“For His [the Prophet’s] Word Ye Shall Receive, as If from Mine Own Mouth, in All Patience and Faith”
Doctrine and Covenants 21:4–9
4 Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me;
5 For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.
6 For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.
7 For thus saith the Lord God: Him have I inspired to move the cause of Zion in mighty power for good, and his diligence I know, and his prayers I have heard.
8 Yea, his weeping for Zion I have seen, and I will cause that he shall mourn for her no longer; for his days of rejoicing are come unto the remission of his sins, and the manifestations of my blessings upon his works.
9 For, behold, I will bless all those who labor in my vineyard with a mighty blessing, and they shall believe on his words, which are given him through me by the Comforter, which manifesteth that Jesus was crucified by sinful men for the sins of the world, yea, for the remission of sins unto the contrite heart.
President Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:
“There has been much speculation in relation to the statement of the Lord to the Prophet Joseph Smith: ‘For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith’ [D&C 21:5]. This is the word which the Lord gave to Israel in relation to Moses. It is just as true in the case of any other person who is sustained as [the] mouthpiece of the Almighty. Later, in speaking of His inspired servants, the Lord said: ‘And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation’ (D&C 68:4). In this dispensation the same characteristics are shown by the people as were in ancient times. We are more inclined to accept as the word of the Lord something which was uttered in some former dispensation, but look with critical eye and unbelief upon that which the Lord delivers today through His chosen servants. Yet the word of the Lord is very clear on this matter. Let us not lose sight of the word of the Lord, that by hearkening to His chosen servant—and this is true whether it is Joseph Smith or some other President of the Church—‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against [us]’; and ‘the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before [us], and cause the heavens to shake for [our] good’ [D&C 21:6]. Why is it that so many members of the Church lack the faith and integrity which the gospel teaches them to have and to reject the counsels that are made known to them constantly?”
(Church History and Modern Revelation, 2 vols. [1953], 1:107–8.)
