inactive during that time. I agree with them.

My spirit tells me that I need to associate with Christians in worship on Sunday. That's just how I've lived life. Plus I've got teenagers that want the social aspect, so my inclination is that I will remain active in this church until it is revealed to me that there is a better alternative. If my wife had her way we would meet at home on Sunday but the kids wouldn't hear of it.

cwass
captain of 100
Posts: 216

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by cwass »

InfoWarrior82 wrote: January 28th, 2023, 9:32 am
cwass wrote: January 27th, 2023, 9:55 am My time may be coming too...I've been asked to speak on the living prophet in church in a month. That's fine, they may not like what I would say. I can put a good talk together but it's more about the feeling that someone in the ward/stake is trying to call me out and put me in an uncomfortable position....could this be my Martin Luther moment?
If I could give you a suggestion....

Just literally read the talk from Elder Hugh B. Brown titled "A Profile of a Prophet".

Nothing less, nothing more.

They can't get mad at you for quoting an apostle.

Ironically, this talk conclusively demonstrates that our modern day presidents are not prophets of God.
Thank you for the suggestion. I'm not sure what to do so I will take that suggestion and see how it feels.

User avatar
marc
Disciple of Jesus Christ
Posts: 10351
Contact:

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by marc »

InfoWarrior82 wrote: January 28th, 2023, 9:32 am If I could give you a suggestion....

Just literally read the talk from Elder Hugh B. Brown titled "A Profile of a Prophet".

Nothing less, nothing more.

They can't get mad at you for quoting an apostle.

Ironically, this talk conclusively demonstrates that our modern day presidents are not prophets of God.
Love it! If I ever have to give such a talk, I will do it!

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/hugh-b-b ... a-prophet/

User avatar
InfoWarrior82
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 10861
Location: "There are 15 on the earth today, you can trust them completely." -President Nelson (Jan 2022)

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by InfoWarrior82 »

cwass wrote: January 28th, 2023, 11:07 am
InfoWarrior82 wrote: January 28th, 2023, 9:32 am
cwass wrote: January 27th, 2023, 9:55 am My time may be coming too...I've been asked to speak on the living prophet in church in a month. That's fine, they may not like what I would say. I can put a good talk together but it's more about the feeling that someone in the ward/stake is trying to call me out and put me in an uncomfortable position....could this be my Martin Luther moment?
If I could give you a suggestion....

Just literally read the talk from Elder Hugh B. Brown titled "A Profile of a Prophet".

Nothing less, nothing more.

They can't get mad at you for quoting an apostle.

Ironically, this talk conclusively demonstrates that our modern day presidents are not prophets of God.
Thank you for the suggestion. I'm not sure what to do so I will take that suggestion and see how it feels.
Read the talk! It's great!

User avatar
Seed Starter
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1444
Contact:

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by Seed Starter »

marc wrote: January 28th, 2023, 8:05 am
Seed Starter wrote: January 27th, 2023, 11:11 pm I just found this forum a few days ago. Marc, I really appreciate what you've written in your book.
Thank you! And I love your username. I have been collecting seeds for years now and have been growing many medicinal herbs and plants like lavender, comfrey, mints, bee balm, and much more. :)
I feel like there are many different types of seed starters on this forum. I like to grow plants too. I'm amazed at how many herbs and interesting edible plants I've found over the last few years. It sounds like you are growing some fun things. Have you grown Hyssop? Chinese broccoli is a great plant to grow if you haven't tried it. Really good and seems to grow well even in the mountain west summers.

