Personal Revelation

Index
I have always been intrigued by the story of Joseph Smith. Here is a young man 14 years old who wants to know which church is true. How many 14 year old boys do you know who want to know that? We have 14 year olds who are regularly passing the sacrament and that will give you an example of what Joseph might have been like.

Joseph is obsessed with finding out the answer – which church should I join? His home is divided, should he join the Presbyterians or the Methodists? He doesn't know and is perplexed in how he can find out. One day he is reading the Bible in James where he reads:
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
He learns from this scripture that he can ask God and will be given answers. He also knows that he can do so freely and will not be chastised or scolded. This is an important find for Joseph. He is obsessed with it. He reflects on this scripture again and again. In his words, he says:
Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know;
Joseph comes to the conclusion that he must ask God and makes a plan for this to happen. He was very methodical because he goes on to say:
So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.

After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God.
We all know what happens here. Joseph receives his answer and a new prophet is called.
I'd like to talk about revelation. Specifically, I'd like to concentrate on personal revelation. I'd like to talk about:
  • What it is,
  • How it works and
  • How we qualify for revelation.
Everything hinges upon this. Joseph eventually receives the golden plates and translates the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. It holds everything in place! If the book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. If the Book of Mormon is true, the church and priesthood were restored. If the Book of Mormon is true then we have a living prophet today who talks with God.

I testify to you today that not only is the Book of Mormon is true, but that Joseph was the prophet of the restoration and that Thomas S. Monson is a living prophet today.

So generally how does revelation come to us? The Doctrine & Covenants tells us this:
Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.
We receive instructions to our mind and feelings to our hearts. How often have you had a thought come into your mind? President Monson has told many stories from the pulpit about where he has had impressions that he should visit someone and further (the key) that he acted on that thought or feelings only to realize later on that the lord was directing him in his actions.

President Henry B Eyring recently related:
And so I prayed again. This time I did receive direction, in the form of a voice in my mind that said, "I'll let you stay at Ricks College a little longer."
Elder Russell M. Nelson relates the following story in his recent conference talk:
Jerry did not know what to do. Later, while watering trees in his yard, this man of faith prayed to God for guidance. As he prayed, he heard a voice in his mind saying, "Stop the boys on the bikes." Jerry, a little bewildered, wondered what this meant. As he reflected on this impression, he gazed up the street and saw two young men in white shirts and ties riding bicycles toward his home. Stunned by this "coincidence," he watched them ride by. Then, realizing that the situation required him to act, he shouted out, "Hey you. Please stop! I need to talk to you!"
I remember specifically one time when in the mission field where my companion and I were teaching investigators where the spirit was strong and remember my companion stopping and saying What you are feeling now is the Holy Ghost letting you know that what we are saying to you is true.

On another occasion as we were tracking I remember us telling someone that because of the restoration of the church, we now had a prophet who receives modern day revelation. This person asked the question: Really? What has your prophet said lately? I'm not sure how we answered, but I don't think it was anything specific, but I knew then that I needed to know what our prophet was saying. We receive that form of revelation from our semi-annual general conferences.

I can tell you that when president Monson dropped his bombshell announcement that the missionary age for young men had been dropped to 18 and for young women to age 19, the room was full of excitement. We were in the Stake Center watching conference and there were at least two dozen missionaries present and there was a buzz in the air. It was exciting! It also means that we may have two missionaries out at the same time! I guess that another thing that happens when you have twins!

So what other examples do we have that support impressions to our minds and feelings to our hearts?

Early in the Book of Mormon we receive an example from Nephi, when he is out looking to fulfill the commandment he has received to obtain the Plates of Brass. Remember that he and his brothers have tried unsuccessfully two times already and Nephi says:
I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.
How did he know what to do? Because he was guided. He had impressions to his mind and/or feelings in his heart.

  • We remember that Enos was hunting in the woods and had an overwhelming need to pray and received personal revelation.
  • Nephi tells us of going to his father asking where he should go to hunt for food. This is a slight deviation – he went to his priesthood leader for the revelation to occur.
Notice that these experiences often occur in a quiet setting. We need to find quiet places where we can receive revelation too.

