Seek out the full message

 

A YouTube video, titled President Benson Speaks on the Last Days, was sent to me recently. But before you watch it, you should know it's 14 minutes long and seems to be taken as excerpts from a 35 minute talk that he gave on April 14, 1981. So, don't believe that it's the full talk as it is missing some good counsel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXNda6qL0no&feature=youtu.be

Here's the link to the talk https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/ezra-taft-benson/prepare-great-day-lord/

One of the things not included in the video is a quote from President Harold B. Lee (which was given in January 1973). Here's the quote:

"There are among us many loose writings predicting the calamities which are about to overtake us. Some of these have been publicized as though they were necessary to wake up the world to the horrors about to overtake us. Many of these are from sources upon which there cannot be unquestioned reliance.

"Are you . . . aware of the fact that we need no such publications to be forewarned, if we were only conversant with what the scriptures have already spoken to us in plainness? [“Admonitions for the Priesthood of God,” Ensign, January 1973, p. 106]"

Too often we look for the magic pill, the easy button, or whatever fast answer we can get for the problems we face. It's the lazy way out, we want the blessings without doing what is needed to earn them; we want the harvest without the work of sowing and tending the fields.

I am not discounting dreams, visions, as well as other efforts many good people make to try to help others understand the scriptures and what God has revealed to his prophets, at least those things which the prophets have been permitted to share with us.

It is our responsibility to warn others as we have been forewarned.

When then-Elder Benson stated, "Knowing what we know as his servants, can we hesitate to raise a warning voice to all who will listen that they may be prepared for the days ahead? Silence in the face of such calamity is sin!" he was referring more directly to his responsibility as an apostle, it is also an admonition to all the Lord's Saints.

However, it is not our place, not our stewardship, to make our own interpretations and pass these interpretations and personal understanding on as revelation, prophesy, or the word of God. I believe it is good to share our personal insights, understanding, and, sometimes, some of the personal revelation we receive with others. We just need to make sure others know when non-Gospel, non-doctrine is being shared.

We must be clear and differentiate when non-Gospel, non-doctrine, non-scripture is presented. If it is not the actual word of God, in it's complete context, whether given by the Lord through his ancient or modern prophets, then we need to be discerning. We need to make sure others know when something is scriptural and when it is our own thoughts, opinions, or understanding so we do not mislead others. There are plenty of wolves in sheep clothing who intentionally mix a little scripture into their own philosophies, opinions, and understanding and then pass it all off as being prophesy, revelation, or some divine manifestation.

I've read, heard, and even seen instances of those who become carried away with some person's dreams, visions, or personal interpretations. Too often there are those who feel/think they have some special knowledge or revelation that sets them apart, and even above, the Lord's prophets. Maybe they started out with an actual divine gift--maybe prophesy or dreams or visions--but they have become prideful in allowing others to lift them up, and they have lost the true gift as they have become misled by the ungodly.

I enjoy and appreciate reading/hearing the visions and dreams of others. I have found that often there can be a lot of truth in those dreams and visions. Often it feels like I get an additional piece of the puzzle. I appreciate it when the person offers their opinion or thoughts, and prefaces those personal interpretations as such. For example, instead of stating that a calamity seen in vision will happen at a certain time/place the person makes it clear they are giving their own opinion, but that it could be mistaken.

Here's an example. I read about one person's dream/vision (I don't remember where) where they saw the hall of presidents of the United States. Portraits of all the presidents from Washington to George W. Bush and one more portrait where hanging on the wall. After that last portrait there was a huge crack  down the wall. Someone else I was following in a forum was given that same vision and after Obama's portrait saw the broken wall. That person interpreted the dream to mean Obama would be the last president. That person sold a lot of investments and prepared for the end of the country, and he told others what he was doing and that Obama would be the last president.

The person made their own interpretation of the dream and became convinced the interpretation was correct. Turned out it was wrong in that the country did not end and Obama was not the last president. But, it was during Obama's presidency that the country became increasing divided and split and when Trump became president that divide widened and increased.  

I wondered if maybe I was wrong, because I didn't think Obama would be the last president. It made me a little anxious at that time because I wasn't as well prepared as I wanted to be if the destruction of the country was imminent. It was a motivating factor to get more serious about preparations. 

That said, the patterns I see in the scriptures and how things are playing out in our time does indicate serious consequences are coming if the country does not repent, and the majority of the people return to God.

In the last few months I've taken the advice of Moroni and our Savior to study the words of Isaiah. After reading through Isaiah with the help of some additional insights into Jewish culture and "manner of prophesying" (2 Nephi 25:1) I have recently started reading Isaiah again, searching for more insights.

I won't go into some of my thoughts at this time, except to say that Isaiah seems to be a more complete overview of what will be happening before the Lord's Second Coming. Many of the dreams and visions I have read fit into Isaiah's prophesies. There is not an actual timeline, but there is an apparent most likely order of major events. And we are really getting close to those end time scenarios.

So, just like it's important to discover the truth behind articles, videos, or other sources of information, and not belief that those sources actually provide the full and unbiased truth, we need to make sure we get the full word of God by seeking it out, and not rely on someone else's interpretation of it.

As for the video I started out with, I think it's great but it doesn't include more than half of the message given by Ezra Taft Benson. 

Which would you prefer, a portion of the word or the full message?