Priesthood Power Comes by Having a Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit

The prophet-historian Mormon tells us the following about the sons of Mosiah during their mission to the Lamanite:

2) Now these sons of Mosiah … had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.

3) But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God. (Alma 17:2-3)

They taught with “power and authority of God”, meaning that they had priesthood power when they taught. Their priesthood power, or power and authority of God, came from having the spirit of prophecy and the spirit of revelation. They were given those gifts of the spirit because they had regularly studied the scriptures, fasted and prayed. The apostle Paul defined what it means to possess the spiritual gift of prophesy –

1) Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

2) For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

3) But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. (1 Corinthians 14:1-3)

The key points in that passage are that the gift of prophecy is exercised through speaking and that you speak things that are edifying, exhorting, and comforting. Apparently the gift of prophecy is not centered in correctly predicting the future, as might be expected. The exhortation aspect of the gift of prophecy could mean conditionally predicting the future in terms of an if-then situation, such as if you don’t repent then God will allow destruction to happen, or if you repent then the destruction won’t happen. However, the two other aspects of the gift of prophecy are very positive – to edify, which means to build up, and to comfort, which means to strengthen. When a man preaches in meekness with the power of the priesthood and by the spirit of prophecy, then “he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together. And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness. That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” (D&C 50:22-24).

 In this next verse, notice how closely connected edifying language, which is the spirit of prophecy, which is part of priesthood power, is to being meek and having a contrite spirit – “He that speaketh, whose spirit is contrite, whose language is meek and edifieth, the same is of God if he obey mine ordinances.” (D&C 52:16). In addition to edification, exhortation, and comfort, “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). The prophet Mormon commented on the connection between the testimony of Jesus, the spirit of prophecy, and the priesthood – “And Alma went and began to declare the word of God unto the church which was established in the valley of Gideon, according to the revelation of the truth of the word which had been spoken by his fathers, and according to the spirit of prophecy which was in him, according to the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who should come to redeem his people from their sins, and the holy order by which he was called. And thus it is written. Amen.” (Alma 6:8). 

Joseph Smith was given to understand rather directly the need to be meek and gentle, which is more or less the same as having a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and exercising true priesthood power – “No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile” (D&C 121:41-42).

Keeping in mind that pride is the opposite of having a broken heart and contrite spirit, and that being humble is part of it, then this bit of wisdom from President Uchtdorf should have a lot of meaning – “Pride is a switch that turns off priesthood power. Humility is a switch that turns it on.” (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/pride-and-the-priesthood?lang=eng). In other words, priesthood power is turned on by developing a broken heart and a contrite spirit.