User avatar
marc
Disciple of Jesus Christ
Posts: 10351
Contact:

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by marc »

Seed Starter wrote: January 28th, 2023, 9:39 pm
marc wrote: January 28th, 2023, 8:05 am
Seed Starter wrote: January 27th, 2023, 11:11 pm I just found this forum a few days ago. Marc, I really appreciate what you've written in your book.
Thank you! And I love your username. I have been collecting seeds for years now and have been growing many medicinal herbs and plants like lavender, comfrey, mints, bee balm, and much more. :)
I feel like there are many different types of seed starters on this forum. I like to grow plants too. I'm amazed at how many herbs and interesting edible plants I've found over the last few years. It sounds like you are growing some fun things. Have you grown Hyssop? Chinese broccoli is a great plant to grow if you haven't tried it. Really good and seems to grow well even in the mountain west summers.
I tried growing hyssop a couple years ago but it never sprouted. I've only managed to grow yarrow from seed. But I have grown a variety of fruits and veggies from seeds. A lot of others, I've grown from seedlings purchased from good nurseries.

User avatar
cab
captain of 1,000
Posts: 2986
Location: ♫ I am a Mormon! ♫ And... dang it... a Mormon just believes! ♫

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by cab »

Seed Starter wrote: January 27th, 2023, 11:11 pm
marc wrote: January 27th, 2023, 2:46 pm
endlessQuestions wrote: January 27th, 2023, 2:22 pmThat's so interesting, marc, because it was seven and a half years ago I moved to Nashville and began my own journey.

Sounds like you were out ahead of me by several years (I had some growing up to do), but I would add my testimony to yours in that the results of my actions, which are nearly identical to yours, have born the same types of fruit.

If you have been sitting on the fence, I would invite you to prayerfully consider "standing for something", to steal the line of one of those we sustained as a prophet, seer, and revelator.

And don't just "stand for something", stand for SOMEONE - Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior, and King!
Definitely not a fence sitter. I've been a watchman for the last ten to twelve years. Or maybe the second half of your post was directed to the forum in general?
I just found this forum a few days ago. Marc, I really appreciate what you've written in your book.

I like your user name

SimpleSaint
captain of 50
Posts: 68

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by SimpleSaint »

cwass wrote: January 28th, 2023, 11:07 am
InfoWarrior82 wrote: January 28th, 2023, 9:32 am
cwass wrote: January 27th, 2023, 9:55 am My time may be coming too...I've been asked to speak on the living prophet in church in a month. That's fine, they may not like what I would say. I can put a good talk together but it's more about the feeling that someone in the ward/stake is trying to call me out and put me in an uncomfortable position....could this be my Martin Luther moment?
If I could give you a suggestion....

Just literally read the talk from Elder Hugh B. Brown titled "A Profile of a Prophet".

Nothing less, nothing more.

They can't get mad at you for quoting an apostle.

Ironically, this talk conclusively demonstrates that our modern day presidents are not prophets of God.
Thank you for the suggestion. I'm not sure what to do so I will take that suggestion and see how it feels.
Very cool talk.

Keep us updated on what you end up deciding. I would be interested to hear how it goes. I'll say a prayer for you.

anonymous91
captain of 100
Posts: 649

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by anonymous91 »

cwass wrote: January 27th, 2023, 9:55 am My time may be coming too...I've been asked to speak on the living prophet in church in a month. That's fine, they may not like what I would say. I can put a good talk together but it's more about the feeling that someone in the ward/stake is trying to call me out and put me in an uncomfortable position....could this be my Martin Luther moment?
That would be an interesting talk to give.

You could address the following:
  • How to recognize a true prophet from a false prophet
  • What qualifies someone to be a living prophet?
  • How do you recognize the gifts of prophet?
  • What did the apostles of Christ say was the first lesson that they were taught by Jesus?
    To cast out spirits, are we being taught that today? Is our prophet doing this?
  • What is the difference between putting your faith on the rock of Christ vs. putting your faith in the arm of flesh?
  • Can a living prophet lead us astray? Is this doctrinally supported?
I'm sure that you can add to this list. I'm sure you'll have fun with it, let us know how it goes. :)

Pahoran
captain of 100
Posts: 138

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by Pahoran »

Reluctant Watchman wrote: January 27th, 2023, 5:41 am
Pahoran wrote: January 26th, 2023, 9:16 pm So in my decades of adult church membership I really only felt the need once to go to my Bishop to share my feelings about the dealings of the church.

