Personal Revelation (Part 1)

This weekend I taught a workshop on Personal Revelation in my stake Relief Society's Women's Conference. Since I am not an expert on personal revelation, I spent quite a bit of time studying to prepare. What follows are my notes:

1) What is Personal Revelation?
"Communication from God to the individual"

2) What is the purpose of Personal Revelation? Or, in other words, why should God communicate to the individual?
Personal revelation allows us to not be overcome and to not be deceived - it gives us light, truth, and unshakeable faith.

• All victory and glory is brought to pass unto you through your diligence, faithfulness, and prayers of faith. - D&C 103:36
• Put your trust in that Spirit, which leadeth to do good -- yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously: and this is my spirit. ...I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind. Which shall fill your soul with joy; and then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive. - D&C 11:12-14

Rather than thinking of what you want God to reveal, consider what God wants to reveal to you.

• He that asketh in the Spirit asketh according to the will of God. - D&C 46:30
• Desiring to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to posses a greater knowledge ... and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God. - Abraham 1:2
• Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands - Mosiah 23:10
• Why has your moral agency been given to you? Only to live a pleasurable life and to make choices to do the things you want to do? Or is there a more fundamental reason—to be able to make the choices that will lead you to fully implement your purpose for being here on earth and to establish priorities in your life that will assure the development and happiness the Lord wants you to receive. - Richard G. Scott
  
• Wherefore, enter ye in at the gate, as I have commanded, and seek not to counsel your God - D&C 22:4

3) And what does God want to reveal to us?
Stay tuned and I'll address each of these in separate posts.