The Foundation of Apostles and Prophets

In a talk in the recent general conferen, Elder Vaiangina Sikahema spoke on the importance of prophets and apostles. He told a story about his grandparents who were missionaries in Tonga when in 1947 Elder Matthew Cowley came to speak to the Saints there. They had three young children at the time, and to hear the apostle speak, they had to first travel by boat from the island of Niuatoputapu to another island named Vav’u. Elder Sikahema related, “The Wolfgramms sailed into a storm; a journey that should have taken 16 hours to Vava‘u stretched into two and a half brutal days at sea. From my Gramma’s journal, she wrote: ‘We were completely soaked, … battered, and sick, … too weak to eat. … I held Vilimanulea to my chest until finally arriving to Vava‘u.’ Yet their trial was not over. The storm left the baby severely dehydrated. With no medicine, the Wolfgramms’ precious son died of exposure. Within two days, they buried their baby in Vava‘u and continued their voyage.” He was only nine months old and this was a terrible tragedy for them. But even this heartbreaking event did not deter them from trying to be there to hear an apostle. After they buried their baby, they continued: “Grieving with empty arms, my grandparents got back on the boat, their mission not yet complete. They were sailing toward an Apostle, who held priesthood keys, held the authority for the ordinances that would later seal them as an eternal family. They sailed to sit at the feet of an Apostle, who would teach them their duty so they could bless others on their island with the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.” What incredible determination they had! Despite their personal hardship, they knew it would still be worth it to them to hear the word of the Lord through one of His chosen servants. Their example is a powerful reminder to us that we should not take for granted the great blessing that is ours to have living prophets and apostles to teach us and guide us in these latter days.

                In his talk, Elder Sikahema quoted from an address Elder Holland gave over 20 years ago. I remember hearing this talk in France—it was my first general conference as a missionary and listening to that message in particular was a powerful experience for me. He declared, “Are the heavens open? Does God reveal His will to prophets and apostles as in days of old? That they are and that He does is the unflinching declaration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to all the world. And in that declaration lies the significance of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, for nearly 200 years now. His life asked and answered the question ‘Do you believe God speaks to man?’ In all else that he accomplished in his brief 38½ years, Joseph left us above all else the resolute legacy of divine revelation—not a single, isolated revelation without evidence or consequence, and not ‘a mild sort of inspiration seeping into the minds of all good people’ everywhere, but specific, documented, ongoing directions from God.” That message was a moving witness to me as I was beginning my missionary service that we are indeed led in the Church by divine revelation. We are so blessed to have modern apostles and prophets to guide us with the word of God to us. As Paul wrote, we are indeed today “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20).