- Never lose gift

- Pay price of faith, obedience- Retain this great blessing

The most significant event that has occurred in this world since the Son of God walked forth from the tomb a resurrected being, said Elder L. Aldin Porter of the Presidency of the Seventy, is the first heavenly vision that came to Joseph Smith.

"That single event changed the world," he said Saturday morning. "It exemplified God's love for His children, and it changed the world forever."

The means whereby one can learn of a "surety that Joseph Smith actually saw and conversed with the Father and the Son . . . is as old as the human race," he said. The scriptures are replete with examples of God communicating with man."

After quoting 2 Ne. 33:1-2, Elder Porter explained that the Holy Spirit does not teach the proud, the unteachable, the indolent, or the doubter.

"A deep desire for truth and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will prepare one's heart to be taught spiritual things," he emphasized.

Elder Porter related an experience he had some years ago as a junior companion to Elder LeGrand Richards who had just reorganized a stake presidency.

"We were driving home - he was very pensive. After a rather long period of silence, I asked him if there was something he would like to teach me. Quietly, he said, `We have too many in the Church who deny the spirit of prophecy and of revelation.' That was it - he said no more.

"As I reminisced . . . it occurred to me then that this Church could not function for even one day without the spirit of prophecy and revelation."

"Ours is a day of dwindling faith and increasing skepticism about sacred things," he continued. "Our time reminds me of the period just prior to the coming of the Resurrected Savior to this continent. Those were dark days.

"Mormon recorded the roots of the problems that beset Nephite society," which included pride, exceeding riches, oppression to the poor and withholding food and clothing from the hungry and naked. (See Hel. 4:12)

" `And because of their iniquity the church had begun to dwindle; and they began to disbelieve in the spirit of prophecy and in the spirit of revelation; and the judgments of God did stare them in the face.' " (Hel. 4:23)

After bearing his witness that the "spirit of revelation rests upon the Lord's living prophets," Elder Porter said, "When, with heavenly power, that witness comes to a person, he or she will soon understand that personal sacrifice is its constant companion. The spiritual witness of these sacred things and the demands of sacrifice inevitably walk the road together.

"In time, one comes to understand the necessity of this and is filled with gratitude that it is so. The most important knowledge to be gained in this life is that which comes by revelation through the Holy Spirit."

"We must never lose this precious gift. We must pay whatever price of faith and obedience is required to retain this great blessing."