Receiving Personal Revelation - Our Impressions Ought to be Indistinguishable from His Promptings

 

Elder Holland on How to Hear Him

I Hear Him by Trusting My Feelings

Another way I “hear Him” is to trust what I feel. I often get asked, “How do I know that what I am feeling is coming from the Lord?” If your searching is honorable and true and clean and noble, trust the feelings that come. I encourage people to act on those feelings and to believe that their instincts can be founded on truth. At that point you do not have to ask, “Did it come from Him?” He will make sure that it doesn’t come from an evil source.

God wants us to be like Him. We mature, and with effort we become more like God. We think more of His thoughts and feel more of His feelings. We are one with Him, and our impressions ought to be indistinguishable from His promptings. That unity is one of the things the Savior prayed for. By striving to live as one with Him, you will be more like God and you will “hear Him” and trust Him, even as you trust your own feelings when praying to Him.

Elder Bednar, Temple and Family History Leadership, Feb. 2021, at 10:18 minutes

Many members of the Church think they have to be consciously aware of receiving revelation. In other words, “I have to receive revelation and I have to know in the moment that I am receiving revelation,” and that’s not always true. If you’ll think about Nephi when he was commanded to return to Jerusalem to obtain the Plates of Brass, he said that he went not knowing beforehand the things that he should do. In other words, he was just doing what he knew he should do. And as he was moving forward to Jerusalem he was guided and inspired, but in the moment, he didn’t really recognize or know that that was happening. So, sometimes we think that we have to gear up, prepare, get ready to receive revelation. If we are living the gospel and keeping the commandments, we’re living in revelation. It’s not a rare event where we have to stop and get ready, but it should be a very natural part of our life all the time. 

Summary of Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Strengthened by the Atonement of Jesus Christ,”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Strengthened by the Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Oct. 2015

Isaiah 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Strengthened by the Atonement	Other Comments by Pres. Oaks
Because of that same Atonement, our Savior can provide us the strength we need to overcome these mortal challenges. That is my subject today.	Most scriptural accounts of the Atonement concern the Savior’s breaking the bands of death and suffering for our sins.
President James E. Faust taught, “Since the Savior has suffered anything and everything that we could ever feel or experience, He can help the weak to become stronger.”
He therefore knows our struggles, our heartaches, our temptations, and our suffering, for He willingly experienced them all as an essential part of His Atonement. And because of this, His Atonement empowers Him to succor us—to give us the strength to bear it all.	Our Savior experienced and suffered the fulness of all mortal challenges “according to the flesh” so He could know “according to the flesh” how to “succor [which means to give relief or aid to] his people according to their infirmities.”
At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus explained that He was sent “to heal the brokenhearted” (Luke 4:18). The Bible often tells us of His healing people “of their infirmities” (Luke 5:15; 7:21). The Book of Mormon records His healing those “that were afflicted in any manner” (3 Nephi 17:9).
Isaiah taught that the Messiah would bear our “griefs” and our “sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). Isaiah also taught of His strengthening us: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:10).
Speaking of some of his own mortal challenges, the Apostle Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).
And so we see that because of His Atonement, the Savior has the power to succor—to help—every mortal pain and affliction. Sometimes His power heals an infirmity, but the scriptures and our experiences teach that sometimes He succors or helps by giving us the strength or patience to endure our infirmities.
As the Psalmist declared, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). Some addictions are likely to have been caused by sinful behavior. Even when that behavior has been repented of, the addiction may remain. That disabling grip can also be relieved by the decisive strength available from the Savior.	We all have pains and afflictions and infirmities at one time or another. Apart from what we experience because of our sins, mortality is filled with frequent struggles, heartaches, and suffering. Examples: sickness, physical or mental difficulties, the death of a loved one, failure in our personal responsibilities, our family relationships, or our occupations, when a spouse or a child strays from the path of righteousness, feeling of rejection, life has many other challenges, such as unemployment or other reverses in our plans, some are born with physical or mental disabilities, the infirmity of depression is painful or permanently disabling, singleness, addictions.
Who can be succored and strengthened through the Atonement of Jesus Christ? Because of His atoning experience in mortality, our Savior is able to comfort, heal, and strengthen all men and women everywhere, but I believe He does so only for those who seek Him and ask for His help.
As Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “Having ‘descended below all things,’ He comprehends, perfectly and personally, the full range of human suffering.” We might even say that having descended beneath it all, He is perfectly positioned to lift us and give us the strength we need to endure our afflictions. We have only to ask.
His Atonement also provides the opportunity to call upon Him who has experienced all of our mortal infirmities to give us the strength to bear the burdens of mortality.	Our Savior’s Atonement does more than assure us of immortality by a universal resurrection and give us the opportunity to be cleansed from sin by repentance and baptism.
Like the good Samaritan, when He finds us wounded at the wayside, He will bind up our wounds and care for us (see Luke 10:34). The healing and strengthening power of Jesus Christ and His Atonement is for all of us who will ask.
I pray that we will all understand the hope and strength of our Savior’s Atonement: the assurance of immortality, the opportunity for eternal life, and the sustaining strength we can receive if only we will ask,

