What do Mormons believe about revelation?
Mormons "believe all that God has revealed, all that he does now reveal, and [they] believe that he will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God." 2 Mormons believe that after the death of the apostles, revelations from God ended until Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. Since then there have been prophets, seers, and revelators upon the earth. A Mormon prophet leads The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and receives divine revelation from God.
Mormonism teaches that revelation can come to any child of God who has received the Holy Ghost and prays to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. Mormons believe the Lord answers prayers through whisperings of the Holy Ghost, which come as promptings, ideas, or feelings to the person asking.
Mormons believe that this personal revelation is very important to the spiritual well-being of every child of God on earth. Mormons do believe that we can not succeed without the guidance of the Holy Ghost, without feeling the Lord’s will and His love for us in our lives each day. In order to be obedient and prove oneself worthy, daily prayer is essential.
As mentioned above, Mormons believe the Lord communicates His will for the Church to the prophet, who has stewardship over the entire Mormon community. In the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of Mormon scripture, information about revelation to prophets is recorded:
1 Nephi 22:2: “Behold they were manifest unto the prophet by the voice of the Spirit; for by the Spirit are all things made known unto the prophets, which shall come upon the children of men according to the flesh.”
Mormons also believe we are all commanded to “pray always, that [we] may come off conqueror; yea, that [we] may conquer Satan, and that [we] may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.” The revelation received through prayer will protect us.
In John 14:26 the words of Jesus Christ concerning knowledge received through the Holy Ghost in revelation are recorded:
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to you remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
Mormons know the Lord is directly concerned in the lives of all of His children. It is a part of what Mormons believe that He will answer their sincere prayers.
Matthew 21:22: “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
James 1:5: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
These gifts of knowledge, comfort, and protection come through revelation.