What Makes Mormon Leader Thomas S. Monson A Prophet?

It's based on seniority and that is all...he's simply the apostle with the most seniority. If he were to die today, the next prophet would be our buddy Boyd...the next in line. Another apostle would also be "called" to restore the total to fifteen. In the LDS church, to be called by one of God's "representatives" is to be "called of God" so it's just a case of semantics there. Besides, if apostles were literally called by God, there wouldn't need to be a series of interviews that one must pass in order to attain that lofty and revered position.

But that doesn't really answer your question....all it does is explain why it is currently him who is the "President of the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God" as well as being the president of the "Corporation of the President of the CoJCoLDS." I can't really say what "makes" him a prophet since I've never met the guy and I don't have any first-hand exposure to his personal dealings with God. The general belief in the LDS church though, is that he literally speaks directly to God/Jesus and thereby receives guidance in leading the church.

If you're wondering about things like prophcies and revelations (like the prophets of the Old Testament, for example) you won't find much along those lines. Even though the "Big 15" are sustained as "Prophets, Seers & Revelators", they really don't seem to prophesy, see or reveal anything...they're pretty much just wealthy businessmen running a huge corporation. Besides, they're all too aware of what a dangerous route prophecy can be to take, since many of the "prophecies" of Joseph Smith failed to materialize.

If you know the definition (according to God, not man), then you can decide for yourself.

A prophet is not a psychic who makes predictions. A prophet conveys God's message to his people. If you study the bible, particularly the Old Testament, there are many prophets, some that come to preach to the world and some who preach to specific people and deliver a specific message. Warnings (consequences) of ignoring God sometimes accompany the message and the events in those warnings are conditional in nature. A prophet may or may not be someone who lives an unspotted life (Moses killed an Egyptian and argued with God; Jonah argued with God and went the other way until God convinced him that he really did need to deliver his message to those at Nineveh. When they repented, Jonah was unhappy (pi**ed is a better word) and pouted over the fact that they weren't destroyed as he had prophesied.

Generally speaking, traditional Christian believes that there was no more need of prophets when Jesus died on the cross and uttered the words, "It is finished." Unfortunately, that teaching is not well supported, since John (the "revelator") wrote Revelation nearly 60 years later and it is considered to be the New Testament's "prophetic" book.

The Mormons believe that the priesthood authority was restored through Joseph Smith and has been passed on through a succession of men appointed to be Jesus' Apostles in these last days. They collectively hold the keys and when the "prophet" (who is also the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) dies, they come together and convey all the keys on the senior Apostle living at that time. He then calls two (or in a few instances, more) to be his counselors and the three (or more) form the "First Presidency" of the Church, This ruling body, along with the counsel of Twelve Apostles are sustained by the membership of the Church in their calling as "prophets, seers, and revelators" with the understanding that only the President (the "Prophet") can speak to the entire Church (and the world) for and on behalf of God, revealing his will in these times to the people. The other general authorities can speak within the scope of their particular assignments and under the ultimate authority provided by their office.

President Harold B. Lee, who had just been sustained as the Prophet of the Church a number of years ago, held a news conference. He was the first prophet that did not have direct ties to the founders of the Church and Joseph Smith. One of the reporters asked him a question to the effect of what changes he was going to implement, now that he was the President of the Church. He considered the question very carefully and then responded, telling the reporter that although he was the living head of the Church on the earth, the real head of the Church was Jesus Christ and that he (President Lee) would make no changes unless and until he was instructed to do so by Jesus Christ himself.

"We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." (9th Article of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

He stood before Honecker just as Moses stood before the Pharao and said: Let my people go.

He asked for the Mormons to let them go to the temple. Instead the Church got the permission to build a temple there. That was a sensation. And the stone, which role and role down and down and wiped out the GDR.

Like other have already mentioned. He is still a man. Ancient prophets were human too. They got sick, suffered like others and some were persecuted to death. Even the Savior was man of sorrows.

The key is actually found in testimony or witness of a prophet. The Bible describes this witness in the Book of Revelation.

"And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

Revelation 19:10

These brethern, or prophets have a firm testimony of Jesus Christ as given by the gift of the Holy Ghost. This is what makes them a prophet. They are chosen by the Lord like the apostles and prophets of old. If you want to see what makes him different...read some of the stuff he has written or spoken about. Let the spirit teach you if this man is a prophet.

Yes, he is just a regular person and not any more special than anyone else, in that he is just a man. But he is a righteous and faithful man and he was chosen by God and he has been given the priesthood authority to lead the Church.

We revere the prophet, but we don't treat him like a god.

It's not a position you appoint yourself to.

He is the one who has had proper authority given to him to lead the church of Christ.

The only qualification is priesthood and integrity.

God.

God can make anyone a Prophet and the leader of THE Church Of JESUS CHRIST Of Latter Day Saints according to the wise reasons that God has for doing so.

God outranks all of those who question His power and His wisdom.

God knows all the people in the World, and God knows who, out of all those people, who would be the best Prophet of THE Church Of JESUS CHRIST Of Latter Day Saints. Simple as that.

God bless.

He was called of God. As for his "qualifications", since it's God who calls a prophet, you would have to ask God what his qualifications are.

edit:

@LaicepsMan NO one, even those who are not members of our church, has to pay to hear the words of the Prophet.

@c. The full title of the prophet is Prophet, Seer, and Revelator (as is the titles of all the General Authorities).

I think they call all there leaders a Prophet. Just what they do. Doesn't mean anything to me cause I'm not Mormon.

I haven't heard of prophets in our times but he might be a prophet for them because he preaches the gospel