Prophetic Warnings Fulfilled and the Need to Follow the First Presidency

 

Neal A. Maxwell, "Meeting the Challenges of Today," Oct 10, 1978 - BYU Speeches

Excerpts:

Discipleship includes good citizenship; and in this connection, if you are careful students of the statements of the modern prophets, you will have noticed that with rare exceptions—especially when the First Presidency has spoken out—the concerns expressed have been over moral issues, not issues between political parties. The declarations are about principles, not people, and causes, not candidates. 

But make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters; in the months and years ahead, events will require of each member that he or she decide whether or not he or she will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions (see 1 Kings 18:21).

President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had “never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional, or political life” (CR, April 1941, p. 123). This is a hard doctrine, but it is a particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ.

We are now entering a period of incredible ironies. Let us cite but one of these ironies which is yet in its subtle stages: we shall see in our time a maximum if indirect effort made to establish irreligion as the state religion. It is actually a new form of paganism that uses the carefully preserved and cultivated freedoms of Western civilization to shrink freedom even as it rejects the value essence of our rich Judeo-Christian heritage.

Your discipleship may see the time come when religious convictions are heavily discounted. M. J. Sobran also observed, “A religious conviction is now a second-class conviction, expected to step deferentially to the back of the secular bus, and not to get uppity about it” (Human Life Review, Summer 1978, p. 58). This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain of people’s opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will soon be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.

In its mildest form, irreligion will merely be condescending toward those who hold to traditional Judeo-Christian values. In its more harsh forms, as is always the case with those whose dogmatism is blinding, the secular church will do what it can to reduce the influence of those who still worry over standards such as those in the Ten Commandments. It is always such an easy step from dogmatism to unfair play—especially so when the dogmatists believe themselves to be dealing with primitive people who do not know what is best for them. It is the secular bureaucrat’s burden, you see.

It may well be, as our time comes to “suffer shame for his name” (Acts 5:41), that some of this special stress will grow out of that portion of discipleship which involves citizenship. Remember that, as Nephi and Jacob said, we must learn to endure “the crosses of the world” (2 Nephi 9:18) and yet to despise “the shame of [it]” (Jacob 1:8). To go on clinging to the iron rod in spite of the mockery and scorn that flow at us from the multitudes in that great and spacious building seen by Father Lehi, which is the “pride of the world,” is to disregard the shame of the world (1 Nephi 8:26–27, 33; 11:35–36). Parenthetically, why—really why—do the disbelievers who line that spacious building watch so intently what the believers are doing? Surely there must be other things for the scorners to do—unless, deep within their seeming disinterest, there is interest.

Properly humbled and instructed concerning the great privileges that are ours, we can cope with what seem to be very dark days and difficult developments, because we will have a true perspective about “things as they really are,” and we can see in them a great chance to contribute.

Hymns/Words of Comfort During Times of Deep Trials

I have a few favorite hymns that I retreat to in times of deeper trials. I had never thought through the words of the third hymn below before, but now I have three songs to rely on.

The Touching Story Behind “It Is Well with My Soul.” I have read this story many times, but it still brings me peace. It is one thing to be able to read the words, it is another thing to write them during what he went through!

"It is Well With My Soul"

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul

It is well, With my soul

It is well, it is well with my soul

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

 

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:

If Jordan above me shall roll,

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life

Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

 

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,

The sky, not the grave, is our goal;

Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!

Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

 

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

 

 "How Gentle God's Commands"

My favoritie line: “Why should this anxious load, press down your weary mind?”  

1. How gentle God’s commands!

How kind his precepts are!

Come, cast your burdens on the Lord

And trust his constant care.

2. Beneath his watchful eye,

His Saints securely dwell;

That hand which bears all nature up

Shall guard his children well.

3. Why should this anxious load

Press down your weary mind?

Haste to your Heav’nly Father’s throne

And sweet refreshment find.

4. His goodness stands approved,

Unchanged from day to day;

I’ll drop my burden at his feet

And bear a song away.

 

 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

 Joyfully

 1. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!

O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation!

Join the great throng,

Psaltery, organ and song,

Sounding in glad adoration!

 

2. Praise to the Lord! Over all things he gloriously reigneth.

Borne as on eagle wings, safely his Saints he sustaineth.

Hast thou not seen

How all thou needest hath been

Granted in what he ordaineth?

 

3. Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy way and defend thee.

Surely his goodness and mercy shall ever attend thee.

Ponder anew

What the Almighty can do,

Who with his love doth befriend thee.

 

4. Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore him!

All that hath breath, join with Abraham’s seed to adore him!

Let the “amen”

Sum all our praises again,

Now as we worship before him.

 

Text: Joachim Neander, 1650–1680; trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1829–1878

Music: From Stralsund Gesangbuch, 1665; arr. by William S. Bennett, 1816–1875, and Otto Goldschmidt, 1829–1907

 

Psalm 150

Psalm 23:6

What Can I do to Increase My Spirituality?

 I often ask myself and ask in my prayers, "What can I do to increase my spirituality?" so I can receive more help from my Heavenly Father in my daily life. Over the years, I find that the things I need to work on can be grouped into the following categories. These ideas have come from the teachings of living apostles and prophets, so I have included their teachings below.

1. Focus on Jesus Christ
2. Prayer
• Focused, vocal prayer
• Spiritually plan my day
3. Scripture study
• Daily Read from the Book of Mormon
• Pray before reading
• Ponder and listen after
4. Temple covenants
5. Repentance & humility
6. Recognize and Record impressions
• Ask each day, “Have I seen the Hand of the Lord today?”
• Ask more – listen longer, His ways are higher

President Nelson, "Let God Prevail," Oct. 2020, “The only way to survive spiritually is to be determined to let God prevail in our lives, to learn to hear His voice and to use our energy to help gather Israel.”

President Russell M. Nelson, "Spiritual Treasures," Oct. 2019 Examine your life meticulously and regularly. As you do so, the Holy Ghost will prompt you about what is no longer needful, what is no longer worthy of your time and energy.

1. Focus on Jesus Christ

a.       Read and underline every verse cited about Jesus Christ

Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into our Lives - President Russell M. Nelson’s Challenge

Earlier this year, I asked the young adults of the Church to consecrate a portion of their time each week to study everything Jesus said and did as recorded in the standard works. I invited them to let the scriptural citations about Jesus Christ in the Topical Guide become their personal core curriculum. I gave that challenge because I had already accepted it myself. I read and underlined every verse cited about Jesus Christ, as listed under the main heading and the 57 subtitles in the Topical Guide. When I finished that exciting exercise, my wife asked me what impact it had on me. I told her, “I am a different man!” I felt a renewed devotion to Him as I read again in the Book of Mormon the Savior’s own statement about His mission in mortality.

2. Prayer

a.      Focused, vocal prayer

Elder Jeffery R. Holland, To “Hear Him” Is the Essence of the Restoration, Nov. 2020  

I Hear Him through Determined Prayer. 

There is a great lesson in [Joseph’s prayer] about muscular, urgent, determined prayer to fight through, whether it is the adversary’s opposition, the cares of the day, or the distractions of our mind. We have many things that can keep us from having that divine experience. And we, like Joseph, will have to exert all our power to have the magnificent experience that God wants us to have.

 

I Hear Him by Making Quality Time to Pray Vocally.

As Joseph did, I believe it is important for us to pray out loud. It is basic to what God intends for us in our communication with Him. He invites a conversation, if you will, and wants so much to “hear us.” We should make every effort to let Him hear us—literally.

