Stay Connected: Making It Safely Home
We choose the King of the kingdom when we choose to follow the counsel of those He has chosen—the living prophets. Choose to stay connected. The consequences are eternal.
In Awe: The Astonishing Goodness of God
What fills me with profound awe is that our Brother Jesus Christ would be willing to “descend from his throne divine” to suffer, bleed, and die to rescue rebellious souls like me and you. His sacrifice is “sufficient . . . to redeem, and to justify” all of humanity, and at the same time He succors you and me personally. That is truly awesome!
Vaulting to Greater Heights: Replacing Fear with Lasting Peace
I pray that we keep our gaze elevated so that we can see our trials through the lens of their purpose, so that we can become more Christlike and gain the eternal win. As we do so, our hearts will be filled with peace rather than fear.
The Messy Middle of Revelation
The Holy Spirit is the conduit through which you can feel how much your Father in Heaven loves you and how Jesus Christ, through His Atonement, desires to change both your mud and sand to rock and to be your sure foundation.
How I Became a Seeker
The plan is for us to seek our way from simplicity through complexity, by study and by faith, until we arrive at the simplicity on the other side of complexity.
To Receive, to Covenant, and to Minister
To create a home-court advantage for every member of the campus community, organizational efforts must be matched by individual efforts. This is a one-on-one, personal, individual ministry, and we need everyone!
His Sheep Still Hear His Voice
The need for us to hear the voice of the true Shepherd has never been greater. His sheep still hear His voice. The influence of the Holy Ghost is available for us in our lives every day.
Stand Forever
We must be grounded on the rock of revelation, and although we may not know the answer to every question, we must know the answers to the primary questions. And if we do, the gates of hell shall not prevail against us and we will stand forever.
Humble Uncertainty
There is, however, a soul-expanding kind of doubt that proceeds from an attitude of humility—the species of humility that openly admits our weaknesses. When we begin to see ourselves and our weaknesses clearly, we arrive at a state of vulnerability similar to what Joseph Smith faced as he unwittingly prepared himself for the Sacred Grove.
Receiving Revelation
But there is even more good news for those who question their ability to receive and recognize revelation despite their sincere but often seemingly ineffective efforts to do so. It is that you are likely doing better at receiving revelation than you think.
Recognizing and Understanding the Spirit at BYU
This mortal experience can take a toll on our testimony and commitment to the gospel. It is precisely in these times of testing that we need to be intellectually honest with ourselves and consciously remember the authentic spiritual experiences we have had.
Revealing Questions
Questions—particularly questions that arise about the gospel—can be especially trying. Questions are inherently born of uncertainty, and we as humans are vehemently opposed to uncertainty. We dislike the feeling of not knowing because we feel vulnerable. Yet this vulnerability can actually be a sacred space.
Stand Up Straight, Smile, and Remember Who You Are
I testify that if you seek help and invite others into your life, then your life will be fuller, your success will be more meaningful, and you will find peace.
The Unspeakable Gift of the Holy Ghost
I humbly pray that you will desire more earnestly to be worthy of the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, that you may grow in the ability to recognize His promptings, that you may “be still and know” (D&C 101:16) the Father and the Son through the Holy Ghost, and that you will express gratitude for Him and His guidance, for to express gratitude invites more of the Spirit.
Receiving and Recognizing the Holy Ghost
Brothers and sisters, Heavenly Father did not send us to this earth without also sending the Holy Ghost to guide and protect us. One of the most important skills we must learn in this life is to receive and recognize the quiet whisperings of the Spirit.
Our Life-Changing Partnership with the Spirit
By using our agency to change our behavior, we empower the Spirit to change our hearts. We must truthfully identify those things currently keeping us from following the Savior as fully as we should and, unlike the young rich man, be willing to put those things on the altar of sacrifice.
Evidences of the Heart
We do not have to physically be in the Sacred Grove to receive guidance and instruction from our Heavenly Father. Nevertheless, we must learn the language of the Spirit for ourselves and find our own sacred places in which we personally come to know the things of God by the Spirit of God.
Prayer
It is through prayer that we can find strength, both in spirit and in body. Prayer can provide protection from all sources of harm and evil.
Live Right Now
Promptings from Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost can help us live right now. I am grateful Heavenly Father respects perfectly our agency and at the same time—in circumstances and at times He knows best—also prompts and guides us.
Gifts of the Spirit for Hard Times
Feeling the influence of the Holy Ghost works both ways: the Holy Ghost only dwells in a clean temple, and the reception of the Holy Ghost cleanses us through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. You can pray with faith to know what to do to be cleansed and thus qualified for the companionship of the Holy Ghost and the service of the Lord.
Discernment for Journeying Through Babylon to Athens and Zion
Discerning our journey through the world entails, first, choosing specific worthy destinations rather than just drifting somewhere.
“Quick to Observe”
Much like faith precedes the miracle, much like baptism by water comes before the baptism by fire...so being quick to observe is a prerequisite to and a preparation for the gift of discernment.
Our Spiritual and Temporal Foundation: Scriptures and Revelation
Scriptures and revelation teach us the very doctrine of hope in the Atonement of Jesus Christ and tell us about our divine nature and our divine destiny. As children of our Heavenly Father, we were created with hope within ourselves, with the Light of Christ, with a divine potential.
Discerning the Will of the Lord for Me
Growing in our ability to receive revelation is like learning a new language or learning to play a musical instrument. We must practice diligently for a long time before we feel comfortable with it. We must be patient with ourselves, recognize that we might have some setbacks, and persist until we become masters at recognizing a witness of the Spirit.
