Trust the Prophet

      In 2 Kings 6 the King of Syria tries to take the life of Elisha but he is protected by the Lord and his hosts. Syria at this time has surrounded Samaria and was trying to take the city by starving them. The King of Israel, Jehoram, would not except the blame of the troubles upon his people so he decided to blame the prophet Elisha. When a servant was sent to capture Elisha the servant said, "Behold, this evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?"

      Elisha was the one that was able to help the inhabitants with the help of the Lord but instead Jehoram blamed the prophet for his people's hardships. As a teacher I think this could certainly happen to me. I've been talking with colleagues and at times they've had parents come in and say "What are you doing with my son? You are supposed to be teaching him, why is he failing?" In most instances when this happens the teacher is trying their best to teach the student but the student may not be participating. It's difficult to help those who don't want it. But, if we pray daily for guidance and assistance from the Lord we can receive inspiration on how to help those students. Is Doctrine and Covenants 109:22 it says, "And we ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and thine angels have charge over them;" We can teach with the spirit if we are continually asking for it. We don't have to be teaching a student, we can be trying to teach those around us, people we meet day to day. The Lord will bless us in our righteous desires.

      In 2 Kings 7 Elisha testifies of freedom from the famine and the Syrians then two lepers discover that the Syrians had fled their tents in haste. They fled because , "The Lord had made the host of Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host [...]" (2 Kings 6:6). This chapter is showing us how the Lord will fight our battles and help his people. He uses the prophet Elisha to testify of things that are to come. We need to trust the prophet to lead us on a righteous path. In D&C 98:37 it says,"And I, the Lord, would fight their battles, and their children’s battles, and their children’s children’s, until they had avenged themselves on all their enemies, to the third and fourth generation." I would use this verse to emphasize that the Lord will help us through generations as long as they are upholding their faith in the Lord. He says in the next verse, 38, that the battle is a testimony to their enemies. 

      In Alma 36:3 it reads, "And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day." When we trust in the prophet we are also trusting in the Lord. The prophet is a mouth piece of the Lord and reveals the Lord's plan to us. If we but listen to their counsel we can be lifted out of our trials, supported through them. We have been counseled so much in the last 20 years to build food storage, to build our savings. There is going to be a day when we are gathered and we will need those things. What the Lord prophesies will come to pass. We may not know when but we know it will happen. 

      I would close with this verse, Luke 13:33, the Lord said, "Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem." The Lord has promised us that we will continue to have a prophet on the earth when the church was restored. We will have the guidance of the Lord for the rest of our lives we just need to take advantage of that guidance. God loves us and knows what we need in order to make it back to Him. If we use the resources and blessings that He's given us we can have eternal life.