It is an honor to be here. I think every husband is just a little bit nervous when his wife introduces him, and fortunately my wife looked to the good aspects. I hope that came through. We are grateful to be here. We love the spirit of this campus, and we are particularly grateful that we have a number of our returned missionaries that we are looking forward to spending some quality time [with].
Each of us might appropriately ask this telling question: When was the last time I received revelation in my life?
Brigham Young made a significant statement about our capacity to receive revelation versus the actuality of it happening in our lives. He said, "There is no doubt, if a person lives according to the revelations given to God's people, he may have the Spirit of God to signify to him His will, and to guide him and direct him in the discharge of his duties, in his temporal as well as his spiritual exercises. I am satisfied however, that in this respect, we live far beneath our privileges" (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 75). In other words we are all entitled to revelation, but in most cases we live far beneath our potential.
Accordingly, today I would like to speak about some principles underlying revelation—how we can increase the revelation we receive in our lives, and how we can recognize it when it comes.
First Principle:
Every person is entitled to revelation within the sphere of his responsibility.
The Lord will never give us a calling or responsibility without the right to receive revelation to help us fulfill it. What does that mean?
It means that every person has the right to receive revelation to help him in his individual quest for exaltation.
It means that every spouse has the right to receive revelation to help him or her be a better companion.
It means that every parent has the right to receive revelation so he can give good and wise counsel to his children.
And it means that every member with a church calling has the right to receive revelation to help him magnify that calling.
Many years ago I was released as a Stake President. The assigned general authority to our stake asked if I would like to participate as he set apart the new stake president. I indicated I would. He put his hands on the new stake president's head and then said something that struck me. He said: "There are many revelations waiting for you." I was worried. I wondered, "Did I leave some revelations on the table?" Then the thought crossed my mind, "Inherent in every calling in this church is the right to receive revelation." That is the genius of this Church. This is a church of revelation and inherent in every God-given responsibility we have in life is the right to receive God-given aid by way of revelation. Elder Bruce R. McConkie confirmed this truth: "Now I say that we are entitled to revelation. Every member of the Church is entitled to get revelation.... We think in terms of prophets who tell the future destiny of the Church and the world. But the fact is that every person should be a prophet for himself and his own affairs" ("How to Get Personal Revelation," Tambuli, April 1981).
Each of us might ask: Am I receiving revelation for each of my God-given responsibilities in life, or as Brigham Young observed, am I one of those who lives far beneath my privileges?
Second Principle:
We are not entitled to revelation outside the sphere of our responsibility.
God is a God of order; therefore revelation is given in an orderly way. If one or more persons were to receive revelation for another person's sphere of responsibility then confusion would result. For example, if multiple people received conflicting revelations for one person's responsibility, which "revelation" should be followed? In the early days of the Church some did not understand this principle. They thought that in addition to Joseph Smith they could also receive revelation for the whole church. As a result the Lord spoke on this matter: "No one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jun." (D&C 28:2). And then in a later revelation the Lord explained why this was the case: "And this I give unto you that you may not be deceived, that you may know they are not of me" (D&C 43:6). If someone claims revelation for the bishop or stake president or prophet, you may know with certainty they are not of the Lord. God does not operate through multiple channels for a single responsibility—why—because He is a God of order.
Third Principle:
Revelation is not a substitute for reason and common sense; it is a supplement to them.
Reason and revelation often work hand in hand. The Lord declared: "These things remain with you to do according to judgment and the directions of the Spirit" (D&C 62:8).
Revelation is not a short cut for obtaining quick and easy answers. President Harold B. Lee was once asked: "How do you get revelation?" He responded, "If you want to get revelation, do your homework." (Henry B. Eyring, To Draw Closer to God, p. 94). In other words, we are to use our powers of reason and common sense as stepping stones to receiving revelation. Reason of course, is not the equivalent of revelation, but it often creates a climate or an atmosphere in which revelation can be facilitated. Oliver Cowdery learned the hard way the relationship between revelation and reason. Unable to translate the Book of Mormon, the Lord gave him the reason why:
"Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you" (D&C 9:7-8).
