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I'm Meg Jensen.

And I'm Paul Carter,

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Welcome to another deep dive. And this one gets well, pretty personal. Like, literally personal. We're diving into personal revelation. And we've got this really interesting mix of sources, too, like academic articles, blog posts, even a couple of devotional speeches thrown in there. going to try and define exactly what personal revelation is, how we can recognize the Spirit's voice, and even how to deal with those moments where, you know, things get a little fuzzy, like when your prayers seem unanswered or you feel kind of pulled in different directions by what you believe and what the church teaches, those kinds of things.

You know, I think it's fascinating that so many of us are looking for that like really simple answer, that straightforward formula for receiving revelation, but the reality is that it's way more complex than that. And that's kind of what makes this deep dive so interesting to me at least. I think we're going to have to challenge some assumptions and really dig deep into like the psychology of belief and how all of that interacts with spiritual experiences.

Absolutely. Yeah. So, to start things off, let's just tackle this big question head on. What exactly is personal revelation? I mean, is it a sudden epiphany, that aha moment, or is it more of a quiet nudge you feel in your heart?

I think it can honestly be all of those things and maybe even more. One of our sources, Elder Dilworth Young talks about how learning to interpret the Spirit is a lifelong journey. It's not like you just wake up one day and boom, you suddenly get it. It's about developing that sensitivity over time. Kind of like learning a new language almost.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. So, it's really about recognizing all the different ways that the Spirit can communicate with us. We've all heard stories about people having these incredibly dramatic, powerful spiritual experiences, but what about those times when it's quieter, more subtle?

Exactly. And one of our sources actually shares this great story about a student who was convinced she'd never actually experienced revelation. But as she talked about it, it turned out that she had. She just didn't recognize it because it wasn't this like earthshattering super obvious event she was expecting.

That's so interesting. So, how do we learn to recognize those more subtle forms of communication, I guess, is the question. What are some of the ways that the Spirit might try to speak to us?

Well, we've got sources in here talking about the burning in the bosom, which is, you know, probably the most common one people think of. But there's also this idea of getting these sudden strokes of inspiration or even a kind of quiet enlightenment of your mind. President Packer in one of our sources describes it as the still small voice, which I love. It's about paying attention to those little impressions and prompings, the ones that might seem insignificant at first, those gentle nudges that can guide us if we just learn to listen.

That's a beautiful image. But how do we know if those feelings are actually from the Spirit or if they're just like our own emotions and desires. I mean, we've all had those moments where we really want something to be true or we get a gut feeling that ends up being totally wrong. So, how do you separate the divine from, you know, just the human?

Yeah, that's a great point. And that's where discernment comes in. I think it's a key part of this whole process. Elder Corbridge in one of the sources uses this phrase the dark choir to talk about all the voices that can cloud our judgment sometimes. You know, our fears, our doubts, even sometimes influences that might be intentionally trying to deceive us.

Okay, that's kind of spooky. So, we really have to be careful, right? But how do we guard against being misled by those darker voices?

I think a big part of it is understanding how bias works. One of the sources digs into this and explains that our existing beliefs, our hopes, even our fears can all color how we interpret our experiences. We might unintentionally be looking for confirmation of what we already believe rather than being open to new things that might challenge our assumptions. Psychologists actually have a name for this, but belief bias. It's this tendency we have to favor information that supports our existing beliefs, even if the evidence isn't that strong.

So, we could be finding what we're looking for, even if it's not really there.

Exactly. And that's why approaching personal revelation with intellectual honesty is so important, being willing to question your assumptions, consider different perspectives, being open to being challenged. It's about finding the truth, not just confirming what you already think.

That makes a lot of sense. And it reminds me of the story of Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove. One of the sources talks about the sacred grove principle

and points out that Joseph faced a lot of opposition and negativity before he actually received his vision. It's like he had to push through all that resistance, that dark choir you mentioned to get to the truth.

Wow, that's a great connection. I think it really highlights the importance of perseverance and how crucial it is to resist those negative influences that might try to pull us off course. Sometimes receiving revelation requires a lot of courage and a willingness to confront those darker voices. head on.

That's powerful. But what about those times when we feel like we've done everything right? We've prayed, we fasted, we've sought guidance, we've done all the things, but we still don't get a clear answer. What about unanswered prayers? Does that mean we're doing something wrong? Or that maybe revelation isn't even real?

That's a tough question, and I think it's one that everyone who's ever sought divine guidance has probably struggled with at some point. And honestly, it can be incredibly frustrating. But Elder Holland in one of our sources offers some really helpful reassurance. I think he reminds us that even those unanswered prayers are recorded and that they will be answered in the Lord's time.

Is it about trusting in God's timing?

Exactly. And understanding that sometimes the answer might be no or not yet. It's like in the story of Oliver Cowdery. He wanted that second witness of the Book of Mormon translation so badly, but the Lord basically told him, you already have your witness. Trust in what you've received.

