1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,000 [♪ Music playing. 2 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,880 Welcome to Closer to Christ, Your General Conference, where two friends who love Jesus 3 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:18,300 share our own approach to studying the most recent General Conference talks. 4 00:00:18,300 --> 00:00:19,920 This is Abbey and Amy. 5 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:24,120 Let's jump into it. 6 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:29,460 Today's talk will be discussing Seeking Answers to Spiritual Questions by Sister Tracy Browning. 7 00:00:29,460 --> 00:00:33,340 Second Counselor, Primary General Presidency. 8 00:00:33,340 --> 00:00:37,720 This for a fact definitely has to be something that Amy takes the lead on because she's taught 9 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:42,480 me more than anybody else about seeking answers to spiritual questions. 10 00:00:42,480 --> 00:00:48,840 She starts out her talk by sharing the fact that Pluto got downgraded. 11 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:53,720 Like us growing up, we definitely recognized Pluto as the planet in our solar system. 12 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:58,480 She's of the same generation and like doesn't get too deep into it, so I don't think we 13 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:04,480 have to either, but in 2006, you know, they made this group that decides like what's going 14 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:09,120 to qualify for a planet and Pluto passes two of the three tests, but not the third. 15 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:14,040 But basically what she was trying to say is that it took decades of questioning and learning 16 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:20,640 to reassign Pluto to its new place as something in our solar system, but not a planet in our 17 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:21,680 solar system. 18 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:25,520 She says, what's striking to me about this are some parallels and key distinctions between 19 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:30,200 the metaphorical pursuit of expanding scientific horizons and the journey that we as children 20 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:34,080 of God undertake to seek answers to our spiritual questions. 21 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:38,920 Specifically, how can we respond to the limits of our spiritual understanding and prepare 22 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:41,760 ourselves for the next stage of personal growth? 23 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:43,840 Where could we turn to for help? 24 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:48,920 And she's going to go on to lay out what we might consider like a formula for receiving 25 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:51,300 personal revelation. 26 00:01:51,300 --> 00:01:52,900 Would you say it's that simple? 27 00:01:52,900 --> 00:01:55,680 Would you say that there's a formula for receiving personal revelation? 28 00:01:55,680 --> 00:02:01,040 Wouldn't we all love to have a clean cut way of personal revelation so that the outcome 29 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:05,300 is predictable, unfortunately, or maybe fortunately for us. 30 00:02:05,300 --> 00:02:08,360 It's not really how it works. 31 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:13,280 My husband and I were talking about this and as soon as we think of God as a vending machine 32 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:18,600 with outlined input and output, our own understanding of the relationship has been skewed. 33 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:25,160 So rather than a formula for receiving personal revelation, I'd love to focus on guiding principles. 34 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:26,960 And these are directly from her talk. 35 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:28,600 I love this talk so much. 36 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,000 She taught so clearly and concisely. 37 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:37,440 Number one, the Holy Ghost is our guide and we center our lives on Jesus Christ. 38 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:41,980 I thought our conversation before the podcast started was fabulous. 39 00:02:41,980 --> 00:02:46,580 You were sharing with me how you felt like Sister Browning. 40 00:02:46,580 --> 00:02:50,040 Rather than making you want to go back and do research on all of the things that have 41 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:55,320 previously been said about spiritual questions, this becomes the new standard for where we're 42 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:56,320 at on it. 43 00:02:56,320 --> 00:03:02,120 And I said, maybe that has to do with the research she's done previous to it. 44 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:06,680 There could be a lot of reasons for it, but what I thought was fabulous was that you come 45 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:12,220 to this talk with a boatload of personal experience in this realm. 46 00:03:12,220 --> 00:03:19,560 So if you're telling me that this is the standard that we should go by, I'm extra interested 47 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:20,560 in what she has to say about it. 48 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:21,560 This is how I feel. 49 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:23,900 Yeah, I definitely geeked out about it. 50 00:03:23,900 --> 00:03:28,740 So the Holy Ghost, number one was the Holy Ghost is our guide as we center our lives 51 00:03:28,740 --> 00:03:29,740 in Jesus Christ. 52 00:03:29,740 --> 00:03:34,360 And her direct quote is, God the Father and his son's way of imparting their wisdom to 53 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:40,560 us prioritizes inviting the power of the Holy Ghost to be our personal teacher. 54 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:42,360 We've heard that from our prophet as well. 55 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:49,120 As we center Jesus Christ in our lives and in our faithful seeking for their answers 56 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:50,280 and their meaning. 57 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:55,400 Two, we use our agency to spend time learning what the spirit feels like in our lives. 58 00:03:55,400 --> 00:04:03,240 Cause I think the word agency came to me when we were saying that in step number one, because 59 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:07,160 if we don't opt in, then they can't override our agency. 