I received a great question concerning the latter day prophets and their qualification as wise-ones. The line of questions were aimed at identifying our current prophet and apostles as wise-ones, therefore they will not lead us astray. I agree and disagree. Let me explain.
We have a natural tendency to think in terms of on and off, or here and there, even when we know that progression occurs line-upon-line, even for prophets and apostles. We are falsely led to believe (by men and women who don’t mean any harm) that… Prophets and Apostles cannot make mistakes, that result in leading us astray. Prophets and Apostles have made major mistakes in which caused others to be led astray, and they had to repent of those mistakes. Joseph Smith was told not to let Martin Harris take the plates home to show his wife. The result was that we lost the records of Lehi. Heber J Grant removed the lectures on Faith from our canon of scripture in the effort to correct Joseph Smith’s perception of the Godhead. During the administration of President Hinkley the church added to the primary song book teaching all primary children that “faith is like a little seed,” when Alma 32 clearly states that “the word” is likened unto a seed. These are not small mistakes that effect no-one. This are major mistakes. My point being that just because you have been given a new calling as a wise-one, doesn’t automatically make you wise in all things, all at once. It’s a progression. It is each of our duties to know the scriptures, so that we are not led astray by mistakes. That is why it is necessary to obtain an individual testimony, rather than relying on a leader.
Jacob’s ladder is an object one must climb, beginning at the first rung, step-by-step until he reaches the top. Zion is at the top of the mountains, which speaks to the mind that anyone who enters into Zion must first ascend the mountain. Simply having had a personal visitation of Christ qualifies, in my opinion, a wise-one, for sure. However, even so, there are degrees of progression in the upper kingdoms. So while an Apostle may have had a personal visitation and has become a wise-one, doesn’t necessarily mean that they will not lead people astray, unintentionally. When they are acting in the mind and will of God, it is impossible for anyone to lead men astray. But, it is our responsibility to discern when it is that they are speaking as wise-ones or by way of opinions. Brigham Young was famous for saying something by way of opinion, and then retracting his words by way of revelation.
The point here is that just because the Prophet and the Apostles have had a personal witness, and are now considered a wise-one, you are still the only one accountable to know the mind and will of God for yourself. On the mission we constantly teach this principle to all investigators, that they must find out for themselves if the things we have taught is true. The only way one can obtain it is by seeking it out for yourself in. If you’re waiting for the leaders to tell you to seek such blessings out, then you’re waiting to be commanded in all things. God despises those who must be commanded in all things. God will not force any man to heaven. If you get such a blessing, it will be because you sought it out for yourself.
A word of caution when trusting in men and their offices. If you are ignorant to the truth, even though you meant well, you may be influenced by the marketing of hierarchy and miss out on the blessings available in the words of Christ. Recently, I was in a priesthood meeting in which an area seventy testified of being a personal witness of Christ, and then opened the floor for us to ask him any question. I asked him if being a special witness of Christ was connected to a special ordinance? He responded, that it did not. Then he continued to tell me that I too was a special witness of Christ as well, when I bear testimony of Christ. I was able to ask one other question about what he knows is the Holy Spirit of Promise, that seals us up to the church of the Firstborn? He said that that was simply the confirmation of the Holy Ghost that we get when we are baptized. Everything I read in the scriptures contradicts what this man had to say. Yet he testified of being a special witness of Christ, just like the Prophet and Apostles. If that is how all the Prophets and Apostles define being a special witness, then our scriptures contradict our church doctrine. Had I not studied these topics, I too could have been lead by incorrect teachings. But I have read, and while this General Authority (area seventy) may define being a special witness in this manner, I don’t think that what he is testifying of is the same as what our Prophet and Apostles testify of when claiming to be special witnesses of Christ. I believe that our Prophet and Apostles are special witnesses who have entered into the presence of Christ, while in the flesh.
Even Prophets and Apostles make mistakes though, and those mistakes may unintentionally lead you or others astray. That is why you must know the correct attributes, characteristics, and perfections of God in order to exercise faith unto life and salvation. Then you can recognize who knows Christ, or who knows the words of Christ, and who is just guessing.
I am not a special witness of Christ yet. That is the very reason why I read the scriptures. I am trying to know the words of Christ because I know that the words of Christ will tell me all things what I must do to make my own ascension. That is the value a special witness of Christ has to me, they have the ability to point me in the direction of Christ because they have already been there. They have kept the first and great commandment, obtained a personal witness, and now are charged to “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” They can give me directions to follow their example so that I can end up in the presence of Christ too.
There is no room in heaven for ignorance. No man can be saved in ignorance (Joseph Smith). You cannot accidentally end up in the presence of Christ, you must be seeking Christ in the scriptures. Christ employs no servant at the gate, it is himself at the veil (2 Nephi 9:40). We must not trust in man. Man is the arm of flesh, even if that arm is our Prophet. We must trust in God and God alone. It is His mind and will that provides us with salvation. It is that same mind and will that allows us to be united in Zion. Our covenant is not with our spouse, our bishop, our stake president, or the temple sealers. Our covenant is with God. It is God in whom we must trust in order for us to realize any blessing offered within that covenant. No Prophet, Apostle or General Authority has the power to produce such a covenant or a blessing.
