How to Receive Personal Revelation

How to Receive Personal Revelation

Immediately after my husband's death I had some amazing spiritual experiences. They were truly tender mercies for me.  In the middle of the night, I was often awakened with specific counsel.  It became my daily bread, and as the time approached for the funerals, I found myself up for many hours of the night writing.  The Lord was schooling me in how to receive revelation.  During this time I was told that one of the purposes for Scott's death was for me to learn how to better receive and record revelation.  I was instructed to teach this to my children and extended family.

The importance of this was heavily stressed on my mind.  

For this reason, I have devoted a considerable amount of time to the study of this topic.  You will see many posts on this thread, because I have learned that Light, the Holy Ghost, Revelation, Intelligence, Truth, Spiritual Gifts and the Ministering of Angels are all very interconnected.

I do not believe that my husband's death was coincidently only a month after the lowering of the missionary age and the announcement to Hastening of the Work. 

I have watched things unfold, and I  now see even more clearly why I was told to make this a point of study.  In last general conference there were 4 specific talks devoted to this subject, and many others that referenced it.  This principle in conjunction with following the prophet will enable us to survive in our rapidly changing world.  We ourselves need to be confident in our ability to receive that guidance individually and collectively in our marriages and callings.  Then our experience will enable us to teach it to the youth while they are still in our homes.

In our home now, we talk about these things nearly everyday.  We share our experiences receiving and acting on promptings.  I regularly invite my children to implement specific study and prayer practices, and then we discuss their experience.  As they have acted on these principles, their ability to hear and follow promptings has increase.

Most youth expect to have a "burning in the bosom" when they feel the Holy Ghost, and are very unaware of other ways that the Holy Ghost can speak to them.  I know that most of our youth are receiving promptings daily, they simply have not learned to distinguish between their own voice, the voice of the spirit and the voices of temptation that come from Satan and his followers.

We often think our good thought are our own invention. 

I do not believe this is so.

I believe any good thought that comes into your mind is...

 the spirit impressing truth and light upon your mind.  

About a year ago I was frustrated and trying to sell my house and nothing was working the way I had planned.  Everything fell apart and after much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth I finally submitted my will to God and I said,

"I will do anything you want me to do.  I will follow any good prompting no matter what, if you will just take care of me and my family."  

I had no idea what that promise would mean or the path of amazing experiences and enlightenment that it would put me on.  It has been crazy and difficult at times and has tested my courage and resolve, but it has been worth every minute.

When you start being 'quick to observe' your thoughts, you will discover how much junk needs to get weeded out and how much quiet revelations you have missed.

“When you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented unto your minds by the Spirit of God, will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus.” ( Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 151.) 

Here are a few key principles about revelation that I have identified.  I invite you to ponder on the these and seek how to understand, teach an apply them better.

Revelation is...

• received on principles of obedience
• received only by asking, knocking, and seeking.  
• received in response to questions. 
• easier to receive when we are seeking it for the purpose of helping others.
• received line upon line as we act on what knowledge we already have.
• easier to receive after dedicated prayer and fasting 24 hours.
• received according to the timetable of the Lord
• received in different ways 
• easier to receive if we are writing as part of our gospel study 

As you look at this list, listen closely to the thoughts that enter your mind.  The spirit will direct you to the area that you need to study and learn more about.  I find it helpful to write down questions that principles spark and refer to them and write additional ones as I study.  The process of asking questions while you are studying will allow the spirit to communicate better.   I have included some of the resources that I have studied to help me better understand and apply these principles.  

I invite you to study and take notes on this material. Share them with your children and ask them to study and prepare them for gospel discussions in your home. Look up the references that the apostles and prophets use to write their talks. Doing this allows us to follow their path of learning and gain greater understanding. Be patient and thorough in your study.  Listen to the things the spirit prompts you to do as you study and act on those things.  I promise you that as you prayerfully do this, that the spirit will teach you and change your knowledge into understanding over time.

Resources:

Scott, Richard G. "How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration for Your Personal Life, Oct 2012
(this is the talk the spirit instructed me to read the day after Scott died)

Bednar, David A. "The Spirit of Revelation, April 2011 

Also watch the three part video series on the sidebar of this page called Patterns of Light: The Light of Christ, Patterns of Light: Discerning Light, Patterns of Light: Spirit of Revelation) These are great FHE resources and #ShareGoodness resources as well

Packer, Boyd K, "Revelation in a Changing World." Oct 1989

Packer, Boyd K, "Personal Revelation:The Gift, The Test, and The Promise." Oct 1994
****This should be taught in FHE for all youth- excellent direction spoken specifically to youth

Hales, Robert D. "Personal Revelation: The Teachings and Examples of the Prophets." Oct 2007

Bednar, David A. "A Reservoir of Living Water,"  CES Fireside Feb 2007 (Using the scriptures to receive personal revelation)

Gordon Limb, "Recognizing and Responding to the Promptings of the...," BYU Devotional Mar 2013 
(Another great one for youth, he references both Packer and Bednar)

Kendrick, Lionel "Personal Revelation." BYU Devotional May 1997

This is certainly not an all inclusive list.  If you find additional resources that you believe would be helpful please add them to the comment section.  Thank you and God Bless you all in your personal efforts. 

