April 13, 2003

• I spoke today in sacrament meeting on "Revelation through the Holy Ghost." Due to popular demand (one person asked for it) I have posted my talk:
  
  Jesus commands us in his Sermon on the Mount to
  “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
  “For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened”
  (Matt 7:7-8).
  What an important concept! It was upon this principle that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the Earth. It was upon this principle that that same Church is able to continue to bless the lives of millions and bring the Truth to the four corners of the Earth.
  When Joseph Smith was fourteen years old, he sought the truth in prayer, and he received it. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ came to him to tell him to be patient and wait for its restoration. He asked and the answer was given him. As he continued to wait for the restoration, he sought the truth. Angel Moroni, a resurrected prophet, came to him and told him where he could find golden tablets containing the record of a people who knew the truth. He sought the gospel, and he found the gospel. After he translated those tablets and published them as the Book of Mormon, he was commanded to organize the Church of Jesus Christ in the latter-days. He knocked, and the door to the fulness of the everlasting gospel was opened up to him. This process of revelation did not end there.
  Brigham Young also asked, sought, and knocked for revelation. Through him the Church escaped the danger of the East and established a haven in the West. Wilford Woodruff asked, sought, and knocked receiving the revelation that removed the practice of polygamy from the Earth. Spencer W. Kimball asked, sought, and knocked, receiving the revelation that extended the priesthood to all righteous brethren of the Church. Gordon B. Hinckley, our Prophet today asked, sought, and knocked, opening up programs like the Perpetual Education System and receiving revelations that give us comfort in times of war and terror. The process of continuing revelation is essential to the Church of Jesus Christ.
  Revelation is essential for the whole church, however. It is not just essential for Church authorities and prophets, it is essential for the members. Each of us, as baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has received the gift of the Holy Ghost. We learn in the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 8:2-3 that revelation comes to all of us through the Holy Ghost.
  “2 Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.
  3 Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.”
  In 2nd Nephi, 32:5, the Lord promises us,
  “5 For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.”
  When we are baptized and given the gift of the Holy Ghost, we “enter in by the way” and are entitled, no, are obligated to receive revelation by the Spirit. It will show us what to do, what to say, and what to believe.
  The pattern of revelation is the same since before the foundation of the world. In Moses chapter 6 we read that
  “when the Lord had spoken with Adam, our father, that Adam cried unto the Lord, and he was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water.
  65 And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man.
  66 And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost . . .”
  Adam was baptized and received revelation of the Holy Spirit. As we read in D&C 8:3, it was by the “spirit of revelation . . . [that] Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.” Moses received revelation of the Holy Spirit. In Daniel chapter 10, the Lord appears to Daniel saying in verse 12, “Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.” Daniel received revelation from the Spirit after he first asked God and sought to understand. Peter likewise received revelation concerning the nature of Jesus in Matthew chapter 16. Jesus asked his apostles, “But whom say ye that I am?” To which “Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” The revelation that Jesus Christ is the Son of God came not by mortal flesh but by the Spirit of Heavenly Father. These great men received revelation.
  Adam did, Moses did, Daniel did, Peter did, Joseph Smith did, and we can do it today. Revelation always comes from the Spirit, and it comes when we do as the Lord told Daniel, by first having a desire to understand, then chastening ourselves before God. We should do as Christ directs, asking, seeking, and knocking. As James said, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5).
  We are humans, we all lack wisdom. There are things you don’t know; seek out those things through the Spirit. The Holy Ghost can tell you what to do to help you overcome a weakness. The Holy Ghost can tell you what is true or how to gain a testimony of the gospel. The Holy Ghost can reveal to you the divinity of Jesus Christ and where to find his gospel. The Holy Ghost can tell you what do you when the gates of hell surround you and the world seems to be falling apart. That’s his job. He is there to comfort you, to direct you, to guide you, and to testify to you. I pray that we will all seek revelation by the Holy Spirit.
  One of my favorite scriptures is Moroni 10:4-5. Moroni tells us what to do after we read the Book of Mormon.
  “4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
  5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”
  I testify that it works- that by the Holy Ghost we may know the truth of all things. I would encourage you to read the Book of Mormon and find out for yourself if it is true. I have.
  I then closed with my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ,
  Amen
  
  
  Anyway, today has been a bitter-sweet day. I love speaking, and it was very spiritual (for me at least), but at the same time I was still trying to deal with everything thats been haunting me all weekend. At least I was able to get some laughs, Andy fell asleep in Sacrament meeting and looked very funny- Adam and Heather H. and I couldn't help but laugh (I tried to hide it). I needed that. I also need another nap. One nap just isn't enough.
  
  Memory of the Day:
  Steak and Shake last year, at Kirtland, after we went to the Johnson Farm. Good times and bad,

  • 8:43 pm
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