"For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me,
he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and
what I should speak." (John 12:49)
JOSEPH SMITH:
"...revelations of the mind and will of God to the Church, are to come through the Presidency. This is the order of heaven, and the power and privilege of this Priesthood." (Joseph Smith, "Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 111.)
BRIGHAM YOUNG:
"The Lord Almighty leads this Church, and he will NEVER suffer you to be led astray if you are found doing your duty." ("Journal of Discourses, 9:289.)
JOHN TAYLOR:
"...no man could guide this kingdom. He cannot unless God be with him and on the side of the elders of Israel." ("The Gospel Kingdom, p. 166)
WILFORD WOODRUFF:
"I say to Israel, the Lord will never permit me nor any other man who stands as the President of this Church, to lead you astray. It is not in the program. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty. God bless you. Amen." (Cited in Matthias F. Cowley, "Wilford Woodruff, p. 572.)
LORENZO SNOW:
"Now, brethren, this much I say, and I say it in the name of the Lord: I will endeavor to be devoted to your interests and the interests of the kingdom of God. I will serve you to the best of my knowledge and understanding, in reference to that which will promote our interests in connection with the interest of the Almighty. I will do this, the Lord being my helper." (CR, October 1898, p. 54.)
JOSEPH F. SMITH:
"I want to say to you that there never was a time since the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, when a man led the Church, not for one moment. It was not so in the days of Joseph; it was not so in the days of Brigham Young; it has not been so since; it never will be so. The direction of this work among the people of the world will never be left to men. it is God's work, let me tell you, and...do not forget that it is the Almighty that is going to do this work and consummate it, and no man." (CR, April 1905, p. 5.)
HEBER J. GRANT:
"On the day that Brother Joseph F. Smith bade me good-bye, and he died that very night, he told me that the Lord never makes a mistake. He said: 'You have a great responsibility resting upon you. The Lord knows whom He wants to preside over His Church and He never makes a mistake.' I can testify to you that He has not made a mistake in my case any more than he did with each and all of my predecessors." (CR. April 1942, p. 8.)
GEORGE ALBERT SMITH:
"...I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints possesses divine authority and is guided by the Father of us all..." (CR, Oct. 1945, p. 175.)
DAVID O. McKAY:
"No one can preside over this Church without first being in tune with the head of the Church, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is our head. This is his Church." (CR, April 1951, p. 157)
JOSEPH FIELDING SMITH:
"I desire to say that no man of himself can lead this church. it is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ; he is at the head." (CR, April 1970, p. 113)
HAROLD B. LEE:
"I bear you solemn witness as to the divine mission of the Savior and the certainty as to his guiding hand in the affairs of his church today, as in all dispensations of time." (CR, October 1972, p. 20.)
SPENCER W. KIMBALL:
"We have the assurance that we are carrying forward the work of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the head of this church. We are but his earthly helpers." ("Ensign, Feb. 1974, p. 3.)
EZRA TAFT BENSON:
"We should like to reaffirm to all the world that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." (Statement upon becoming President of the Church, 11 November 1985.)
HOWARD W. HUNTER:
"Christ is the head of this Church. He leads it in word and deed. I am honored beyond expression to be called for a season to be an instrument in his hands to preside over his Church. But without the knowledge that Christ is the head of the Church, neither I nor any other man could bear the weight of the calling that has come." (CR, October 1994, "Ensign", November 1994 , p. 7)
GORDON B. HINCKLEY:
"...Jesus Christ stands at the head of this church which bears His sacred name. He is watching over it. He is guiding it. Standing at the right hand of His Father, he directs this work." ("Ensign", May 1994, pg. 59)
"I know that I am not the head of this Church. The Lord Jesus Christ is its head. He is its living head." (First Presidency Christmas Devotional, Salt Lake Tabernacle, December 3, 1995.)
THOMAS S. MONSON:
"I bear my testimony to you that this work is true, that our Savior lives, and that He guides and directs His Chuch here upon the earth." ("Ensign", November 2009, p. 110)