60 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:10,960 They can't open the channels of what they're going to share with us until we opt in and 61 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,280 say, we want to learn something from you. 62 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:16,080 And then yes, we've opened that channel. 63 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:23,440 We were in a place where the Holy Ghost can teach us that takes daily decisions that we're 64 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:24,440 making daily. 65 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:26,940 That requires our agency to get us to that point. 66 00:04:26,940 --> 00:04:27,940 So yes, perfect. 67 00:04:27,940 --> 00:04:31,480 So going back to point number two, agency. 68 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:36,840 Her quote, so number two is we use our agency to spend time learning what the spirit feels 69 00:04:36,840 --> 00:04:37,840 like in our lives. 70 00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:43,200 Her quote is, they, heavenly father in Jesus Christ, invite us to discover truth through 71 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:47,960 devoted time spent studying Holy scripture and to seek for latter day revealed truth 72 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:53,360 for our day and our time imparted by modern day prophets and apostles. 73 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:55,600 Third one, worship in the temple and pray. 74 00:04:55,600 --> 00:05:01,200 They, heavenly father in Jesus Christ, entreat us to spend regular worship full time in the 75 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:04,720 house of the Lord and to take to our knees in prayer. 76 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:09,160 And then she says this, to access information from heaven. 77 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:11,360 Can't be more straightforward than that, right? 78 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:16,040 I can't think of a more cool experience that I've had than when I knelt in prayer in the 79 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:17,040 celestial room. 80 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:18,040 I had the place to myself. 81 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:19,040 Like I just can't imagine doing that. 82 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:20,040 Love that. 83 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:24,120 Just randomly, but there were things on my mind and there was like, I had been studying 84 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:25,840 the be still and know I am God. 85 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:27,880 And I went into there, I'm like, I have this opportunity. 86 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:28,880 It's unique. 87 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:31,440 Like how many temples can you say you can go into and you have the celestial room to 88 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:32,440 yourself? 89 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:33,440 Probably not many. 90 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:36,480 I had just dressed in a way and I had just done some work. 91 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:37,480 Like I hadn't gone through a session. 92 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:40,640 So I wasn't like entering the celestial room with a pile of other groups. 93 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:44,920 Like it was just me and my own time and kind of off schedule, whatever. 94 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:47,200 And that's a powerful thing to do. 95 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:52,880 So I don't know that everybody will get that opportunity to do it, but I would add what 96 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:58,200 a neat opportunity to, I guess what I loved, it was so immediate. 97 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,640 I opened my prayer and I received my answer to my prayer like in that moment. 98 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:03,840 I don't know that that happens all the time for me. 99 00:06:03,840 --> 00:06:06,120 It happened this time for me. 100 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:10,920 Elder Uchtdorf said, asking a question is not a sign of weakness. 101 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,000 It's a precursor to growth. 102 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:14,080 That's a fact. 103 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,160 What are your thoughts about asking questions, Amy? 104 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:21,240 So Abby, I grew up in a home with a teacher for a dad and I didn't realize it as a child, 105 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:26,400 as a teen or a young adult, but I realized later on that he was teaching me to be a seeker 106 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:29,240 of truth and a learner on my own. 107 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:34,960 So whenever I would ask a question that I was sure he had the answer to, he would say, 108 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:36,280 well, what do you think? 109 00:06:36,280 --> 00:06:41,920 And I remember being disappointed as a kid and thinking, why isn't he telling me? 110 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:43,360 I knew he knew it. 111 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:48,660 But what that did was it turned me into someone who wasn't waiting for a handout, wasn't waiting 112 00:06:48,660 --> 00:06:53,600 for other people's opinions, but I learned to seek the answers and go straight to God. 113 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:55,860 I now am forever grateful for that lesson. 114 00:06:55,860 --> 00:06:57,880 So parents aren't allowed to be a vending machine either. 115 00:06:57,880 --> 00:06:58,880 Here's the answer. 116 00:06:58,880 --> 00:06:59,880 I mean, you could be, right? 117 00:06:59,880 --> 00:07:00,880 That was the other thing. 118 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:01,880 Hold on. 119 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:04,400 It's really causing me to think that's not effective parenting. 120 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:09,520 Like we had just discussed one episode previous, as parents, you have to, we learn, we learn 121 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,920 through our kids that we have to discern the situation and give our kids what they need 122 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:13,920 in that moment. 123 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:14,920 Right. 