That's a good point. And this might sound a little cheeky, but I think we're all guilty of this sometimes. You know, praying for the same thing over and over, hoping for that extra confirmation. How is that any different from what Oliver was doing?

You know, that's a fantastic question and it really gets to the core of are we genuinely open to God's will even if it's not what we were hoping for or expecting or are we, as one of the sources puts it, kind of trifling with sacred things.

Trifling with sacred things. What does that mean exactly?

I think it means approaching Revelation with a deep sense of reverence and sincerity, recognizing that communication with the divine is sacred, not creating it like some kind of cosmic vending machine where you put in your prayer and expect a specific outcome, you know.

Okay, so we're not supposed to just rattle off our wish list of things we want God to do for us. But then how do we approach prayer in a way that's both sincere and meaningful?

It's about seeking guidance and understanding, not about trying to dictate the terms. One of the sources says it beautifully. It's about aligning our will with God's will, not trying to make God bend to our desires.

Yeah, I love that. It's about surrendering to something bigger than ourselves, not just trying to get what we want. But but that brings up another question for me. What happens when what we feel we're being guided to do clashes with what the church teaches? How do we navigate that tension between personal revelation and, you know, institutional authority?

Ooh, that's a tough one, and it's a question that a lot of people wrestle with for sure. We're going to dive into that more deeply in the next part of or deep dives. But I think it's really important to remember that personal revelation should never be seen as a way to like undermine or contradict the established doctrine of the church.

So it's not about creating our own personal version of the Gospel.

Right. Exactly. But it is about seeking a deeper understanding and finding that spiritual confirmation of the truths that we've already been taught. One of the sources talks about this idea of mental assent versus spiritual conviction. Like you can intellectually agree with the teaching But true conversion happens when that teaching resonates in your heart. You know,

I see what you mean. It's the difference between knowing something in your head and feeling it deep in your soul. But how do we bridge that gap? How do we go from mental ascent to that deeper spiritual conviction?

I think that's where the real journey begins. And it's what we'll be talking more about in the next part of our deep dive. We'll get into the dynamics of personal and institutional revelation, the influence of our social groups on what we believe, and the constant challenge of how we discern truth from error. Sounds like we've got a lot to unpack. I'm already feeling like I need to take some notes, but I'm definitely excited to keep exploring all of this with you. Thanks for joining us for part one of our deep dive into personal revelation. We'll be back soon with part two, where we'll get even deeper into these fascinating and sometimes challenging questions.

Welcome back to our deep dive on personal revelation.

You know, I'm ready to keep going with this. Yeah,

we left off last time talking about how tricky it can be when what feels right to us person personally might clash with what the church teaches,

right? Yeah. And it's easy to get caught up in worrying about that, you know, the potential for conflict. But one of the sources I was reading actually suggests that sometimes we get so focused on the possibility of things going wrong that we almost become these like perpetual doubters and we miss out on all the joy and strength that comes from actually, you know, having faith.

That's a good point and honestly, I've definitely known people like that. Always looking for the loophole or the exception to every rule. But isn't it still important to think things through carefully.

How do we balance that, you know, that healthy skepticism with the need to just have faith?

That's where discernment comes in, I think. And it makes me think of that boat analogy we talked about earlier. Sometimes we can get so fixated on the imperfections or the things that feel a little off that we completely miss the bigger picture.

Yeah, exactly. We're so busy looking for holes that we forget the boat's actually keeping us afloat. And speaking of bigger pictures, we were talking about those primary versus secondary questions before. And one of the sources we have actually suggests that if we only focus on those big foundational questions of faith, we might miss out on some of the like richness and depth that comes from exploring those more nuanced secondary questions.

It's true. It's kind of like if you think about it, it's like building a house on a super solid foundation, but then never putting up the walls or a roof. Like you've got the basics, but it's not a complete structure. Engaging with those secondary questions, as long as we do it thoughtfully and prayerfully, can actually make our faith even stronger over time.

So, it's not about avoiding those tough questions then.

Not at all. No, it's about really seeking understanding. And I think that's a key part of this whole personal revelation thing. It's a lifelong journey. We might get a like a a quick answer to a specific prayer or question, but it's as we live our faith that those answers often gain new layers of meaning and understanding.

Yeah, I love that. It's like peeling back the layers of an onion. You get something new with each one. But that takes patience doesn't it? Trusting that those answers will come eventually, even if we don't have the whole picture right away.

Absolutely. We got to trust the process, trust in God's timing, and trust in our own ability to receive and recognize his guidance. And you know, that makes me think about another really interesting aspect of personal revelation, the role that our social groups play.

Oh yes, this is what I was really curious about. We all grew up in different environments, you know, surrounded by people who shape our beliefs and values. I'm curious, how much of our faith is is truly independent versus like being influenced by our families, our friends, the communities we're part of.

Well, one of the sources points out that friends, family, fellow believers, they all have a huge impact on our faith journeys for sure. There's even this stat in one of them. It says that 86% of active members said they had a faithful friend or relative who was involved in their conversion. I mean, it really shows how powerful those connections can be.

