Personal Revelation

1
Personal Revelation

• Doctrine and Covenants 6,8,9

2
Moroni Chapter 10

• 5) And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know
  the truth of all things.
• 7) And ye may know that he is for he worketh by
  power,

3
Questions

• Will God really answer
  me?
• How will I know?
• What will it feel like?
• How do I know the answer is from the Lord and not
  just me making it up?

4
Prophet Joseph Smith

• 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
• ... by learning the Spirit of God and
  understanding it, you may grow into the principle
  of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ
  Jesus. (Teachings of PJS)

5
Oliver Cowdrey

• Mother Smith
• He said The subject upon which we were
  yesterday conversing seems working in my very
  bones, and I cannot, for a moment, get it out of
  my mind.
• If there is a work for me to do in this thing, I
  am determined to attend to it.

• DC 62
• Behold, I am God give heed unto my word, which
  is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged
  sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and
  marrow
• therefore give heed unto my words.

6
Oliver Cowdrey

• DC 6 11 And if thou wilt inquire,
  that thou mayest find out mysteries
• 15 Behold, thou knowest that thou hast
  inquired of me and I did enlighten thy mind and
  now I tell thee these things that thou mayest
  know that thou hast been enlightened by the
  Spirit of truth
• 22 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.
• 23 Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning
  the matter? What greater witness can you have
  than from God?

7
Elder Mark E. Peterson

• Section 9 of the Doctrine and Covenants
  was given to Oliver Cowdrey at a time
  when he wanted to be able to translate.
• The way the spirit communicated with Oliver may
  or may not apply to us.

8
Olivers Desire to Translate

• DC 9 3 Be patient, my son it is not expedient
  that you should translate at this present time.
• 5 And, behold, it is because that you did not
  continue as you commenced
• 7 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.
• 8 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 therefore,
  you shall feel that it is right.

9
Question

• Other than Olivers burning in the bosom, what
  are other ways we may feel personal revelation?

10
Elder Henry B. Eyring

• I somehow managed to arrange an
  interviewwith President Harold B. Lee. He
  received me in a kindly way. In my anxiety, I
  soon blurted out my question President Lee,
  how do I get revelation? 
• He smiled. I am glad he didn't laugh, since it
  was an odd question to ask. But he answered my
  question with a story
• Then he gave me the lesson, which I now give to
  you, in about these words Hal, when we had done
  all we knew how to do, when we had our backs to
  the wall, then God gave us the revelation. Hal,
  if you want to get revelation, do your homework.
• I suppose I should have been embarrassed to take
  his time to learn what the Lord told us all long
  ago. You recall the rebuke to Oliver Cowdery
• Now, in fairness to Oliver Cowdery, he had some
  reason to be confused. The Prophet Joseph seemed
  to have the windows of heaven opened to him at a
  speed that could easily have misled Oliver.
• I bear you my solemn testimony that the Lord
  opens the heavens to his servants today But I
  also bear you my testimony that the words study
  it out mean a degree of patience, labor, and
  persistence commensurate with the value of what
  you seek

11
To the faculty and associated students of BYU,

• A former student and alumnus of your fine
  institution served with distinction as our
  company commander, Cap. William W. Jacobsen, Jr.
  He passed away on Dec. 21, 2004.
• He was a leader and a mentor applying those
  lessons he learned in Provo, Utah to his army
  career. He cared more about the well being of his
  soldiers than his own. I never heard Capt.
  Jacobsen curse. He would get upset and angry, but
  remain calm. He possessed enormous bearing, a
  characteristic of leadership.
• Capt. Jacobsen lived the Army values of loyalty,
  duty, respect, self-service, honesty, integrity,
  and personal courage. When I think of the
  definition of an Officer and gentleman, I think
  of Capt. Jacobsen. Capt. Jacobsen mentored his
  married soldiers to become better husbands and
  fathers. Those that were not married he looked
  after as a father would.
• We will honor Capt. Jacobsen by continuing our
  mission here in Iraq. I would ask you to honor
  him by completing your education and emulating
  the example he set
• Timothy Schmidt
• SSG, US Army