“No one of us can survive in the world of today, much less in what it soon will become, without personal inspiration.” (91–06, p. 23)

The voice of revelation. We could come away from a study of Elijah with no more important lesson than to recognize how the Lord communicates with His children here upon the earth: through the still, small voice that is so difficult to describe to one who has never experienced it and is almost unnecessary to describe to one who has.

That sweet, quiet voice of inspiration that comes more as a feeling than it does as a sound. That process through which pure intelligence can be spoken into the mind and we can know and understand and have witness of spiritual things. The process is not reserved for the prophets alone, but every righteous, seeking soul who will qualify and make himself worthy can have that manner of communication, even as a gift. (THT, p. 107)

Revelation is a language of the Spirit. We are dual beings, a spirit son or daughter of God, alive and intelligent in the first estate, confined now to a body of flesh and bone. “The spirit and the body are the soul of man.” The spirit is eternal; the body will become so. There are languages we can speak and hear with the body. There are languages of the Spirit, one being revelation. (93–07, p. 54)

Revelation is the process of communication to our spiritual eyes and ears. Revelation is the process of communication to the spiritual eyes and to the spiritual ears that were ours before our mortal birth. The scriptures speak of “the eyes of our understanding,” and of “blindness of mind” and of heart. They speak of “feeling” words, rather than hearing them,6 and of the still, small voice. (93–07, p. 55)

The voice of inspiration comes as a feeling. That voice of inspiration is so quiet and still that it can be explained away. It is easy to be disobedient to that voice. It often takes great courage to follow it. But to Latter­day Saints it is a clear signal.

There is a very important message on this subject in the Book of Mormon. On one occasion Nephi scolded his brothers Laman and Lemuel for their unbelief, telling them: “Ye are swift to do iniquity but slow to remember the Lord your God. Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you; yea, ye have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words.”

Someone once criticized the Book of Mormon by saying that it did not use correct language, and pointed to the above verse as the example: “You were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words.” You don't feel words, the person insisted, you hear them. If the book were true, the passage would read, “You were past hearing, that you did not hear his words.”

That correction would only be made by someone who did not know about the Spirit. (74–06, pp. 232–33)

The voice of the Spirit is generally felt rather than heard. We do not have the words (even the scriptures do not have words) which perfectly describe the Spirit. The scriptures generally use the word voice, which does not exactly fit. These delicate, refined spiritual
communications are not seen with our eyes, nor heard with our ears. And even though it is described as a voice, it is a voice that one feels, more than one hears.9 (82–04, p. 52)

The depth of personal revelation comes as a feeling. If you listen with your mortal ears for the revelations of the Almighty, you will receive part of it because of the patterns of preaching. But that depth of personal revelation comes to you when you feel. You don't hear the words of an angel, you feel the words of an angel, because “angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ.” (94–04)

Inspiration comes as thoughts, feelings, and impressions. The Holy Ghost communicates with the spirit through the mind more than through the physical senses. This guidance comes as thoughts, as feelings, through impressions and promptings.

It is not always easy to describe inspiration. The scriptures teach us that we may “feel” the words of spiritual communication more than hear them, and see with spiritual rather than with mortal eyes.

The patterns of revelation are not dramatic. The voice of inspiration is a still voice, a small voice. There need be no trance, no sanctimonious declaration. It is quieter and simpler than that. (89–04, p. 14)

Spiritual communication comes into the mind. Spiritual communication comes into the mind, it comes more as a feeling, an impression, than simply as a thought. Unless you have experienced it, it is very difficult to describe that delicate process.

The witness is not communicated through the intellect alone, however bright the intellect may be. (91–06, p. 21)

An Instant Process

Pure intelligence may be conveyed instantly. There is a sacred process by which pure intelligence may be conveyed into our minds and we can come to know instantly things that otherwise would take a long period of time to acquire. He can speak inspiration into our minds, especially when we are humble and seeking. (75–03, p. 105)

Learn to receive inspiration. The Lord has a way of pouring pure intelligence into our minds to prompt us, to guide us, to teach us, to warn us. You can know the things you need to know instantly! Learn to receive inspiration. (79–10, p. 20)

Revelation usually comes as an impression. I have learned that revelation, which showers down on all of us “as the dews from heaven,” usually comes as a noun — not as an adjective. The Lord does not describe what it is He is talking about. He just gives you the impression. I have learned to follow those impressions. (08–05)

We must train ourselves to hear the voice of inspiration. You can train yourself to hear what you want to hear, to see and feel what you desire, but it takes some conditioning.