124 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:15,920 And that changes, I would say. 125 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:16,920 Absolutely changes. 126 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:18,120 And it changes by kid. 127 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:22,120 And certainly that's going to be true for Heavenly Father and for the knowledge he has about 128 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:27,000 us and for our growth, that if he dispenses it in such a way that it takes no effort on 129 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:32,720 our part, I think that which comes too easily is gone too easily. 130 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:34,600 Well, is esteem too lightly? 131 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:35,600 I don't know. 132 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:39,160 I'd have to go back and think on this, but that which we get too easily, we don't appreciate 133 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:41,000 as much as the things we work hard for. 134 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:42,600 For sure, Abby. 135 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:45,800 Heavenly Father knew that I would respond well to that type of teaching. 136 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:49,480 And also when I talked, so when I heard this, I called my dad and I talked to him and thanked 137 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:50,640 him for this. 138 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:54,400 He reminded me that often we need, just like you said, different types of teaching through 139 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:56,080 different seasons of life. 140 00:07:56,080 --> 00:08:01,040 And about your knowledge of your siblings, do you think that he is the same? 141 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:02,040 I'm sure he did. 142 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:03,040 Totally. 143 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:04,040 Yeah. 144 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:06,720 Well, you've got one here right now for the holidays, so ask him. 145 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:08,120 I will ask him. 146 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:12,560 So there are times that certain teachings resonate more with us and it's wonderful to 147 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:16,560 learn through different modes and the Lord has infinite ways of reaching us. 148 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:20,040 The more fluent we are in this and his different languages of teaching, the better it is for 149 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,680 us in learning as a whole rather than just parts. 150 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:31,040 But about if like this Amy today, 2024 still, not 2025, calls dad up and asks him, does 151 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:35,160 he use that same method for you or does it become more of an adult conversation where 152 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:38,400 he's willing to share a little more because he kind of knows where you're at in your life? 153 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:40,480 You know, he still kind of uses that. 154 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:42,720 He's a man of few words. 155 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:45,600 And I also think that's just part of his personality as well. 156 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,840 But yeah, but we're also able to have conversations. 157 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:50,360 So a little of both. 158 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,760 Like he would still like me to reach and he also has a nice conversation. 159 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:55,200 I think that's awesome. 160 00:08:55,200 --> 00:09:00,400 The Lord's method of teaching is what I would say mirrors what your dad is. 161 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:04,160 He knows what you need and he gives you that in the moment and then he lets you think on 162 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:09,460 it, kind of make some sense of that and then he'll give you more. 163 00:09:09,460 --> 00:09:12,480 So we just say line upon line, precept upon precept. 164 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:18,120 We may be required to wait on the Lord in the space between our current line of understanding 165 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:21,320 and then the next that's yet to be delivered. 166 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:22,920 This we consider sacred space. 167 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:27,760 It can be a place where our greatest spiritual growth can happen. 168 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:29,120 If we bear it with patience. 169 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:32,200 Well, actually you can learn something when you don't bear it with patience too. 170 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:33,200 That's true. 171 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:37,440 But if we know we're in the process of earnestly seeking and renewing strength to continue 172 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:44,040 to keep sacred promises we have made to God through covenant, what blessings have you 173 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:47,920 found or what has come to you in times when you've had to wait on the Lord? 174 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:50,040 When the answers don't come so immediate. 175 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,600 So it's interesting because I'll just put this out there. 176 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:53,600 I don't like waiting. 177 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:54,600 Who does? 178 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:57,480 Like that's the dumbest thing. 179 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:05,000 I think as I have continued to learn and grow, I recognize that it is vital that we recognize 180 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:06,880 the waiting as part of the process. 181 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,760 In fact, it's the space the Lord has given us to actually process what we've learned 182 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:11,760 this far. 183 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:17,480 I realized actually, as I went over this talk, it was on the fourth listen, Abby, that I 184 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:20,160 am always on the edge of revelation. 