From Larry W. Tippets from his book “Receiving Personal Revelation” taught:
“Lord, what wilt thou have me do?” —Acts 9:6
Perhaps the two Spiritual exercises most frequently emphasized by the prophets are sincere prayer and the study of the scripture. Based on decades of experience, it is my strong witness that the discipline of writing regularly in a personal journal will enhance both of these, making them ever more fruitful. These three spiritual exercises feed on and reinforce one another. The study of scripture opens us to spiritual influences. Prayer enhances scripture study. Writing enables us to remember and act on the inspiration that comes. Sincere scripture study and prayer will give us much of value to write about.
Personal prayer can be our most accessible portal to personal inspiration. In prayer we communicate with our Father in Heaven, and His response to our prayers is called revelation. When we are urgently in need of help from heaven, we need only to turn our minds to our loving Father. He is only a whisper, only a thought, away. This can be done anywhere and anytime: driving on the freeway, in the midst of an important meeting at work, or falling to our knees in the solitude of our closet. Prayer can be uttered aloud or whispered in the privacy of our own mind and heart. Prayers need not require words. “Most of the time, your prayers will be silent. You can think a prayer (Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, October 2012, 29). Prayer is the yearning of our hearts. Your prayers can be enhanced by writing in your journal before, after, and at times, in the midst of your prayers.
The “Divine Will” Principle
The primary reason for prayer is to attune ourselves with God (see Bible Dictionary, “Prayer”). Prayer helps me to see the situation I am praying about as God sees it. Once I begin to view it from a divine perspective, I can move forward with hope and assurance. Prayer, rightly understood, ought to modify and purify our desires to become more consistent in following the will of God. He who “asketh in the Spirit asketh according to the will of God. (Doctrine and Covenants 46:30)
One thing I desire that I know God also desires for me is to have His Spirit with me. I plead for that blessing in nearly every prayer I offer. When I have His Spirit in greater abundance, I am more likely to pray in a manner that lifts and strengthens me. With His Spirit I find it much easier to be submissive to God’s will. . . Larry W. Tippetts, Receiving Personal Revelation (American Fork, Utah, 2017), 79-80 . . .continued