The Wind Beneath Your Wings
The Holy Ghost will be the wind beneath your wings, placing in your hearts the firm conviction of the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and His place in the eternal plan of God, your Eternal Father.
Stones in the Wall
When we sin, we build a wall of stones around us, making it difficult to hear spiritual impressions. As we remove the stones, we gain guidance from God.
“Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence”
Don’t lose your confidence. Don’t forget how you once felt. Don’t distrust the experience you had. That tenacity is what saved Moses when the adversary confronted him, and it is what will save you.
Perspectives on Knowing in a Human Science
Elaine S. Marshall offers some professional, personal, and scriptural perspectives on knowing, as well as the limits of temporal and spiritual knowledge.
The Voice of the Lord
One of the most important—if not the most important—challenges in learning how to come unto Christ and to be perfected in him is to learn to hear, to recognize, and then to follow the voice of the Lord.
Personal Revelation
Receiving personal revelation is not a passive process. As we seek such revelations, we must prepare for these sacred experiences.
Personal Epiphanies
The Lord can bless any of His children with an epiphany of knowledge and guidance. Consistent, strong inspiration is possible through the Holy Ghost.
What Came from Kirtland
Kirtland is truly a holy ground of this dispensation. The Church basks in the light of revelation today to a great extent because of the great Pentecostal outpouring that Joseph and the Saints received in Kirtland.
The Voice of the Spirit
You will not be able to travel through life on borrowed light. The light of life must be part of your very being. The voice you must learn to heed is the voice of the Spirit.
Great Answers to the Great Question
Through the witness of the Book of Mormon and prophetic revelation, the gospel offers great answers to age-old questions of the soul.
The Elusive Balance
There is a balance to be found in life between looking to the Lord's hand in all things and using your God-given agency to guide you through life.
Spiritual Experience
My brothers and sisters, I want to begin by telling you that I feel and know the responsibility that is mine in talking to you this day. It is always an immense responsibility to talk of the ways of the Lord, and so I pray that I may be blessed to say the things of my heart, and that you will be able to receive them as they are meant,…
Guidance: Ongoing Guidance Is Needed for All
In order to accomplish the things we truly desire, we need ongoing guidance from the Lord. Ted E. Brewerton shares basic principles for seeking and following such revelation.
Seek and Ye Shall Find
Cultivate a relationship with your Heavenly Father, and seek His guidance as you make important decisions. He will lead, protect, and help you.
Revelation
I know that God lives and that revelation to his children is a reality. I pray that we will be worthy and willing, and that he will bless us to grow in this principle of revelation.
Reason and Revelation
Gospel learning comes both by the process of reason and revelation, and all must take care to learn by the Holy Ghost rather than be deceived by Satan.
On Making Revelation a Personal Reality
You can make revelation a personal reality as you search the scriptures, commune with the Father, and live in keeping with divine commandments.
What Is Your Mission?
Discovering your mission in life is a daunting, but not impossible task. If you trust Him and have the courage to act, God will guide and shape your life.
We Believe in Prophecy
We believe in the gift of prophecy. We can see today the fulfillment of prophecies from long ago, and they give us faith to follow our living prophets now.
Living Flames, Not Dead Ashes
Learning to listen to the promptings of the Spirit brings safety. Every worthy individual is entitled to the companionship of the Spirit. If you listen, you will find he is often more eager to help than we are to obey.
Remembered and Nourished by the Good Word of God
"We all count. Everyone matters. We have a name and it’s recorded and we need to remember that here. No one must get lost."
How to Know If Revelation Is from the Lord
"I presume if there were no repentance there would be no revelation received."
Accept Divine Counsel
The modern scriptures have received my attention and time during the twenty-six years I’ve been on the faculty at Brigham Young University—and for some time before then, in fact. I include in this body of material the sermons and writings of the General Authorities of the Church, especially the prophets, seers, and revelators of our dispensation. My special emphasis of study and teaching has been the Doctrine and Covenants. The…
Agency or Inspiration—Which?
It is our obligation to go to work on our problems and then counsel with the Lord and get the ratifying seal of the Holy Spirit on the conclusions that we’ve reached; and that ratifying seal is the spirit of revelation.
How to Get Personal Revelation
Intellectual study of the gospel is necessary, but cannot take the place of personal revelation that comes through searching and asking.
Flesh Is Flesh and Spirit Is Spirit
The things of the world, or of the flesh, must be learned by the methods of the world. The things of the spirit, however, must be learned by the Spirit.
A Proper Orientation on the Threshold of Life
You are just now on the threshold of life, with many important decisions to make. Make them wisely and in keeping with the teachings of the gospel.
Your Eternal Flight
Your life's journey is like a flight in an airplane—you need to pay careful attention to your instruments, and keep your sight fixed on your destination.
Lessons of the Sixth Century
The great men of the sixth century believed in contemplation and in action, and they weren’t afraid to ask God for revelation.
But Arise and Stand upon Thy Feet
Elder Harold B. Lee invites us, as Jesus commanded Paul, to "arise and stand upon thy feet." We can receive revelation and answer the call of the Lord.
Divine Revelation
God speaks to us through prophets and through personal revelation. However, we must be humble and watchful to receive His words.
Leadership Week: Fulfillment of Prophecy
Elder Joseph Fielding Smith speaks of historical and current events, especially in the Middle East, as fulfillment of prophecy given in the scriptures.