Oliver Cowdery failed to realize that he had to do all within his power before revelation would come.
Before my mission I had resolved to be a doctor. After my mission I was not so sure, so I tried to reason out some guidelines for my career choice that could help me receive revelation on the subject. I ended up with four such guidelines:
First: Is this a career that will allow me to earn enough money so my wife can be a "stay-at-home" mother? Sometimes we have to ask hard questions—am I pursuing a career choice or a hobby choice—perhaps it is a fun activity but one that may not be able to provide a suitable means of support for my family. Sometimes we need to be reminded, that there is nothing spiritual about being impractical.
Second: Is this a career choice I would enjoy—that allows me to express my talents, or will it be a drudgery to get up every morning for work.
Third: does this career help in some way to build the kingdom of God or will I be spending each day engaged in some economic but nonetheless meaningless activity.
Fourth: Does it allow me some independence of time so I can coach my kids' ball teams, spend time with my family, and render service in the Church, or will my career monopolize my time and thus my life? In essence, will I end up trading my life for property?
In addition, someone might use his or her powers of reason to set some guidelines or principles for finding an eternal mate. While serving as a Mission President I would often discuss some guidelines for marriage with missionaries who were about to return home. The following were not intended to be a magic checklist but rather some principles that could help expedite the revelation process.
First: Does this person appeal to me physically and emotionally? Some people may overplay these criteria and perhaps a few underplay it, but they are nonetheless essential components of the marriage relationship.
Second: Do I feel comfortable in his or her presence and at the same time does he or she inspire me to rise to the best within me? For example, do I want to be morally clean in the presence of this person, or in their presence do I find myself slipping in my spirituality?
Third: Is this the person I would want to be the father or mother of my children? Will this person teach our children faith in Jesus Christ, a love for the scriptures and the power of fervent prayer or does this person give priority to worldly things?
Fourth: Am I the type of person I am searching for? If any of the foregoing are missing, then perhaps it is a yellow light, a caution sign, to slow down and re-evaluate your motives. If all are present then perhaps it is a green light to proceed subject to the confirmation of the Spirit.
Reason, when coupled with humility and faith, can be a mighty catalyst for revelation.
Fourth Principle:
If you have done your best and still haven't received revelation, then act on your best judgment and in the course of doing so revelation will usually come.
The Lord wants to maximize our agency because with increased agency comes increased growth. As a result He oft times requires us to do things on our own before He dispenses revelation. He taught that lesson repeatedly in the scriptures. You recall that the brother of Jared built the barges to cross the ocean as commanded. Then he pled with the Lord that they would not have to make the journey in darkness. Instead of giving the answer the Lord required the Brother of Jared to make a contribution to the solution. The Lord said: "What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels" (Ether 2:23)? The brother of Jared thought it through, acted on his best judgment; and then he molten out of rock 16 stones like transparent glass. He then requested the Lord to touch them and make them shine. The brother of Jared had done his best, and now the Lord was prepared to deliver the solution.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks gave this wise and practical counsel:
"A desire to be led by the Lord is a strength, but it needs to be accompanied by an understanding that our Heavenly Father leaves many decisions for our personal choices. Personal decision making is one of the sources of the growth we are meant to experience in mortality. Persons who try to shift all decision making to the Lord and plead for revelation in every choice will soon find circumstances in which they pray for guidance and don't receive it. For example, this is likely to occur in those numerous circumstances in which the choices are trivial or either choice is acceptable. We should study things out in our minds, using the reasoning powers our Creator has placed within us. Then we should pray for guidance and act upon it if we receive it. If we do not receive guidance, we should act upon our best judgment" ("Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall," Ensign, Oct 1994).
This counsel applies to everyone.
