“Ways of Divine Communication,” Liahona, Mar. 2025.
Ways of Divine Communication
God speaks to us in different ways. And there are things we can do to make sure this communication keeps flowing.
Illustrations by David Green
As I began preparing my first general conference talk, I realized what a daunting task that can be! Speakers in general conference are not assigned topics, so I needed to discover for myself what the Lord would have me say.
I prayed and waited for direction. After some time, my wife, Isabelle, who is wise and knows me well, saw me struggling to begin.
“Look, you have got to do something,” she said. “Get started and write something!”
That is what I did. In the process, I started six or seven possible talks. As I pondered the various possibilities, I became comfortable with one of them and felt it was the talk I should give. The Spirit settled my mind, and the rest of the talk flowed.
In the October 2023 general conference, I shared that we are all God’s children. He loves us, knows us intimately, and is in the details of our lives. He hears us when we pray and desires to speak to us.
Learning how God speaks to each of us is an individual experience. But here are some ways to facilitate the communication Heavenly Father wants to give us to bless our lives.
Act with Faith and Trust
Recognizing when God speaks requires faith and trust. Faith is always anchored in Jesus Christ. We also need to trust Him. He has said:
“Behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.
“Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation” (Doctrine and Covenants 8:2–3).
But revelation and divine direction do not come from simply waiting for a spiritual manifestation. We must act. Just as my wife told me to do with my conference talk, we sometimes need to simply “get started.”
When Isabelle and I served as mission leaders in the France Lyon Mission, I needed to determine where each missionary should go within the mission and when to make the assignment. I found that the Spirit would guide me if I prayed for help and then used my best judgment. Confirmation would then come once everything was in place.
In my current calling, I’m sent to stakes throughout the Church to reorganize stake presidencies. As my companion and I interview individuals, we have thoughts, feelings, and impressions come to us. We then counsel and pray together. Eventually, revelation comes, and the Lord confirms to us whom He has called to serve.
It is a process to recognize when God speaks and to discover His will. We need to show that we are willing to act with faith and trust.
Follow the Prophet
One important way God speaks to His children is through prophets. Having a prophet on the earth today is great news! He receives revelation from God to lead and guide the Church (see Amos 3:7). We can also receive guidance and protection by following his teachings. This is not always easy, but the Lord has directed us to follow the prophet “in all patience and faith” (Doctrine and Covenants 21:5).
“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” for example, has proven prophetic since it was introduced 30 years ago. It addresses many concerns we didn’t know we would have and gives guidance we didn’t necessarily know we would need—but we do now. The prophet’s guidance may not always be what we want to hear. It may not align with society’s current values. Regardless, we will be guided and protected when we follow the prophet.
Ask Questions and Seek Answers
In the early days of the Restoration, God often spoke in answer to sincere questions the Prophet Joseph Smith and others had. While Joseph and Oliver Cowdery worked on translating the Book of Mormon, they came to the Savior’s teachings on the doctrine of baptism (see 3 Nephi 11:23–33). They desired to learn more and went into the woods to pray. Soon, John the Baptist appeared and restored the authority to baptize by immersion for the remission of sins.
Another time, Joseph’s wife, Emma, expressed concerns about the mess left by men who smoked pipes and chewed tobacco during meetings. Joseph took the matter to the Lord and received a revelation—“a Word of Wisdom” (Doctrine and Covenants 89:1)—on healthy practices for the physical and spiritual benefit of God’s children.
These instances—and many others—remind us that it is OK to have questions so long as we seek answers in the right direction. If we take our questions to the Lord, we will find answers. Sometimes the answers will come at once. More often, however, answers come “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” (2 Nephi 28:30). We may have to wait for answers to help us learn and grow, but God will answer us according to His own will, way, and timing.
Remember Past Experiences
When we must wait for God to speak to us, it is important that we hang on to what we know and the experiences we’ve had. We may lose them otherwise. We do not want to doubt past experiences with the Spirit just because we may be struggling now. In those moments, we should go back in our minds and remember how we felt when we felt close to God.
Alma once asked these introspective questions to the people in Zarahemla:
“Have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? …
“And now behold, I say unto you, … if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?” (Alma 5:14, 26).
We should make sure we remember spiritual experiences and not push them aside. We should regularly ask ourselves, “Can I feel so now?” This strengthens us in times when God seems silent. We are also better able to recognize the times when He does speak to us.
Stay Connected
Communication with our Heavenly Father is a living thing. We do our part to keep it alive by actively looking for and creating opportunities for divine communication. We can regularly and fervently pray to God for peace, comfort, and guidance. We can study His word in the scriptures and feel the influence of the Spirit. We can also follow prophetic guidance.
As we stay connected with our loving Father in Heaven, we can be instruments in His hands to assist Him in His marvelous work. By heeding the insights and promptings we receive, we can help others feel that God knows and loves them and desires to speak to them.
The assurance that God hears and speaks to His children is a tremendous blessing. Regular divine communication with Him provides the direction we need to navigate the journey of life.