Revelation in the Church, ongoing — March 2019
At the time that the Church announced that infants and children living in LGBTQ families could be blessed and baptized just as other infants and children, the following statement was published in the April 7, 2019 edition of the Church News.
President Russell M. Nelson has stated: “Current church leaders have been eye-witnesses to revelations from the Lord as He guides the affairs of His Church. During the past year the Lord has blessed senior Church leaders with “revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge…that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal”. (D&C 42:61).
The Lord has led by revelation through prophets from the time of Adam and Eve to the present day, said President Eyring of the continuing revelation. “One reason is that we need the Lord’s direction to meet the changing circumstances of our times, and He has guided changes in practice and policy through the history of the Church.”
In recent months and ears, for example, the Council of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have changed the way Latter-day Saints worship on Sunday, the organization of priesthood quorums, the way members minister to one another, and regulations regarding missionary service. Members have also been asked to embrace “home-centered, Church-supported” gospel instruction and to use the proper full name of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Throughout Church history, leaders have implemented some changes to policy for only a short time. For example, to help early member distinguish themselves from other Christians, Church leaders changed the name of the Church to “the Church of the Latter Day Saints, on May 3, 1834. Four years later, Joseph Smith received revelation that prompted a change “For thus shall my Church be called…even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (D&C 115:4). And in April, 1982, Church leaders announced the length of mission serve for young men would be 18 months. The First Presidency announced in November 1984 that young would again serve two years.
During the general conference leadership session in April 2019, President Eyring said revelation to Church leaders will continue until the Savior comes again. The First Presidency said they pray that the teachings from the leadership session will be received in the same spirit they received them from the Lord, as positive and inspiring instruction that will bless many lives.
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