Receiving Personal Revelation - January 11, 2014

Here are some of Katie S.'s thoughts shared during today's presidency message on Receiving Personal Revelation:

To me, one of the most comforting doctrines in our church is that we can receive personal revelation from our Heavenly Father. Don’t we all feel lost and confused at times? As wonderful as this world is, it can be an awfully big place, full of all sorts of decisions and challenges that can leave us feeling completely bewildered.

President Uchtdorf said,

"The Everlasting and Almighty God, the Creator of this vast universe, will speak to those who approach Him with a sincere heart and real intent.
Of course, there will be those who scoff and say such a thing is impossible, that if there were a God, He would have better things to do than hear and answer a single person’s prayer.
but I tell you this: God cares about you. He will listen, and He will answer your personal questions. The answers to your prayers will come in His own way and in His own time, and therefore, you need to learn to listen to His voice." (Receiving a Testimony of Light and Truth by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

I have been taught this doctrine my whole life - the idea that when we need to know something, we ask God - just as Joseph Smith did - and so many others before and after him. And so throughout my life, when I’ve had a big decision to make, I have tried to do just that: I have asked God. Sometimes I’ve studied things out in my mind, made a decision, and asked for God’s approval. And I have to say, that the answers have never come to me in the way I’ve hoped or in the way they have been described in scripture.

This is one of the reasons I have felt prompted to study this topic of personal revelation. The more life I live, the more desperately I feel the need to receive revelation from Heavenly Father. I do not have the confidence or the understanding on this subject that I would like to have - and I have come to believe that personal revelation from God is a gift that each one of us has access to - but it is a gift that we need to learn to use. 

Just like when my kids’ Uncle Dan gave them a cotton candy machine for Christmas. We have the gift, but we don’t know how it works, so we have not enjoyed the gift yet! We need to learn how it works and how to make the cotton candy before we fully appreciate and use his gift.

“We all know that human judgment and logical thinking will not be enough to get answers to the questions that matter most in life. We need revelation from God. And we will need not just one revelation in a time of stress, but we need a constantly renewed stream. We need not just one flash of light and comfort, but we need the continuing blessing of communication with God.” (President Henry B. Eyring, Continuing Revelation)

You may remember that previous General Relief Society President, Julie B. Beck, said:

“The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life.” (Julie B. Beck, And upon the Handmaids in Those Days Will I Pour Out My Spirit) 

And so she helps us understand that receiving personal revelation is a skill - one that we can develop.

• How do we receive revelation? 
• How can we recognize answers and promptings from the Lord?

We heard from Monajo E. who related her experience with revelation as telling the Lord 'where I am', knowing He loves me, at the end of a prayer - waiting in silence/listening, and keeping a prayer in your heart all the time.

Here are the main points I plan to take away from this lesson. I have hope and faith that as I draw closer to the Lord, He will help me to recognize His hand and his guidance in my life. I have felt impressed that I need to write down and take note of impressions, feelings, and thoughts I have when seeking to receive revelation. I feel more committed to being more thoughtful in both prayer and scripture study. I will be more patient. I will look for small and simple impressions. I will take note of the moments when I feel, as Richard G. Scott said, “peace in your heart and a quiet, warm feeling.”

“The Savior has told us in our day, “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.
The more we incline our hearts and minds toward God, the more heavenly light distills upon our souls. And each time we willingly and earnestly seek that light, we indicate to God our readiness to receive more light. Gradually, things that before seemed hazy, dark, and remote become clear, bright, and familiar to us.” (Uchtdorf, “Receiving a Testimony of Light and Truth”)

May this be the case with all of us!