Personalized Personal Revelation

How do you tell the difference between revelation and your own thoughts?

We live in a world of many opportunities. We have the freedom to choose our own career, school, spouse, where we want to live, and so much more. It’s truly a blessing of our generation. But on the other hand, it makes all these choices more difficult because it’s hard to make decisions when there are so many paths and opportunities that will lead to good things. How do we choose the right when there are so many opportunities that are good? When you feel lost and confused in this storm of decisions, know that Heavenly Father wants to guide you. You can choose the right path and get the answers you’re seeking if you follow His voice. Recognize how He speaks to you, trust Him, follow the prophet, be patient, be more optimistic, and have faith, and ultimately you will be led in the right direction.

—Vira Vashchenko, Kyiv, Ukraine

Throughout my life I have seen how the Lord has guided me, and I recognize that all I have achieved is thanks to Him and His guidance. Even in the moments when I think I walk alone, at the end, He lets me know and feel that He has always been there with me. That is why I have made the decision to always continue forward with faith, even when I feel that I am on my own. For me, my path is not always clear at times, and I can’t always see what awaits me in the future, but I always take steps of faith, and then I begin to see the light and recognize God’s hand in my life. I know that our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, love us and that They are willing to guide us, but They also expect us to put our faith in Them and act when we receive promptings from the Spirit.

—Indhira Mejia, Dominican Republic

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve had to learn the language of the Spirit. The Spirit talks to me through simple thoughts. It has taken some practice to get used to, but usually the Spirit comes to me in quiet places, like driving to work in my car. I know it’s not my thoughts because the Spirit will often jump in when I wasn’t even thinking of the subject.

—Clarissa Mae Taylor, Utah, USA

I think that one of the most amazing techniques we must master is the ability to recognize the soft whisperings of the Holy Ghost. Diligent scripture study has pushed me further to master it. I have always believed that he who seeks diligently will find; and the mysteries of God will be unfolded before him by the power of the Holy Ghost (see 1 Nephi 10:19). In other words, if I want to recognize the Spirit, I can’t let myself be led into useless thoughts or the everyday concerns of life, but instead I must dive into the work and forget myself. That is when I will be better able to recognize the Spirit because I’m ready for it! In the same way a ship cannot easily travel through a storm, we cannot hear the Spirit if we are carried away by the cares of life that are outside of our control.

—Emmanuel Borngreat Dogbey, Accra, Ghana

In our little family, we recognize the Spirit because of the peace we feel, especially my husband and I together as a couple. When it’s our own thoughts, we never feel that it’s definitely the right thing—there’s always an underlying doubt or fear. But when it’s revelation, we always feel peace, even if we try to rationalize and things don’t seem to make very much sense at first. When we follow it and make it through, we always see things falling into place and everything works out. That’s when we look at each other and say, “Oh, now it makes sense!”

—Maryana Wright, Utah, USA

Although we may all receive personal revelation in different ways, one thing is undoubtedly true: God speaks to us often. We just need to be willing to put in the effort to increase our ability to recognize and hear His voice. As President Russell M. Nelson counseled: “Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will ‘grow into the principle of revelation’” (“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign, May 2018, 95).