185 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:25,340 When Sister Browning said that phrase, on the edge of revelation, I felt a gentle correction 186 00:10:25,340 --> 00:10:26,720 from the Spirit. 187 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:32,080 Why not use the edge for something other than a chance to move that needle, move that needle 188 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:35,240 as I sometimes get hyper-focused and I just want to keep going. 189 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:39,480 I decided right then as I paused the talk to pray and think through this to consciously 190 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:45,040 use the space in between to thank Heavenly Father in prayer and then to synthesize what 191 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:48,800 I've learned telling Him, thank you for teaching me this. 192 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:50,680 Thank you for helping me to see that. 193 00:10:50,680 --> 00:10:52,800 Thank you for helping me understand this. 194 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:58,760 As I take part in this process, I use my agency to invite Heavenly Father to then further 195 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:01,520 clarify the things He taught me. 196 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:07,880 As I tell Him what I've learned, He may be able to say, actually it was this and clarify 197 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:13,320 that and then it's another opportunity for me to learn further. 198 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:18,100 I felt the Spirit teaching me that that's another way that gratitude can become a blessing. 199 00:11:18,100 --> 00:11:22,680 Another reason for the waiting between learning is so that the principles we've already learned 200 00:11:22,680 --> 00:11:26,220 have time and space to take hold while we live life. 201 00:11:26,220 --> 00:11:30,000 This waiting time is a time for integration. 202 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:34,200 And an opportunity for Him to see through the actions that we take that we understood 203 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:35,200 the message. 204 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:41,800 Yes, I love that. 205 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:47,760 So we were talking about the steps that we go to. 206 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:54,920 Well, the principles that we learn were in that waiting period. 207 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:59,360 So from the talk, I would say the word obey stood out. 208 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:02,700 Adam was commanded by God to make a sacrifice on the altar. 209 00:12:02,700 --> 00:12:06,600 And after many days, an angel of the Lord appeared to Adam saying, why do you do this? 210 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:08,200 Why are you offering the sacrifice into the Lord? 211 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:11,080 And Adam said unto him, I know not, say the Lord commanded me. 212 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,120 I love that line. 213 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:14,120 Love it. 214 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:20,400 So Sister Browning clarified that Adam's obedience preceded his understanding and prepared him 215 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:22,520 to receive the sacred knowledge that he is. 216 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:23,520 Oh yeah. 217 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:24,520 It's the best answer. 218 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:26,120 He's like, I have no idea why I'm doing it. 219 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:27,120 They told me to offer sacrifices. 220 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:28,600 I'm doing that. 221 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:34,000 And then really we get to see like, this is great. 222 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:36,360 This is a great practice for us. 223 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:41,440 Because we do it just because it doesn't feel wrong to do it. 224 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:43,520 And it actually makes, we feel right. 225 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:44,520 We feel settled. 226 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:45,520 We're doing it. 227 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:47,720 I think Adam's getting something out of that. 228 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:48,720 For sure. 229 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:49,720 He must be getting some blessings. 230 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:53,720 It's like, I don't know, but like things are going well for me because I'm doing this thing. 231 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,400 And so I'm going to keep doing it until I get further instruction from the Lord on what 232 00:12:57,400 --> 00:12:58,400 the next thing is. 233 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:04,120 And how beautiful for him that when he understood later, this is after, that he was participating 234 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,080 in a sacred symbol of the atonement of Jesus Christ. 235 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:08,080 That is a beautiful part. 236 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:09,080 Makes so much more sense. 237 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:10,080 I agree. 238 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:11,080 Right. 239 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:14,240 And he needed to be put to test to say, will you do this thing that I ask without all the 240 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:15,800 answers in front of you? 241 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:17,880 That's how it is for us, right? 242 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:19,840 We don't get to see the end from the beginning. 243 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:22,080 So I do love this part. 244 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:27,080 When she talks about this whole, this whole sub, sorry, one of the areas that she talked 245 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:32,080 about was obey is just that what are we obeying? 246 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:35,600 One of the questions that I've really loved, you know, we know the part of the DNC that 247 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:40,320 says obedience brings forth the blessings of heaven and whatever we receive a blessing 248 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:41,320 is to that, right? 