Now, you might go ballistic on this one, but JS claimed theophanies, most subsequent prophets have not.

That's because you're trying to retrofit every public statement into your preconceived belief that men make most church decisions on their own, and God just looks in on them from time to time.

It's not as though there isn't a plethora of doctrine, scripture, and sermons on how revelation works.

you mean caught with guile?

Everything is so vague and general. I know them relatively well, and find them nonspecific.

I would like President Monson to explain every detail of his deliberation process. That would be of interest and I might learn something instead of vague generalities.

You have every right to demand an explanation from the Lord just as Nephi did in regards to Lehi's vision of the tree of life. However, you do not have a right to demand such from President Monson.

Some things are best learned by experience.

I don't demand it, I wish for it. Precatory, not mandatory.

I will never be prophet, but I have held lesser leadership positions.

This is your axiom, not necessarily a truth, and certainly only relative to context.

Link?

In my experience, one day, your wish or desire may be granted predicated upon your faith.

There has to be a human element component involved in the selection of an apostle as is there in the selection of individuals to any other leadership position in the Church. Sometimes it comes down to who you know, who your progenitors are, etc…When staffing wards I am sure that bishops draw from a pool of people that include people they know very well or have worked with in the past in other callings. At least that was my experience when it was my responsibility to staff a ward. However, there were occasions when I was prompted to go outside that group of individuals and extend a calling to someone I did not know very well. I believe that there has to be a combination of the human element and inspiration/revelation, how else are we to exercise free agency and rely on personal experiences to magnify our callings?

While it was disappointing that my mission president, Carlos Amado, was not called even though he has served as a member Q of 70 for 20+ years, I just don’t see the institutional racism you see within the church. I am a Mexican American (not by name only, but, I actually look the part) who lives in the Pacific NW and most often than not, I am the only one in my meetings who people may consider a “minority”. I don’t recall an occasion when I experienced the “institutional racism” you believe exists.