Word Compass 
What do we base our beliefs on? Why do we need a prophet? Why can’t we just search the scriptures with all our might and know how to make it into the Kingdom of God?
When you say watch how you follow our prophet because it is possible that they can make a “huge mistake” don’t we teach that as you come to know that the scriptures are true then you can know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God, then they can know also that through a line of successors our current prophet is of God.
In Amos 3:7 talking about how the Lord will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets… I don’t think he is talking about the administration of the church. Is he not talking about how through the prophet we will know of “the mysteries of God” and will reveal it unto his people? (us)
Did the Lord not know that these Prophets would make these “mistakes”? The Lord knows ALL things! We don’t comprehend all things which the Lord can comprehend. (Mosiah 4:9) I don’t believe anything happens by “coincidence” (I don’t think that you believe that they happened by coincidence either but you point out “huge mistakes” that probably “led people astray”). I believe that just like Lucifer tempted our first parents and the fall occurred as a part of Heavenly Fathers plan. Similar to the 116 pages lost, these events happened for a purpose, “which purpose I know not”. (1 Nephi 9:5, https://si.lds.org/bc/seminary/content/library/manuals/institute-student/book-of-mormon-student-manual_eng.pdf chapter 17 pg. 134 Words of Mormon 1:7. “The Lord Knoweth All
Things Which Are to Come”)
I recognize the scriptures you used, and understand the point of view. Let’s go back to the purpose of a prophet. A purpose of a prophet is to bring you to Christ through the word, and when appropriate to offer you ordinances. When I stated that men will make mistakes, I was referring to the idea that becoming a prophet doesn’t mean “no mistakes.” Even the prophet takes some time to get used to the calling given from God, wether he is the Prophet, or a Wise-one. I’m not sure that he stops making mistakes even. Just that the mistakes are finer and finer tuning, and are only discernible to those who can see finer and finer truths.
I am fishing here, but I think that the underlying question not being asked is, “If God knows all, and He does, then how can His prophet make a big mistakes?” If they aren’t able to make big mistakes, then do they really have agency? We do have agency. King David make a big mistake. This idea of God punishing or removing us sinners, is a false notion, based on non-belief in the atonement of Christ. If there was anyone who’d believe in the atonement, it would be a prophet. One who has entered into His presence and had been redeemed from the fall, been literally clean from the blood and sins of this generation… from Christ.
We have got to break free from traditional ideas and let the words of Christ lead the seeking. There is more truth to be had. When we sit down to follow a manual, and report our home teaching, it’s not because we are being given greater truths, but because we have to dumb down the scriptures and be commanded in all things. Even then, who reads the simplified manual? Who wants to go home teaching?
When we are willing to let go of our traditions, then we can move forward without fear. Then we can wield the sword. But, until then, when someone mentions the scriptures, our eyes will glaze over, and our eyes become blind, and our ears stopped, so that we cannot understand those things of finer matter.
You cannot understand the words of a modern prophet, unless that understanding is built upon the foundation of the words of Christ, the rock. Every true prophet will tell you to prepare by the study of the word, the static pages. Then you’ll begin to understand the words of a Prophet. Then heavenly angels, and soon Christ.
There are two approaches, reader response, or author intent. The mistake I am referring to is not merely an opinion. The song lyrics “faith is like a little seed” is referencing Alma 32. But in Alma 32, it’s the word that is likened unto a little seed. The seed you plant will determine the fruit you pick at harvest. Read about the fruit towards the end of the chapter and you’ll find that the fruit is Christ. If you plant a different seed (faith), can you expect the same fruit? No, not ever, never, no matter what ones “opinions” are. The intent of Alma, Mormon, Joseph Smith and Christ is to instruct us how we can obtain the fruit. It is the fruit that drives the analogy.
Perhaps, faith grows similar to a little seed, but if faith was intended to be the seed, what is the fruit? We cannot say that two different types of seeds produce the same fruit. If the word is the seed and Christ is the fruit, then the fruit of planting faith is…?
So where does faith fit in? Faith is the nourishing of the fruit, on a daily basis. It is the deep watering of the seed, the digging about it, and the dunging it, so that the roots sink deep and wide, to provide a foundation for the tree that will produce the desired fruit.
A reader response approach would much rather prefer to bury the daily efforts of nourishing the seed. We would bear testimony of the truthfulness of the word, but never read it to understand the mind and will of God.
A reader response approach would choose to adopt the interpretation that makes them feel comfortable, despite the author’s intent. However, an author intent approach trusts in the author, seeks to understand his mind and will, and is a receiver, rather than an instructor. We all choose want we want to bury as a seed, what fruit we desire, and what approach we use when we search the scriptures.
You have provided much information – researched information on the subject, but you, too, have done so with your opinion. You state that President Hinkley allowed the words in the Primary song, “Faith is like a little seed, if planted it will grow.” That is your opinion that it is wrong. Although you give scripture to back up your charge of this “mistake”, it is merely your interpretation of why it is wrong. Our faith can certainly grow like a little seed. Yes, the word is like a little seed, but faith also grows in much the same way. So you are correct to not lean on the arm of flesh. This is purely man’s interpretation which is where we conflict with the understanding from our background. Should one have a host of experiences on his own accompanied with research, his opinion is formed from such experiences and research. However, that should not discount the experiences and research of another. Think about it.
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