You may not know if someone would be the right mate for you, so you need to act on your best judgment — you continue to date and get better acquainted until you receive an impression.
I did not know if I should pursue a medical or legal career—so I took classes that related to each field until I felt comfortable with the career I should pursue.
Acting on our best judgment is often a stepping stone to receiving revelation.
Fifth Principle:
Sometimes reason and revelation are in apparent conflict and you must choose which will govern your life.
Each of us at various times in our lives will confront a crossroad—where we must choose either revelation from God or the reason of the world. None will escape. It may come at a time when a loved one is lost, or there are insufficient funds to pay one's tithing, or one feels rejected and lonely. But the conflict will come, not once, but on multiple occasions. It faced Moses as he was trapped between the Red Sea and the fast approaching Egyptian army. No doubt the powers of reason screamed "veer to the left or to the right," but the Spirit whispered, "March direct for the Red Sea." His allegiance to the Spirit saved the Israelite nation.
Peter had been fishing all night and caught nothing. Then the Master said, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets." At that moment the powers of worldly reason might sound something like the following: "You're exhausted, you just cleaned your nets, you are the fisherman—you know this lake, its currents, its fishing patterns; you have toiled all night and caught nothing; what does he know of fishing, he is but a carpenter?" Peter was at the crossroads—would he choose the reason of the world or revelation from God? Then Peter's glorious response, "nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net" (Luke 5:5). One has to smile at the consequence of his choice—two boats almost sank from the load of the catch. The Lord proved once again that His blessings come in abundance for those who are obedient to His revealed word.
Years ago there was a young man in Hawaii learning about the Church. If I mentioned his name some of you would know him. He later became an astute businessman here on the island. He was then being taught by a young missionary who has just recently finished serving as a mission president in Australia. The young investigator was progressing well, but was then taught the law of tithing. He explained to his missionaries that he believed everything he had been taught, but he just couldn't live the law of tithing. He had calculated the figures and mathematically it wasn't possible. The young missionary then received an impression and said to him: "I promise you in the name of Jesus Christ that if you pay your tithing you will never know a day of want." The words struck the young investigator; he melted—and that day he chose revelation over reason. He chose spiritual math over worldly math. That choice of priorities would govern the rest of his life.
While serving as a Mission President in Toronto, Canada, I felt impressed to make Elder Pinegar a Zone Leader. That was a problem. He was assigned to speak Portuguese, and we only had one unit he could serve in with Portuguese speaking members. The assistants suggested I make him a Zone Leader in the city where there would be plenty of Portuguese speaking people. But the impression came: "send him to the country." But that didn't make sense—he spoke Portuguese and there were no Portuguese in the country. The impression came a second time, but I still resisted. Then I happened to listen to a talk by President Eyring given at a Mission President's Seminar. He spoke of the time when he had just been called as an Apostle. It was his first time to assign missionaries to their respective field of labor and Elder Scott was his mentor. After assigning several missionaries, President Eyring turned to Elder Scott and said: "Am I to make this assignment, the most important decision of their life to date, based on these little impressions I receive?" Elder Scott replied, "You better, because that is all you are going to get." That was enough for me. With the faint impression I had received, Elder Pinegar went to the country without me understanding why. Later he became my assistant. Sometime thereafter I heard him bear his testimony. He said: "My mission changed when I went to the country. I became a new missionary with a new vision." I didn't know why he needed to go there, but the Lord did.
Sixth Principle:
There is a price tag for revelation—certain activities and attributes invite revelation; others repel it.
For me there are three key activities or attributes that help invite revelation.
First: Asking with intensity. Elder McConkie was often asked what methods he used to study the scriptures in order to become such a master scholar. He replied that is was not so much the method, but the intensity. So it is with receiving revelation—it is not just the asking or the approach, but the intensity. Joseph Smith was the master receiver of revelation because he was the master asker. Revelation after revelation appears in the Doctrine and Covenants simply because Joseph Smith asked with intensity. Perhaps the most repeated mandate with a promised blessing in the scriptures is, "Ask and ye shall receive." If you want revelation you must take the initiative, you must ask with intensity and then keep on asking.
