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Actually, we have had something like 13 prophets since Joseph Smith, the first, in a continuous chain since 1830. Along with those prophets are 12 apostles who have been replaced as they pass away, since the 1830s. Not to mention the Seventies, who are also called as special witnesses of Christ.

I have a question. What has been the last revelation to be published by an LDS prophet. Joseph Smith would always write "Thus sayith the Lord!" as if he was giving you the very words that Jesus supposedly spoke to him. But since him (and some of what B. Young said) the LDS prophets have been pretty lean in dispensing the "Thus sayith the Lord" stamp of divinity on their words, haven't they?

I mean look at the D & C; I think only two revelations have been added since Joseph Smith wrote them, right? What's the story?

A good question. It is a common theme in religious history that when God begins to again reveal his will to his children, that he calls a prophet and reveals that will to the prophet. The prophet then having the job of sharing God's word to the remainder of humanity.

A familiar example would be Moses. He received the 10 commandments, and other revelations, these were written down and became scripture, i.e. most of the OT. Similarly the apostles called by Jesus, and those who were later called by those apostles, wrote down their revelations and these became scriptures, i.e. the NT.

In our day, God called Joseph Smith to be his prophet, and revealed his will to him. This was written down as scripture. Later prophets have also received revelations, and these have been written down as scripture.

Joseph Smith had the role of establishing the Lord's church and thus required a great deal of instruction, in a similar manner as Moses. Later prophets have received further revelations to meet the will of God at the time in which they live.

Not all revelation is recorded as scripture due to the scope and intended audience of the revelation.

If you have ever read the OT or NT, you would be familiar with the phrase "Thus sayith the Lord!" as that used by prophets when they are speaking on behalf of God.

If you wish to hear our current prophet and apostles speak, we are having a General Conference of the Church, worldwide, this weekend. It is available on cable, satellite, and via the internet on the Church website at www.lds.org.

If you think that every revelation requires some kind of addition to the cannon, you are mistaken. At the restoration, a lot had to be revealed and recorded because there was a great need for a lot of information in lot of different areas that could not be had any other way. In this day and age revelation is no less important than it was then, but the Lord expects us to listen to what has already been revealed first.

When they decide where the next temple will be located, they do so by revelation, when they call a new apostle, 70, Stake President, Bishop etc. it is done by revelation, when they institute something like the perpetual education fund, it is done by revelation. When the Bishop calls a new Primary Teacher, it is done by revelation. If you hunger for signs and wonders, it is not our disposition to try and please you that way. If you seek the word of God, you can go to any General Conference session this weekend and listen to what is said there. We consider the talks given in General Conf. to be the Word of God, on par with scripture.