Our New Prophet

On January 2 this year, the prophet of our church, Thomas S. Monson, passed away.

He has served as the prophet for the last 10 years. Before that, he was in the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He's always been a church leader throughout my entire life, and I will miss him and his beautiful talks! But I know he is happy to be reunited with his sweet wife Frances. He has been physically suffering for quite a while now, and now he is at peace.

There have been 4 prophets in my life time. I don't really remember the first one, Pres. Ezra Taft Benson, who died when I was six. My main memory is my mom reading the newspaper about his death and showing me the article. I don't remember much about Pres. Howard W. Hunter either, except for one vivid memory of General Conference (a meeting held twice a year when the leaders of the church speak to all members across the world). I was still very young and not paying much attention, but my mom told me I needed to come listen when the prophet spoke. I remember sitting down and looking up at the screen to see him. (This was back when we had to go to the stake center to watch the broadcast!)

President Gordon B. Hinckley came next. He was the prophet from 1995 to 2008, from when I was about 8 to when I was 20. He was the prophet of my youth, and I mourned greatly when he passed. It took me a little while to accept that President Monson was now the prophet. But I remember when he was sustained in General Conference in April 2008, I received a powerful witness that he was the man God had called to lead our church. I am grateful for his service and his testimony over the last 10 years!

Today I watched his funeral with my family. The final speaker was President Russell M. Nelson, the man who will soon become our next prophet. (When a prophet dies, the most senior member of the Apostles--that is, the man that has been serving as an apostle the longest--becomes the next prophet.) As he spoke, I received a strong spiritual confirmation that he is now our prophet. I love President Nelson and I know he will do a wonderful job.

The work of the Lord always moves forward!