1Dear youth, what a beautiful conference session we are having! We have already heard three living Apostles of Jesus Christ. What a wonderful blessing! And we will still hear one more, Elder Henry B. Eyring. The spiritual feast continues!
2When I spoke last year, we learned how to face this world through David’s experience with Goliath. Remember the five stones? Today I am sharing an Old Testament story I read at your age which left me wanting to be like its protagonist. The Bible does not tell us her name, so we will call her the woman of Shunem because this is the name of her town.
3One day the prophet Elisha was passing through Shunem, and we read that there “was a great woman; and she [invited] him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in … to eat bread.” I imagine the prophet Elisha was so happy with the invitation to eat at her house! He had already gone several times, when one day the woman said to her husband, “Now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God.”
4The woman says, “Now, I perceive.” It seems she invited Elisha to her house without knowing he was the prophet; she received her testimony through the Holy Ghost by listening carefully to what Elisha said and taught. (Remember, there were no pictures at that time! So it was hard to recognize the prophet just by his face.)
5But the story does not end there. One day the woman said to her husband, “Let us make a little chamber, … and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in.”
6This faithful woman was willing to build a room in her house so that the prophet, passing through the city, would have a place to stay!
7Today we can learn a powerful lesson from this experience.
8The Lord testified to the woman of Shunem that Elisha was a prophet of God, and she acted by opening her house to receive him.
9We too can receive a personal testimony of God’s prophets today and open our hearts and minds—our house—to the message that our Heavenly Father has for us in these latter days.
10Dear youth, I invite you to ask yourself this question: “Do I have a personal testimony of God’s living prophets?”
11Let’s start at the beginning.
12What is a prophet? A prophet is a man whom God has called to speak for Him. There are prophets on the earth today, just as there were in ancient times.
13Prophets are seers and revelators. That means they can see what others cannot see, and they can prophesy of future events. They can also prepare us for calamities. Prophets receive commandments and revelations from the Lord. The ninth article of faith speaks of the continuing revelation in these last days. It says, “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”
14Elder Gary E. Stevenson said, “The Lord continues to reveal His commandments and will to His prophets today because He desires to lead us to happiness in this life and to celestial glory in the next life.”
15Prophets also proclaim the gospel and are inspired teachers and messengers of God to everyone on earth.
16Each member of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is a prophet, seer, and revelator. Serving as a council under the Lord’s direction, they have the authority to declare and interpret doctrine and establish policy for His Church. They carefully pray and deliberate, for the decisions of these quorums must be unanimous. In this way, the Lord assures us that His will will be done.
17Prophets testify of Christ—His existence, His ministry, and His divinity.
18Let us read some testimonies from prophets in the Book of Mormon.
19Abinadi proclaimed:
20“God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.
21“And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God.”
22Samuel the Lamanite also testified that Jesus Christ is “the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning.”
23And the prophet Moroni said, “I have seen Jesus, and … he hath talked with me face to face.”
24When Christ visited the Nephites, one of the first things He did was call twelve Apostles. And He said to the people, “Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen.”
25Now, let me share a few words for parents or other family members raising children. The Lord Himself taught Adam and Eve the truths of the plan of salvation. And then He said to them, “I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely unto your children.”
26What does it mean to teach freely? It is learning the truths of the gospel, having a personal testimony of them, and sharing that knowledge with our children. It is promoting both formal and informal teaching moments. It is living according to that knowledge and testimony.
27The Book of Mormon describes the 2,060 stripling warriors as “men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him.” These young men faithfully obeyed Helaman, who at that time was their military leader and also their prophet, and they recognized that their mothers had filled their hearts with truth and faith.
28Parents, in this world where there are many voices and sometimes much darkness, God Himself has commanded us to raise our children in light and truth. He entrusted us with the responsibility to teach our children the saving truths of the gospel. If we fail to do so, the world will not do it.
29Dear young friends, I have an invitation for you: In the coming days, I invite you to kneel, open your hearts, and pray with faith to Heavenly Father, asking Him to confirm to you that His chosen prophet and apostles are His voice on the earth today.
30The woman of Shunem taught us that we can have that testimony through the Holy Ghost. I promise you that once we know they are God’s anointed ones, our lives will be easier in spite of our ongoing challenges, as we will obey their voices with trust, faith, and hope. To listen to and obey the voice of the prophet is crucial to holding on to every good thing until the Second Coming of our Savior.
31The world’s wickedness is growing, but the Church of Jesus Christ and His kingdom are stronger than ever. Zion is putting on its beautiful garments, and Christ’s throne will not fall. The Lord expects us to be strong in our testimonies, to be full of faith, and to repent daily. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, is counting on each of us to carry on His work.
32Once, the Prophet Joseph Smith said, “Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause?” However, since my message is mainly for you, the youth, I would like to use the word youth instead of brethren. Ready?
33“[Youth], shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, [youth]; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad.”
34I am grateful for the guidance and consecrated efforts of the living prophets. I give you my solemn testimony that they are called by God to carry forth, establish, and lead His kingdom on earth today. And it will always be so. It will always be the Lord who chooses His servants. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.