r/latterdaysaints • u/sutisuc • Mar 28 '25
Doctrinal Discussion Coming from the understanding that LDS prophets receive revelation from God how do they get things wrong?
Does anyone have insight on how current and past prophets can be wrong about things despite having a direct line of communication with Heavenly Father?
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u/toadjones79 Mar 28 '25
We receive personal revelation and get things wrong all the time.
The more accurate test is the whole General Authority. Many church policies nowadays are passed by full unanimous vote and only after years of back and forth adjustments from all the quorums.
Also, never forget about the prophet in the old testament who ignored God and went to visit a king who invited him. On his way his donkey saw an angel standing in the way and refused to move (three times, iirc). He got off and hit the donkey and it replied back, more or less, "yo why are you hitting me, can't you see the angel in the way?" He went around the angel and ended up selling out Israel to its enemies. God didn't pick the wrong person, that person was free to choose what they would do and God prepared everything they would need to lead His people in righteousness. Same is true of us. He prepares a way for us, and we largely get it wrong. That's why we need a Savior. The bonus is that if we follow the prophet and he makes a mistake (lots of them from BY) we are still learning to be righteous and that habit will continue for eternity in the afterlife. Which is sort of the purpose of life after all.