Receiving Revelation (The D&C Series - Email 2 of 7)

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Dear Reader,

To start the year with a bang, we thought we’d go over personal revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants so we can prepare to receive revelation through this upcoming study year—it’s incredible how this book of scripture helps us understand how to hear God’s voice.


How to Ask and Receive

 
Did you know that most of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants started with questions? Joseph Smith and early Church members weren’t afraid to ask the Lord for help, and the answers they received helped shape the foundation of the Church.
 
In D&C 42:61, the Lord promises us something amazing:
"If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal."
 
It’s a clear invitation to reach out to God, knowing that He wants to answer us. All we have to do is ask sincerely and trust Him to respond.

 

Steps for Receiving Personal Revelation

 
D&C 9:7–9 gives us a simple process for receiving answers:
  1. Think it through – Reflect on the question or decision and make your best choice.
Why: Preparing your mind shows God you’re serious about receiving guidance.
  1. Pray about it – Ask the Lord if what you’ve decided is right.
Why: Prayer invites the Spirit to confirm your understanding.
  1. Feel for peace – If it’s right, you’ll feel a warm, peaceful confirmation in your heart.
Why: These feelings are the Spirit confirming truth.
  1. Check your thoughts – If it’s not right, you’ll feel unsettled or confused—like a mental block or "stupor of thought."
Why: This is God’s way of gently redirecting you.

When I was on my mission, my companions and I would often use this formula in our daily prayers to help us know how best to serve the people we were teaching. It was often a humbling experience—both when we received confirmation and redirection. 
 
Often we would receive the Spirit confirming more than just answers, for example, pleas for help. 
 
One fall, my companion and I somehow ended with no food for an entire Sunday. We served in three wards, and knowing we’d be in church for 8 hours, plus an hour of driving, and then would be spending the rest of the day proselyting, without any chance to go home to eat, we were worried. 
In the church library, we knelt among posters of Christ and modern prophets and apostles, scriptures, and TVs on wheels, and my companion prayed that we would somehow receive food, or that we would be able to make it throughout the day without it. 
 
My companion’s prayer was so fervent, and the comforting presence of the spirit so strong, I could just feel we’d be okay.
 
As we headed out to our car to drive between chapels, a member stopped us. “Sisters, I have a bag of apples in my car I thought you might like to have. Should I get it for you?”
 
Of course, we jumped on it, and spent the rest of the day in awe, that this member would’ve had to have put this bag of apples in her car three and a half hours before we’d prayed. We were in humbled that our prayer had been answered before we’d even thought to ask.

 

Tips for Applying this Process

  1. Be patient with the process
Answers don’t always come immediately. The Lord often uses scripture study to teach us line upon line, precept upon precept (see D&C 98:12).
  1. Keep a scripture journal
Write down your questions, insights, and feelings. Reviewing past entries can help you see patterns in how the Lord communicates with you.
  1. Be open to action
Revelation often comes with an invitation to act. If you feel prompted to change something in your life or study further, follow through. The Lord blesses us when we act in faith.
  1. Rely on the Spirit
Remember, the Spirit is your teacher. Even when you don’t fully understand what you’re studying, the Spirit can help you see its relevance in your life.

At the end of last year, I started praying fervently that as the acquisitions manager for Cedar Fort, that I would be able to seek out and find timely and inspirational book projects that people would resonate with and love. A simple miscommunication had left our schedule for next year short of books where it needed to be. So, I went to the Lord. 

I prayed for weeks with no success, but knew from previous experiences in my life, that even if prayers don’t come immediately or in the way you expect or want them to, they still come. So, I continued to pray. 

At the end of September, the Lord blessed me with a book idea that has turned into a huge inspiration and help for a our company, The Not-So-Secret Lives of REAL “Mormon” Wives and other projects to fill in those gaps. 

It’s been a huge blessing for our company. 

And to top it off, I later learned that our CEO, Bryce Mortimer, had also been praying for his employees, that we would be inspired with ideas that would bless the company and its readers. 

Isn’t that amazing?!?!  
 

God’s Guidance is Always in Harmony

 
Something to remember: personal revelation will always align with God’s commandments and the covenants we’ve made with Him.
 
I love what Elder Dale G. Renlund said: “When we ask for revelation about something for which God has already given clear direction, we open ourselves up to misinterpreting our feelings and hearing what we want to hear.”
 
So, when we pray, it’s good to think about what we already know God has taught us—it helps keep us grounded.
 

The Holy Ghost Makes It Clear

 
D&C 8:2–3 reminds us how the Holy Ghost works—it speaks to both our minds and hearts. Have you ever had a feeling so strong and peaceful that it just felt right? That’s the Spirit. It’s like a whisper to your thoughts and a warmth in your soul at the same time.

 

Stick to Your Lane

 
One more thing—personal revelation is personal. The Lord doesn’t give us revelation for someone else’s life or the Church. (Though you can receive revelation for your immediate family.) That’s what prophets are for. But for our own lives? God is ready and waiting to help us know what to do. 

 

In Conclusion

 
The Doctrine and Covenants makes it so clear that God wants to guide us, every step of the way. It’s pretty amazing to think that He cares enough to answer our prayers in such personal and specific ways. And we, at Cedar Fort, are so incredibly grateful for the clear guidance about how to pray provided by the Doctrine and Covenants. Because of that guidance, we’ve seen the blessing in our lives, and in our company. 
 
Hope this resonates with you. If you’ve had an experience with personal revelation you’d like to share, I’d love to hear from you!
 

Love, 

Emily Clark

Acquisitions & Marketing Manager 

The Cedar Fort Family

 
P.S. Don't forget to check out Doctrine and Covenants Made Easier, The Scripture Central Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants, and 365 Daily Devotionals from the Doctrine and Covenants to help you get your Come, Follow Me study year just right by clicking here.  

P.P.S. Read the full Doctrine and Covenants Series below.
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