Delivered by Bishop Scott J. Wakefield, June 17, 2018
I speak today on the topic of Personal Revelation. My interest in this topic has come from a recent talk by Pres. Nelson. In April conference 2018, Pres. Nelson said,
I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that “if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation....
My beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation…Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly.
With Moroni, I exhort you on this Easter Sabbath to “come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift,”15 beginning with the gift of the Holy Ghost, which gift can and will change your life. Did you notice the words he is using? Urge, plead, exhort. These are not mild or half-hearted invitations. Our Prophet is using very strong language to encourage our ability to seek and receive personal revelation.
And so…I have two questions. The first is “why?” and the second is “how?” Why is personal revelation so critical that the Prophet is urging us, pleading with us, and exhorting us to lay hold upon the Gift of the Holy Ghost? And secondly, how do we increase our spiritual capacity to receive revelation?
I believe that part of the answer to the “why,” is that we seem to be traveling through the wilderness. This life, this world that we are living in, is like the dark and dreary wilderness in Lehi’s dream. It is like the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula where Moses walked with the children of Isreal. Like our pioneer ancestors, we are walking across the wilderness in search of safety, peace, and relief.
In truth, the only way to walk safely through this wilderness is to walk the covenant path, guided by the Lord through personal revelation. And while the covenant path is clearly marked with significant milestones along the way, many obstacles stand in our way. At times we may have to
wade through the mists of darkness…
navigate around boulders of doubt…
overcome mountains of addiction…
we may have to climb the incline of discipleship…
endure the flash floods of anxiety…
and suffer the pain of spiritual hunger and fatigue.
Often the promised land seems very far away. It seems too far away.
And walking the wilderness is not easy. So why does the Lord ask us to do this? Why does he invite us to walk the covenant path through the wilderness when everyone else seems to riding the broad highway of ease?
Why does he require what seem like extra steps through the barren wilderness? Or allow us to endure times of loneliness, or darkness, hunger, thirst, and fatigue? The short answer is the Savior? The wilderness can cause us to rely solely upon the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The wilderness can cause us to seek Living Water. The wilderness can cause us to seek the Bread of Life. And when we have made it through the wilderness to the promised land, or when we find an oasis and experience a moment of joy by partaking of His fruit…. we will know that He is the Lord. We will know that it is by his grace that we are saved.
Walking the covenant path through the world can be hard enough, but what about the times when the storms or the droughts are of our own making? What about the times when we lose our way and wander off the path because of sin or distraction? In Lehi’s dream, there were many who fell away into forbidden paths and were lost, even after they had partaken of the fruit. When Lehi’s children were slothful and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence they did not progress in their journey; therefore they tarried in the wilderness or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions.
However, even the times of transgression can cause us to remember and rely upon our Lord Jesus Christ, who is mighty to save.
Even the consequences of distraction can cause us to seek Living Water and the Bread of Life. And when we have found a moment of joy by partaking of the fruit of repentance, we will know that He is the Lord. We will know that it is by his grace that we are saved. How sweet will be that relief.
Even though our journey will be difficult, we should not fear. The Lord has said, “I will go before your face, I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you to, to bear you up.”
At a very difficult time in my personal journey, the Lord caused the words of the hymn, How Firm a Foundation to come to my mind, followed by a great feeling of love and peace; The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes; That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!
For can a woman forget her sucking child…yea, they may forget, yet will I (the Savior) not forget thee, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands;
“And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you.” To guide the children of Isreal he “went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire,”...
The Lord is in the wilderness. He is with us. If we do not feel him close, it is our responsibility to seek him out. It is our responsibility to recognize him and hear his voice. Perhaps this is the spiritual work that the Prophet has asked us to undertake.
Nephi heard the voice of the Lord in the wilderness because he had “great desires to know the mysteries of God.” Nephi states, “wherefore I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart…and the Lord spake unto me saying: blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.”
The Lord has said, “I will pray unto the Father and He shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever…I will not leave you comfortless.”
And so, we can feel the love of our Father through the gift and power of the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost is in the wilderness, He is with us. If we do not feel him close, it is our responsibility to seek him out, to hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly.
It is our responsibility to recognize the still whisperings and small promptings. Perhaps this is the spiritual work that the Prophet has asked us to consider. Lehi and his family were given the Liahona, meaning a compass, to show them “the course which they should travel in the wilderness. Alma taught that “these things are not without a shadow,” which is the scriptural way of saying, that the Liahona was a symbol of the Holy Ghost and operated in a very similar way to “point unto them a direct course to the promised land.”