 

The scriptures occasionally talk about the Lord speaking, and they sometimes describe His voice. Sometimes it is a soft voice. Sometimes it is a loud voice. But it is always a penetrating voice. It is always a voice that captivates and engages the whole soul. For me, to say out loud the words of my prayer is to make it crisp and almost visible. Prayer takes on a meaning and a life that is not quite the same when I am just thinking words or mumbling a bit. When we communicate clearly to Him, we can expect to “hear Him” more clearly in return.

 

If you wait until midnight, when you are exhausted, and then say your prayers, it might be only a half-hearted effort before you tumble into bed. Consider moving that prayer up to earlier in the evening, when you are alert and attentive and can make it more powerful. Prayer time ought to be quality time, not just time that happens to be left over when everything else is done—the last gasp of the day, so to speak.

 b.     Spiritually plan my day

3. Scripture study

a.      Daily Read from the Book of Mormon 

 Pray before reading

b.     Ponder and listen after

Henry B. Eyring, Ensign, Nov. 2010 Our humility and our faith that invite spiritual gifts are increased by our reading, studying, and pondering the scriptures. We have all heard those words. Yet we may read a few lines or pages of scripture every day and hope that will be enough. But reading, studying, and pondering are not the same. We read words and we may get ideas. We study and we may discover patterns and connections in scripture. But when we ponder, we invite revelation by the Spirit. Pondering, to me, is the thinking and the praying I do after reading and studying in the scriptures carefully.

 

4. Temple covenants

5. Repentance & humility

Elder Neil L. Anderson, The Gift of Forgiveness, Liahona, Feb. 2021

In prayer we review the happenings of the day, asking,

• “Where did I see the Lord’s hand in my life?
• How did my actions reveal honesty and unselfishness?
• What more could I have done?
• What thoughts and emotions do I need to control?
• How could I have better followed the example of the Savior?
• How could I have been more kind, more loving, more forgiving, and more merciful toward others?
• In what ways was I less than my Heavenly Father would want me to be?”

In prayer we review the happenings of the day… Then we pause and listen. Our personal prayers open the window to personal revelation from our Heavenly Father.

Our repentance, followed by forgiveness from the Savior of the world, is the foundation of our prayers and efforts to return to our heavenly home.

With faith in Jesus Christ, we openly acknowledge to our Heavenly Father

• our mistakes,
• oversights,
• and unthoughtful actions toward others.

We humbly ask for forgiveness, listen to the quiet impressions of the Spirit, and promise our Heavenly Father that we will be more attentive to those things we can improve. We confess our sins and we forsake them (see Doctrine and Covenants 58:43). We restore that which we can restore to those we have hurt or offended. It may be an apology to a spouse or a child, a message to a friend or coworker, or a resolve to follow a neglected spiritual impression.

Repentance becomes a continual thought, a constant effort.

President Russell M. Nelson has said:

“Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance. …

“… Experience the strengthening power of daily repentance—of doing and being a little better each day.”

 

6. Recognize and Record impressions

a.      How to #HearHim

President Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives, Apr. 2018 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.” 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.

 

President Nelson, Hear Him, Apr. 2020

I promise that as you increase your time in temple and family history work, you will increase and improve your ability to hear Him.

 

Elder Jeffery R. Holland, To “Hear Him” Is the Essence of the Restoration, Nov. 2020  

 I Hear Him by Trusting My Feelings

Another way I “hear Him” is to trust what I feel. I often get asked, “How do I know that what I am feeling is coming from the Lord?” We don’t always get a written, certified statement issued in response to our prayers, but if your searching is honorable and true and clean and noble, trust the feelings that come. I encourage people to act on those feelings and to believe that their instincts can be founded on truth. At that point you do not have to ask, “Did it come from Him?” He will make sure that it doesn’t come from an evil source.

 

God wants us to be like Him. We mature, and with effort we become more like God. We think more of His thoughts and feel more of His feelings. We are one with Him, and our impressions ought to be indistinguishable from His promptings. That unity is one of the things the Savior prayed for. By striving to live as one with Him, you will be more like God and you will “hear Him” and trust Him, even as you trust your own feelings when praying to Him.

 

b.     Ask each day, “Have I seen the Hand of the Lord today?”

c.      Ask more – listen longer, His ways are higher