249 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:43,840 Laws are irrevocably decreed in heaven. 250 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:47,520 And when you are obedient to those laws, like the blessings cannot be withheld from you. 251 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:48,520 Yes. 252 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:49,800 In a short way to say it. 253 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:50,800 Exactly. 254 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:51,800 And we know that part, right? 255 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:55,200 So my next question is key obedience to what? 256 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:58,780 We must know what law we're obeying or who we're obeying. 257 00:13:58,780 --> 00:14:02,120 What if I were living the law of man, yet expecting the blessings of God? 258 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:03,120 Yes. 259 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:04,120 It doesn't work that way. 260 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:08,800 What if I were living a law I misunderstood to be God's law and it was something else? 261 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:12,000 So when we live God's law, we are blessed by God's law. 262 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:16,760 When we live man's law, we are blessed to the extent of man's law and no further. 263 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:23,840 So an action item that I would love is just to share is if obedience is your quest, ask 264 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:29,680 yourself and ask in prayer, what law am I obeying and whose law am I obeying? 265 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:30,800 And the spirit will help you with that. 266 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:34,360 As the answers come to your heart through the Holy Ghost, then we just make adjustments 267 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:36,360 where needed. 268 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:41,200 And then this is the other part is that when we are blessed by a reciprocal law, like living 269 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:45,700 the law of tithing, for example, means we earn enough money to pay our bills and provide 270 00:14:45,700 --> 00:14:46,840 for our family. 271 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:49,180 Or we're blessed by a compensatory blessing. 272 00:14:49,180 --> 00:14:53,640 For example, living the law of tithing can look like us being able to receive help from 273 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:55,880 the bishop for a short amount of time. 274 00:14:55,880 --> 00:15:00,120 My husband and I had a few months where we were blessed by the Lord through sacred funds 275 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:02,700 given to us by the bishop to pay bills. 276 00:15:02,700 --> 00:15:08,160 It was a valuable lesson for us because we would honestly have rathered the blessing 277 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:12,200 that we earn the money through our employment, but we don't get to counsel the Lord on how 278 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:13,720 he provides for us. 279 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:18,800 We just trust that he will provide as we live his law and then live in gratitude as he does. 280 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:24,000 And then the last question is, what if we were not living the law of tithing yet? 281 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:28,600 Okay, what if I were not living the law of tithing yet I knew that God had the power 282 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:30,600 to bless me however he sees fit? 283 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:33,140 This goes back to what you were talking about, the beginning, Abby. 284 00:15:33,140 --> 00:15:36,840 So then I prayed for and waited for that blessing to come to me and my family. 285 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:41,440 I would be misunderstanding our relationship and would be enacting empty faith because 286 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:43,600 I had not acted. 287 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:49,500 We have to remember the crucial aspect is we claim God's blessing by living his laws. 288 00:15:49,500 --> 00:15:54,320 So another action item would be ask yourself, am I living the law connected to the blessing 289 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:58,000 that I'm praying for and waiting on? 290 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:02,200 So what are some guiding principles or key pieces to keep in mind when we're trying to 291 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:05,300 receive this personal revelation? 292 00:16:05,300 --> 00:16:10,300 So one of them is taught throughout the Book of Mormon, children, oh, when God's children 293 00:16:10,300 --> 00:16:14,040 choose to demonstrate obedience and keep their covenants, they receive continual spiritual 294 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:15,600 guidance and direction. 295 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:16,600 Absolutely. 296 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:21,520 And then sometimes they get so tuned into that, that they think that those blessings 297 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:22,520 came from themselves. 298 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:26,420 And then we go into that covenant corruption cycle where we forget that things are going 299 00:16:26,420 --> 00:16:30,360 so well because you were doing as God's will was. 300 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:34,320 Satan's always going to slip his opposing force and to make you think the great things 301 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:35,940 are because of him. 302 00:16:35,940 --> 00:16:40,840 So anyway, sorry, I deterred that. 303 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:41,840 So back to the question. 304 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:42,840 You're good. 305 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:46,640 What are some guiding principles or key pieces to keep in mind to receive personal revelation? 306 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:48,440 These are directly from the talk. 307 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:53,280 She says, our adherence to gospel principles and sacred covenants is crucial preparation 308 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:58,520 for our readiness to receive and be stewards of communications from the Holy Spirit. 