This is a companion post to "The Affects of our Loved Ones from the Other Side of the Veil." coming soon.

The need for Continuous Personal Revelation

The need for Continuous Personal Revelation

I invite you to read this passage and then consider how this applies today as we follow revelation from the prophets as well as our personal need for revelation.

• From Teaching of the Living Prophets Manual: Our Need for Living Prophets

•

The final gospel dispensation began with the calling of a prophet—Joseph Smith. As in past dispensations, God’s will is given to His children through the process of revelation. President James E. Faust (1920–2007) of the First Presidency discussed the necessity for constant revelation: “Much revelation received, in this time as well as anciently, has been doctrinal. Some of it has been operational and tactical. Much of it is not spectacular. President John Taylor reminds us: ‘Adam’s revelation did not instruct Noah to build his ark; nor did Noah’s revelation tell Lot to forsake Sodom; nor did either of these speak of the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt. These all had revelations for themselves’ (Millennial Star, 1 Nov. 1847, 323)” (“Continuing Revelation,” Ensign, Aug. 1996, 5; emphasis added).

•

President Hugh B. Brown (1883–1975) of the First Presidency described a conversation he had with a member of the British House of Commons and former justice of the Supreme Court of England, who was not a member of the Church, about the need for living prophets and the revelation they receive:

“[I said,] ‘I am submitting to you in all seriousness that it was standard procedure in Bible times for God to talk to men.’

“[He responded,] ‘I think I will admit that, but it stopped shortly after the first century of the Christian era.’

President Hugh B. Brown

“‘Why do you think it stopped?’

“‘I can’t say.’

“‘You think that God hasn’t spoken since then?’

“‘Not to my knowledge.’

“‘May I suggest some possible reasons why he has not spoken. Perhaps it is because he cannot. He has lost the power.’

“He said, ‘Of course that would be blasphemous.’

“‘Well, then, if you don’t accept that, perhaps he doesn’t speak to men because he doesn’t love us anymore. He is no longer interested in the affairs of men.’

“‘No,’ he said, ‘God loves all men, and he is no respecter of persons.’

“‘Well, … then the only other possible answer as I see it is that we don’t need him. We have made such rapid strides in education and science that we don’t need God anymore.’

“And then he said, and his voice trembled as he thought of impending war [World War II], ‘Mr. Brown, there never was a time in the history of the world when the voice of God was needed as it is needed now. Perhaps you can tell me why he doesn’t speak.’

“My answer was, ‘He does speak, he has spoken; but men need faith to hear him.’

“Then we proceeded to examine what I may call a ‘profile of a prophet.’ …

“The judge sat and listened intently. He asked some very pointed and searching questions, and at the end of the interview he said, ‘Mr. Brown, I wonder if your people appreciate the import of your message. Do you?’ He said, ‘If what you have told me is true, it is the greatest message that has come to this earth since the angels announced the birth of Christ’” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1967, 118, 120; emphasis added; see also The Profile of a Prophet, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year [Oct. 4, 1955], 4–5, 8; or “The Profile of a Prophet,” Ensign, June 2006, 36–37, 39).

We have more need now, with the impending days of darkness that will surely come, of a living prophet that ever before.  Let us remember that we sustain all of the Apostles as well as Thomas S Monson as prophets, seers and revelators, and we should heed their prophetic counsel as directly coming from God.  We no longer have the luxury of picking and choosing commandments and dismissing things that the apostles counsel us to do because they are 'hard' and because we rationalize that their counsel is just counsel because they are not the president of the church.  We need to listen and give heed to every word that comes from their mouth, especially those that are said in General Conference.  We need that counsel!

But is it enough to depend on them to receive revelation?  Can we just live on their borrowed light?

I think the answer is a resounding NO!  They have diligently taught us how to seek for our own revelation.  Not revelation that would contradict the things that the prophets have told us, but revelation that pertains to our specific sphere of influence.  The prophet is not going to get a revelation that tells you to sell your home and downsize, or to teach a certain doctrine to your children.  We are not going to find those answers spelled out to us unless we are actively seeking revelation through prayer and study.  Sometimes we are given those answers directly in our minds while other times we are lead to find them in the scriptures and words of others.  However the Lord chooses to lead us to that knowledge, it is all personal revelation, and it is something we should be and need to be experiencing on a daily basis.  

If you are not, then there is something you need to change.  I do not say this to discourage you, but to encourage you to make the change. It can happen daily and the Lord wants it to happen daily.  Once it does for you, you will think, "How in the world did I function in so much darkness all of my life."

I invite you to study and consider ways that you can receive more personal revelation in your life.  The following posts have talks and more information for you to study and ponder and you move forward on this quest.

How To Receive Personal Revelation