Personal Revelation

LDS Quotes on Personal Revelation

Joseph Smith Portrait

“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, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented unto your mind by the Spirit of God will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation until you become perfect in Christ Jesus.”

Joseph Smith  |  History of the Church, 3:381

Topics: , ,

“When your heart begins to tell you things that your mind does not, then you are getting the Spirit of the Lord.”

Harold B. Lee  |  “When Your Heart Tells You Things Your Mind Does Not Know,” New Era, Feb. 1971, 3.

Topics: ,

“It is the Holy Ghost that bears witness of your words when you teach and testify. It is the Holy Ghost that, as you speak in hostile venues, puts into your heart what you should say and fulfills the Lord’s promise that “you shall not be confounded before men” (D&C 100:5). It is the Holy Ghost that reveals how you may clear the next seemingly insurmountable hurdle. It is by the Holy Ghost in you that others may feel the pure love of Christ and receive strength to press forward. It is also the Holy Ghost, in His character as the Holy Spirit of Promise, that confirms the validity and efficacy of your covenants and seals God’s promises upon you.”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson  |  “The Power of Covenants,” Ensign, May 2009, p. 22

Topics: , ,

“The majority of the revelations which are given to the children of God come when they are acting, not when they are relaxing in their habitations waiting for the Lord to tell them the first step they should make.”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Topics: ,

Richard G. Scott Portrait

“Prayer is a supernal gift of our Father in Heaven to every soul. Think of it: the absolute Supreme Being, the most all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful personage, encourages you and me, as insignificant as we are, to converse with Him as our Father. . . .It matters not our circumstance, be we humble or arrogant, poor or rich, free or enslaved, learned or ignorant, loved or forsaken, we can address Him. We need no appointment. Our supplication can be brief or can occupy all the time needed. It can be an extended expression of love and gratitude or an urgent plea for help. He has created numberless cosmos and populated them with worlds, yet you and I can talk with Him personally, and He will ever answer.”

Richard G. Scott  |  “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer,” Liahona and Ensign, May 2007, p. 8

Topics: ,

“The pattern of our lives determines our eligibility to receive the promptings of the Spirit and to hear the answers to our prayers. Again, let there be no misunderstanding. Heavenly Father does answer our prayers, but often we aren’t prepared to hear him. Some are answered immediately, but some do take longer, and that’s where we may become discouraged.”

H. Burke Peterson  |  “Prayer – Try Again,” Ensign, June 1981, p. 72

Topics: ,

“When individual members and families immerse themselves in the scriptures regularly and consistently, … other areas of activity will automatically come. Testimonies will increase. Commitment will be strengthened. Families will be fortified. Personal revelation will flow”

Ezra Taft Benson  |  “The Power of the Word,” Ensign, May 1986, 81

Topics: , ,

I promise you that, with increased attendance in the temples of our God, you shall receive increased personal revelation to bless your life as you bless those who have died.”

Ezra Taft Benson  |  "The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants"

Topics: ,

“I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by him. I am fearful that they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of God…Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not.”

Brigham Young  |  Brigham Young, (12 January 1862) Journal of Discourses 9:150

Topics: ,

“The first experience occurred as we entered a dark room and turned on a light switch. Remember how in an instant a bright flood of illumination filled the room and caused the darkness to disappear. What previously had been unseen and uncertain became clear and recognizable. This experience was characterized by immediate and intense recognition of light.

“The second experience took place as we watched night turn into morning. Do you recall the slow and almost imperceptible increase in light on the horizon? In contrast to turning on a light in a dark room, the light from the rising sun did not immediately burst forth. Rather, gradually and steadily the intensity of the light increased, and the darkness of night was replaced by the radiance of morning. Eventually, the sun did dawn over the skyline. But the visual evidence of the sun’s impending arrival was apparent hours before the sun actually appeared over the horizon. This experience was characterized by subtle and gradual discernment of light.

“From these two ordinary experiences with light, we can learn much about the spirit of revelation.”

Elder David A. Bednar  |  “The Spirit of Revelation”

Topics: ,