God Spoke to the Early Saints—Does He Speak to Me?

By Savannah Lunt

Church Magazines

He spoke to them. He will speak to us. We just have to hear Him.

A pillar of light. A voice from heaven. A revelation from God. There are many accounts of young adults like Joseph Smith and others in the Doctrine and Covenants who asked God for help and guidance. While receiving revelation from God is an individual experience, the process is recorded time and time again in scripture.

Even though we may not interact daily with the prophet or receive revelations for the Church, God can speak to us in the same ways as He did 200 years ago. These Saints received personalized messages from God—and we can too.

Joseph’s Humble Prayer

It started with a question. And it became what Elder Alexander Dushku of the Seventy described as an “overwhelming burst of light and truth.” Joseph Smith’s humble prayer led to a beautiful visitation from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ (see Joseph Smith—History 1:14–17). As incredible as it would be to speak with God face-to-face, these experiences are rare and sacred.

While not all of us will have the same opportunity Joseph did, “we too can have our own pillar of light—one ray at a time.” When we ask a question and kneel in humble prayer, we will receive an answer from God through the Holy Ghost.

Photograph of baptismal font in Ogden Utah Temple

The Power of the Temple

The Saints in Kirtland, Ohio, sacrificed time, money, and labor to build the Lord’s house. At the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, Joseph Smith prayed that God would bless these faithful Saints with power as they entered and worshipped (see Doctrine and Covenants 109:13). The temple was to be “a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of glory and of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:16).

In the latter days, we are blessed with temples all around the world. We are promised that we will receive revelation as we attend the temple. President Russell M. Nelson recently said that “in the temple we may ‘receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost’ [Doctrine and Covenants 109:15]. Imagine what that promise means in terms of having the heavens open for each earnest seeker of eternal truth.”

Hyrum’s Question to the Prophet

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to ask the prophet to speak to God for you? Hyrum, brother to the Prophet Joseph, did just that. He received this counsel from the Lord through Joseph: “Behold thou art Hyrum, my son; seek the kingdom of God, and all things shall be added according to that which is just” (Doctrine and Covenants 11:23).

Sometimes, guidance does come through other people. President Russell M. Nelson counseled us to “seek guidance from voices you can trust—from prophets, seers, and revelators and from the whisperings of the Holy Ghost.” While we can’t all ask the prophet our questions directly, we can still receive answers to our personal questions.

Portrait of Oliver Cowdery by Lewis A. Ramsey

Oliver’s Study of Faith

Oliver Cowdery was an invaluable help to Joseph during the translation of the Book of Mormon. But in 1829, he felt frustrated. Why couldn’t he translate? The Lord gave Oliver some specific counsel about how to get an answer to his question—counsel that still applies to us today.

When we have a question, we are encouraged to study it out, have faith, and rely on impressions (see Doctrine and Covenants 9:6–9). Our impressions may come in the form of emotions, warm feelings, or peace of mind. As Elder Mathias Held of the Seventy said, “When [logical reasoning and the inspiration of the Holy Ghost] are then combined in our souls, one complete picture shows the reality of things as they truly are.”

Photograph by Craig Alan Shelley

The Smith Family’s Patriarchal Blessings

Patriarchal blessings have been part of the Church since Old Testament times (see Genesis 48). When the Church was organized in the latter days, God told Joseph to call his father, Joseph Smith Sr., as patriarch in 1834. Three days later, the Smith family gathered so Joseph Smith Sr. could give a patriarchal blessing to each of his children and their spouses. These blessings offered counsel and comfort for their lives.

In addition to the declaration of lineage, a patriarchal blessing “is personal scripture to you.” As we regularly study our own patriarchal blessings, we “should treasure its words, ponder them, and live to be worthy to receive the promised blessings in this life and in eternity.”

Portrait of Emma Smith by Lee Greene Richards

Emma’s Personal Direction from God

As wife to the prophet, Emma Smith often struggled with the trials and conflicts her family was asked to bear. In Doctrine and Covenants 25, we can read Heavenly Father’s words of comfort and strength to Emma.

When we’re seeking our own messages of comfort from Heavenly Father, we can ask for priesthood blessings. As President James E. Faust (1920–2007), Second Counselor in the First Presidency, taught: “Priesthood blessings can help us in the small and great decisions of our lives. If, through our priesthood blessings, we could perceive only a small part of the person God intends us to be, we would lose our fear and never doubt again.”

Portrait of Joseph F. Smith by Albert Salzbrenner

Joseph F. Smith’s Scripture Study

When disease, war, and death ravaged the world in 1918, the prophet Joseph F. Smith turned to the scriptures for answers. After studying Peter’s words in the New Testament, he began to reflect and ponder. He was swept away in a vision for the Church where he saw the Savior organizing missionary work in the spirit world. (See Doctrine and Covenants 138.)

As Elder Robert D. Hales (1932–2017) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “When we want to speak to God, we pray. And when we want Him to speak to us, we search the scriptures.” The scriptures are God’s words preserved in writing, and in our digital age, they have never been more accessible to us. As we read and ponder the scriptures, we will find the help from heaven that we need.

Photograph by John McKinney

Intentional Efforts to Hear Him

President Nelson taught: “As we seek to be disciples of Jesus Christ, our efforts to hear Him need to be ever more intentional. It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths.” Just like the early Saints, we can receive messages from God that are personal and real.

God spoke to them. He will speak to us. We just have to hear Him.