309 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:02,800 Beautiful how she talks about being a steward of a communication from the Holy Spirit. 310 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:03,800 That's what we are. 311 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:04,800 It reframes that. 312 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:09,560 Another, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are the source of all truth and they share 313 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:12,000 their wisdom liberally. 314 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:16,880 Understanding that we do not possess any personal knowledge independent of God can help us know 315 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:20,120 who to turn to and where to place our primary trust. 316 00:17:20,120 --> 00:17:21,220 That's also crucial. 317 00:17:21,220 --> 00:17:22,760 Anything we learn is going to come directly from him. 318 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:25,560 It's not going to be quote new information. 319 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:29,560 Revelation from God is always compatible with his eternal law and it never contradicts his 320 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:30,560 doctrine. 321 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:32,640 That's from our president, Nelson. 322 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:38,040 Resisting obedience to God's laws and commandments may prolong or delay our growth. 323 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:39,800 She shares a story about that. 324 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,960 And then we come to the next section that she talked about. 325 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:43,960 Let's go into that. 326 00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:45,160 It's trust. 327 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:46,720 She uses this. 328 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:51,020 Elder Richard G. Scott taught that this life is an experience and profound trust. 329 00:17:51,020 --> 00:17:55,380 Trust in Jesus Christ, trust in his teachings, trust in our capacity as led by the Holy Spirit 330 00:17:55,380 --> 00:18:00,920 to obey those teachings for happiness now and for a purposeful, supremely happy eternal 331 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:01,920 existence. 332 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:05,960 And trust means to obey willingly without knowing the end from the beginning. 333 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:10,880 Proverbs 3, 5 through 7, to produce fruit, you trust in the Lord and it must be more 334 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:15,280 powerful and enduring than your confidence in your own personal feelings and experience. 335 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:19,240 And Elder Scott continues to exercise faith is to trust that the Lord knows what he is 336 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:24,200 doing with you and that he can accomplish it for your eternal good, even though you 337 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,320 cannot understand how he possibly could do it. 338 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:27,320 Right? 339 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:28,320 How is this going to come together? 340 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:29,320 Yeah. 341 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:32,960 So like, what's it going to take, we've talked about this in other conference talks, but 342 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:35,360 let's just assume somebody's popping in on this one. 343 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:38,600 What is one way we can cultivate this trust in the Lord? 344 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:42,400 So Abby, the thing that came to my mind is that we aren't asked to do the primary or 345 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:46,560 the Sunday school answers just to check it off a list or even just to keep us engaged 346 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:47,720 in good things. 347 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:52,440 Our Father in heaven has asked us to do these things so we can become acquainted with his 348 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:56,040 spirit and what it feels like to know him. 349 00:18:56,040 --> 00:19:00,400 That way when the storm surrounds us or we feel prompted to take a step into the darkness 350 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:04,800 and it feels scary, we can discern his spirit because we've done the work to get to know 351 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:06,720 him. 352 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:12,020 And then as we repeat this process of obedience and acting on faith throughout our lives, 353 00:19:12,020 --> 00:19:15,220 our trust in God grows. 354 00:19:15,220 --> 00:19:19,440 And then also we know in our hearts and in our bones that we are held by him and that 355 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:23,320 he has our highest and best good in mind, regardless of what happens around us. 356 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:25,120 I love that. 357 00:19:25,120 --> 00:19:29,680 I want to go back to one thing before we wrap it up because that does get us to the end 358 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:33,600 of the talk, but something you'd said before and it hasn't left my mind. 359 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:36,240 So I think I just want to touch into it a little bit more. 360 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:40,680 How you were talking about kind of always being on the precipice or like the edge of 361 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:42,920 revelation or she says it that way. 362 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:45,320 You just reiterated it. 363 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:47,600 Can you go into that a little bit more? 364 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:48,600 About how I'm always on the edge? 365 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:49,600 What does that mean? 366 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:55,240 Yes, like how did that come, what thoughts did that make you think of? 367 00:19:55,240 --> 00:20:00,320 I'm thinking of all the things Elder Bednar has taught us that like we, it's not like 368 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:06,080 you're living and then in a moment in time, you're going to get personal revelation and 369 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:08,800 it's going to direct you to this major big grand thing. 