#but that doesn't discount the large number of people who were basically saying

[bookish-bi-mormon]

I found today's Sunday School discussion to be very ... frightening, to be honest.

We were talking about revelation, and the teacher asked us to share revelation we'd received, and ways that we personally feel revelation.

I was the only person who shared specific events and sensations that I believe to be God's way of communicating with me. Everyone else stayed on the path of "If it's good I know it's from God."

And I don't want to dismiss the more mundane promptings and inspiration that many people experience. It is true that sometimes you will feel like saying or doing something, and not know it's from God at all in the moment. It's only through hindsight that you see His hand. That's fine.

But it really seemed like almost none of them had experienced a moment of prayer or study that had led to a direct message from the Holy Ghost. I don't hear words, but on my mission I figured out where in my body the feeling comes. I know not everyone has a physical sensation, I had a friend who said that when he prays for answers he usually gets pictures in his mind. But I think it's important to learn to distinguish it, so that you're not relying solely on doing "good."

I don't know, I think that taking for granted that what you think is "good" is from God is what leads to lots of issues in the church. This is how we get people who are focused on obedience and on doing "good" things rather than having personal conversations with God. This is how we get a whole church who thinks that Homophobia must be right, because they were taught that only straight marriage is "good" and apparently have never thought to ask, or didn't know how to recognize the answer if it came.

President Nelson said that we need to learn how to receive personal revelation. Personally, I think this is where Seer Stones, Divining Rods, Card Divination, and other forms of folk magic that the early church used can really come in handy. I do tarot readings when I really want answers to questions, and it helps guide my conversations with my Heavenly Family. Flipping your scriptures open to a random page after specific question can help to.

People are all going to have different ways they connect with The Divine, but if you are a member of a church that boasts ongoing revelation, and you have never sought out to personally Know, not just logically but spiritually as well... I don't know, I guess I urge you to do that. Find out what the Holy Ghost feels like to you. Please.