THE SAMUEL PRINCIPLE - WHEN THE PROPHETS GO SILENT

Some days, I wonder why I even open my mouth.....

I am a small fish.  I cannot imagine how frustrating it would be if you were on scale with a whale....

Thanks, once again to Heather Jackson for another great discourse:

Sometimes, concerning certain topics, the prophets mouths are shut or opened less because of people's choices. While food storage used to be a hot topic, (seven years of food, then twelve, and now three months...) we don't hear about it as often because we are much more of a global church now (making it difficult for those outside of the USA). Surveys show the majority of members aren't listening anyway, which is one of the reasons why the amount of food storage suggested has lessened over the years.
The Samuel principle teaches us that our choices determine much of what we are able and willing to receive, and that agency is something Father values oftentimes to the detriment of individual lives, societies, and even entire civilizations. Here are some examples of The Samuel Principle:
“Some people say I am a fallen Prophet, because I do not bring forth more of the word of the Lord, Why do I not do it? Are we able to receive it? No! Not one in this room. He then chastened the congregation for their wickedness and unbelief..." (TPJS 194)
"And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full." (Alma 12:10)
"Murmur not because of the things which thou hast not seen, for they are withheld from thee and from the world, which is wisdom in me in a time to come." (D&C 25:4)
"God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what he will make known to the Twelve, and even the least saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them."
(Joseph Smith, Instructions to the brethren at a conference of the Twelve, June 27, 1839 in Commerce, Ill. HC 3:380.)
"You need exhorting rather than teaching. You have been taught doctrine in abundance, and I have sometimes thought it a pity the Lord has revealed quite as much as he has. And I can truly say that I believe, if I am guilty in any one point in my walk before this people, it is in telling them things they are not worthy of—that I have given unto them things that they could not receive. For this reason I deem it mainly needful to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance. 2 Pet. 3:1" (JD 7:237 Brigham Young)
“God has to work through mortals of varying degrees of spiritual progress. Sometimes he temporarily grants to men their unwise requests in order that they might learn from their own sad experiences. Some refer to this as the ‘Samuel Principle.’ This children of Israel wanted a king, like all the nations. … The Lord told Samuel to warn the people of the consequences if they had a king. Samuel gave them the warning, but they still insisted on their king. So God gave them a king and let them suffer. … God wanted it to be otherwise, but within certain bounds he grants unto men according to their desires. Bad experiences are an expensive school that only fools keep going to. …" (Ezra Taft Benson, BYU Speeches of the Year, Provo, Utah: Brigham Young Univ. Press, 1974, pp. 304–5.)
"And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion, singing with songs of everlasting joy.
And now I say unto you, keep these things from going abroad unto the world until it is expedient in me, that ye may accomplish this work in the eyes of the people, and in the eyes of your enemies, that they may not know your works until ye have accomplished the thing which I have commanded you..." (D&C 45:71)
The Samuel principle teaches us that our choices determine much of what we are able and willing to receive, and that agency is something Father values oftentimes to the detriment of individual lives, societies, and even entire civilizations.
"And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be." (2 Nephi 32:7)
“Some people say I am a fallen Prophet, because I do not bring forth more of the word of the Lord, Why do I not do it? Are we able to receive it? No! Not one in this room. He then chastened the congregation for their wickedness and unbelief..." (TPJS 194)
"And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full." (Alma 12:10)
"Murmur not because of the things which thou hast not seen, for they are withheld from thee and from the world, which is wisdom in me in a time to come." (D&C 25:4)
"God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what he will make known to the Twelve, and even the least saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them."
(Joseph Smith, Instructions to the brethren at a conference of the Twelve, June 27, 1839 in Commerce, Ill. HC 3:380.)
"You need exhorting rather than teaching. You have been taught doctrine in abundance, and I have sometimes thought it a pity the Lord has revealed quite as much as he has. And I can truly say that I believe, if I am guilty in any one point in my walk before this people, it is in telling them things they are not worthy of—that I have given unto them things that they could not receive. For this reason I deem it mainly needful to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance. 2 Pet. 3:1" (JD 7:237 Brigham Young)
“God has to work through mortals of varying degrees of spiritual progress. Sometimes he temporarily grants to men their unwise requests in order that they might learn from their own sad experiences. Some refer to this as the ‘Samuel Principle.’ This children of Israel wanted a king, like all the nations. … The Lord told Samuel to warn the people of the consequences if they had a king. Samuel gave them the warning, but they still insisted on their king. So God gave them a king and let them suffer. … God wanted it to be otherwise, but within certain bounds he grants unto men according to their desires. Bad experiences are an expensive school that only fools keep going to. …" (Ezra Taft Benson, BYU Speeches of the Year, Provo, Utah: Brigham Young Univ. Press, 1974, pp. 304–5.)
"And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion, singing with songs of everlasting joy.
And now I say unto you, keep these things from going abroad unto the world until it is expedient in me, that ye may accomplish this work in the eyes of the people, and in the eyes of your enemies, that they may not know your works until ye have accomplished the thing which I have commanded you..." (D&C 45:71)
"I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time." (3 Nephi 17:2)
"And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be." (2 Nephi 32:7)