I’ve seen a lot of my friends on Facebook suggesting that following the prophet is only needed when we think he is right. That when we ‘pray and get our own revelation’ that we can disobey him and still be in good standing with the Lord. These quotes are to enforce, by the mouths of 20+ witnesses, the truth of our need to follow the prophet in all things and at all times.
Oh, if we could only learn this lesson and look to his living prophet on earth! In this day and time, following the living prophet is the only way that we can follow the Lord God and do his will. You can’t do it by quoting the dead prophets or ignoring or throwing rocks at the living prophets. Following the prophet today, President [Russell M. Nelson]*, is the only real safety we can know in this time of decay.
President Hartman Rector, Jr. (“Live above the Law to Be Free” Ensign January 1973) *Originally Harold B. Lee, who was the prophet at the time.
“We are too often afraid of what is called blind obedience, but obedience to God is always right — blind or otherwise.”
Elder Eldred G. Smith Patriarch to the Church (Conference Report, October 1970 Page 16)
“In the days ahead there will be times when nothing but the wisdom of God, descending from heaven and flowing forth from prophetic lips, will be able to save his people.”
Elder Bruce R. McConkie (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith (Deseret Book Company, 1985), 478;)
“If we choose to set his counsel aside and determine that we know better, our faith suffers and our eternal perspective is clouded. I promise you that as you remain resolute in following the prophet, your faith in the Savior will increase.”
Elder Neil L. Andersen (“The Prophet of God” General Conference April 2018)
“The learned may feel the prophet is only inspired when he agrees with them, otherwise the prophet is just giving his opinion—speaking as a man.”
President Ezra Taft Benson (Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet, Ensign, June 1981)
“We have a choice. We may choose to ignore, trifle with, trample upon, or rebel against the words of Christ spoken by His ordained servants. But the Savior taught that those who do so will be cut off from His covenant people. (3 Nephi 20:23) “
Sister Carol F. McConkie (“Live according to the Words of the Prophets” General Conference October 2014)
“When we begin to choose which of the covenants, which of the commandments we will keep and follow, we are taking the law of the Lord into our own hands and become our own prophets, and believe me, we will be led astray, because we are false prophets to ourselves when we do not follow the Prophet of God.”
President N. Eldon Tanner (CR, October 1966, p. 98.)
“Whenever you see a man disobeying the counsel of the Lord through the Holy Priesthood, you may know that unless he repents, he will apostatize. It is a sure sign of apostasy. A man may be an Apostle, a Seventy, a High Priest, an Elder or a Bishop, yet if he tries to divide the people and persuades them to disobey the Prophet of God, he will surely fall, unless he repents with all his heart. The Lord asks us to obey Him. He tells us how to do so. He does not ask for blind obedience, because He gives His Holy Spirit to all who ask for it to show them that it is right to obey.”
George Q. Cannon (“Satan Hates a United People,” Gospel Truth, Vol. 1, p. 210–11)
“I remember years ago when I was a bishop I had President Heber J. Grant talk to our ward. After the meeting I drove him home … Standing by me, he put his arm over my shoulder and said: ‘My boy, you always keep your eye on the President of the Church and if he ever tells you to do anything, and it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it.’ Then with a twinkle in his eye, he said, ‘But you don’t need to worry. The Lord will never let his mouthpiece lead the people astray.’”
President Marion G. Romney (Conference Report, October 1960, p. 78.)
“The prophet does not have to say ‘Thus saith the Lord’ to give us scripture. Sometimes there are those who argue about words. They might say the prophet gave us counsel but that we are not obliged to follow it unless he says it is a commandment. But the Lord says of the Prophet, ‘Thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you.'”
President Ezra Taft Benson (Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet, Ensign, June 1981)
“You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may conflict with your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord Himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory” (D&C 21:6)… Your safety and ours depends upon whether or not we follow … Let’s keep our eye on the President of the Church.”
President Harold B. Lee (Conference Report, October 1970, p. 152–153.)
“Even in the Church, many are prone to garnish the sepulchres of yesterdays prophets and mentally stone the living ones.”
