Hello Friends!
As I have pondered what to share for this Week's Talk of the Week, I felt impressed to share two brief talks from the October 2010 General Conference which both emphasized President Benson's "Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet ." I have thought it significant that two of the Seventy felt impressed to repeat what an earlier Apostle and future Prophet of the Church, Elder Ezra Taft Benson, taught about living prophets. Elder Duncan spoke at our Stake Conference just a couple of weeks before the October Conference and knew that he and Elder Costa would both be sharing the same "14 Fundamentals," yet the impression and urgency to testify of these truths burned within him. This past week, our missionary son began teaching a new investigator. As they showed him pictures of the Prophets of this Dispensation the man exclaimed about President Monson, "And he is living?!!"
As I have pondered these talks, I have wondered what I might do to better follow every word of the Prophet and how to prepare to quickly follow what future things he may ask us to do. I am grateful to know that "surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7) Elder Duncan teaches that one of the crowning blessings of membership in this Church is being led by living prophets of God. I think the title of his talk is also significant "Our Very Survival."
"For his work ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.
"For by doing these things 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 21:5-6)
How grateful I am for living Prophets and Apostles who teach us all things that are needful for us to know for our particular time and circumstances. I know that they speak for God and that as we heed their words we will be safe.
Love and Blessings,
Claudio Costa
Kevin R. Duncan
