(Talk given in church October 26, 2025)
As I think about this question, the one thing that comes to mind is that revelation is kind of a cyclical thing. As we grow closer to the Savior, we are more apt to be in tune with the revelations we are being given, and as we listen to and follow revelations, we continue to grow in this relationship. In my life, I have waxed and waned in my faith, but one thing has always remained true: when I have made the effort to reach out to my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ, I have been given peace and direction when needed. In the scriptures, we are told more than once, “Ask, and it shall be given unto you…” In fact, when I searched this exact phrase in the Church Library app, I found it in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants. I have found comfort in knowing that my Heavenly Father loves me so much that He is willing to help me as needed and as He sees fit, and all I have to do is ask. In his conference talk, Hear Him, President Nelson said, “...when we seek to hear - truly hear - His son, we will be guided to know what to do in any circumstance.” I may not always understand why I am being led in a specific direction, but I have been blessed when I have depended on the personal revelation I have been given.
When my daughter, the youngest of three children, was a baby, I felt the need to further my education, but I thought that sending my husband at the time to school was more importan since he was the breadwinner. A little over a year later, I sat in a General Relief Society meeting at the Denver North Stake Center (I even remember where I was sitting) and felt this prompting stronger than I ever had as I listened to President Monson speak. His talk, “Three Goals to Guide You,” spoke to my soul in a way no other talk has before or since. The words that penetrated my heart were, “Often the future is unknown; therefore, it behooves us to prepare for uncertainties…I urge you to pursue your education…that you might be prepared to provide if circumstances necessitate.” I was denied the opportunity at the time, but a few years later, as I was facing divorce, I signed up for online classes and eventually earned an associates degree. That degree eventually led me to a job that better suited my family’s needs and allowed me to work from home at a time when my teenage daughter needed me the most. There was no way for me as a young mom to know that this sweet little girl, who was almost 2 when I heard President Monson speak that Saturday evening, would need me in the way she did about 14 years later, but I am thankful for this revelation that persisted in me for so long. I am thankful for that degree as well as the bachelors degree I have received since then, and I don’t think I will ever stop learning whether it be formally or informally.
For me, personal revelation is rarely this obvious, but when I am listening, it is clear. President Nelson said, “...our Heavenly Father communicates simply, quietly, and with stunning plainness that we cannot misunderstand Him.” I have learned that as I am diligent in doing the simple things such reading my scriptures, going to church, attending the temple, and going to the Lord in prayer, I am more in tune with the Holy Ghost and ready to listen to His promptings. In Doctrine and Covenants 64:33, we read, “Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.” We are not asked to know everything all at once. We aren’t even asked to believe everything at once. In his book, The Rock of Our Redeemer, Elder Bednar tells us, “Obtaining answers for ourselves is the pursuit of a lifetime.” We are asked to do our best to learn by doing as it says in Doctrine and Covenants 88:118, “...seek ye out the best books words of wisdom; yea, seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” As we seek for spiritual knowledge and grow our testimonies, we grow closer to our Savior and are more open to the personal revelation He sees fit for us to receive.
About a year and a half ago, I felt prompted to read a book I had heard about but never wanted to read: The Miracle Morning. I am not really a morning person, and I knew that if I tried to follow the habits laid out in this book, I would have to get up even earlier than I already did. However, I ordered the book as I told my husband that it was worth a shot to read about habits other people use to further themselves in life. As I worked my way through each chapter, I found myself getting excited and thinking about how I could implement these habits into my life. I started getting up earlier and quickly decided that for the mediation part of the morning, I would start with prayer. I had been wanting to read my scriptures more regularly, so that was the obvious choice for reading material. As I did these things, my journaling became more meaningful and a regular part of my morning routine as well. As I searched for daily affirmations, I found myself adding scriptures to the list. Visualization has always been difficult for me, but I have found that the more I am focused on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the more I spend this time thinking of ways to grow closer to Him. This morning routine that I was sure I was not going to fully implement in my life, has blessed it in immeasurable ways. For example, a few months after starting this process, the call went out for temple workers. Chad and I felt strongly that we needed to work in the temple. Through this calling, we have learned more about the covenants and ordinances performed in this sacred place, drawing us closer to the Savior, and I know we, and all who serve in the temple, have grown closer to the people we serve on both sides of the veil.
One last story I want to tell happened just a few weeks ago. I have a dear friend who I have been friends with since we were pregnant with our oldest children. She has since moved from state to state over the years, and our correspondence has lessened as time has gone by. We, now, mostly send messages through Facebook Messenger here and there. On a random Wednesday, she sent me a message saying, “Hey! God put you in my head. How are you?” We exchanged quick updates about our families and let the conversation go where it needed to go. After a while, it led into a conversation about the influences of angels in our lives. I told her about feeling my mom, grandma, and other ancestors in the temple. Then, she told me of some small miracles that had happened in her life in which she knew it was the influence of God’s angels. She also sent me a conference talk and song about this topic. This may not have been the conversation that either of us expected when she sent that simple message that morning, but it was the conversation that I needed in a year that I have struggled with the death of my mom and brother more than I have in a while. We had not talked in over a year, and there was no way that she knew I needed this talk and song to comfort me. I am thankful that this dear friend listened to the personal revelation she was given that morning to reach out to me.
President Nelson taught, “As we seek to be disciples of Jesus Christ, our efforts to hear Him need to be ever more intentional. It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, and His truths... We…hear Him more clearly as we refine our ability to recognize the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. It has never been more imperative to know how the Spirit speaks to you than right now.” As we strive to learn of Jesus Christ, we become closer to Him which allows us to feel the Holy Ghost more in our lives and receive personal revelation that can bless us and those around us. Elder Bednar said, “To face the future with faith, hope, and power, our lives need to be anchored to the ‘rock of our redeemer’ (Helaman 5:12). We are connected securely to and with Heavenly Father and the Savior as we worthily receive ordinances and enter into covenants, faithfully remember and honor those sacred commitments, and do our best to live in accordance with the covenant conditions we have accepted. And as we accept the invitation to ask, seek, and knock for the spiritual gift of faith in Christ and strive to learn for ourselves eternal truths, we further strengthen our bond to God and the Savior. And it is through that bond that we receive spiritual strength and stability."
The Lord wants to bless us. He asks us to do so little compared to the blessings we are given. I know as we do the “small and simple things” he has asked of us, we will be blessed with the personal revelation brings us closer to Him and those around us.
