Finding Heavenly Mother: Guest Post: A Prophetess Speaks

This post was submitted anonymously, by a woman who is an active member of the church, but who wanted to remain unnamed.  Her reasons for why she chooses to remain anonymous, are explained in the post.

I am a prophetess.  I do not speak for "the church" and I do not speak to everyone.  There is no magic or smoke and mirrors in my prophecies.  I do not get gain, nor seek the praises of the world, for those times that I speak the words that are given to me by God.  In fact, there are very few people who know that I am a prophetess, and those who do, only know because I have been given a prophecy for them, and they have felt the power of the prophecy, and the confirmation of the Holy Ghost that what I have spoken is true. 

We learn about women in the bible who were prophetesses.  We are told that there are many spiritual gifts, and that each of us are given gifts that are unique to us.  The gift of prophecy is one of the gifts that is listed as a spiritual gift, given to some, but not all.  I think that in the Mormon church, we have misinterpreted this to mean that only those who are called as prophets, seers and revelators are given the gift of prophecy.  Many members of the LDS church would call my claim to be a prophetess blasphemy, pride, or even apostasy.  It is none of those things.

My prophecies are not those of a prophet who is called to speak for God to all of the earth.  Only those who are called, and set apart as prophets, have the right and responsibility to speak to all of the children of God, on the earth at the time that they hold that calling.  Being a prophet and general authority of the church is a calling, one that a man (and only a man in the church as it is presently constituted) who is set apart, and holds whose privileges, by virtue of the keys and mantle that come with being set apart, as an apostle and prophet.  There is no question, within the structure of the church, who the general authorities are, and that they are given the privilege to receive instructions from God for the entire church.

I am not a prophetess, who is set apart to be a prophetess as a calling, with a particular flock that I am assigned to receive revelation for.  Instead, one of the spiritual gifts that I have been given, is that of being able to know, at times, what God wants to have said to a certain person, at a certain time or place.  Often, when I am carried away in the spirit of prophecy, I do not have control of what my mouth says, I simply become a conduit for our Heavenly Parents to speak directly to the person who I am with.  Sometimes I know that I am speaking for our Heavenly Mother, and sharing the words that She most wants to speak to her son or daughter.  Sometimes it is Heavenly Father whose words I am inspired to say, conveying his love and advice, to a mortal child that needs specific direction.  Other times, I feel the touch of both of our Heavenly Parents, speaking together, both sharing thoughts and suggestions.

I have no doubt, that when I am speaking for Them, that I am not speaking my own words, thoughts, or ideas.  Many times I am prompted to say things that don't make sense to me at the time.  There are promises that have come from my mouth, that I think, at the time, that I wish I could take back because I don't see any way that they could possibly be fulfilled.  There are times that I start saying something, or addressing an issue that I have no idea what it means, because it is giving direction about an area of some one's life that I have no knowledge about, and I often wonder if when I am done the person is going to tell me that I am full of shit, that what I said has nothing to do with their lives.  That fear though is in the back of my mind, a small thing compared to the much more powerful voice of my Heavenly Parents, as they use me and my voice, to speak Their truths.  I don't know, and I have fears, but They do know, and They do not fear.

I can't tell you how scary it was the first few times that I spoke through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and with the touch of the spirit of my Heavenly Mother.  I knew Her touch, because She has answered my prayers, and She had spoken to me.  I was very young though, and I did not yet understand that there is a difference between the calling of a Prophet and Apostle that is a Special Witness of Christ, and that holds the Administrative and Prophetic keys of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and a prophetess who has the spiritual gift of being able and willing to speak to, and for, our Heavenly Parents to an individual person with a specific revelation meant only for them. 

As I grew older, and had more practice both listening to the answers given from both of my Heavenly Parents, as they answered my prayers, I began to understand that there are many times when we all act in response to direct revelation.  As members of the LDS church, we are taught to follow promptings from the Holy Ghost, and most Mormons accept that those promptings are a valid way that God communicates with us.  Being a prophetess is not that different, except that the promptings come in the form of speaking to another person, and I don't really have control over what I am saying, because I have willingly given up my will, or desires, and allowed Divine Power to take control of my speech.  I am simply allowing myself to be a conduit for my Heavenly Parents to talk directly to someone who, for whatever reason, needs to hear a human voice, and not just the Holy Ghost, speaking to them.

The 7th Article of Faith says that we believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healings, interpretations of tongues, and so forth.  As a child, I always thought that the gift of prophecy being included in that list meant that we believed that a prophet could give new prophecies, and I still believe that is true.  I just have a much more broad understanding now, that prophecies come to those who need them, in ways that the prophecy can be heard by the person who needs it.  I believe that the vast majority of prophecies do not come from the Prophet or the General Authorities. They bring the "big" or worldwide prophecies, but there are many men and women like me, who are given the gift of prophecy, who daily receive prophecies (or promptings) for ourselves, and occasionally receive them for others. 



The prophecy is what is important,
not the person who delivers it!


I am not sharing this part of myself to convince anyone that I am a prophetess.  In fact, I am not going to sign my name to this post.  I am not going to share any particular prophecies I have been inspired to give, both because they belong to the person who Heavenly Mother or Heavenly Father spoke to, and because my purpose is not to boast of my spiritual talent.  My purpose in sharing this is to bear my testimony.

I bear witness that the spirit of prophecy is happening in this dispensation, and that our Heavenly Parents both are aware of, love, and watch over each of us.  I testify that there are two Heavenly Parents, and that They both have the power to talk to prophets and prophetesses, and that They each have a unique "voice" and identity that is separate from the Other.  I have felt the love that both Heavenly Parents have for all of their children. I testify that prophecies are not reserved only for those who are perfect, or close to being perfect.  Our Heavenly Parents love all of us enough that They will send one who has the spirit of prophecy to speak to all of Their children who need Them and who are willing to listen to Their words.  I testify that when there is a need to share an eternal perspective, our Heavenly Parents have many ways to help Their children to receive that eternal perspective.  When there is a need to influence what may seem like a small decision, at the time, but that may have eternal consequences of great importance, that there are times that our Heavenly Parents chose prophets and prophetesses to influence those decisions, and to love and support those who need it.

I believe that there are many people who could give the same testimony that I am sharing, but because the spirit of prophecy is a sacred and spiritual gift, there are not often opportunities to share my testimony of my spiritual gift, without calling attention to myself.  I don't want or need the praise of the world.  In fact, I believe that if I will only have the chance to continue to serve my Heavenly Parents in this way, as long as I stay humble, and give all of the glory to Them, which is where it belongs.  It is only because of Father and Mother that I am able to use the gift of prophecy.  They are the ones who allow me to be Their prophetess.