- Have testimony of Joseph Smith

- Believe in continuing revelation- Seek personal inspiration

No one can fully understand how and why the Church has come "out of obscurity" and blossomed without knowing fundamental prophetic truths on which the Church rests, President James E. Faust declared Saturday morning.

President Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency, related an experience when he was first called as a General Authority. He asked for advice "as a new, young, inexperienced General Authority" from President Hugh B. Brown of the First Presidency, who told him, "Stick with the Brethren."

"Who are the Brethen?" President Faust asked. "The Brethren are those who hold the keys of the kingdom of God on earth. They are the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, each of whom is an apostle and prophet; the Seventy and, in temporal matters, the Presiding Bishopric.

"Those who have stayed with the Brethren had a firm testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God who, under divine authority, re-established the Church of Jesus Christ in our time. Such solid faith is the foundation of the loyalty manifested by the great majority of faithful Church members who, throughout the history of the Church, have received the confirming witness concerning the reality of continuing revelation. This revelation has come in its time from each of the presidents of the Church, their counselors in the First Presidency, and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who serve under the direction of the President."

Continuing, President Faust promised: "The dispensation of divine truth in which we now live, in distinction from previous dispensations, will not be destroyed by apostasy.

"From the beginning some from both inside and outside of the Church have sought to persuade members of the Church against following the inspired declarations of those who hold the keys of the kingdom of God on earth. Some of those seeking to mislead have done so by claiming special endowments of intelligence or inspiration beyond the established order of the Church.

"As a warning against those so claiming special authority, the Lord made it clear `that it shall not be given to anyone to go forth and preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by someone who has authority, and it is known to the church that he has authority, and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the Church.' "

To validate those who have authority, President Faust said, "The Lord also stated, `All things shall be done by common consent in the Church, by much prayer and faith.' Yet he also said, `that every man might speak in the name of God.'

"How can this be?" President Faust asked. "Every man and young man in the Church who lives in accordance with the Savior's teachings is ordained to the priesthood. The use of this power, however, is limited. Every father is to his family a patriarch and every mother a matriarch as co-equals in their distinctive parental roles. Members, men and women, may receive inspiration by the gift of the Holy Ghost for their personal lives and for their areas of responsibility.

"Only the prophet and president, and no one else, can use all of the keys of the kingdom of God on earth. In our time that man is President Gordon B. Hinckley. He and his counselors and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have delegated specific authority and responsibility to other General Authorities and to local authorities and auxiliary leaders to direct the work in their own areas of responsibility."

President Faust reviewed five of the "fundamental prophetic truths of the Church:"

- "First, the keys and authority of God have been given by Him to Joseph Smith and each of his successors who have been called as presidents of the Church.

- "Second, those keys and authority are never to be given to another people, and those who have such authority are to be `known to the Church.'

- "Third, continuing revelation and leadership for the Church comes through the president of the Church, and he will never mislead the Saints.

- "Fourth, individual members of the Church may receive revelation for their own callings and areas of responsibility and for their own families. They may not receive spiritual instruction for those higher in authority.

- "Fifth, those who claim direct revelation from God for the Church outside of the established order and channel of the priesthood are misguided. This also applies to any who follow them."

"If any find themselves in this position," President Faust counseled, "please know there is always an open door in the Church for those who wish to return to full fellowship with the sisters and the brethren of the priesthood. The welcome will be with open arms."