And so, if we ponder and understand how the Liahona worked, we can increase our understanding of how the Holy Ghost works. The scriptures teach us four things about the Liahona that we can apply to understanding the gift of the Holy Ghost.
1) It worked according to their faith, 2) led them to the most fertile parts of the wilderness, 3) gave them understanding concerning the ways of the Lord, and 4) stopped working when they were disobedient and forgot the Lord.
Let’s consider each of these in turn,
1) First, the Liahona “did work for them according to their faith in God. Therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold it was done; therefore they had this miracle.” In a similar way, I testify that the Holy Ghost will work in our life according to our faith in God.
2) Second, Nephi wrote “…we did follow the directions on the ball which led us in the more fertile parts of the wilderness.” – we can be led by the Holy Ghost to the most fertile parts of our journey. We don’t have to suffer through this life. The Lord provides nourishment, relief, rest, strength, and cleansing along the way. He directs us with the Holy Ghost to the most fertile parts of the wilderness. This is why we can still experience joy in the middle of trials or difficulty. The Lord also showed Lehi’s family where to find food and other resources – things that we might consider to be of a temporal nature. The Holy Ghost is able to help us, even in our temporal needs – where to find food, how to be healthy, what area to study, and what job to take, etc. Nephi testified – “wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness.” I can testify of this in my own life, the Lord has provided means for me to provide for my family – even though it doesn’t seem possible to do what we are doing. It should not be feasible to support a family of 7 in Aurora as an artist/teacher and still allow my wife to be primarily home with the kids.
3) Third, Nephi reports that “there was also written [on the ball] a new writing, which was plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence…and heed which we did give unto it.” From this we understand that we can be plainly taught about the ways of the Lord, by the Holy Ghost. I testify that there are times when the Holy Ghost is very clear and direct, as plain as words on a page.
4) Lastly, the “compass which had been prepared of the Lord, did cease to work.” Because some of Lehi’s family “did forget by what power they had been brought thither; yea, they were lifted up unto exceeding rudeness.” There are things that we may do that will drive the spirit away and cause us to lose our way. I testify, that any form of disobedience or rebellion will cause us to lose the spirit to various degrees. Alma describes it this way, “they were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey;
Brothers and Sisters, we have to come to understand the Holy Ghost! He is the Liahona in our lives. We must learn to recognize his voice if we want to receive personal revelation and be guided through the wilderness.
Earlier in this talk I asked “why?” Why is personal revelation so critical that the Prophet is urging us, pleading with us, and exhorting us to lay hold upon the Gift of the Holy Ghost?
His answer is this: “in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” (end quote) It is a spiritual imperative.
Now let’s consider the “how?” We know that we need to heed the Holy Ghost in order to make it through the wilderness. But how do we do this? How can we recognize promptings from the Lord? What should we do? Pres. Nelson has given us a pattern – he tells us exactly how to do this. This is what he says:
“Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.
“Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.”
He continues: “Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work.”
This is the pattern we can follow to grow into the principle of revelation. It is all right here! It is spelled out for us. Referencing this pattern, the scriptures, and personal experience, I will describe four principles will help us see how this can work in our own life.
Principle #1: Humble yourself before God.
3 Nephi 9: 20, 22
20. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost,…22. Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive.
When President Nelson suggests humility, exact obedience, and increased purity – he is suggesting repentance. In my mind, he is suggesting that when we come before the throne of God seeking guidance or direction or understanding, we need to prepare ourselves with repentance. The sacrament is an important part of this process. When I was preparing to serve a mission, I knew that I would need the guidance of the Holy Ghost. I remember being prompted to repent. When we pray for guidance do we start by acknowledging our own nothingness and our complete dependence upon the Lord?
Principle #2: Become an Earnest Seeker
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between asking, seeking, and knocking? Is the Lord just being poetic, or is there something we are to understand by the usage of these words? I believe that to “ask” is the simple prayer of asking for assistance. If I am struggling to understand the Lord’s will, I may start by asking him simply – “Lord, help me to know thy will” – help me to figure this out…
Seeking, however, earnest seeking is a whole new level of looking for an answer. When we seek we study, research, ponder, explore, read, and ponder some more. When we seek we study it out in our mind, apply ourselves to the problem, and finally come to a decision.
Finally, after coming to a decision, we can ask the Lord for confirmation of our decision. This is “knocking.” And a lot depends on how we ask the question. The question is not – Lord, what should I do? The question is, “Lord, I have studied it out in my mind, I have determined a course of action, wilt thou this confirm this for me?