There are so many of us who go through life and seldom, if ever, hear that voice of inspiration, because “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (79–10, p. 20)

The Greatest Education

The greatest education you can get is to learn the voice of the Spirit. (01–01)

The whisperings of the Spirit come gently and quietly. The Spirit does not get our attention by shouting or shaking us with a heavy hand. Rather it whispers. It caresses so gently that if we are preoccupied we may not feel it at all. (No wonder that the Word of Wisdom was revealed to us, for how could the drunkard or the addict feel such a voice?)

Occasionally it will press just firmly enough for us to pay heed. But most of the time, if we do not heed the gentle feeling, the Spirit will withdraw and wait until we come seeking and listening and say in our manner and expression, like Samuel of ancient times, “Speak [Lord], for thy servant heareth.” (82–04, p. 53)

There is a power of spiritual communication. There is a power of communication as real and tangible as electricity. Man has devised the means to send images and sound through the air to be caught on an antenna and reproduced and heard and seen. This other communication may be likened to that, save it be a million times more powerful, and the witness it brings is always the truth.

There is a process by which pure intelligence can flow, by which we can come to know of a surety, nothing doubting. (71–04, p. 88)

Angels can communicate by the power of the Spirit. “Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost.” Should an angel converse with you, neither you nor he would be confined to corporeal sight or sound in order to communicate. For there is that spiritual process described by the Prophet Joseph by which pure intelligence can flow into our minds and by which we can know what we need to know without either the effort or study or the passage of time, because that is revelation. We talk about confining on little computer chips vast amounts of information; through the processes of revelation and through this language of the Spirit, tremendous amounts of inspiration and information can be given to us instantly. (91–04)

One of the most important things we can teach is how to receive revelation. During unsettled times ... the most important thing we can teach to members of the Church worldwide is how to receive revealed instruction, prompting, guidance, direction, warning, and to learn to trust it. (08–02)

It should not be difficult to teach how revelation can come through light. It should not be difficult to teach how revelation can come through Light, even though we do not know exactly how inspiration works.

Man himself, with all his limitations, can convey messages through fiber­optic cables. A single tiny fiber of glass, smaller than a human hair, can carry 40,000 messages at the same time. These can then be decoded and turned into sight and sound and color, even motion. Man can do that.

A laser beam, where there is no wire or fiber at all, can carry 100 billion bits of information in a second.

If man can do that, why should we marvel at the promise that the Light of Christ is in all of us and that the Holy Ghost can visit any of us?

It should not be difficult, therefore, to understand how revelation from God to His children on earth can come to all mankind through both the Spirit of Christ and the Holy Ghost. (04–05, p. 14)

Learn to listen to the voice of the Spirit. Many years ago my parents lived on a little farm. It was a poor farm. One day my father was plowing and he broke the plow. He came to the house to tell mother he had to take the plow to town to be welded. Mother was washing, with water on the stove. She hurried and got the children ready. She didn't go to town very often, and was anxious to go. Father hitched the horse to the buggy and brought it to the door. She lifted the children into the buggy.

As she went to climb in, she hesitated. “I don't think I will go with you today,” she said to my father. “What's the matter?” Father asked. “I don't know,” she answered. “I just have the feeling that I shouldn't go.”

When she said the word feeling , that meant something to my father. He was wise enough not to talk her out of it. “Well, if you have that feeling, perhaps you had better stay home.”

She lifted the children out of the buggy, and of course, you knew what they started to do. She stood and watched as the buggy went down the road, the children crying with disappointment. And then she said to herself, “Now wasn't that silly of me.” She returned to the house to finish the washing.

She had only been in the house a few minutes when she smelled smoke. The house was afire up in the ceiling. The children formed a bucket brigade and soon they had the fire out. And so ends an ordinary incident; except when you ask a question, Why didn't she go to town that day?

My mother prayed earnestly that the Lord would bless them that they could feed and clothe their children. They were saving money to pay for the farm. The money was in the house. If the house had burned, they would have lost everything.

I repeat, she prayed often.

Young people, we should learn that often our prayers are not answered at the very moment we ask them. If we learn to respond to the Spirit, they may be answered at any time.

Again the question, Why did she not go to town that day? She didn't hear a voice saying, “Don't go to town today; I'm going to answer your prayers.” She did not see a written message. She stayed home because of a feeling. A still, small voice had spoken to her. She had told my father: “I just have a feeling I shouldn't go.” That was a great lesson my mother taught to us.

