The Prophets Call to Repent: A Shield for the Coming Storm

During, October 2022 General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson asked us to be “willing to “give away” even our favorite sins.” Since his call as the prophet there have been over one-hundred changes in the church, sparking resistance and even outrage in some, saying, “Who does he think he is to make so many changes?” The answer is, he is the PROPHET. Remember Noah’s warning of the coming flood? or Laman and Lemuel’s creating constant contention? Throughout history prophets have often asked people to make significant changes and sacrifices, even when they seem inconvenient or impossible in the moment. The scriptures are filled with stories of those who either heeded or rejected prophetic warnings. I declare that following the prophet will lead us to greater safety, happiness, and peace. 

The Old Testament is rife with examples of what not to do. According to Peter, Noah preached righteousness and repentance, knowing the great flood was imminent. The rescued Israelites, freed from Pharoah, squandered their freedom, wandering in circles for 40 years, because of their lack of discipline and disobedience. Jonah, spent three days in the belly of a great fish, learning firsthand what happens when you resist God’s call. Yet when he obeyed and preached repentance to Ninevah, they turned away from sin and through God’s mercy, saved their city from destruction. Like the bible, the Book of Mormon gives us a parallel account of God’s repeated attempts to guide his children through the prophets, and the blessings that follow obedience-or the consequences of rejection.

The Book of Mormon starts out with one of the most dramatic family feuds in scripture- a spiritual battle that was foreshadowed early in their journey when Lehi shared his dream of the Tree of Life, where he invited his family to partake of the fruit, a symbol of God’s love. Yet even then Laman and Lemuel refused, despite seeing God’s power firsthand. That was only the beginning. Soon after Lehi’s death we see a great division take place throughout the rest of the Book of Mormon. The people either aligning themselves to Nephi, striving to obey God’s commandments, or Laman and Lemuel, set on a path of pride and rebellion, creating a people of Nephites and Lamanites. The results were humbling and horrifying. Centuries of sin, contention, warfare, and destruction ultimately lead to the extinction of an entire people. By the end, Moroni, the last of his race, stands alone in a desolated battlefield, a tragic witness to the fulfillment of the prophets’ warnings. With patterns of repentance and rebellion, prosperity and persecution, wholesomeness and wickedness, all stemming from a simple choice: Follow the prophet or succumb to sin and chaos.

Imagine Heavenly Father and President Nelson looking down, discussing the approach of a long endlessly bitter storm. Now picture the saints standing, shoulder-to shoulder, hand-in-hand, forming a continuous line along the western coast of the United States. The prophets’ job is not to just lead, but to prepare every soul, on their journey east towards the promised land, which for our purposes, symbolizes our eternal safety. How should he outfit the members? His task is daunting, knowing some will be scaling the Rocky Mountains, passing through freezing conditions needing coats and boots, while those items would be a death sentence for those passing through the searing heat of the vast American deserts. It is not a one-size-fits-all answer. The preparation must be deeper, it must be spiritual. Just as ancient prophets warned their people to prepare and repent before the disasters struck, President Nelson’s recent counsel is aimed at fortifying us spiritually for what lies ahead. When the prophet asks us to “Think Celestial” it's not just an invitation; it’s a spiritual survival strategy. Each step of obedience becomes like layers of insulation against the cold; each sin forsaken is like casting off a heavy burden in the scorching heat. If we cannot hear the still small voice- if we are not listening with our spiritual headphones, we cannot possibly know when to brace against the oncoming winds or push through the scorching heat. President Nelson is urging us to get spiritually fit, to shed the weight of pride, disobedience, and those “favorite sins” that slow us down. Why? Because we risk more than just getting lost, we risk succumbing to Satan’s swamps of misery. President Nelson's words ring out like a call to arms: “We need to do better and be better because we are in a battle. The battle with sin is real. The adversary is quadrupling his efforts to disrupt testimonies and impede the work of the Lord. He is arming his minions with potent weapons to keep us from partaking of the joy and love of the Lord.” “I bless you to do better and be better. And I bless you that as you make these efforts, you will experience miracles in your life.”

If the scriptures historical account has taught us anything, it’s that the path of discipleship- though challenging- brings countless blessings. From the days of Noah to our modern prophet, obedience to God’s messengers has always led to safety, happiness, and peace. Being a latter-day saint isn’t always easy. We live a higher law, one that reflects the brilliance of our merciful Father in heaven, who presented the perfect plan, with our perfect Savior Jesus Christ, at the center of that plan. And what does Heavenly Father do to help us? He sends us prophets. They warn us, they pray for us, they bless us, and they deliver in their best efforts a way to find safety, happiness, and peace. These are the marvelous gifts we receive when we choose to obey, even when it costs us our “favorite sins”! Put on your armor of God, cast out the devil whispering lies in your ears, and experience that higher law where peace and joy reside, or as Samuel the Lamanite once said, as a promise foretelling Christ's birth, “be amazed and wonder.”