Another form of personal revelation comes from Patriarchal Blessings. These blessings are faithfully written down and recorded at church headquarters. It gives us personal insight from the Lord on things specific to us. It gives us guidelines of what we must do to receive stated blessings. It talks about our potential and comes from one who is specifically called to give them.

We recently went with our son Jonathon as he received his Patriarchal blessing. It was interesting to hear the words: I bless you to feel, and I bless you to know throughout his blessing.

So, how do we qualify ourselves to be prepared to receive revelation? I believe that there are many things we should be doing to prepare ourselves.

Alma said it so well:
And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?
We have to make covenants with the Lord.

  • We need personal righteousness
  • We must be humble and have a prayer in our hearts.
  • We must be obedient to the commandments.
  • We need to have faith and repent of our sins.
  • We need to be baptized
  • We must partake of the Sacrament weekly.
  • We must set aside time for scripture reading
  • We need to focus on the Temple.
Only then we can invite the Holy Ghost into our lives.

I have often heard others say that they would like to have family scripture time and of how hard it is to faithfully have that. I believe it is simply a matter of priorities. Reading the scriptures, personal and with family is just like anything else. If it's important enough, it will get done. We just have to make the commitment. I know from personal experience that it can be done.

We decided several years ago that we would read scriptures as a family. Generally we do it every night after dinner – rain or shine. If we know there will be something else we will be involved with, we change the time. If we are traveling in the car, we will take a copy of the Book of Mormon with us and read in the car. We do it with whoever is at home. That means that if there are only two at home… then those two have family scripture study.

There have been times when we have sung Hymns before scripture study. You should try it sometime if you really want to invite the spirit of the lord into your home.

We always have family home evening. Some are better than others. Sometimes we have meaningful gospel discussions. Sometimes we have games. There have even been times when we have come down to the building and played dodge ball (but I would never tell the Bishop that). With every family night we sing our Family Night National Anthem – We Thank Thee oh God for a Prophet. Often Matthew conducts.

We have family night because the Prophet suggested that we would have greater love in our family. We have it because the Prophet suggested that it would help us become more Christ centered. A more harmonious home environment is one more thing I believe to help us to prepare for personal revelation.

These principles must be taught in the home. It is no longer good enough just to come to church. There is too much going on in the world that diverts us away from our Heavenly Father.

In his recent conference talk Elder Quentin L. Cook this to say:
Parents, the days are long past when regular, active participation in Church meetings and programs, though essential, can fulfill your sacred responsibility to teach your children to live moral, righteous lives and walk uprightly before the Lord. With President Monson's announcement this morning, it is essential that this be faithfully accomplished in homes which are places of refuge where kindness, forgiveness, truth, and righteousness prevail. Parents must have the courage to filter or monitor Internet access, television, movies, and music. Parents must have the courage to say no, defend truth, and bear powerful testimony. Your children need to know that you have faith in the Savior, love your Heavenly Father, and sustain the leaders of the Church. Spiritual maturity must flourish in our homes. My hope is that no one will leave this conference without understanding that the moral issues of our day must be addressed in the family. Bishops and priesthood and auxiliary leaders need to support families and make sure that spiritual principles are taught. Home and visiting teachers can assist, especially with children of single parents.
With all that he said, let me emphasize that providing an environment where revelation can exist must be done in the home. The lord tells us in the D&C that we as parents will be held responsible. We simply must do it.

We need to provide a good environment in our homes where Christ is at the center. In our home, we have pictures of Christ, and of the Temple. We have daily personal and family prayer and scripture study. We have weekly family home evenings. We have gospel discussions. We think of Christ, we talk of Christ.

It is time for us to stand up and make the commitment. Having a gospel focused home and personal righteousness we allow ourselves to be ready so that revelation can come. I testify that if we seek for this … it can and will happen.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.