The Same is Called Seer

In his talk in the most recent general conference, Elder Michael John U. Teh spoke about following the prophet. He said, “It is interesting to me that some people would think that God’s prophets live in the past and are not attuned to the times. Everything I know of prophets is the opposite. They actually see into the future as watchmen on a tower.” He then quoted these words from Ammon who rescued King Limhi: “A seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known” (Mosiah 8:17). We look to the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles today as seers who can see into the future, preparing and warning us about what is to come. One example of this is when in the October 1998 general conference President Hinckley said, “We have witnessed in recent weeks wide and fearsome swings in the markets of the world. The economy is a fragile thing. A stumble in the economy in Jakarta or Moscow can immediately affect the entire world. It can eventually reach down to each of us as individuals. There is a portent of stormy weather ahead to which we had better give heed.” This was during the dot com bubble which soon thereafter burst and there was a recession in the early 2000s. This was of course exacerbated by the September 11th attacks. President Hinckley was indeed a seer who could see what we couldn’t and prepared the Saints for what was ahead.

In those words of Ammon to King Limhi he was speaking specifically about those seers who could translate ancient records. After telling King Limhi about the interpreters (the Urim and Thummim) that King Mosiah had, and which could be used to translate the Jaredite records, Ammon explained, “And the things are called interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded, lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish. And whosoever is commanded to look in them, the same is called seer” (Mosiah 8:13). Thus at its narrowest definition, a seer is someone who has and can use the Urim and Thummim to translate. In our dispensation we give thanks that Joseph Smith was such a seer. He was martyred 182 years ago today, and John Taylor who was present at the scene wrote of “Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord” and announced: “To seal the testimony of this book and the Book of Mormon, we announce the martyrdom of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and Hyrum Smith the Patriarch. They were shot in Carthage jail, on the 27th of June, 1844, about five o’clock p.m., by an armed mob—painted black—of from 150 to 200 persons” (Doctrine and Covenants 135:1, 3). One of Joseph’s most important works, as John Taylor described, was in his role as a seer: “He has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God.” He did so with the use of the interpreters as Ammon had described. Joseph remarked when he received them, “I can see anything. They are marvelous.” We give thanks that Joseph was a chosen seer of the Lord who gave us the Book of Mormon that testifies of Jesus Christ and was written for our day.

Elder Teh concluded his remarks with these words, “I testify that we are led today by a living prophet, President Dallin H. Oaks. He, along with the counselors in the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, are indeed prophets, seers, and revelators. I am grateful to have participated in the solemn assembly this morning. My dear brothers and sisters, especially you, my dear young friends, when we follow their teachings and examples, we are following our Savior, Jesus Christ.” President Oaks may not be asked to translate ancient records like the Prophet Joseph, but we give thanks that we do indeed have a seer to guide us still in these latter days.