https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-04-15-we-need-living-prophets?lang=eng&_r=1
When I was in my mid-teens, I met a girl who was a a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There was something different about her and her family; a sense of strength, peace, and love. After asking her many questions about her faith, she suggested that I talk to the missionaries. I did and had many, many questions for them.
One thing that I believed was that God must speak with someone. I had always assumed that at least the Pope talked with God. I was very surprised and disappointed to learn that he doesn't even claim to receive direct revelation from God.
Ever since I was ten years old, I had read from the Bible each night before I went to bed. It gave me a feeling of peace, so I could go to sleep. Chapter by chapter, I came to love a God who cared about us; a God who sent many prophets to teach, warn, and save His people in Old Testament times. I felt God's love as I read the stories of his prophets: Abraham, Noah, Moses, Isaiah, Daniel, and Jeremiah. In the New Testament, I was awed by the wisdom and tremendous love of our Savior, and the dedication of his apostles. It didn't seem reasonable that a God who cared so much for mankind and had continually tried to help us, would just stop speaking to us and turn away, like a spoiled child tired of a toy. This thought seemed absurd.
If God still loved us, had He then lost the power to communicate with man? It didn't seem likely that someone who could create a universes would run out of power. No, I couldn't believe that. Since God is unchangeable, all powerful, and so loving, it seemed logical that He would continue to speak to man as he always had; through prophets.
I think that many people don't want to listen to God's advice. They don't want prophets to "interfere" with their lives and tell them that what they are doing will not bring them happiness. When the Savior came, the religious leaders of his time were jealous of His power and His influence with the people. I think mankind has always wanted to control everything themselves. The reality is that we are like very small children wanting to take away the adult's, God's, position. We really have so little understanding or power. We try to do everything on our own, and deny our need for God's help and guidance (except, of course, when things get tough). We try to feel big and important as we attempt to control others, but it does not make us great, instead we end up pathetically small.
From the missionaries, I learned that God still speaks to prophets, just as He always did. God's love for us and His power have not diminished. This claim was something that I had to check out for myself. As I listened to this person they called a prophet, I knew there was something different about him. He spoke with authority. Everything he said was clear and concise. It just felt right. I could feel his love and concern for all of us. I experienced a sense of peace and a desire to be a better person. I've never felt like that before. I felt that what he was saying was from God. At last, I knew I had found a true prophet of God.
To learn more about prophets see: https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/prophets
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