The scriptures teach of a certain beggar named Lazarus who lay at a rich man's gate full of sores. Desiring to be fed, Lazarus ate the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table; dogs came and licked his sores.

Soon both Lazarus and the rich man died.

Lazarus was "carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom." The rich man was buried.

"And in hell [the rich man] lift up his eyes being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

"And he cried out and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame."

But Abraham told the rich man, "Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot."

Then the rich man's thoughts turned to earth and his five brothers, and he said, "I pray thee therefore, father [Abraham], that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

"For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment."

Abraham responded, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them."

But the rich man persisted: "If one went unto them from the dead, they will repent."

Abraham's words were final. "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead" (Luke 16:24–31).

Like Lazarus and the rich man, we have prophets in our midst. Do we, as the rich man and his brothers, also ignore the words of the prophets?

This weekend Church members around the world have the opportunity to listen to instruction and guidance from a prophet of God, President Thomas S. Monson, and apostles, whom we sustain as prophets, seers and revelators.

The scriptures teach us that words from a prophet come directly from the Lord.

"Wherefore, … thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me;

"For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith" (Doctrine and Covenants 21:4–5).

Perhaps nothing can better summarize the great blessing of having a prophet in our midst as the words to a popular Latter-day Saint hymn.

"Come, listen to a Prophet's voice,

"And hear the word of God,

"And in the way of truth rejoice,

"And sing for joy aloud.

"We've found the way the Prophets went,

"Who lived in days of yore;

"Another Prophet now is sent,

"This knowledge to restore" (Hymns, 21, "Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice").

"How thankful we ought to be ... how thankful we are, for a prophet to counsel us in words of divine wisdom as we walk our paths in these complex and difficult times," said President Gordon B. Hinckley. "The solid assurance we carry in our hearts, the conviction that God will make His will known to His children through His recognized servant is the real basis of our faith and activity. We either have a prophet or we have nothing; and having a prophet, we have everything.

"Could any people have a greater blessing than to have standing at their head one who receives and teaches the will of God concerning them? We need not look far in the world to know that 'the wisdom of the wise has perished and that the understanding of the prudent has come to naught.' That wisdom for which the world should seek is the wisdom which comes from God. The only understanding that will save the world is divine understanding" (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 499).

Speaking at the final session of the October 2010 general conference, President Thomas S. Monson shared his testimony of the Lord's work and asked Latter-day Saints worldwide to study the messages given during the general meetings.

"How grateful we are for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and for all the good it brings into our lives," President Monson said. "The Lord has poured out His blessings upon us as a people. I bear my testimony to you that this work is true, that our Savior lives, and that He guides and directs His Church here upon the earth. ...

"May the messages and spirit of this conference find expression in all that you do — in your homes, in your work, in your meetings, and in all your comings and goings."

For as we learned from the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, if we ignore the words of the living prophets, even one risen from the dead cannot persuade us.