Personal revelation

During this week of study, one of the prompts from the Come, Follow Me manual asked us to look more deeply at the principle of personal revelation and what more can we learn about that principle through Ether 1-5.

Pres. Nelson has recently said "I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation". We can look to the brother of Jared as an example of how to increase spiritual capacity before receiving revelation:

1. He repented and prayed to ask for forgiveness (2: 15)
2. He was told to sin no more so that the Spirit could be with him (2:15)
3. He performed the work the Lord had commanded him to do (2:18)

It's the same pattern our leaders ask of us today. Repent, live righteously and do the things the Lord has asked us to do. These are basic principles that allow us to have the amazing gift of revelation.

In Ether chapter 2, we learn that the brother of Jared had a problem. With the Lords instruction, he built these awesome barges that were so impenetrable that the best way to describe them was “tight like unto a dish” (vs. 17). But because they were so “tight like unto a dish” the passengers wouldn’t be able to breathe or see while traveling inside them. So, the brother of Jared prays to the Lord and asks for some guidance on what he should do about these two problems. His subsequent interaction with the Lord helped remind me that that revelation can come to us in different ways. 

First problem - no air. The answer from the Lord for this question came directly and with step by step instructions on how to solve the problem (vs. 20). This is my favorite way of  receiving revelation because the answer to my question comes directly to my mind accompanied by the method required to get the result. These are also the kinds of revelations that I remember best because they seem to be more dramatic in nature and because they don't happen very often. 

Second problem - no light. The answer from the Lord for this question involved a lot more work on the part of the bother of Jared. The Lord helped him rule out some possibilities (v. 23 - don’t even think about windows or fire!), but after that he had to come up with his own potential solution and present it to the Lord for approval (touch these stones that they may shine in the darkness) (3:1-5). This seems to be the more common way I receive revelation; when I need direction in my life the Lord expects me to put in some effort before that direction comes. 

I would like to share an example from my life about these two different ways of receiving revelation: When I was inspired to start sharing my testimony over social media, I had no idea where to begin. When I asked the Lord what he would have me do, the answer was clear and concise and came with instructions on how I should share and with whom I should share it - an example of the first kind of personal revelation (direct and with instructions). However, the Lord does not instruct me each week about what I should write in my blog posts. I have to put in a lot of effort through studying, pondering, and praying before I know what to write each week. This is an example of the second kind of personal revelation (I have to put forth a lot of effort before presenting to the Lord for his acceptance).

One of my favorite talks about revelation was given by Elder David A. Bednar, (The Spirit of Revelation) in which he compares these two types of revelation to light. The first type of revelation is compared to a light is being turned on in a dark room and the details are immediately in full display. The second type of revelation is compared to the sun rising in the morning where the details start to become clearer over time. I think its reassuring to know that personal revelation can come to us in different ways. It's also comforting to know that the Lord will communicate with us the same way he communicates to his chosen prophets, for "all are alike unto God" (2 Nephi 26:33).