And this is my counsel to you. ... Learn to live by the Spirit. (78–10)

Prerequisite for revelation. One of the prerequisites to receiving revelation is obedience. (81–01)

To enjoy the guidance of the Spirit we must keep our covenants. In order to have that Spirit guide us we must prepare ourselves for it. To do that, to be worthy of constant inspiration, we must keep the covenants we made at the time of baptism. (74–06, p. 233)

Through worthiness we have the right to spiritual guidance. We are to be in the world but not of the world. And in the world we have the right, if we would live for it, to be possessed of that quiet spiritual guidance — if we will not seek for the manifestations of it, if we will not seek after signs. If we will live to be worthy, there will attend us a guiding Spirit that will preclude our doing anything in mortality, if we are obedient, that would ultimately interfere with our exaltation and our right to return to the presence of Him who is our Father. (87–01, pp. 109–10)

The Lord expects us to use all our resources first. We are expected to use the light and knowledge we already possess to work out our lives. We should not need a revelation to instruct us to be up and about our duty, for we have been told to do that already in the scriptures; nor should we expect revelation to replace the spiritual or temporal intelligence which we have already received — only to extend it. We must go about our life in an ordinary, workaday way, following the routines and rules and regulations that govern life.

Rules and regulations and commandments are valuable protection. Should we stand in need of revealed instruction to alter our course, it will be waiting along the way as we arrive at the point of need. (82–04, pp. 53–54)

Be obedient to promptings. Be obedient to the promptings you receive. I learned a sobering lesson as a mission president. I was also a General Authority. I had been prompted several times to release one of my counselors. Besides praying about it, I had reasoned that it was the right thing to do. But I did not do it. I feared that it would injure a man who had given long service to the Church.

The Spirit withdrew from me. I could get no promptings on who should be called as a counselor should I release him. It lasted for several weeks. My prayers seemed to be contained within the room where I offered them. I tried a number of alternate ways to arrange the work, but to no avail.

Finally, I did as I was bidden to do by the Spirit. Immediately, the gift returned! Oh, the exquisite sweetness to have that gift again. You know it, for you have it, the gift of the Holy Ghost. And the brother was not injured; indeed, he was greatly blessed and immediately thereafter the work prospered. (82–04, p. 55)

We must follow the promptings of the Spirit. We must be sensitive to the Spirit. We must be tuned in, and have the courage and faith to follow the promptings of the Spirit. If we do not listen to the voice of the Spirit, there is not much purpose in the Lord's communicating to us through that channel. (TYD, p. 358)

If one ignores promptings, the Spirit will leave. This voice of the Spirit speaks gently, prompting you what to do or what to say, or it may caution or warn you. Ignore or disobey these promptings, and the Spirit will leave you. It is your choice — your agency. (94–05, p. 60)

Follow the inspiration of the still, small voice. When we are confused and at a loss to know which way to go, we can turn first to the local leader of the Church — to our branch president or bishop. As appropriate, he in turn can counsel with the stake president, or the mission president, who if necessary can counsel with the General Authorities, who themselves are in constant counsel with the prophet himself.

As with the Israelites in the wilderness, it is not necessary to have the President of the Church or the other General Authorities hear all of the problems of the people. It is not necessary for the stake president or the mission president to personally judge all of these matters.

Even the bishops or branch presidents do not need to hear all of these matters, although it is true that they will hear more of them than the leaders above them will. The point is that each of us should live in such a way as to be able to follow the inspiration of that still, small voice. We must have the courage to follow these feelings. Such inspiration will always lead us to do right, to be active in the Church. This inspiration will always teach Latter­day Saints to be Latter­day Saints indeed. (74–06, p. 237)

Spiritual vision is necessary when facing problems. When you have a problem, work it out in your own mind first. Ponder on it and analyze it and meditate on it. Read the scriptures. Pray about it. I've come to learn that major decisions can't be forced. You must look ahead and have vision. What was it the prophet said in the Old Testament? “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

Ponder on things a little each day and don't always be in the crisis of making major decisions on the spur of the moment. If you're looking ahead in life, you can see major problems coming down the road toward you from some considerable distance. By the time you meet one another, you are able at the very beginning to take charge of the conversation. Once in a while a major decision will jump out at you from the side of the road and startle the wits out of you, but not very often. If you've already decided that you're going to do what is right and let all of the consequences follow, even those encounters won't hurt you. (75–01, p. 88)

You cannot force spiritual things. You cannot force spiritual things. Such words as compel, coerce, constrain, pressure, and demand do not describe our privileges with the Spirit. You can no more force the Spirit to respond than you can force a bean to sprout, or an egg to hatch before its time. You can create a climate to foster growth, nourish, and protect, but you cannot force or compel: you must await the growth.

