Transcript This is Revelation

This is
Revelation
www.kevinhinckley.com
Resume Winners…
"I have a bachelorette degree in computers."
"Graduated in the top 66% of my class."
"I worked as a Corporate Lesion."
"Served as assistant sore manager."
"Married, eight children. Prefer frequent travel."
"Objective: To have my skills and ethics challenged on a daily basis."
"My contributions on product launches were based on dreams that I had."
"Experience: Watered, groomed, and fed the family dog for years."
"Previous experience: Self-employed -- a fiasco."
"Work history: Bum. Abandoned belongings and led nomadic lifestyle."
"I like slipping and sliding around behind the counter and controlling the
temperature of the food."
"Reason for leaving last job: The owner gave new meaning to the word
'paranoia.' I prefer to elaborate privately."
"Reason for leaving last job: Bounty hunting was outlaw in my state."
"Education: College, August 1880 - May 1984."
"Fortunately because of stress, worked in the cardiac intensive-care ward."
And finally:
"Objectives: 10-year goal: Total obliteration of sales and federal income taxes
and tax laws
Editor’s Note
The purpose of this lesson is to encourage students to
look more closely the unique and individual ways the
spirit works through their spiritual gifts.
For instance, too many saints never experience ‘the
burning bosom’ and are lead to believe they do not feel
the spirit or have a testimony. Or they listen to
testimony Meeting or read the scriptures and come to
believe they must have a miraculous manifestation in
order to not make a mistake.
For this reason, some do have the spirit revealed to them
exactly as Oliver Cowdrey did in the course of
translation; most will not.
Please make room for a discussion about the unique ways
class members feel the spirit. This will encourage them
to grow in their knowledge of the spirit—and in their
understanding of how to expresses itself to them.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie
In relating his experiences regarding the
revelation that all worthy males were now
eligible to receive the priesthood of God,
Elder Bruce R. McConkie pointed out one significant reason that
Latter-day Saints miss the prompting of the Spirit directed their
way by the Lord. He stated: "Latter-day Saints have a complex"
in regard to the things of the Spirit.
He explained that we want more than what actually happens.
Elder McConkie observed that many Latter-day Saints were
disappointed with the revelation given to President Spencer W.
Kimball and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
"Many of them [Latter-day Saints] desire to magnify and build upon
what has occurred, and they delight to think of miraculous
things. And maybe some of them would like to believe that the
Lord himself was there, or that the Prophet Joseph Smith came
to deliver the revelation . . . Well, these things did not happen.“
Byron R. Merrill, Heavens Are Open: The 1992 Sperry Symposium on the Doctrine and
Covenants and Church History ( 1993)
Elder Orson Pratt
"No great noise or physical manifestation was
made; Joseph was as calm as the morning
sun. But he noticed a change in his
countenance that he had never noticed before,
when a revelation was given to him. Joseph's
face was exceedingly white, and seemed to shine.
The speaker had been present many times when he was
translating the New Testament, and wondered why he did
not use the Urim and Thummim, as in translating the Book
of Mormon.
While this thought passed through the speaker's mind,
Joseph, as if he read his thoughts, looked up and explained
that the Lord gave him the Urim and Thummim when he
was inexperienced in the Spirit of inspiration.
But now he had advanced so far that he understood the
operations of that Spirit, and did not need the assistance of
that instrument."
(Millennial Star, 11 Aug 1874, pp498-499)
Prophet Joseph Smith
“A person may profit by
noticing the first intimation of
the spirit of revelation; for
instance, when you feel pure
intelligence flowing into you,
it may give you sudden
strokes of ideas…
... by learning the Spirit of God and
understanding it, you may grow into the
principle of revelation, until you become
perfect in Christ Jesus.”
(Teachings of PJS)
Great Untold Story
D&C 6- To Oliver Cowdrey
And, behold, I grant unto you a gift, if you desire of
me, to translate, even as my servant Joseph.
D&C 8
Oliver Cowdery, verily, verily, I say unto you… you
receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall
ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that
you shall receive a knowledge concerning the
engravings of old records, which are ancient, which
contain those parts of my scripture of which has been spoken by
the manifestation of my Spirit.
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.
Therefore this is thy gift; apply unto it,
What Happened?
D&C 9
Behold, I say unto you, my son, that because you did not
translate according to that which you desired of me, and did
commence again to write for my servant, Joseph Smith,
Jun…
…and it is not expedient that you should translate at this
present time.
Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I
would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it
was to ask me.
But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in
your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if
it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn
within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.
But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you
shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to
forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write
that which is sacred save it be given you from me.
The Great Misunderstanding
Elder Mark E. Peterson
D&C 9: was to given to Oliver
Cowdery who was attempting
to translate the Book of
Mormon.
It is not applicable, generally, to the rest of
the church.
(England Leeds Mission, May, 1976)
Getting answers to
prayers:
The Question is NOT:
-what is a Stupor?
-why don’t I feel the
The Burning Bosom?
-Have I Studied it out
enough?
The Question Should be:
How do I receive
personal revelation?
What is my Gift?
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
I know from experience that some seasoned
members of the Church do not know when they
are receiving a witness of the Spirit. . . .
Perhaps lifelong members of the Church don't recognize the
testimony of the Spirit because they have had it so often they
take it for granted. Perhaps they are looking for something
startling and different. . . .
I have heard adult members of the Church claim they do not have a
testimony because they have never experienced a 'burning in the
bosom.' (D&C 9:8.)
If I thought this scriptural "burning" only referred to caloric heat, I
would have to say that I have never had a burning in the bosom
either. . . . In this usage, it does not seem to refer to heat but
rather to an intensity of feeling.
For me, the witness of the Holy Ghost is an intense feeling of
serenity or well-being.“
(Teaching, Learning 'by the Spirit', LDS Church News, 1993, 01/02/93)
President Packer
Satan
The Holy Ghost
All inspiration does
not come from
God.
The evil one has the power to tap into
Alwayschannels
tells the
those
of revelation and send
“natural man” what
conflicting
signals which can mislead and
he wants to hear
confuse us. There are promptings from
evil sources which are so carefully
counterfeited as to deceive even the very
elect.
(Ensign, November 1989, p. 14)
Emotions such as
Excitement, fear
Feelings of Joy and Peace
Elder John H. Groberg
A young Tongan child, Felila, had been diagnosed as
having hydrocephalus. Without help, she would die.
Felila's parents, who were Latter-day Saints, went to the
district president, who contacted Elder Groberg, the
mission president in Tonga at the time. Elder Groberg
said that the plight of this child united men and women,
member and non- member, American and Tongan in
seeking a way for her to be treated at Primary Children's
Hospital in Utah.
Many sacrifices were made, and all arrangements were
settled, but at the very time the goal was to be realized,
the little girl died. The faith of many was tried, including the faith of
Elder Groberg. He said: "I was left alone, or so it seemed. I moved slowly and
heavily down that dusty trail. Why? Why? After all that work and that strong faith of
so many and those impressions [of the Spirit], why?"
"I was overcome by the Spirit...And I heard a voice... [It said,]
"'Come home Felila, my daughter. Come home to the care your loved ones have sought
for you...You have finished your mission in life. Hearts have been softened; souls
have been stretched; faith has been increased. Come home now, Felila.'"
"He knew her! He knew her name. He knew all about her and about all those others.
How perfect our Father's love!...In some marvelous way, which is beyond our
mortal comprehension, he knows and understands all things.“
Byron R. Merrill, Heavens Are Open: The 1992 Sperry Symposium on the Doctrine and
Covenants and Church History ( 1993)