"This day of organization was, in effect, a day of commencement, the graduation for Joseph from ten years of remarkable schooling. It had begun with the incomparable vision in the grovbe n the spring of 1820, when the Father and the Son appeared to the fourteen-year-old boy. It had continued with the tutoring from Moroni, with both warnings and instructions given on multiple occasions. Then there was the trasnlation of the ancient record, and the inspiration, the knoledge, the revelation that came from that experience. There was the bestowal of divine anthority, the ancient priesthood again conferred ypon men by those who were its rightful possessors--John the Baptist in the case of the Aaronic Priesthood, and Peter, James, and John in the case of the Melchizedek. There were revelations, a number of them , in which the voice of God was heard again, and the channel of communication opened between man and the Creator. All of these were preliminary to that historic April 6." (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Apr. 1980, 11-12)

It's so amazing that from the original 6 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we now have a membership between 13 and 14 million.

"In this dispensation the same characteristics are shown by the people as were in ancient times. We are more inclined to accept as the word of the Lord something which was uttered in some former dispensation, but look with critical eye and unbelief upon that which the Lord delivers today through his chosen servants. Yet the word of the Lord is very clear on this matter. Let us not lose sight of the word of the Lord, that by hearkening to his chosen servant—and this is true whether it is Joseph Smith or some other President of the Church—‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against us.’” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:107–8.)

Delbert L. Stapley declared: “I bear witness to you, my brothers and sisters, that God sustains [the living prophet], and no one else in the world today but him, because he has the holy calling of prophet, seer, and revelator, representing the Lord upon the earth in our time. He only has the right to revelation for the people of the Church, and if all people would understand that, they would not be tossed about by those who would seek to divert their minds from the Church and its glorious principles. . . They will be fortified against false teachers and anti-Christs, and we do have them among us.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1953, p. 70.)

Elder Harold B. Lee testified: “We are not dependent only upon the revelations given in the past as contained in our standard works—as wonderful as they are. . . . We have a mouthpiece to
whom God does and is revealing his mind and will. God will never permit him to lead us astray. As has been said, God would remove us out of our place if we should attempt to do it. You have no concern. Let the management and government of God, then, be with the Lord. Do not try to find fault with the management and affairs that pertain to him alone and by revelation through his prophet—his living prophet, his seer, and his revelator.” (The Place of the Living Prophet [ address delivered to seminary and institute of religion personnel], 8 July 1964, p. 16.)

I'm grateful for the blessing of a Prophet. Spiritual and practical guidance leaves me feeling secure and hopeful. Surely, I have the agency to walk in others paths, but I don't. I'm just fine with the advise of the Lord that comes through the man, the prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.