Church Talks
SPIRITUAL THOUGHT
[Talk by John E. Enslen at Montgomery Alabama Stake PEC Meeting on January 20, 2011. Subject: The Fallibility of Those Who Hold the Keys]
Do we believe that the current prophet is, and his successors in office were, infallible?
Although we are commanded to be perfect, Jesus Christ was the only person to live a perfect life on this earth. That is our doctrine. (See 3 Ne. 12:48; Hebrews 5:9; Deuteronomy 32:4; Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Continuous Pursuit of Truth,” Ensign, April 1986, 5.) If any other man were to claim infallibility, or were it to be claimed for him by others, would not such a claim conflict with the uniqueness of Christ’s perfection—an atonement-oriented, foundational doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
We know from holy writ that Moses made mistakes. So did Peter. So did Paul. So did Joseph Smith. Here is a doctrine announced by the Prophet Joseph which admittedly could lead to mischief if individually misapplied by souls who would resort to selective obedience: “A prophet [is] a prophet only when he [is] acting as such.” (Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1976), 278.)
Never shying away from bluntness, Elder Bruce R. McConkie stated: “[Prophets] have their opinions and prejudices and are left to work out their problems without inspiration in many instances.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 608) “Thus the opinions and views, even of a prophet, may contain error, unless those opinions and views were inspired by the Spirit.” (Bruce R. McConkie, “Are the General Authorities Human?” address delivered at the Institute of Religion Forum at the University of Utah, October 28, 1966.)
Elder McConkie’s observation is not in conflict with the scriptural declaration that what prophets and apostles speak “shall be scripture, … the will of the Lord, …the mind of the Lord, … the word of the Lord, … the voice of the Lord, … and the power of God unto salvation …” so long as such words are spoken “when moved upon by the Holy Ghost.” (D & C 68:4)
Joseph also said this, which perhaps should apply to this council of which we are members: “I told them I was but a man, and they must not expect me to be perfect; if they expected perfection from me, I should expect it from them; but if they would bear with my infirmities and the infirmities of the brethren, I would likewise bear with their infirmities.” (Smith, Teachings, 268)
On another occasion, Joseph reported this incident: “I was this morning introduced to a man from the east. After hearing my name, he remarked that I was nothing but a man, indicating by this expression, that he had supposed that a person to whom the Lord should see fit to reveal His will, must be something more than a man. He seemed to have forgotten the saying that fell from the lips of St. James, that [Elijah] ‘was a man subject to like passions as we are’ [see James 5:17], yet he had such power with God, that he, in answer to his prayers, shut the heavens that they gave no rain for the space of three years and six months.” (Smith, Teachings, 89)
Commenting upon this theme of fallibility, President David O. McKay once said: “[W]hen God makes the prophet He does not unmake the man.” (David O. McKay, Conference Report, April 1907, 11-12; see also October 1912, 121; April 1962, 7.)
In all of his admissions to imperfection, Joseph was ever ready to add: “I never told you I was perfect—but there is no error in the revelations which I have taught.” (Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, The Words of Joseph Smith [1980], 369.)
Joseph’s admissions of imperfection are not a license to take lightly what he or his successors have said or will yet say. I think we can safely assume in our day that, at least with respect to the words we are privileged to hear, our prophet is almost always “acting as a prophet.”
Lorenzo Snow, prior to his becoming the prophet, expressed the feeling of consolation that comes to all of us as a result of knowing this doctrine of fallibility. “I saw the … imperfections in [Joseph Smith]… . I thanked God that he would put upon a man who had those imperfections the power and authority He placed upon him … for I knew that I myself had weakness, and I thought there was a chance for me.” (Cited by Neal A. Maxwell in Conference Report, October 1984, 10.) Said President Gordon B. Hinckley regarding the imperfection of the seven presidents of the Church that he personally knew: “[T]he wonder is the greater that they accomplished so much.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Continuous Pursuit of Truth,” Ensign, April 1986, 5; see also Gordon B. Hinckley, Conference Report, April 1992, 77.)
I know from my own personal experiences as a branch president twice and as a stake president that I made mistakes, none of which, may I add, were the product of a malignant heart. There are several things I did that I still distinctly remember to this day that I wish I had done differently. Despite the mistakes that I made, I do not believe that they thwarted the Lord’s timetable relating to the establishment of His kingdom, nor do I believe that my mistakes actually changed the eventual eternal destination of any of the persons who were adversely affected by my mistakes. If that even tended to be the case, I am confident that the Lord’s atonement would rectify that situation, for I have a testimony that the Lord sustains his chosen leaders and will continue to do so by compensating for the relatively small number of errors resulting from their mortal limitations.
We can still sustain and support with all of our hearts the prophets and apostles, and those who hold the keys under them, without believing they are perfect or that everything they say or do is exactly what God wants said and done. May our church leaders at all levels be the beneficiaries of our sustaining prayers.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
P.S.S. We know that the Bible is not perfect. (1 Ne. 13:20-29; Moses 1:40-41; Articles of Faith 1:8) Nevertheless, we still cherish this holy work of scripture, disseminate the doctrines of salvation found within it, and earnestly seek to live our lives according to its sacred teachings. By analogy, we can sustain and support with all of our hearts the prophets and apostles, and those who hold the keys under them, without believing they are perfect or that everything they say or do is exactly what God wants said and done.
P.S.S.S. From time to time, we have all seen disappointing behavior in priesthood leaders. When we witness such, there is a conflict that can arise in our minds. We may say to ourselves, how could the priesthood leader’s call to that position possibly be inspired? We assume in our mind that if the call was inspired, the priesthood leader would not act inappropriately. Our assumption is based on a false premise—the infallibility of the man who called him and the infallibility of the man who was called, both of which are untrue at least in some degree.
A better response to the situation where a priesthood leader has demonstrated his fallibility is to ask ourselves a question: “Is my faith in Jesus Christ based on the infallibility of Jesus Christ and His assurance to me that if I keep my covenants with Him, I will receive all His promised blessings?”