Wise Counsel

I am a Mormon, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and yesterday the president of our church passed away.  We believe that the president of the church is a prophet, very similar to the Pope if you are Catholic.  I just wanted to share how he was my prophet. After Richard's accident, I knew that my life would be incredibly different than it was prior to his accident.  President Monson had just been made president and prophet since his predecessor has passed away just days before the accident. I listened to general conference with a question as to whether this man had been called as a prophet.  At the first general conference of the church after the accident, President Monson addressed us.  In part, this is what he said:

"At times there appears to be no light at the tunnel’s end—no dawn to break the night’s darkness. We feel surrounded by the pain of broken hearts, the disappointment of shattered dreams, and the despair of vanished hopes. We join in uttering the biblical plea “Is there no balm in Gilead?”  We are inclined to view our own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. If you find yourself in such a situation, I plead with you to turn to our Heavenly Father in faith. He will lift you and guide you. He will not always take your afflictions from you, but He will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face.

With all my heart and the fervency of my soul, I lift my voice in testimony today as a special witness and declare that God does live. Jesus is His Son, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. He is our Redeemer; He is our Mediator with the Father. He loves us with a love we cannot fully comprehend, and because He loves us, He gave His life for us. My gratitude to Him is beyond expression."

How could I not believe this man is my prophet?  His words were perfect for me at that time in my life. I won't forget the comfort that President Monson brought to me at that difficult time.  His inspiration will be missed. 

I did turn to my Heavenly Father from the very first moment, and did lift and guide me!  It is because of this lifting and guiding that I was able to survive the whole experience with my sanity.  I have learned a lot, and I wish I would have known someone who had been through similar circumstances, but I always knew, and never doubted that I was supported from my Heavenly Father. I know that no suffering endured can even compare with he suffering of Jesus Christ. Suffering is certainly part of life, but there is great comfort in knowing of and feeling the support from a heavenly source that I am extremely grateful for, just like the footsteps poem.  

Of course, our new prophet will have words of wisdom too, but at this time in my life, President Monson's words were a huge comfort to me, and I couldn't have been more grateful. I could go on and on about what a good man President Monson was and how he spent his life in service to his brothers and sisters in and out of the church. There are many stories of following promptings and being of service to others that I could tell you, but this one is the one that touches my heart the most.  I am grateful to have a prophet to guide us.