We should only follow a leader, even the Prophet, when the Holy Ghost verifies to us, they follow the Spirit themselves. That was a given, when I joined the Church, I even made that Statement a month ago or so in our High Priest Quorum, I not nods of yes, I agree from all in the Quorum; though they may of not understood my full intent.
I see that some question I am even a Mormon, I was baptized over 40 years ago and have never gone in active. I am a High Priest in good standing in my Ward, was just recently released as HP secretary after 7 years of service as such; I am now the Ward Emergency Specialist, a calling I had years ago, in part while also serving as a Service Missionary, at our area Dry pack Cannery.
My present views are much the same as I was taught, decades ago in the Church, but the Church has left those values, I have not.
I can see why your membership status is questioned because it is a basic doctrine of the church to sustain and follow the prophet. It is one of the questions asked in the temple recommend interview. Therefore if you are so bold as to insinuate that the current prophet is out of the loop with the spirit and the Lord's wishes it would make anyone question. The bigger question would be why will you assume that he is not leading the church the way the Lord wants it to be led? If you can give specifics rather than generalities that will be appreciated.
I have been aware there was to be an apostasy of the Church at some future time, after reading the Book of Mormon over and over. I was aware as well, of the separation of the Sheep from the Goats, in parable. It is even seen in the Book of Mormon story of the Olive Tree, relating to the House of Israel. Here is one: there are more in the Book of Mormon, but don't remember them, at present.
Excuse me if I may but I don't think you answered LatterDays question. Even if there is to be an apostasy, how do you specifically know that Pres. Thomas S. Monson is not the Lord's chosen prophet to lead the church at this time?
I am not going to go there, that is between God and President Monson. But I can testify that the Holy Ghost has never verified to me, that he should be the Prophet, he can be the President, we should never assume that being the President,of the Church, automatically makes one a Prophet. A prophet is a calling from God, not someone selected by 12 corporation men, who are themselves in question, if they have any real spiritual connection to God either.
The other Prophets the Holy Ghost verified they were supposed to be there, but not Monson. You need to read the blog talk and 10 main talks by Denver Snuffer, he has verified my feelings and enlighten from the Holy Ghost.
From everything I read in Church History, and Discourses, and etc, when Joseph died, the Keys were not passed, just the Aaronic PH. That is not to say the Church has not done a lot of good, and what is good, has come from good faithful members, working mighty faith, who are the backbone of the Church.
Recently some General Authorities act unrighteously and the Lord withdrew his authority from those leaders and in pretext, from the Church in General, but not from individuals. The Lord says in scripture, amen to the PH of any man who uses it unrighteously.
This is a good example of why Mormonism cannot handle many of the modern issues of today. Members have varying views and interpretations based on what the earlier prophets said with what the ones today are saying. Therefore issues like plural marriage, Blacks and the priesthood, apostasy in the modern church and other crucial things are always brought up to anyone digging a bit and not simply listening to text book answers on Sundays. The earlier prophets said so... The current prophet said so, yet they are saying different things.
The problem with the LDS people and the Church today, is that they have fallen prey to the warnings in 2 Nephi. They depend on learned men, who don't really know their God nor Savior, who don't have the Holy Ghost; the blind leading the blind.
Joseph Smith faced the same problem before his death, the Saints then, had the same problem, like those in the Book of Mormon, they like them, want a King, to tell them what to do, which is Lucifers plan.
The leaders and members today, are similar to what Jesus faced when he came to the earth, they just do not see it. We are in the foreshadow of Jesus' time, in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon; even the Church has been telling us that for decades. After Joseph was killed, the higher keys were not passed on, just the lower keys and priesthood, which has the power to spread the Gospel. Today we have no real higher Priesthood, and not much revelation, except by the good lowly hardworking saints, and they are few in numbers.
We are told, many called, but few are Chosen, that a real thing, the Lord will tell you if you are Chosen, just like the only one today who can pass on the higher priesthood is God himself. My sheep know and hear my voice, but few be that hear their Master.