370 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:14,640 And then boom, you've had your answer to your spiritual question has been answered. 371 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:17,400 I think we're supposed to fill that on the edge of... 372 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:18,400 Really? 373 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:23,960 I do think so because you ask yourself the question like, is there something that I am 374 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:29,120 doing or not doing in my life that would, let's say, quote unquote, like send me over 375 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:32,520 the edge from being on this precipice of receiving. 376 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:37,400 And in that way, we're like assessing our life and we're saying, oh, I could be doing 377 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:38,400 this thing. 378 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:41,400 We're not like judging ourselves harshly and being like, I'm not open to revelation because 379 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:43,360 I'm this bad person and I'm not doing this thing. 380 00:20:43,360 --> 00:20:44,640 I'm not saying it that way at all. 381 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:50,000 I'm saying that we just take this overview of our life, we look at it, we just say, I 382 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,840 think that I can step up my game here. 383 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:57,560 And in doing that thing, if we're looking for revelation, we're inviting the Holy Spirit 384 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:02,000 more fully into our lives, which is a direct gift from Heavenly Father Jesus Christ. 385 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:09,480 And I mean, whatever the answer to the question is, isn't really the point of the process. 386 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:15,880 The point is to know that with them and the gift of the Holy Spirit that we can feel confidence 387 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:18,960 in the things that we're deciding to do in our life. 388 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:23,800 And I guess it makes me think the way that Elder Bednar has taught me and it's stuck 389 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:28,760 with me like so much ever since that point, that as long as I'm doing something good that's 390 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:34,480 pointing me to Jesus Christ and getting me closer to Him, I can assume that as being 391 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:35,480 spiritual revelation. 392 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:37,840 I can assume that that came from God. 393 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:40,200 If I'm turned away from Him, then I'm not. 394 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:44,840 So I guess when I'm sitting on that precipice, I'm thinking, does it make me want to teeter 395 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:48,360 and tip and like draw closer to Jesus Christ, my Father? 396 00:21:48,360 --> 00:21:49,360 Or does it not? 397 00:21:49,360 --> 00:21:58,800 So even if I'm not getting an answer per se, it's still pointing me towards the answer. 398 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:04,120 Answers don't have to come like in this pretty packaged, like a pretty package with a bow 399 00:22:04,120 --> 00:22:05,120 on top. 400 00:22:05,120 --> 00:22:06,120 They just don't. 401 00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:09,080 They're still getting, they often don't come that way. 402 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:14,280 That's the thing too, is that like sometimes when you look back on life, 10, 15 years of 403 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:23,520 life, I see so many things in my life that I can like metaphorically like put in a box 404 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:27,560 with a bow on it and say, I do have things like that. 405 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:31,420 It's true though, but it's because my dad is also a master storyteller. 406 00:22:31,420 --> 00:22:37,120 I love listening to his stories because some of his stories are decades and three and four 407 00:22:37,120 --> 00:22:38,120 decades long. 408 00:22:38,120 --> 00:22:43,120 Like his podcast, the guest podcast spot that he had. 409 00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:47,620 And that's what I love, Abby, is that he has this special phrase that he always use. 410 00:22:47,620 --> 00:22:52,500 And whenever he says it, I like get giddy and I can't wait for the next part. 411 00:22:52,500 --> 00:22:57,800 The phrase is this, years later, because that's when the rest of the story comes. 412 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:02,160 It's in the hindsight that we look back and we're able to put that bow on the lesson. 413 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:08,400 But while it's happening, just like we're learning here in scripture with Adam, I know 414 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:10,320 not say the Lord had commanded me. 415 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:12,680 That's for a lot of years that that happens. 416 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:17,080 Not until later can we say years later and then everything comes together with a beautiful 417 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:19,120 bow if we're looking back at it. 418 00:23:19,120 --> 00:23:27,000 I also think part of personal revelation is the gift of looking back and realizing, oh, 419 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:28,320 that was an answer to my prayer. 420 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:30,240 Oh, that was personal revelation. 421 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:31,240 That's where the gift is. 422 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:33,160 It's such a missed opportunity if we don't take it. 423 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:34,160 I agree. 424 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:36,400 Obviously that's what a missed opportunity means. 425 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:40,800 It's such a missed opportunity to see how far we've come from where we've been. 426 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:47,200 And I know as I'm thinking, it's the biggest struggles in my life. 427 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:52,740 And I guess I'm hoping that this podcast reaches the ears of somebody that literally just feels 428 00:23:52,740 --> 00:23:58,400 like they're, of all the people in the world, nothing that they say, nothing they're communicating 429 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,680 to heaven is being heard and their prayers not being answered. 