President Spwncer W. Kimball (Instructor, 95:527.)
“We encourage earthly knowledge in many areas, but remember if there is ever a conflict between earthly knowledge and the words of the prophet, you stand with the prophet and you’ll be blessed and time will show you have done the right thing.”
President Ezra Taft Benson (Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet, Ensign, June 1981)
“One day when President Grant was living, I sat in my office across the street following a general conference. A man came over to see me, an elderly man. He was very upset about what had been said in this conference by some of the Brethren, including myself. I could tell from his speech that he came from a foreign land. After I had quieted him enough so he would listen, I said, ‘Why did you come to America?’ ‘I am here because a prophet of God told me to come.’ ‘Who was the prophet?’ I continued. ‘Wilford Woodruff.’ ‘Do you believe Wilford Woodruff was a prophet of God?’ ‘Yes, sir.’
“Then came the sixty-four dollar question, ‘Do you believe that Heber J. Grant is a prophet of God?’ His answer, ‘I think he ought to keep his mouth shut about old-age assistance.’
“Now I tell you that a man in his position is on the way to apostasy. He is forfeiting his chances for eternal life. So is everyone who cannot follow the living prophet of God.”
President Marion G. Romney (Conference Report, April 1953, p. 125.)
“As a prophet reveals the truth it divides the people. The honest in heart heed his words but the unrighteous either ignore the prophet or fight him.”
President Ezra Taft Benson (Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet, Ensign, June 1981)
“How will we endure all things? The answer is amazingly simple: We shall do so by faith, by unity, and by following the prophets of God. It has been so in the past; it will be so in the future.”
President James E. Faust (“We Seek After These Things” General Conference April 1998)
“If we want to know how well we stand with the Lord then let us ask ourselves how well we stand with His mortal captain—how close do our lives harmonize with the Lord’s anointed—the living Prophet—President of the Church, and with the Quorum of the First Presidency.”
President Ezra Taft Benson (Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet, Ensign, June 1981)
“We are free to accept or reject the counsel of the Lord and His prophets. Often those who do not choose to follow the prophets are voices that criticize those who do.”
President James E. Faust (“Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart” General Conference April 1998)
“In our world today, one thing has not changed since Joshua spoke: Those who choose to serve the Lord will always listen attentively and specifically to the Prophet. In modern Israel, serving the Lord means carefully following the Prophets.”
Elder Neil L. Andersen (“Prophets and Spiritual Mole Crickets” General Conference October 1990)
“The Lord honors and favors those who will heed prophetic direction.”
Sister Carol F. McConkie (“Live according to the Words of the Prophets” General Conference October 2014)
“Let us in humility and faith refresh our dedication and our commitment to follow the prophets, seers, and revelators in all diligence. Let us listen and be instructed and edified by those who hold all the keys of the kingdom.”
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf (“The Global Church Blessed by the Voice of the Prophets” General Conference October 2002)
“God’s long-established pattern of teaching His children through prophets assures us that He will bless each prophet and that He will bless those who heed prophetic counsel. A desire to follow the prophet requires much effort because the natural man knows very little of God and even less of His prophet.”
President Russell M. Nelson (“Ask, Seek, Knock” General Conference October 2009)
“The standard for temple recommend holders is not too high for us to achieve. It is simply to faithfully live the gospel and follow the prophets.”
Elder Robert D. Hales (“Coming to Ourselves: The Sacrament, the Temple, and Sacrifice in Service” General Conference April 2012)
“We heed prophetic word even when it may seem unreasonable, inconvenient, and uncomfortable. According to the world’s standards, following the prophet may be unpopular, politically incorrect, or socially unacceptable. But following the prophet is always right.”
Sister Carol F. McConkie (“Live according to the Words of the Prophets” General Conference October 2014)
“Not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ”
Neal A. Maxwell (“Meeting the Challenges of Today” BYU Devotional October 10, 1978)
“My experience is that once you stop putting question marks behind the prophet’s statements and put exclamation points instead, and do it, the blessings just pour.”
Russell M. Nelson (“Russell M. Nelson: A Study in Obedience” By Lane Johnson Ensign August 1982)