Wow. 86%. That's a lot. I mean, it makes you wonder how many of us would end up with the same beliefs if we grown up in totally different situations. You know,

it's a fascinating question and it also makes me think about groupthink. You know, this idea that sometimes we might just accept beliefs without really like truly examining them for ourselves.

Oh yeah, I could see how that could happen. Yeah.

So, how do we balance that influence from the people around us with our own need to seek truth independently?

I think that's where personal revelation plays such a crucial role. It's about developing that inner compass, that connection with the divine that lets us navigate all those tricky complexities. We have to learn to trust the Spirit's guidance and to use our own judgment.

That makes sense. But then how do we know we're not just fooling ourselves?

I mean, if personal revelation is so subjective, like based on our own interpretations, couldn't we just be confirming what we already believe if it's not actually true?

That's a super valid concern, and it's something that Elder Oaks actually talks about directly in one of our sources. He cautions against this idea of like seeking continuous revelation for every single tiny decision we have. to make. He says, "We've got to use our intelligence, our judgment, and even a bit of humor sometimes."

I love that story he shared about the guy praying about which brand of canned vegetables to buy. It's like, come on. I'm sure God has bigger fish to fry than that. But seriously, how do we avoid that tendency to just look for the answers we want instead of facing the truth, whatever it might be?

I think one of the sources we have puts it really well. They emphasize the importance of recognizing the difference between doubts and questions. It's okay to have question. questions. In fact, asking questions can lead us to a deeper understanding and even greater faith.

So, doubts are bad, but questions are good. What's the difference exactly?

I think doubts can be paralyzing. You know, they're often rooted in fear or mistrust. But questions on the other hand, they come from a place of curiosity and a desire to learn more.

I see the distinction. It's about approaching those questions with an open mind, not letting them become these seeds of disbelief. But what about those times when we feel like we've asked all the right question? Questions. You know, we've sincerely sought guidance, but we're still stuck. We're just not getting that clear answer we were hoping for.

I know that can be so frustrating. But one of the sources actually reminds us that faith by its very nature has to involve some uncertainty. It's about taking that leap, trusting in God's wisdom even when we don't have all the answers laid out perfectly in front of us.

I guess that takes a lot of humility, doesn't it?

Admitting that we don't have all the answers, that we might be wrong, and that we need to ultimately rely on on something bigger than ourselves.

Humility is key for sure. It's when we can let go of our ego, our need to control everything that we actually become receptive to the Spirit's guidance.

You know, in the last part, we were really getting into this idea of personal revelation being so subjective. And it just made me think like how do we know for sure if it's really coming from God or if it's just, you know, us projecting our own thoughts and hopes and desires.

It's such a tricky thing, right? One of the sources we've been looking at talks about how sometimes doubts can totally paralyze us, but asking questions that can actually lead us to a much deeper understanding.

Okay, so it is okay to question things. Sometimes I feel like we're taught that we're not supposed to question our beliefs.

I think it comes down to the reason behind the questions. Like if we're coming from a place of genuine curiosity, a desire to learn and grow, then that's a healthy part of, you know, the whole spiritual journey. But if our doubts are coming from a place of fear or a desire to tear things down, That's where things can get a little well messy.

So, how do we make sure we're approaching things the right way?

Well, one of the sources talked about this idea of developing spiritual self-reliance. It's not about expecting God to give us this superdetailed instruction manual for every single situation. It's more about learning to trust the Spirit's guidance and then using our best judgment.

So, it's like we're given a compass, but we have to figure out how to read it ourselves.

Yeah.

And then use it to find our own way.

Exactly. And like any skill that takes practice. The more we seek guidance, the better we'll get at recognizing the Spirit's voice and understanding how it speaks to us specifically.

But what if we mess up? What if we think we're following the Spirit, but we're actually being led in totally the wrong direction? That's kind of scary to think about.

Yeah, I get that. It's a valid concern. And that's why discernment is so important. I mean, we have to remember that we're human. We make mistakes. We misinterpret things. And sometimes, yeah, we even get deceived. I think it comes down to being willing to take that leap of faith even when we don't have all the answers. Trusting in God's wisdom even when we don't fully get it.

So, as we wrap up this whole deep dive into personal revelation, is there like one key takeaway you hope people will remember?

You know, more than anything, I hope people will come away remembering that personal revelation is a journey, not just a destination. It's about developing that relationship with the divine, learning to trust the Spirit's guidance, and then using our own judgment prayerfully to navigate all the ups and downs life throws at us.

It's about finding that balance, right, between faith and reason,

seeking answers, and also trusting the process.

Absolutely. And as we keep going on this journey together, I just hope we can all cultivate that spirit of humility, openness, and trust that allows us to really hear and follow those promptings from the Spirit. Thanks for joining us everyone, and until next time, keep seeking, keep learning, and keep diving deep.

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