430 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:09,000 And what you and I think both are trying to equally say is you may not feel it yet, but 431 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:10,520 the answer is happening. 432 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:17,720 It is happening daily, especially as the things you do have control of, the choices that you're 433 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:25,720 making, the agency that you're using to be open to suggestions, minor tweaks, minor corrections, 434 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:28,360 the thing that he is impressing you to do through the Spirit. 435 00:24:28,360 --> 00:24:31,920 If you latch onto those and take those, it is an answer. 436 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:35,360 It's not the answer that you may be looking for. 437 00:24:35,360 --> 00:24:40,680 But because I've let him work on my life in their own way, he gives me better answer than 438 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:41,680 the one that I was seeking. 439 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:42,680 For sure. 440 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:51,400 And if I leave it up to him and let the time pass, and I'm not even going to say I'm patient 441 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:53,920 in the wait. 442 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:56,640 I definitely have not always been patient in the wait. 443 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:02,200 But looking back, I can say it can take as long as you need because it's exactly what 444 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:03,200 I needed from it. 445 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:05,120 So that's so good, Abby. 446 00:25:05,120 --> 00:25:08,880 Thank you for going back and asking about that because what I have loved about that 447 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:15,320 as you were talking, the word and the phrase that Sister Browning used was being on the 448 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:16,480 edge of revelation. 449 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:20,320 I love that the Spirit taught me something different because it said this is where you 450 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:21,320 are in that process. 451 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:25,040 And at the same time, the Spirit taught you something different where you are in that 452 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:26,040 process. 453 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:30,200 So every person who's listening to these words, whatever it was, whether it was that exact 454 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:34,500 phrase that we both got something from or something else, the Spirit will teach you 455 00:25:34,500 --> 00:25:38,560 where you are in this process. 456 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:43,480 And it's going to be refined and tuned and the Lord continues to do that step by step 457 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:44,480 for each one of us. 458 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:47,200 I think that's a tricky thing. 459 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:50,640 She laid out a formula for the way the peace and the peace and the peace can work for people, 460 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:56,320 but we both agreed and I think she's saying the same thing. 461 00:25:56,320 --> 00:26:00,860 There's so much, you individually have to realize how the Spirit's going to prompt you 462 00:26:00,860 --> 00:26:01,860 to do direction. 463 00:26:01,860 --> 00:26:06,160 You're going to have to individually decide how to assess if you're living by God's law 464 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:07,160 and man's law. 465 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:15,400 You have to individually assess the what in the question versus the why. 466 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:18,720 I said that, that just came out of my mouth because as I was listening to her, I was like, 467 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:20,960 she is like the epitome of what I want to be. 468 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:24,400 You can tell that she asks a lot of what question, not why's. 469 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:31,520 And so then she's able to articulate how she's found answers to her life and how she's like, 470 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:35,280 it doesn't have to be something that's a unique blessing to her on seeking spiritual answers. 471 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:37,360 She's saying it's available to everybody. 472 00:26:37,360 --> 00:26:46,000 It's a process and there are steps that we can each apply, but basic key principles, 473 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:50,080 but it's going to take some exercise on our part, some experimenting with the process. 474 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:51,800 Yep, exercising just like everything else. 475 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:53,480 What do you have for us in closing? 476 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:59,160 I think in closing, Abby, I would love to share just that the thought that we thank 477 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:04,280 God in prayer for every stage of our personal revelation, thank Him in the waiting, the 478 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:06,800 reaching and in the receiving. 479 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:10,640 And then one of the greatest ways to show Him you're aware of His blessings is to receive 480 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:12,560 them with gratitude. 481 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:17,520 When we acknowledge that He is our source of truth, knowledge, goodness and blessings, 482 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:18,520 then more blessings flow. 483 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:19,520 I love it. 484 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:20,520 Thank you for sharing that with us today. 485 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:21,520 Thank you all for being with us and we'll catch you next time. 486 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:36,520 Catch you next time.