D&C 107:65-66 identifies this leader as “President of the High Priesthood of the Church or, in other words, the Presiding High Priest over the High Priesthood of the Church.” The church’s Doctrine and Covenants offers official titles for the church president. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Joseph Smith, founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, wrote in the Doctrine and Covenants that the church president is the “President of the High Priesthood of the Church or, in other words, the Presiding High Priest over the High Priesthood of the Church.”

Their primary function is to give direction. Prophets are like the fathers of mid-20th-century television programs: patriarchal, wise, competent, authoritative, dressed in conservative business uniforms. In part, this way of thinking about prophets comes from the church’s current image of leadership, which is drawn from the midcentury male corporate leaders many current church leaders watched growing up. And thus, Latter-day Saints expect what they hear in General Conferences to be “prophecy” - direction and instruction derived from inspiration. That is to say, being a “prophet” means to run the church. In the church today, members use the word “prophet” to describe the church president and associate “prophecy” primarily with his administrative authority. To many Latter-day Saints, this fit easily into their expectations for church leaders. Nelson became president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, some observers noted that he, more than many of his recent predecessors, claimed direct inspiration for policies as seemingly mundane as the faith’s new logo and his decision to avoid the word “ Mormon.”

The mormon people by matthew bowman