A Game of Telephone

Have you ever played the game of telephone? 

I remember once we were on a choir trip and we all sat in a big circle, and someone started at the other end, with some short phrase. It went from person to person until it had finally made it's way to me. It came back as something crazy like, "peacocks live on the roof". I remember we all laughed hardily as the starting line was revealed. "I love chocolate ice cream". 'How does something so simple get twisted so fast?' I thought to myself. Then I thought, if one person stood in the middle our telephone circle and said, "I love chocolate ice cream", do you think we would have changed it so dramatically? Most likely not.

This is the principle of having a living prophet. 

I have noticed in my lifetime that the bible is like the game of telephone. The pure word of God always starts out as pure truth, but what happens as it's interpreted, and then reinterpreted? Our bowl of ice cream, turns into a peacock. But, this is not the pattern of God. Our loving Heavenly Father does not leave us to wander down dark paths, trying to govern ourselves by the precepts of men, he calls prophets; Moses, Abraham, Noah, etc. This is His pattern. 

I testify that God has called a prophet on the earth today. He will not suffer us to play telephone on the earth any longer. President Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today, and he holds all the keys of the priesthood of God. I know the keys of the priesthood have been restored, and I echo the words of the Apostle, Elder Jeffery R. Holland, "I bear witness of that gospel and that Church, with a particular witness of restored priesthood keys which unlock the power and efficacy of saving ordinances. I am more certain that those keys have been restored and that those ordinances are once again available through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than I am certain I stand before you at this pulpit and you sit before me in this conference."

You can know it for yourself. I invite all of you to listen to our beloved prophet, ponder his words (which are the words of God) and then "ask God the Eternal Father...if these things are not true" (Moroni 10:4). I testify that they are true, and that our loving Heavenly Father will answer your prayer of faith. 

Listen to Prophet Thomas S. Monson