Come Listen To A Prophet's Voice

Have you ever read Bible stories and wondered, "whatever happened to the Prophets of old who spoke the will of God and performed great miracles? Does God still speak to his children?" If you have, then I have good news for you! The Lord still speak to his children, and he still sends prophets to make his will known to the world. Under the direction of Jesus Christ, these prophets and apostles lead and guide the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today.

We believe in continuing revelation, that God still speaks as he did in Old Testament times. Every person has the right and power to receive individual revelation for their lives via the promptings of the Holy Ghost. The Prophet, on the other hand - the one man who is ordained to lead the church on earth - speaks the words that God would like us to hear as a church and to the world in general. We sing a hymn in our church that says "come listen to a prophet's voice...and hear the word of God."

If you are yearning to hear the word of God, please tune in this weekend (October 4-5, Noon-2pm and 4-6pm Eastern) to hear the word and will of the Lord. You can listen to or watch the semi-annual General Conference of the church online at the following link: General Conference Online Broadcast. You can also watch it on BYU-tv which is carried by most satellite providers.

One quick example of how hearing the words of a prophet in your home can strengthen your family: This week, as I was preparing lunch for my two hungry kiddies, I was listening to a talk given at the last General Conference. Suddenly, my son perked up, and enthusiastically repeated two lines he had just heard spoken in the talk. He said, "Mommy! Jesus Christ loves you. Jesus Christ knows your name." You will hear simple, joyful truths like these spoken this weekend during general conference. You can also listen to these talks again and again online and use them to help your family gain spiritual insight and strength!

Here are some more links about the revelation and the organization of the church:

Prophets

Church Administration

"My words...Never Cease"

"Personal Revelation: The teachings and examples of the prophets"

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Teaching Your Little Ones

When I worked in TV news, I realized how undervalued children were in the industry. Unless these children were particularly newsworthy--think Baby Jessica or the Cuban boy who was caught in a custody battle--many news outlets passed up stories that would affect children for more glamorous/money-making stories. I always found that disappointing.

In contrast, our church puts a huge emphasis on the welfare, nurture, and education of children in all stages of life. In fact, we believe that we are all God's children and should treat each other accordingly. We also often hear that we should strive to be as little children--teachable.

There are Sunday School classes for all age-levels in our church. The children's classes are called Primary. Children who are younger than age three attend a Sunday instructional class called Nursery.

This year, the church is releasing a new Nursery manual to help instructors and parents teach their little ones about their identity as children of God among other things. The lessons include pictures and coloring pages to help young children internalize the message.

You can use this manual in your home to teach your children simple concepts such as:

I Can Pray to Heavenly Father
I Am A Child of God
I Can Be Happy
Jesus Christ Showed Us How to Love Others

You can download lessons or the whole manual (for free) online at this link: Primary Nursery Manual

I have already started using the manual with my young children at home. If you have young children, I hope you take advantage of this great opportunity to teach them these important concepts!

Another wonderful resource for children is the Friend Magazine. Check it out!

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