Do not be impatient to gain great spiritual knowledge. Let it grow, help it grow, but do not force it or you will open the way to be misled. (82–04, p. 53)

It is hard to listen to the voice of the Spirit if we are doing wicked things. We are told in the Book of Mormon that “angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore ... the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.”

I repeat, it is a very quiet voice, a still voice. One that we must feel. Young people, you can learn to feel that voice. It can be a companion to you. Then when you have a decision to make, you can receive help. This voice responds to those who are obedient. (78–10)

You cannot make a major mistake without having been warned. I will make a promise to you, and you can test it. I have no hesitancy in making this promise in your young life. As you move forward in life, you cannot make a major mistake, any mistake that will have any lasting consequence in your life, without having been warned and told not to do it. It cannot be done in this Church. It doesn't work that way.

You try to do something that is wrong, and the Spirit will say no. Now you may plug your ears — you don't plug your ears, you plug your feelings, and you let your desires or some other thing get hold of you. But you cannot make a mistake that is going to have any consequence without knowing about it. (05–02)

You will be warned of danger ... You cannot make a major mistake in your life without being warned. (00–05)

How Do I Know?

How do I know when I have received revelation? The question I'm most often asked about revelation is, “How do I know when I have received it? I've prayed about it and fasted over this problem and prayed about it and prayed about it, and I still don't quite know what to do. How can I really tell whether I'm being inspired so I won't make a mistake?”

First, do you go to the Lord with a problem and ask Him to make your decision for you? Or do you work, read the revelations, and meditate and pray and then make a decision yourself? Measure the problem against what you know to be right and wrong, and then make the decision. Then ask Him if the decision is right or if it is wrong. Remember what He said to Oliver Cowdery about working it out in your mind. (75–01, p. 89)

The best time to ponder and study is in the early morning hours. I have learned that the best time to wrestle with major problems is early in the morning. Our minds are then fresh and alert. The blackboards of our minds have been erased by a good night's sleep. The accumulated distractions of the day are not in our way. Our bodies have been rested also. That is the time to think something through carefully and to receive personal revelation. For me, it is the best time to prepare lessons for a class I am to teach.

I heard President Harold B. Lee begin many a statement about matters involving revelation with an expression something like this: “In the early hours of the morning, while I was pondering upon that subject ...” He made it a practice to work in the fresh, alert hours of the early morning on the problems that required revelation.

The Lord knew something when He directed in the Doctrine and Covenants, “Cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.” ... I counsel our children to do their critical studying in the early hours of the morning when they're fresh and alert, rather than to fight physical weariness and mental exhaustion at night. I've learned the power of the dictum, “Early to bed, early to rise.” When I'm under pressure, you won't find me burning the midnight oil. I'd much rather be in bed early and getting up in the wee hours of the morning, when I can be close to Him who guides this work. (TYD, pp. 243–45)

Spiritually speaking — learn to be alone in a crowd. You have to learn to be alone in a crowd. You have to have such control. That is so important. We spend so much time in airports and in other noisy places. But I do not go there. I might be standing there physically, but I am not there spiritually, because I am thinking things and doing things in my mind. If you will learn to do that, then the Spirit will teach you.

The promise is that when you receive the Holy Ghost, “[It will] teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

You will be doing some things automatically, almost unwittingly. Without thinking, you will find you have been prompted and guided by the Holy Spirit. (02–02)

Revelation is not confined to the prophet. Revelation is not confined to the prophet. It is shared by the General Authorities ... Fathers and mothers also may receive inspiration, revelation ... to help guide their families. And of course each of us, if we will live for it, may be the recipient of spiritual communications for our own personal guidance. (74–03, p. 93)

Revelation comes in an orderly pattern. The Lord reveals His will through dreams and visions, visitations, through angels, through His own voice, and through the voice of His servants. “Whether by mine own voice,” He said, “or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”

The Lord's house is a house of order. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “it is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church, or any one [else], to receive instruction for those in authority, higher than themselves.”

You may receive revelation individually, as a parent for your family, or for those for whom you are responsible as a leader or teacher, having been properly called and set apart. (94–05, p. 61)

We live below our privileges concerning inspiration. One thing I have said more times than a few is that we live far below our privileges. Members of the Church live far below their privileges as far as inspiration is concerned. (98–02)

Read the conclusion of this article in tomorrow's Meridian Magazine.