Second: Revelation is predicated upon our worthiness. Some years ago Harold B. Lee served as the President of the Pioneer Stake. One evening he found it necessary to hold a disciplinary council for a man who had violated the laws of chastity. The disciplinary council lasted late into the night and finally the decision was made to excommunicate the man. The next morning as President Lee went to his office he was confronted by the man's brother. The man said: "I want to tell you that my brother wasn't guilty of what you charge him with." President Lee replied, "How do you know he wasn't guilty?" The answer came, "Because I prayed, and the Lord told me he was innocent." President Lee then invited the man into his office.
"How old are you?" asked President Lee.
"Forty-seven" came the response.
"What Priesthood do you hold?"
"A teacher, I think."
"Do you live the Word of Wisdom?"
"Well, no."
"Do you pay your tithing?"
"No."
"Do you attend church regularly?"
"No," and he didn't intend to as long as the current bishop was serving.
"Do you read the scriptures regularly?"
He said his eyes were bad so he didn't read much.
President Lee then told the man that he had a wonderful instrument in his home called a radio. It could broadcast music and talks from thousands of miles away and bring them into his living room just as though the performers were there. The sounds were received by crystal tubes. If one of them wore out he might hear some static. If another wore out the sound might fade in and out, and if another tube went bad the sound might discontinue altogether.
Then he said our spirit is like that radio set. We have what you might call a Word of Wisdom tube, and read the scriptures tube, and perhaps most importantly a morality tube. And if any of these are not functioning it adversely affects our ability to receive and recognize impressions from the other side.
Then he said in essence, "Last night 15 of the best men in Pioneer Stake all received the same impression that your brother should be excommunicated. And you, who have some of these spiritual tubes malfunctioning, received a different impression. How would you explain that?" Then he said that the man gave a classic answer, "I think I must have gotten my answer from the wrong source."
If our worthiness tubes are in order we will receive and recognize promptings as they are broadcast from the divine source; if not it will be difficult, if not impossible, to recognize the divine signals that are being sent.
Third: The degree of revelation we receive is related to our spiritual integrity. Spiritual integrity is an absolute honesty with ourselves and with God. It is a willingness to accept and do God's will whatever it may be, however hard it may be. For example:
What happens when a young man feels physically and emotionally attracted to a young lady and those feelings become so dominating that he prays to a conclusion? What do I mean? He prays something like the following: "I have been dating Jane for six months. I love her; now confirm she is the one for me." When we pray like that we leave only one door open for response, the "yes" door. Perhaps a more mature prayer—a prayer of greater integrity would be, "I have dated Jane for six months—I am attracted to her, she brings out the best in me. I believe she would be a good spouse and noble mother and if she is the one, please confirm it to me, but if not (here is the hard part), then please let me know and I will follow thy decision, whatever it may be." When someone prays with that type of integrity he is ripe for revelation.
There are many activities that can repel revelation. I briefly mention only one—pornography. No priesthood bearer, no daughter of God, should be involved in any form of pornography whether via the internet or movies, or TV or magazines or otherwise. It destroys self esteem, it destroys marriages and homes and it robs you of the spirit; it repels revelation. One might as well eat toxic waste as view pornography. One is as destructive to the body as the other is to the spirit.
Years ago I was counseling a young couple who were struggling in their marriage. The husband was addicted to pornography; it had a serious adverse affect upon their relationship. Finally he committed to give it up. One day, however, the wife came home from work and felt an evil spirit in their home. She noticed her husband's briefcase by the dining room table. She opened it up and there she saw the pornography she so abhorred. Then she said, "I know that pornography was the cause of the evil spirit in our home." If this evil plagues you then see your Bishop and overcome it so you can replace its captive hold with the sweet and liberating whisperings of the spirit.
