Revelation in the Latter-day Saint Church

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I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, AKA: Mormons. I served a mission for the church for two years and spent my time teaching about the doctrines, blessings, and importance of a “Restored Gospel.” One of the most powerful testimonies of the work that I was involved with is the receipt of Personal revelation.

It is up to each individual person to develop a relationship with God, yet as Mormons, we give heed to the counsel of those we consider modern day Prophets. This pattern of living may seem contrary to the idea that one develops his/her own relationship with God. The truth is, that a person will draw much closer to God by following the counsel of the living prophets than by trying to “find their own way.”

Early in the history of the Mormon Church was a misunderstanding of this doctrine. There was one man who was “receiving revelation” for the church as a whole which was contrary to what the Prophet Joseph Smith was teaching. This matter was clarified in the revelation given to Joseph Smith in section 28. The historical background as explained in the D&C Institute manual is thus:

“After arranging my affairs at home, I again set out for Fayette, to attend our second conference, which had been appointed to be held at Father Whitmer’s where Joseph then resided. On my arrival I found Brother Joseph in great distress of mind on account of Hyrum Page, who had managed to get up some dissension of feeling among the brethren by giving revelations concerning the government of the Church and other matters, which he claimed to have received through the medium of a stone he possessed. He had quite a roll of papers full of these revelations, and many in the Church were led astray by them. Even Oliver Cowdery and the Whitmer family had given heed to them, although they were in contradiction to the New Testament and the revelations of these last days. Here was a chance for Satan to work among the little flock, and he sought by this means to accomplish what persecution failed to do. Joseph was perplexed and scarcely knew how to meet this new exigency. That night I occupied the same room that he did and the greater part of the night was spent in prayer and supplication. After much labor with these brethren they were convinced of their error, and confessed the same, renouncing the revelations as not being of God, but acknowledged that Satan had conspired to overthrow their belief in the true plan of salvation. In consequence of these things Joseph enquired of the Lord before conference commenced and received the revelation published on page 140 of the Doctrine and Covenants [section 28], wherein God explicitly states His mind and will concerning the receiving of revelations.”

The Lesson to take from this is that as often as the Lord will use his proper ways of conveying revelation (through his modern day prophets); Satan will try to confuse it with false revelation through similar mediums.

I know that God communicates with his children. I know that I can pray and receive personal answers to my prayers, fitted for my individual circumstance. Yet, these answers usually come through the doctrines taught by the living and modern prophets in the church I love, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is Jesus Christ’s church. The leaders in it have been authorized by Him. I am grateful God speaks in an ordered way to us, his children.