Revelation

I taught a lesson recently in church about revelation. I have been pondering this topic for quite a while. Elder Bednar gave a talk about the different ways revelation can come if you have the Gift of the Holy Ghost. He mentioned some being: visions, dreams, visits from heavenly messengers, and inspiration. He then went on to say how many accounts in the scriptures are of visions, dreams, and heavenly messengers, and said that those do happen. However, they are more of the exception than the rule. He explained that the Lord teaches us line upon line.

Nephi did not know how he would obtain the plates from Laban. He had to try three times, with the first two being failures. The third time, he proceeded all on faith, and it was revealed to him how to obtain them when he stumbled across passed out Laban. How many times in our lives do we get frustrated because we are symbolically on our way back to Jerusalem and the Lord has not revealed to us what we should do? We have to have faith and proceed, doing the best we know how, until the path becomes clear. I dont think Nephi would have handled it very well if he knew from the beginning he would have to kill Laban to save the sacred text.

When I think back on the times I know i have had revelation, the revelation has come after my faith has been tested and before things fall apart. It comes at the perfect time for everything to fall into place and work out for my good.

I believe if we pray for inspiration and opportunities to practice communicating with the Spirit, those opportunities will be granted to us if we watch for them. Our loving Heavenly Father wants to communicate with us, and the more opportunities we allow ourselves to hear those promptings, the more familiar we will become with them. President Monson is a wonderful example of listening to the Spirit and has told many stories of times that he has acted on a prompting and has been so glad he did. May we all strive to have more faith in the Lord's timing and create more opportunities to feel the promptings of the Spirit.

-Jashley