While listening to Elder Hale's talk in General Conference this morning I got an insight into how modern day prophets function. Elder Hale was pointing out that we received The Family: A Proclamation to the World long before people were trying to legally re-define what a family is. In fact, it was revealed in September of 1995; in September of 1996 the Defense of Marriage Act was passed without much controversy. I don't think that many if any expected that within 20 years the law would become unpopular and the Supreme Court would rule it unconstitutional.
This made me think of another thing: President Gordon B. Hinckley was the prophet of the Church from the time I was young until I was partway done with college. I never heard President Hinckley say he knew the real estate market would collapse due to inflated home prices and foreclosures, but my entire life I heard him teach the Saints to buy a modest home that and live within their means. I have often reflected on how much better off the entire United States economy would be if the country as a whole had listened.
Modern prophets seldom stand up and say: "Behold! I have seen a vision..." Instead, they teach us correct principles that will protect us from things they know will shortly come to pass. So often we think of visions when we think of prophets, but primarily they will teach us how to live so that we can return to our Father in Heaven. I know that I have found protection in following prophetic counsel and I'm grateful that we have these leaders to guide and direct us.
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