Personal Revelation—
Available to All

After baptism, a person is confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in that brief ordinance receives the gift of the Holy Ghost. Afterward, all through life, men, women, even little children have the right to inspired direction to guide them in their lives—personal revelation! (See Alma 32:23.)

The Holy Ghost communicates with the spirit through the mind more than through the physical senses. This guidance comes as thoughts, as feelings, and through impressions and promptings. It is not always easy to describe inspiration. The scriptures teach us that we may “feel” the words of spiritual communication more than hear them, and see with spiritual rather than mortal eyes.

The patterns of revelation are not dramatic. The voice of inspiration is a still voice, a small voice. There need be no trance, no sanctimonious declaration. It is quieter and simpler than that. If you have experienced inspiration, you understand.

Our physical body is the instrument of our spirit. In that marvelous revelation, the Word of Wisdom, we are told how to keep our bodies free from impurities which might dull, even destroy, those delicate senses that have to do with spiritual communication.

The Word of Wisdom is an important key to individual revelation. It was given as “a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints” (D&C 89:3). The promise is that those who obey it will receive “great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures” (D&C 89:19).

Spiritual things are like leavening. By measure they may be very small, but by influence they affect all that we do. Continuing revelation is fundamental to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And I assure you that revelation attends our prophet President and those ordained as Apostles, as prophets, seers, and revelators. But revelation is not limited to them. The Lord desires that “every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world” (D&C 1:20).