Some Revelations

I wanted to really take time to write this...but I ended up getting it down without much editing.

Revelation.
Sometimes it’s right.  Sometimes it’s not.  Man, that’s frustrating.
So I know that it’s always supposed to be right, like if you know it’s true from God then it’s true.  But sometimes this happens to me.  I feel distinct revelation.  Clear as day. An impression that I have no doubts is from the Spirit.  It’s identical to countless other piece of revelation I have had before.  So I follow it.  Except it’s not right.  And then things are not right.  And it’s very confusing.  And I’m all Heavenly Father, what the?!  COME ON!  There are sooo many stories about people who really sacrificed to follow their impressions of the Spirit and it just works out so great for them and for me it IS NOT WORKING OUT SO GREAT.

So I had a chat with my bishop about this, and he said he has had the same experience as me many times, and that any thoughtful person would be asking the same questions I am.  Which made me feel better.

So here is how I am reconciling this for now.

All revelation is from God.  It’s all true.  You learn to recognize it like you learn to see and hear.  It sounds shakey to someone who has never experienced it, just like the idea of hearing might be hard to understand by someone who is deaf.  But if someone loudly calls your name, maybe you’re looking right at them, it is a little silly to question “Did I really just see and hear that?”  Was I imagining it?  I mean, fair enough, of course sense can be mistaken but to go through life wondering if you really saw and heard every single thing is ridiculous.  Anyway, sometimes THAT is how sure I am that God is speaking to me.

So this revelation.  There are two types.  There is mission revelation and journey revelation.  The frustration comes when you think it is one but it is actually the other.


We’re all on a journey, point a to point b.  We just don’t really know what happens in the middle so sometimes we assume that every bit of revelation we get is to help us on our journey.  But sometimes, the purpose of revelation is to guide us on a little side mission.  And if we thought it was for our journey it might be very frustrating.  The reverse is true, if we think journey revelation is actually mission revelation…although it seems likely that that would just work out to be a pleasant surprise. For example.  Nephi is traveling in the wilderness and his family runs out of food.  He asks where to go to find food and God tells him.  Mission revelation.   He didn’t need to pack up his family and head in the general direction of food.  He just needed to go on a hunting trip and get some deer.  Then he hops back on the journey and the Lord directs him on his family’s important journey.

The trick is, sometimes it’s super super hard to tell which kind of revelation it is that we’re getting.  I think I tend to assume journey.  The time I thought I should move to Virginia I though journey!  When I thought I should date certain boys I thought journey!  When I thought I should say things to certain people or teach certain lessons on my mission I thought journey! When all of these have really turned out to be missions.  Very important experiences that build me as a person but don’t really move me along on my journey the way I expected they would.

When you think of it this way all the revelation I have been very frustrated over doesn’t seem so frustrating!  This was a HUGE revelation to me!

Also, I 100% believe the Book of Mormon is the word of God and together with the Bible testifies of reality of the life, teachings, and mission of Jesus Christ.   It has helped me understand who he is and what He thinks about me.  I’m really really grateful to have it in my life.

Grateful things 2, 3 and 4

2. Still got it Utah  Valley!



3.  My friend Holly Forsyth!  Almost a year ago we had a really heart wrenching conversation about where we were at spiritually.  We decided to start checking up on each other on the phone once  a week.  We have spoken pretty near every week since then.  I’m so grateful for her, she has been a lifesaver and the truest friend.

4. NIECE!!!!!!  Born today?  Maybe?  

Comments

Tanya said…
I love all your thoughts! I always have and am glad you have a blog. P.S. have you seen this video? Elder Holland talks about why he thinks that we get revelation that we think is "wrong." http://www.mormonchannel.org/mormon-channel-daily/366?v=2714780496001
8:31 PM
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