Around the time of the 2020 election, the beginning of rampant censorship of the tech companies, the debanking of political enemies of babylon, and as I was just coming to be aware that basically all banks, media companies and corporations in general were in on this covid hoax and the general destruction of freedom, I decided to try my best to stop using services from any of these conspiring companies.

It was then that I also found out about the churches holdings in Pfizer, Google, Facebook, and so forth. Basically, every company that I recently learned were integral in the takeover of America it seemed as though the church had ownership in those companies.

So, I went to my Bishop with full confidence that my concern would be met with care and shared up the line and taken seriously. Of course, that did not happen. I was asked by my Bishop if I have been reading my scriptures regularly. He said that we need to stop getting caught up in the news and focus in the important things.

Now, two years later, my view of the leadership of the church has completely changed where I almost feel like local leadership may sometimes be more like spies than advocates for local members.

The last couple weeks and learning about how pervasive 3 letter agencies influence are in the church I feel almost like I have to focus much more on being "wise as a serpent" regarding what I share of my feelings with leaders or I risk getting put on a list

After sharing my feelings with my Bishop and receiving more of a chastisement rather than concern I feel like may have been one of the biggest letdowns of my life in the church. It changed so much of how I began to see my relationship is to the church. I felt more like I was looked on more as a pawn to be controlled rather than an equally important member of the kingdom with valid and important ideas to share.

Of course, since then, it has one letdown after another in the church. The silver lining is that I don't know if I can go much lower now after experiencing the last few years and realizing I was committed to something that is in reality so much different than what I thought it was.

I am still trying to figure out the best path forward in sharing my my new host of concerns in an effective way that can influence people without just being judged, censored or reported as an apostate.
When we begin to study Christ’s words, and how he taught us to question everything from any person, even our own vain ambitions, we begin to see how beautiful His doctrine really is. I love Him even more for opening my eyes. This part of His sermon becomes far more relevant:

3 Nephi 12

10 And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 And blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake;
12 For ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.

44 But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good.
Great scriptures. Is there anything more comforting than a relevant scripture shared in context at the right time?

Of course I would call what I went through very light persecution, like 2 on a scale of 10, but it felt pretty bad since I received accusations when I was expecting empathy.

But it is no doubt a blessing to go through these experiences, because they are preparing us in more ways than one for what is to come. It prepares us for real persecution and also helps us be more wise in who we share our feelings with. I am starting to think that I might be dealing with a very ruthless enemy that doesn't play by the same rules that I play by in this battle for truth.

Pahoran
captain of 100
Posts: 138

Re: Your Martin Luther Moment. Share concerns w bishop about Nelson being skull & bones or other revelations? How did it

Post by Pahoran »

anonymous91 wrote: January 30th, 2023, 4:06 am
cwass wrote: January 27th, 2023, 9:55 am My time may be coming too...I've been asked to speak on the living prophet in church in a month. That's fine, they may not like what I would say. I can put a good talk together but it's more about the feeling that someone in the ward/stake is trying to call me out and put me in an uncomfortable position....could this be my Martin Luther moment?
That would be an interesting talk to give.

You could address the following:
  • How to recognize a true prophet from a false prophet
  • What qualifies someone to be a living prophet?
  • How do you recognize the gifts of prophet?
  • What did the apostles of Christ say was the first lesson that they were taught by Jesus?
    To cast out spirits, are we being taught that today? Is our prophet doing this?
  • What is the difference between putting your faith on the rock of Christ vs. putting your faith in the arm of flesh?
  • Can a living prophet lead us astray? Is this doctrinally supported?
I'm sure that you can add to this list. I'm sure you'll have fun with it, let us know how it goes. :)

I'm liking these ideas. I was thinking if you really want to be an expert at this topic you could look at every single usage of the word prophet in scriptures. Get a good understanding of the context, and what the word prophet really means in a scriptural context. Then you could go through usage of the term by Joseph Smith to understand what he thought about it. You can look up all the occurences of the word in the byu citation index website.

Post Reply