October 25, 2025, 7:00 AM MDT
I remember exactly where I was when I heard that President David O. McKay had passed away. It was a Sunday morning in January 1970, and news of the Prophet’s death had just reached a small chapter in Kansas. I was 16 years old, and the only prophet I had ever known was President McKay. A big question popped into my mind and tears rolled down my cheeks. “How can the church survive without prophets?”
Of course, the church survived. About a year after President Joseph Fielding Smith was installed as President of the Church, I found myself waiting in a pre-dawn line outside the Salt Lake Tabernacle with my BYU roommates to secure seats in general conference. Thankfully, we did just that. I still remember the overwhelming manifestation of the Spirit that President Smith felt when he entered the tabernacle. The experience was undeniable, and at that very moment I realized that I didn’t just believe that he was a prophet. I knew it. I knew it in an undeniable way.
President Smith’s term was short, lasting just a few years, and President Harold B. Lee was appointed president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
At 73 years old, President Lee was still a young prophet. Everyone thought he would serve as President of the Church for 20 years or more, perhaps into the millennium. At least, that was the sentiment expressed by some. However, just one and a half years later, President Lee suddenly passed away. Church members were shocked.
Elder William Grant Bangerter, a General Authority Seventy, later described the situation: “Suddenly, the president was gone. . . . It was the first time since the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith that a president had died before his time. In the midst of deep sadness and anxiety, questions arose in people’s minds: “What do we do now? We never expected Spencer W. Kimball to become president, nor did we expect the same leadership from him that we saw during the life of Harold B. Lee. Of course, we knew he would get by until the next great leader comes along, but it won’t be easy for him and things won’t be the same. “Lord, bless President Kimball,” we prayed. He needs everything. You can give him help. ” (“Special Moments in Church History” October 1977 general conference)
Well, President Kimball did more than just survive. Despite facing serious health challenges that landed him in the ICU, he proved to be a dynamic leader. He was a prophet when I was growing up. I wondered if any other leader could match President Kimball’s amazing prophetic vision.
However, all subsequent prophets have been proven to be such persons at this time. If each were judged solely by his list of accomplishments, he would rank among the world’s greatest contributors. But these prophets of God were more than just great men. They are the Lord’s chosen, educated, and prepared people to lead His church. He is God’s principal. Jesus decides who will serve as President of the Church and for how long.
I not only believe this to be true; I know that’s true.
When President Russell M. Nelson slipped through the veil with less than a week until the October 2025 general conference, some of you have heard how “inconvenient” the timing was.
From my perspective, the timing was great. We have witnessed in “real time” how wonderfully the Lord has organized His church. At the moment President Nelson “graduated,” the Church still had a senior apostle, President Dallin H. Oaks. There still existed a presiding council, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. And most importantly, all of the priesthood keys restored through Joseph Smith were still in place. They thus had all the authority and structure necessary to conduct general conference and reorganize the First Presidency within days.
I don’t know of any other organization on earth with such a seamless transition of leadership and power. I don’t know of any other organization where members don’t always receive guidance, prophetic guidance. I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the Lord’s Church.
President Nelson once said that he hoped we would not lose sight of the majesty of this moment for the Church, noting the remarkable events occurring in these latter days. Likewise, I hope you don’t miss out on the beauty of this moment we just witnessed.
President Dallin H. Oaks is the 10th prophet in my lifetime. Seeing his setting, I marveled once again at the miracle of prophetic inheritance. And I have enjoyed a spiritual testimony that he is indeed the Lord’s chosen spokesperson for this time and this season.
God, we thank you for being a prophet.
— Sheri Dew is executive vice president and chief content officer at Deseret Management Corp. and a former member of the Relief Society General Presidency.
