Sunday School General President Gives (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Air Force Graduates 8 Principles for Receiving Revelation
Contributed By Peggy Kinnaird, Church News contributor
Graduating seniors stand with guest speaker Brother Tad R. Callister and his wife, Sister Kathryn S. Callister, along with Brother and Sister Lee, before the third annual Baccalaureate Service at the USAFA. Photo by Vern Pitcher.
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
- God is desirous and even eager to reveal His mind to us.
- Each person is entitled to revelation within his or her own rights and responsibilities.
- Reason and revelation work as partners in a larger process of doing the Lord’s work.
Revelation can be one’s “spiritual North Star,” Brother Tad R. Callister, Sunday School General President, told LDS cadets graduating from the United States Air Force Academy on Sunday, May 20.
A total of 24 graduates, including three women, are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The traditional Baccalaureate Service kicked off a full week of activities for graduates and their friends and families on the Colorado Springs campus. The third annual LDS Baccalaureate Service on Sunday immediately followed the Buddhist, Catholic, and Protestant Baccalaureate Services held earlier that day.
The service is intended to provide a spiritual component along with the celebrated academic achievement of the graduates.
Eight principles in receiving personal revelation
In his address, Brother Callister inspired the graduates to remember eight principles in receiving personal revelation.
-First, “God is desirous and even eager to reveal His mind to us,” he said.
-Second, he stressed that each person is entitled to revelation within his or her own rights and responsibilities. Whether a person is a teacher, student or companion, “God will not leave us alone.”
-He followed up with a third principle: no person is entitled to receive revelation outside of his or her rights and responsibilities. Brother Callister said this was a problem in the early days of the Church, with many Saints not understanding or agreeing with this principle and trying to tell the prophet what to do.
“If someone obtains revelation for a bishop or prophet, they are not speaking on behalf of the Lord,” he said. “God does not operate through multiple channels.”
-The fourth principle he spoke of is how reason and revelation work as partners in a larger process of doing the Lord’s work. He quoted from Doctrine and Covenants 9:7–8:
“Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.
“But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.”
-The fifth principle states that if a person is trying their best and has not yet received any revelation, then they should act upon their own best judgement. He gave examples of various day-to-day activities in which it is not necessary to counsel with the Lord and said everyone has their agency to choose.
“With increased agency comes increased spiritual growth. Acting on our best judgment is sometimes sufficient in itself,” he said.
-The sixth principle is that although reason is important, sometimes revelation may conflict with reason. He recounted a story of a finance major who could not live the law of tithing because his calculations did not add up. For him, it was mathematically impossible until a home teacher gave him a blessing and told him that if he lived the law of tithing, he would never experience a day of want in his life. The student decided to choose revelation over reason.
-Brother Callister said the seventh principle is that the degree of revelation is relative to personal spiritual integrity; people must look at their own lifestyles and make changes if necessary.
-The eighth and final principle is there may be a price tag to receiving revelation, meaning that people should do the work necessary. He spoke of Alma the Younger, who had already seen an angel of God but wanted a spiritual confirmation. Brother Callister read Alma 5:46:
“Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me.”
Brother Callister concluded his address by stating the necessary steps to receiving personal revelation, which include sincere prayer in the morning and evening, studying and pondering the scriptures, an honest fast with purpose, controlling thoughts, and attending the temple often.
“I hope we know how desirous the Lord is to guide our lives. May it [revelation] be our spiritual North Star,” he said.
…. The Callisters were impressed by each of the cadets after the tour.
“They are men and women of character, honor, and integrity,” Brother Callister said.
~ For complete article (well worth reading) go to Brother Tad R. Callister… ‘Princples of Revelation’
