Retired BYU journalism professor, Dr. P. Alfred Pratte, reminded those at the March 4 BYU-Hawaii devotional that the prophet Joel foresaw this generation would see visions and "have our own mental pictures and prophecies for ourselves, for our families, and for the benefit of those we will serve throughout the world."
Pratte, a special assistant to President Shumway who has volunteered to complete the 50-year history of BYU-Hawaii, explained Joel's promises in chapter 2, verses 28-32 were so important that Peter quoted them in reference to the last days, and the angel Moroni quoted them to Joseph Smith in preparation for the restoration of the gospel.
"Each of us has the potential to boost our level of spirituality and become a Joel, or an Esther or a Nephi or a President Hinckley," Pratte said, stressing that "the blessings Joel promises us, come only through obedience to the laws upon which personal prophecy and visions are predicated." Pratte pointed out "there are basic rules of personal prophecy and visions as well as our role together realizing and carrying them out. You are also marked men and women by forces working double time to distract you from your potential for personal righteousness and power," he said.
"Satan has designated each of you for distraction and destruction. He works to lead you away from your righteous destiny. His day is nearly over and so he desires to detract and deny your potential. He does this most effectively though the mass media, through false fashions in clothing and by addicting you to strange sounds conspiring men claim is 'music.' He works through your peers or superficial media role models that entice you from the straight and narrow path for a few moments, here and there," Pratte continued.
He noted that Nephi foretold this: There shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink and be merry; nevertheless, fear God -- he will justify, in committing a little sin; yea lie a little, take advantage of one because of his words, Dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die, and if it be so that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, at the last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God. (2 Nephi 28:8)
Pratte said that Alma added another dimension to the warning when he wrote, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey. (Alma 37:41)
"Just what are some of the 'small things' that keep us from the promise of seeing the visions and bringing more miracles into our own lives and the lives of others?" Pratte asked. He quoted the answer of Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis, an Area Authority Seventy in Brazil, who warned "shrugging off the little wrongdoings or misdemeanors of daily life as being too trivial to repent of, is like not taking time to have regular medical checkups. Then suddenly one day we learn we have cancer that can no longer be treated."
"In particular, Elder Aidukaitis says that if we rationalize committing small acts of dishonesty it becomes easier to commit progressively larger sins," Pratte continued, adding the dishonesty of plagiarism and "the plague of pornography" to the list.
"In a speech at BYU Provo, when I was on the faculty of the Department of Communications, Dr. Victor Cline warned that internet pornography and its attendant evils is among the most addictive influence or power over the mind to scramble your brain and drive the Spirit of prophecy and revelation out of your life," Pratte said. "Pornography, or the 'writing of harlots,' is more addictive than tobacco, alcohol and even cocaine. It spreads like an oil slick to all classes of people: the blue collar, the middle and the upper class. It is an equal opportunity destroyer of men -- as well as women and even children."
Switching emphases, Pratte said, "In the same way that little things exclude us from the spirit of personal revelation, little things also bring us closer to the source of that inspiration that we must have if we desire the blessings of which Joel prophesied." He also suggested we follow the steps taken by Nephi "who had to learn how rely on the Savior" as recounted in 2 Nephi 4:14-35.
He said Nephi delighted in reading and writing the scriptures for the "learning and profit of his children," adding "we need to develop the habit of writing in our journals in five minute bursts."
Nephi also discovered "the harder we strive to get close to God and be worthy of His spirit, the more we will become aware of our iniquities, especially the little ones," Pratte continued. "The big sins are no-brainers. You don't have to be bright to recognize the evils such as tobacco, alcohol, fornication and damaging your brains with drugs and pornography."
Nephi counseled himself, "Awake, my soul, he appears to shout" and "no longer droop in sin." But he also knew "it is only through the Savior that we can wash away our wretchedness and iniquities," Pratte said.
"The last days are certainly here and quite ripe in iniquity. But with young men and women such as each of you becoming even more worthy to dream dreams and to see visions, each of us can continue to make little and even big changes as the Lord continues to pour out his Spirit in our days."