1. Revelation works within stewardships.
- "The prophet receiving it for the church; the president for his stake, mission, or his quorum; the bishop for his ward; the father for his family; the individual for himself." Boyd K Packer.
2. Confirming Revelation
- Bible Dictionary says: "It is the making known of divine truth by communication with the heavens, and consists not only of revelation of the plan of salvation to the Lord's prophets, but also a confirmation in the hearts of the believers that the revelation to the prophets is true.
- Pres. Eyring used the example of Nephi, "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded..." not "I will go and do what my father told me to do."
3. Revelation of a parent has its lasting effect in the personal revelation that continues in the child.
- Pres. Eyring remembers his mother waiting up for him and having conversations with him about life on the edge of her bed, her words sunk deep into his heart. I want to be that kind of mother!
- This principle reminds me of the song "I am a Child of God" where is says, "lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way. Teach me all that I must do to live with him someday."
4. The value of the revelation depends on those who are being led receiving confirming revelation.
- An example of this is the stark contrast between Nephi and Laman and Lemuel: "I Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him.." 1 Nephi 10:17 compared to Laman and Lemuel who said, "we cannot understand the words which our father hath spoken.. the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us." 1 Nephi 15:7,9
5. Because of the gift of the Holy Ghost, revelation can be continuous.
- The sacrament prayers say "that they may always have His Spirit to be with them."
6. Revelation works through channels of love.
- Pres. Eyring said, "A guide for anyone seeking personal revelation...'Let thy bowels be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly...' Don't take lightly the feeling you get of love for the prophet of God. It is a gift from God. With it you will receive more easily the gift of confirming revelation."
7. Through revelation we learn who Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are and who we are.
- I have been pondering Matthew 16:15-19. "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And 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. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven."
- Those scriptures have taught me so much! The more we come to know Christ through revelation, the more we come to know who we really are. I have found so many examples in the scriptures where people are called by their names! We are known personally and individually by the Lord.
8. Confirming revelation protects us.
- President Eyring shares a story of a woman who didn't know how to read or write. Her husband was called to be a sealer in the temple and she felt unworthy to be his companion. The adversary would have us focus on what we don't know, the Lord protects us by revealing to us what we do know. In the story he points out all the truths this woman knew that are so much more important that the ability to read or write, in that part of the story he said the phrase "she knew for herself or she knew" six times.
- Understanding these truths through revelation helped this woman push through the feeling that she shouldn't go to the temple with her husband.
