Joy through Revelation
I gave a talk this past Sunday in church. My topic was President Nelson’s talk in April General Conference: Revelation for the Church, Revelation for our Lives. In his talk, President Nelson says: “One of the things the Spirit has repeatedly impressed on my mind since my new calling as President of the Church is how willing the Lord is to reveal His mind and will.”
He gave examples of revelation in his life:
-in his professional life (as a surgeon in the operating room receiving specific guidance)
-in his personal life (as he proposed marriage to Wendy Watson)
-in his church life (as he called two new councilors)
-in the operations of the church (describing how the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles operate)
Two times in his talk he said, “I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation.”
At one point, he looked right into the camera and said, with what I’m sure I saw as a twinkle in his eye: “Oh, there is so much more that your Father in Heaven wants you to know.”
I wanna know, I wanna know. Tell me. Tell me. Oh, you don’t tell me, I get to work at learning how revelation comes and build that relationship for myself.
I got the impression that revelation isn’t a one and done thing. I don’t just offer up a prayer, “Hey, I don’t know what the answer is, what is it?” type prayer. President Nelson instructed that revelation is a continual effort. He listed the steps on how to receive revelation and the first one was:
1. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go
Regularly go. Not a one time, “please tell me what to do now, I’m stuck” prayer.
2. Humble yourself before God
3. Pour out you hear to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort
4. Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses-yes, the very longings of your heart.
5. And then listen!
6. Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record you feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take.
His final step, he quoted the Prophet Joseph Smith:
7. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principles of revelation”
I want to know what President Nelson was talking about. I want to know all the many more things that Heavenly Father wants me to know.
“As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course ... as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.” (D&C 121:33)
Let the river flow and pour down knowledge on my head. I’ll do the work. The daily drops of oil, the repeating daily work. And in that work, will come revelation and joy.
He gave examples of revelation in his life:
-in his professional life (as a surgeon in the operating room receiving specific guidance)
-in his personal life (as he proposed marriage to Wendy Watson)
-in his church life (as he called two new councilors)
-in the operations of the church (describing how the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles operate)
Two times in his talk he said, “I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation.”
At one point, he looked right into the camera and said, with what I’m sure I saw as a twinkle in his eye: “Oh, there is so much more that your Father in Heaven wants you to know.”
I wanna know, I wanna know. Tell me. Tell me. Oh, you don’t tell me, I get to work at learning how revelation comes and build that relationship for myself.
I got the impression that revelation isn’t a one and done thing. I don’t just offer up a prayer, “Hey, I don’t know what the answer is, what is it?” type prayer. President Nelson instructed that revelation is a continual effort. He listed the steps on how to receive revelation and the first one was:
1. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go
Regularly go. Not a one time, “please tell me what to do now, I’m stuck” prayer.
2. Humble yourself before God
3. Pour out you hear to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort
4. Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses-yes, the very longings of your heart.
5. And then listen!
6. Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record you feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take.
His final step, he quoted the Prophet Joseph Smith:
7. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principles of revelation”
I want to know what President Nelson was talking about. I want to know all the many more things that Heavenly Father wants me to know.
“As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course ... as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.” (D&C 121:33)
Let the river flow and pour down knowledge on my head. I’ll do the work. The daily drops of oil, the repeating daily work. And in that work, will come revelation and joy.
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