President Russell M. Nelson has said… “Undergirding Church history were revelations received and recorded by Joseph Smith. He protected and preserved them. Explicitly, he followed instructions received in them. . . .
The importance and relevance of these revelations lies in the fact that the heavens are open. It is the fact that God lives, that His Beloved Son Jesus is the living Christ, and that They direct the affairs of His Church by revelation to living prophets.
This access to revelation is not limited to presidents, prophets and apostles. All of God’s Children are invited to receive personal revelation. . . .
Joseph Smith became great because of revelation. Without revelation, Joseph would merely have been just Joseph. Gratefully, we, too, can become greater than we otherwise would be—by receiving and responding to personal revelation. (“The Joseph Smith Papers, Revelations and Translations. Volume 1: Manuscript Revelations Books,” Church History Library , September 22, 2009)
One of the things the Spirit has repeatedly impressed upon my mind. . . is how willing the Lord is to reveal His mind and will. The privilege of receiving revelation is one of the greatest gifts of God to His children.
Through the manifestations of the Holy Ghost, the Lord will assist us in all our righteous pursuits. I remember in an operation room, I have stood over a patient—unsure how to perform an unprecedented procedure—and experienced the Holy Ghost diagramming the technique in my mind. . . .
Imagine the miracle of it! Whatever our Church calling, we can pray to our Heavenly Father and receive guidance and direction, be warned about dangers and distractions, and be enabled to accomplish things we simply could not do on our own. If we will truly receive the Holy Ghost and learn to discern and understand His Promptings, we will be guided in matters large and small. ~ President Russell M. Nelson… “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives” Ensign, May 2018)
(also from ‘Teachings of Russell M. Nelson’, Deseret Book 2018, p.332-33)
