personal revelation (Bateman; Joseph Smith)

The Prophet Joseph Smith, in speaking of revelation, said:

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. [TPJS,151]…

To receive spiritual truths, one must be obedient as well as diligent (see D&C 130:19). Spiritual light is received when one follows the doctrine of Christ–that is, the first principles and ordinances of the restored gospel. I challenge you to increase your faith by living gospel principles more precisely, by repenting when you fall short, by taking an active role in your ward, by rendering service to others, and by making prayer and scripture study a part of your everyday life. In this manner you will find true joy.

In closing I turn to the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith, who wrote about the connection between heaven and our intellect as follows:

We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and that the nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments. [TPJS, 51]

quoted by Elder Merrill J. Bateman, BYU Devotional, September 2000

http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=297

you will know for yourselves and not for another (Joseph Smith)

“Search the scriptures–search the revelations which we publish, and ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you do it with an eye single to His glory nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves and not for another.” 

(The Prophet Joseph Smith)

the devil has power over us only as we permit him (Joseph Smith)

“The devil has no power over us–only as we permit him; the moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes power.”

~ Joseph Smith

search the revelations of God…(Joseph Smith)

Search the revelations of God; study the prophecies and rejoice that God grants unto the world Seers and Prophets.  They are they who say the mysteries of godliness;…they saw the glory of the Lord when  he showed the transfiguration of the earth on the mount;…they saw the day of judgment when all men received according to their works, and they saw the heaven and earth flee away to make room for the city of God, when the righteous receive an inheritance in eternity…Fellow sojourners upon the earth, it is your privilege to purify yourselves and come to the same glory, and see for yourselves and know for yourselves.


Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp 12-13

The Nature of God and our efforts to become like Him

Our heavenly Father is more liberal in His views, and boundless in His mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive. … God does not look on sin with [the least degree of] allowance, but … the nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls; we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs.

Joseph Smith, “Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith” pp. 240-41

He is ready to teach…when we are ready to learn

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “God hath not revealed anything to Joseph, but what He will make known unto the Twelve, and even the least Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them.” 


Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 268.

The gift of the Holy Ghost

https://mormonthoughts.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/the-gift-of-the-holy-ghost/