Follow the Prophets

It is suddenly obvious to all LDS people in America that the future of following the Prophet may get very ugly. We are seeing the mobs combine again in California over the passage of Prop 8, an amendment to the state constitution that reads "Only marriage between a man and a woman will be recognized in California." Temples are being targeted. Homes and jobs are being targeted.
From Proclaim Liberty:

"Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life.'

"This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ. . . . Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. . . . This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions.

"Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.... Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, 'summer is nigh.' Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat."---

Elder Neal A. Maxwell's whole talk (fabulous and prophetic as usual)

We know that in the future our safety and security in Zion will be dependent on our adherence to the prophets. Man is fallible- God is not and he talks to us through his prophets. But we must be able to discern a real prophet from a false one. If we are reading and pondering the scriptures and praying intently we will be able to know who is speaking for God.
Because there is opposition in all things, we will see an increase in evil and wickedness, in proportion to the rise in righteousness. Look at how the temples have sprung up all over the world. We should not be surprised that wickedness will also sprout up all over the world. And that wickedness appears to be directed at a specific demographic- Mormons. We should not be surprised to see it. How sad it will be to see the fair weather Mormons bid farewell when the summer heat and winter storm begins. Let us hope we are not among that group.