Seventh Principle:
There are certain distinct feelings of the Spirit which Satan cannot counterfeit.
Some might ask: "How can I distinguish between my own psychological feelings verses impressions of the Spirit? For most this is a life-long educational process. But in the interim we can proceed with assurance that there are certain feelings of the heart and impressions of the mind that come only from heaven. Even Satan, the great counterfeiter cannot duplicate them. I share a few such feelings and impressions.
One is peace. The Savior said, "My peace I give unto you." Oliver Cowdery had been in Joseph Smith Senior's home and prayed to know the truth of the Book of Mormon. There he received a convincing assurance of peace, but he never told Joseph Smith of this experience. Some time passed and human nature took its toll. No doubt he wondered if that experience was some psychological feeling or an impression from heaven. So he went to Joseph Smith and asked him to request a revelation that would be a witness to him that the Book of Mormon was true. Joseph Smith, unaware of Oliver's previous experience, sought a revelation from the Lord. It came in D&C 6:22-23:
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?"
Oliver had received peace. The Lord reaffirmed his prior experience and feelings. There was no way Joseph Smith could have known of Oliver's earlier experience except through revelation. This was the Lord's confirmation that peace comes only from Him.
Alma 32 gives us three other keys to detect revelation. In verse 28 it tell us that revelation or the word of God will begin to enlarge our hearts—there will swell within us a desire to be a better person—to go about doing good. You may remember the story of the Grinch—at first his heart was two sizes too small, and then as the Spirit of Christmas worked upon him, his heart enlarged. Not too long ago, I was in New Caledonia. A non-member came to an early morning session for new converts before the general stake conference session. I talked to her and said, "If you feel peace today and an impression to be a better person, it will be a witness from heaven that the things you have heard are true." At the conclusion of conference she turned to her friend and said, "I did feel a peace and I do desire to be a better person." She then invited the missionaries to come to her home. They went—and it would not surprise you to know that she was baptized in June of this year.
Alma also taught that revelation will enlighten your understanding and expand your mind. In other words it will make you smarter as to things of eternal consequence. Joseph Smith put it this way: "A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas" ("The Spirit of Revelation," Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 149, 151).
Elder Scott taught about our sacred responsibility to treasure up such intimations of the Spirit. Each time you feel an impression or sudden strokes of ideas, write them down—then savor them and ponder them. Some of those thoughts may be like little acorns, but if you nourish them and savor them they may one day grow into giant oak trees. If the Lord knows you treasure up His word, you are likely to receive more such impressions and in the process will come an enhanced skill to recognize those impressions and distinguish them from the feelings of the world. But a warning—they do not always come at convenient times.
Recently I finished serving as the Mission President in Toronto Canada, I resolved I was going to follow Elder Scott's counsel and write down every impression I felt, however small it may be. Those impressions didn't always come when I was sitting at a table with pen in hand. Sometimes they came at the most inconvenient times. One night, I kept getting out of bed to record impressions that had come. Finally my wife said to me, "Why do you keep popping out of bed?" But I had learned a sad lesson from the past—if I waited until the morning I would usually forget the impression. There is an urgency about recording our impressions while we are still in the spirit.
Alma gave one other key to detecting revelation — "it beginneth to be delicious to me." Many times I have taught the plan of salvation and thought that even if there were no scriptures to verify it—the doctrine reasons right and feels good, or as Joseph Smith says, "it tastes good."
Conclusion
Somewhere, sometime, each of us must pay the price to receive a testimony built upon the rock of revelation. Alma declared: "Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me" (Alma 5:46).
Revelation, however, is not just reserved for the prophets. It is available for every righteous seeker after truth regardless of his station in life or calling in the Church. It is one of God's gifts to each of us. As Paul cautioned Timothy, "Neglect not the gift that is in thee" (1 Timothy 4:14). May revelation not only be a potential in our lives but a reality. May we heed Brigham Young's warning and not live beneath our revelatory privileges, I so pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.