When we moved to Denver in 2010, it was in the middle of the great recession. We watched the value of our home in Utah decrease from the time we listed it to when it finally sold. Kori was 9 months pregnant with Kade, we were worried about the kids in new schools, and we were waiting for the bank to approve a short sale on our current home.
One day, while pondering this in the temple, after putting an offer on the house and moving forward in faith in many ways, I finally was prompted to ask a different question – instead of wondering what more we could do, I finally asked, “Lord, is this the house that you want us to have?” I finally knocked. And he responded with a powerful and positive confirmation, a feeling of love swept over me, followed by intense gratitude for that assurance. Even after that, the contract on our house in Logan fell through and jeopardized our ability to buy this house, but I knew that it would all work out.
Principle #3: Listen
D&C 8: 2
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. Behold, this is the spirit of revelation.
Finding an answer to our prayer is often like suddenly seeing a beautiful butterfly. Have you ever noticed how unpredictable butterflies can be? Perhaps we have been praying for confirmation, listening for an answer, hoping for a butterfly – but having no idea when it will come and no way to control it. Suddenly a butterfly comes silently into view. Maybe it lands on our leg or hand for a moment. We admire it and feel the joy of this surprise. We are grateful for it and we are better for it. In that moment we see it, the butterfly is clear and distinct. There is no question that it was meant for us. If we are smart, we will record details about the butterfly. Making a record is important, because after a few hours or days, the butterfly is forgotten. The memory is not strong. President Nelson invites us to write our thoughts and record our feelings. Even strong spiritual impressions are easily forgotten. By writing them down, we show the Lord that we are listening.
But think for a moment of all the butterflies you may have missed. And why did you miss them? Did you miss them because you were moving too fast? Did you miss them because you weren’t looking for them? But, when you were quiet and still, you saw them. I am convinced that if we want to “lay hold upon every good gift,”15 beginning with the gift of the Holy Ghost,” we need to be like the Holy Ghost. We need to be quiet and still and small.
If we are like the Holy Ghost, he will have a greater influence in our lives.
When we are “still” we make time to ponder, we move slowly, are not distracted, and not fearful. We are still and we know that he is God. Perhaps this is why President Nelson invited all of the youth to engage is a 7-day social media fast.
When we are “small” we are humble & meek, give glory to God, think less of ourselves, and our thoughts and our approach are appropriate.
I have found that when I am quiet, I will receive promptings. Ideas will come into my mind. Sometimes the same idea will come multiple times. This happened not long ago as I was considering a calling for one of the organizations in our ward. The idea of a certain individual had come into my mind a couple of times, but I was waiting on it. Finally, without warning, I felt compelled to pray about it. And so, I did not delay. I went to my knees in prayer. The decision was confirmed in my heart by a witness of the Spirit. I knew the Lord’s will.
Principle #4: Act in Faith
Ether 12:6
…wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.
At the end of his talk, President Nelson gave us this promise. He said, “To be sure, there may be times when you feel as though the heavens are closed. But I promise that as you continue to be obedient, expressing gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and as you patiently honor the Lord’s timetable, you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek.”
We must take action, as we wait upon the Lord for answers. According to the invitations of His Prophet, he wants us to manifest our faith with obedience. We are to follow through with actions we are prompted to take, repent, feast daily on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and make time for temple and family history work.
Within every question we ask of the Lord, every process of seeking, and every moment of knocking – is a trial of our faith. It is important for us to understand that we will not receive a witness until after the trial of our faith. In 2014, I was given a spiritual prompting that would not be realized fully until just last month. It caused me to wonder and to question, but also to act in faith. Some trials of faith last for minutes, others for years. But patience is required as we wait upon the Lord.
I close with an invitation and a promise from Pres. Nelson to our youth. See if it sounds familiar…“Now I plead with each of you to…take your questions directly to your Heavenly Father in prayer. Ask him in the name of Jesus Christ to guide you. You can learn for yourself…how to receive personal revelation. And nothing will make a bigger difference in your life than that.”
“I promise you…that wherever you are on the covenant path…if you will sincerely and persistently do the spiritual work needed to [learn] how to hear the whisperings of the holy ghost, you will have all the direction you will ever need in your life. You will be given answers to your questions in the Lord’s own way…”
Brothers and Sisters, walking through the world can feel like a dark and dreary wilderness. It can feel like a long and difficult journey, but I testify of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is in the wilderness. He has walked this path and he will be our Light. I testify of the Holy Ghost. He can give us clarity, understanding, and confidence. Most of all, he can help us feel the truth of the Gospel and the love of the Lord. I testify of our beloved Prophet. He is a prophet, a seer, and a revelator. He understands the principles of revelation. If we follow him, he will teach us how to receive revelation.