The Last Days

This week's reading was in 2 Nephi. It finished off the book with the last several chapters. It was a bit of a relief to get out of Isaiah and back to Nephi's teachings. These chapters deal with the last days (our days) and what will happen, the way people will live, the lies Satan will spread, and the fate of the church and faithful saints.

I was disturbed while preparing a lesson for Relief Society last week to read a post someone had made on their website concerning revelation. This man argues that Joseph Smith could not have been visited by God the Eternal Father and His son Jesus Christ because the Bible specifically teaches that we do not receive personal revelation. It made me so sad to think of this man teaching and believing that God no longer speaks to us, and therefore missing out, and perhaps causing others to miss out as well, on personal revelation from a loving Heavenly Father.

I have been through some very difficult times these last few months. I KNOW that we can receive personal revelation from our Heavenly Father because I HAVE received it. Nephi states in 2 Nephi 28:29, "Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we ^aneed ^bno more of the word of God, for we have enough!" God doesn't love us any less than he loved the people who lived in the days of the Bible. There isn't any reason why he would withhold personal revelation from us today. 

In chapter 32 verses 8 and 9 he says,  8 And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the ^aSpirit which teacheth a man to ^bpray, ye would know that ye must ^cpray; for the ^devil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.

 9 But behold, I say unto you that ye must ^apray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall ^bpray unto the Father in the ^cname of Christ, that he will ^dconsecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the ^ewelfare of thy soul.

I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the correct principles which it teaches. I am grateful that I know I can be heard by my Father, and that He will answer my righteous prayers.