What does it mean to sustain the prophet, and why does it matter? Let me begin with a partial list of synonyms for the word sustain; assist, buoy, defend, help, preserve, brace, comfort, endorse, support and uphold. And in contrast a few antonyms; harm, hinder, obstruct, contradict, oppose, neglect, abstain and ignore.
I have been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints my entire life. I grew up in Southern California, in a home filled with faith and love for the Savior. I estimate that during my lifetime, from the time I was old enough to attend general conference in person, there have been no less than 380 individual general conference sessions.
I still remember the first time I attended a session of general conference with my parents in Salt Lake city. I was probably 12 years old. We lined up outside of the Tabernacle before dawn on Sunday morning. It was April and there was fresh snow on the ground. It was still dark out and very cold. Since that time I have had the privilege of attending fewer than a dozen sessions of general conference in person.
The church membership is much larger today and the majority of the members now reside outside of the United States. I believe it is reasonable to assume that most of them will never have the opportunity, either because of expense, distance or both, to personally attend one of the general sessions of conference in Salt Lake city. Why do I bring this up? Because I think sometimes members, especially those of us who live in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains, forget or fail to appreciate what a wonderful blessing it is to be in the presence of living prophets and apostles.
As great as it is, to actually be in the conference center, feel the faith of tens of thousands of other church members and hear the inspired talks, there is something else I treasure more. It is the sacred privilege of sustaining the prophet and apostles by raising my right arm to the square. Sadly, I think sometimes we become casual and may take this blessing for granted as well.
For the vast majority of Saints, my family included, the privilege to manifest support by raising our arms to the square happens in the privacy of our homes, far away from the crowds of the conference center. And not withstanding the distance, our sustaining vote is no less important. Even though I am far away and no one will be there to acknowledge my vote, still I raise my arm to the square. Not for the prophet's sake, not for anyone else's sake but for my own. I make this distinction because of the nature of the sustaining vote. It is not so much a public demonstration as it is a declaration of a personal commitment to follow the Lord and to have no other gods before Him.
Salvation happens on a personal level, and not in mass. It doesn’t come by affiliation with some special interest organization or a disgruntled .com group. It comes by drawing nearer to Christ and this through aligning ourselves with His appointed prophet. The very same living prophet who we have been expressly promised will never lead us astray, for God would not permit it.
The leaders of the Lords church are not elected by the people, they never have been. Nor are the policies and practices of the Lord's church dictated by the voice of the people. Once we realize this, then the purpose for having regular opportunities to recommit ourselves through the exercise our agency, as we raise our arm to sustain the prophet, becomes clearer.
When we raise our arms to the square we are covenanting with God, promising to sustain his prophets, seers and revelators. Each member of the church is given the chance to voice this support multiple times each year, in general conference semi annually, in ward and stake conferences annually and during temple recommend interviews.
Each time we are asked to lend our support by sustaining the ordained leaders of the church we naturally have the opportunity to reflect on how well we have kept our prior promises. Then we can resolve to do better and recommit by a verbal response, such as is the case in a personal interview or by the raising of our right arm to the square in the setting of a formal meeting or in the privacy of our homes or wherever we may be.
Over the years, as the presiding priesthood authority in my home, I have watched over the voting of our children. Not in a formal way by any means, but by observation. And happily, at the conclusion of each sustaining vote called by a member of the first presidency, I could record in my heart that the voting had been unanimous. As for me and my family we will serve the Lord and his living prophet. It is both a privilege and a blessing to be able to do so.