Area Leadership Message
The Heavens Are Open and I Can Receive Many Revelations Daily
We can learn so much about the year 2024 by reading Helaman, chapters 5–12, in the Book of Mormon. Just six years before the Saviour’s birth, Nephi and Lehi found themselves in difficult circumstances, not unlike today. There were many wars and divisions, political upheaval and strife, and people focused more on the things of the world than of God. As we liken the scriptures to ourselves, we can more fully recognise God’s hand in our lives and pattern our lives after our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
The windows of heaven are open. We have a loving Heavenly Father who wants to communicate with us. He has established a pattern of communication whereby His voice can be heard daily, even hourly. When we recognise heaven’s voice, we know we are His children, we know we have a Saviour, and we know the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored upon the earth.
Knowing when the Holy Ghost is whispering to us is fundamental to discipleship; after all, President Russell M. Nelson said, “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” Many brothers and sisters didn’t survive spiritually in Nephi and Lehi’s time, and many are having trouble surviving now!
How do we know when the third member of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost, “whom the Father will send … in [Jesus’] name” is speaking to us? Let’s look at recent instructions.
In his October 2023 general conference talk, “Our Constant Companion,” President Henry B. Eyring referred to Helaman 11:23, which says “It came to pass … many … knew concerning the true points of doctrine, having many revelations daily, therefore they did preach unto the people, insomuch that they did put an end to their strife in that same year”.
We are eligible to receive heaven’s help through revelation, many times per day! Isn’t that amazing? The footnotes to Helaman 11:23 then takes us to the how—what we can do to qualify for receiving many revelations daily. Jarom 1:4 states, “And there are many among us who have many revelations, for they are not all stiffnecked. And as many are not stiffnecked and have faith, have communion with the Holy Spirit, which maketh manifest unto the children of men, according to their faith”.
From this scripture, we learn that humility and faith in the Lord are essential to receiving revelation from heaven.
The prophet Ammon in Alma 26:22 then takes the how a step further when he states, “Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed”.
In addition to humility and faith in the Lord, Ammon invites us to repent and President Nelson invites us to repent daily, with joy, to do good things for other people, and to have a prayer in our heart!
I am consistently seeking answers to questions I don’t know, “which have never been revealed.” I know I can get answers to my questions by following this spiritual, scriptural pattern. Exercise faith in Jesus by following His example, choosing to be humble, praying continually and bringing forth good works and repenting joyfully helps us receive more revelation, even “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little.” Revelations may occur many times a day over many days.
The Lord then illustrates what is possible when we follow His pattern to receive many revelations from Heaven: “To have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens opened unto them, to commune with the general assembly and church of the Firstborn, and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.”
I invite you, my brothers and sisters, to follow spiritual, scriptural patterns to more fully open the windows of heaven. I promise that as you do, you may receive many revelations daily.