Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 28:6-7

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 28:6-7
"And thou shalt not command him who is at thy head, and at the head of the church;
For I have given him the keys of the mysteries, and the revelations which are sealed, until I shall appoint unto them another in his stead."

I think these words are simple to understand. We don't command or tell the prophet what to do. He alone receives revelation for the whole church. Yet, I don't understand how people can go into strange paths and feel they know better than a prophet who can see around corners. When the prophet speaks as a prophet we listen. I just love the general conference talks and letters from the First Presidency. I know he is speaking as a prophet. The living prophet is here to guide us in our days.

"In speaking about this proper order of revelation, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “It is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church, or any one, to receive instruction for those in authority, higher than themselves; … if any person have a vision or a visitation from a heavenly messenger, it must be for his own benefit or instruction; for the fundamental principles, government, and doctrine of the Church are vested in the keys of the kingdom” (Teachings: Joseph Smith, 197–98). On a later occasion he declared, “The Presidents or [First] Presidency are over the Church; and revelations of the mind and will of God to the Church, are to come through the Presidency. This is the order of heaven, and the power and privilege of [the Melchizedek] Priesthood. It is also the privilege of any officer in this Church to obtain revelations, so far as relates to his particular calling and duty in the Church” (Teachings: Joseph Smith, 197)."
Elder Dallin H. Oaks outlined how this order of revelation continues today in the Church: “Our Heavenly Father’s house is a house of order, where his servants are commanded to ‘act in the office in which [they are] appointed’ (D&C 107:99). This principle applies to revelation. Only the president of the Church receives revelation to guide the entire Church. Only the stake president receives revelation for the special guidance of the stake. The person who receives revelation for the ward is the bishop. For a family, it is the priesthood leadership of the family. Leaders receive revelation for their own stewardships. Individuals can receive revelation to guide their own lives. But when one person purports to receive revelation for another person outside his or her own stewardship—such as a Church member who claims to have revelation to guide the entire Church or a person who claims to have a revelation to guide another person over whom he or she has no presiding authority according to the order of the Church—you can be sure that such revelations are not from the Lord” (“Revelation” [Brigham Young University devotional, Sept. 29, 1981], 7, speeches.byu.edu).
(Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual, Chapter 11: Doctrine and Covenants 26-28)

Elder Renlund gave an excellent general conference talk on receiving revelation within a framework that is setup for our own safety. Otherwise, we could be deceived.

"In response, the Lord revealed that “no one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith … until I shall appoint … another in his stead.” Doctrine, commandments, and revelations for the Church are the prerogative of the living prophet, who receives them from the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the prophet’s runway.'
(Regarding someone looking for additional scriptures to translate)...I told him that he was mistaken, and he implored me to pray about it. I told him I would not. He became verbally abusive and ended the phone call. I did not need to pray about this request for one simple but profound reason: only the prophet receives revelation for the Church. It would be “contrary to the economy of God” for others to receive such revelation, which belongs on the prophet’s runway."
The Prophet Joseph Smith warned, “Nothing is a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit, when they think they have the Spirit of God.”
(Dale G. Renlund, "A Framework for Personal Revelation", Oct 2022 General Conference)

Day 3617