Skyler's Farewell Talk

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My talk today is on how to prepare and receive personal revelation. Revelation is communication from God to His children on the earth and one of the great blessings associated with the gift and constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Joseph Smith taught “The Holy Ghost is a revelator and no man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations.” When the Lord reveals His will to the Church, He speaks through His prophet. Prophets are not the only people who can receive revelation, though. The spirit of revelation is available to every person who receives by proper priesthood authority the saving ordinances of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.  According to your faithfulness, you can receive revelation to help you with your specific needs, responsibilities, and questions and to help you strengthen your testimony.  There are many ways to prepare to receive revelation through the Holy Ghost. Praying for guidance: Matthew 7:7-8 reads “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh recieveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” If you do not pray to your Heavenly Father for guidance, the door of revelation will not be opened to you. But if you do approach your Father in humble prayer, you can receive revelation. In D&C 42:61 it says: “If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things- that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.” Another way to prepare to receive revelation is to be reverent and humble. When you are reverent and peaceful, you invite revelation. Even when everything around you is in chaos and commotion, you can have a reverent attitude and be prepared to receive guidance from the Lord. And when you are humble, you recognize your dependence on the Lord. You must keep the commandments in order to receive revelation. In D&C 63:23 the Lord promises “unto him that keepeth my commandments I will give the mysteries of my kingdom, and the same shall be in him a well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life.” Another way to prepare is by studying the scriptures every day. As you read and study you can learn from the men and women who have been blessed as they have followed the Lord’s revealed will. You may also receive revelation about how a certain scripture passage applies to you or about anything else the Lord desires to communicate to you. And, of course, you must be worthy to receive revelation. As Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery translated the Book of Mormon they increasingly understood the spirit of revelation typically functions as thoughts and feelings that come into our minds and hearts by the power of the Holy Ghost. In D&C 8:3-4 the Lord instructs “Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground. Therefore this is thy gift; apply unto it.” Revelations are conveyed in a variety of ways, including dreams, visions, conversations with heavenly messengers, and inspiration. Some revelations are received immediately and intensely; some are recognized gradually and subtly. David A. Bednar compared these two patterns of revelation with experiences of light. He said: “The first experience occurs as we enter a dark room and turn on a light switch. In an instant a bright flood of illumination fills the room and causes 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 takes place as we watch night turn into morning. With 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 does 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 dawns over the skyline. This experience was characterized by subtle and gradual discernment of light.” From the first experience, a light turned on in a dark room is like receiving a message from God quickly, completely, and all at once. Many of us have experienced this pattern of revelation as we have been given answers to sincere prayers or been provided with needed direction or protection, according to God’s will and timing. However, this pattern of revelation tends to be more rare than common. In the second experience, the gradual increase of light radiating from the rising sun is like receiving a message from God “line upon line, precept upon precept.” This pattern of revelation tends to be more common and it comes gradually over time and is granted according to our desire, worthiness, and preparation. We as members of the Church tend to emphasize marvelous and dramatic spiritual revelations so much that we may fail to appreciate and may even overlook the customary pattern by which the Holy Ghost accomplishes His work. We many times receive revelation without recognizing precisely how or when we are receiving revelation. Sometimes the spirit of revelation will operate immediately and intensely, other times subtly and gradually. But regardless of the pattern the light it provides will illuminate and enlarge your soul, enlighten your understanding , and direct you in your life. I’d like to end with something Samwise Gamgee once said. When his friend Frodo was having doubts and wanting to give up, Sam said: “ It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy. How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad happened. But in the end, it’s only a passing thing. The shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it’ll shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding onto something. That there’s some good in this world and it’s worth fightin’ for.” I know this church is true. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, Redeemer, Brother, and Friend. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet and that we have a living prophet today. I know that there’s good in this world and it’s worth fighting for, worth serving for. I know this gospel is true and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.