“Lesson 21 Class Preparation Material: Hearing the Lord’s Voice in the Latter Days,” Jesus Christ and His Everlasting Gospel Teacher Material (2023)
“Lesson 21 Class Preparation Material,” Jesus Christ and His Everlasting Gospel Teacher Material
Lesson 21 Class Preparation Material
Hearing the Lord’s Voice in the Latter Days
Many people have wondered if God continues to speak to us. Sometimes you may wonder if He will speak to you. With our knowledge of the Restoration, we can shout a resounding “Yes!” The Lord continues to guide us as we learn to hear Him. As you study this lesson, watch for how Joseph Smith and others in our day have learned to recognize the voice of the Savior. Take some time to increase your capacity to hear Him in your own life.
Section 1
How can the Prophet Joseph Smith’s testimony help me better hear and know Jesus Christ?
In his youth, Joseph Smith was deeply concerned about the welfare of his soul and about which church he should join. The “confusion and strife among the different denominations” in his community left him unsure “who was right and who was wrong” (see Joseph Smith—History 1:8–10).
Inspired by the counsel in the Bible to “ask of God” (James 1:5), Joseph went to a grove of trees to pray. In response, he received a glorious vision. Joseph said, “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. … I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:16–17).
In addition to the First Vision, Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father or the Savior on at least eight other occasions (see Sarah Jane Weaver, “President Nelson at Mission Leadership Seminar: How to Receive Divine Tutoring like the Prophet Joseph Smith,” Church News, June 27, 2020, thechurchnews.com). One of these occasions was when Joseph and Sidney Rigdon were working on the inspired translation of the Bible (see Doctrine and Covenants 76). Another came when the Savior appeared and spoke to Joseph and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple (see Doctrine and Covenants 110).
Study in Preparation for Class
Read Doctrine and Covenants 76:22–24 and 110:2–4, looking for what you can learn about the Savior.
President Gordon B. Hinckley said of Joseph Smith’s witness of the Savior:
He was the Lord’s latter-day servant who was chosen to bear witness anew of the resurrected Christ.
To a world plagued with doubt over the actuality of the Resurrection, Joseph Smith testified unequivocally of the risen, living Christ. … The Prophet Joseph Smith was a preeminent witness of the living Christ. (“What Hath God Wrought through His Servant Joseph!,” Ensign, Jan. 1997, 2)
Ponder in Preparation for Class
What do you think makes Joseph Smith “a preeminent witness of the living Christ”? (Preeminent means surpassing all others.) How has Joseph’s witness of the Savior influenced your testimony? If you feel uncertain about your testimony of Jesus Christ, how might a prayerful study of Joseph Smith’s revelations help strengthen your faith? (see D. Todd Christofferson, “3 Ways Joseph Smith Reveals Jesus Christ to Us,” New Era, Mar. 2020, 2–5).
Section 2
How can I improve my capacity to hear the Lord’s voice?
Remember the first words of Heavenly Father to Joseph, “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:17). President Russell M. Nelson said, “In those two words—‘Hear Him’—God gives us the pattern for success, happiness, and joy in this life” (“Hear Him,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 89).
It’s not always easy to recognize when the Lord is speaking to us. Joseph Smith and other early Church leaders had to learn how to recognize His voice. But lovingly, the Savior tutored them—and will tutor us—as we seek to hear Him.
While boarding (renting a room) at the home of Joseph Smith Sr., Oliver Cowdery learned about the work of the Prophet. Oliver prayed about the matter and was filled with peace about what he had heard.
Even when he chose to travel 300 miles (about 480 km) to help the Prophet, Oliver told no one about his experience while praying. After spending several days as Joseph’s scribe for the translation of the Book of Mormon, Oliver still had questions. Like many of us, he may have wondered whether his thoughts and feelings were from God or were just his own. Joseph received a revelation for Oliver that taught him a sweet truth about hearing the Lord’s voice.
Study in Preparation for Class
Study Doctrine and Covenants 6:14–15, 22–23, and consider what you can learn from Oliver’s experience about hearing the Lord. You might also watch “Days of Harmony” from time code 15:35 to 17:20.
Like Oliver, you can become more aware of the Lord’s voice in your life. But where do we go to hear Him? President Nelson described some of the sources from which we can hear the Lord’s voice:
We can go to the scriptures. … As we feast on the words of Christ daily, the words of Christ will tell us how to respond to difficulties we never thought we would face.
We can also hear Him in the temple. … There we learn how to part the veil and communicate more clearly with heaven. …
We also hear Him more clearly as we refine our ability to recognize the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. …
… We hear Him as we heed the words of prophets, seers, and revelators. Ordained Apostles of Jesus Christ always testify of Him. (“Hear Him,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 89–90)
Even though we can read the Savior’s words and listen to His prophets, His voice is not often one we recognize with our physical senses. The Savior told Joseph and Oliver, “I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost. … Behold, this is the spirit of revelation” (Doctrine and Covenants 8:2–3). The Spirit is key in carrying the Lord’s voice to our minds and hearts. Think about what you can do to invite the Lord to speak to you and what you can then do to hear His voice.
Sister Michelle D. Craig, a counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, offers some suggestions that could help you increase your capacity to hear the Lord:
Be Intentional about Creating Time and Space to Hear God’s Voice
As you use your agency to carve out time every day to draw close to God’s voice, especially in the Book of Mormon, over time His voice will become clearer and more familiar to you. …
Satan wants to separate us from God’s voice by keeping us out of those quiet places. …
Act without Delay
When you receive promptings and then act with intention, the Lord can use you. The more you act, the more familiar the voice of the Spirit becomes. …
Get Your Errand from the Lord
The prayer Heavenly Father seems eager to answer is our plea to be led to someone who needs our help. …
Believe and Trust
… As His faithful disciple, you can receive personal inspiration and revelation, consistent with His commandments, that is tailored to you. (“Spiritual Capacity,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 19, 20, 21)
Record Your Thoughts
As you ponder the counsel from President Nelson and Sister Craig, think about how the Lord most often speaks to you. Record an experience you’ve had hearing the Lord’s voice. You might also listen to some examples of how Church leaders “Hear Him!” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).