Identifying a Prophet Today

I have been greatly affected by the messages of prophets throughout history, including today. The fruits are manifested as good and causes great growth to occur. Errors, in which I lived and practiced, are exposed and truths have been and are being restored. I have been called to repentance; I have been corrected; I have changed and am changing as more revelations come to me; And I doubt my life will ever be the same, unless I foolishly turn from my righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire! (3 Nephi 7:7-8)

A common thread, among prophets of God, is restoring truths that were lost before. The gospel, which was originally preached to Adam, keeps getting lost among the children of men, who fall into some level of apostasy. Lost truths, which were taught before, were restored through Abraham, a Father through whom we should connect.

In the Book of Mormon it is recorded that Nephi restored truth and taught much to his people, who over time discarded, rejected, and lost truth. The Nephite people fell into an adequate level of apostasy that caused God to judge it necessary to send a message of repentance and warning. Through His servant Abinadi, God preached repentance to the people and restored truth again that Nephi had earlier taught.

King Noah and his priests were the religious leaders of the day and did not approve of the message of repentance nor consider even the remote possibility that they were in ERROR and leading the people astray. So frustrated with this absurd and core-cutting message delivered through this unauthorized man who did not possess bonafide credentials (at least from their point of view), they chose to cast Abinadi out of their presence and have him killed. Nevertheless, Alma and a few others, who received the message, took hold of the restored truth, repented, and lived the gospel.

After the death of Christ and His disciples, the great apostasy occurred and continued for centuries until a restoration in the early 1800's, through the prophet Joseph Smith. A few received the message of God delivered through Joseph, but most did not and fell into apostasy. On June 27, 1844, both Hyrum Smith and Joseph Smith, through whom much had been restored, were rejected and killed by their own people. From there, almost everything went “south”. Revelations, visions, and restoration went “downhill” fast and apostasy was in full motion!

After three and four generations of LDS church apostasy and general apostasy throughout gentile nations, the Lord (through His servant/teacher) again sends forth a call of repentance, a core-cutting message that religious leaders and priests are in ERROR and leading the people astray, and an invitation of correction for everyone everywhere to come unto him TODAY and be baptized (or re-baptized).

This message of God, presently before us and delivered by His messenger, may be frustrating to some and seem absolutely absurd:

Religious leaders and priests are in ERROR and leading the people astray??? … laughable! How could latter-day saints, who “follow the prophet” and brethren, are active members, pass leadership interviews, keep current temple recommends, and view themselves as the most favored and royal generation of God, possibly need to repent? How could anyone ever be so bold or dare suggest such a thing? We are a righteous people. This is crazy! “Away with this fellow, and slay him; for what have we to do with him, for he is mad.”(Mosiah 13:1-4)

I have been struck by how this pattern occurs over and over again, generation after generation, even in our very own generation right now! Men keep losing truths and prophets keep bringing them back. So, how can you tell that there is a prophet on earth today? Would it seem reasonable that restorations of truth begin? Visions? Angels? Prophecies? Come from the presence of God with a message? Revelations? Would truths, which have fallen into disuse, disregard, or neglect, come to light and appear again? Would correction and a call to repentance be expected?

Here's a couple other links to help identify a true prophet through all generations of time, even TODAY:

Profile of a Prophet

Joseph the Prophet