Safely Back Onto the Right Path

Everyone loses his or her way at some point, to some degree. It is through the promptings of the Holy Ghost that we can be brought safely back onto the right path, and it is the atoning sacrifice of the Savior that can return us home.

Elder M. Russell Ballard - April 2012 General Conference "That the Lost May Be Found"
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/that-the-lost-may-be-found?lang=eng

Seek A Personal Witness

You too can seek our Heavenly Father and “this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have [testified]” in the scriptures and n this general conference.  As you seek a personal witness – your personal revelation – you will discover that Heavenly Father has provided a special way for you to know the truth for yourself; through the third member of the Godhead, a personage of spirit we know as the Holy Ghost.

Elder Robert D. Hales - October 2014 General Conference "Eternal Life - to Know Our Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ"
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/eternal-life-to-know-our-heavenly-father-and-his-son-jesus-christ?lang=eng

Living the Gospel is a Joyful Preparation

Dear brothers and sisters, living the gospel faithfully is not a burden. It is a joyful rehearsal—a preparation for inheriting the grand glory of the eternities. We seek to obey our Heavenly Father because our spirits will become more attuned to spiritual things. Vistas are opened that we never knew existed. Enlightenment and understanding come to us when we do the will of the Father.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf - April 2015 General Conference "The Gift of Grace"
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/the-gift-of-grace?lang=eng

Joy Through Obedience

The gospel plan is the plan by which men are brought to a fulness of joy. This is the first concept I wish to stress: The gospel principles are the steps and guidelines that will help us find true happiness and joy.

President Ezra Taft Benson - October 1989 Ensign "A Mighty Change of Heart"
https://www.lds.org/ensign/1989/10/a-mighty-change-of-heart?lang=eng

My Thoughts on Choosing Happiness by Embracing Challenges

Life is not easy for any of us.  We all have our trials and our burdens.  God allows these things to come into our lives because they strengthen and refine us and make us fit for His kingdom.  If we fight against them we will be miserable.  If we learn to embrace them as President Kimball did, we can experience tremendous growth, understanding, and peace in our lives. The Lord loves us.  He sees potential in us that we cannot even comprehend.  If we trust Him and allow Him to work in our lives we cannot even imagine the ways He will strengthen and bless us.  Trials are either stumbling blocks or stepping stones and only we can control what they will be for us in our lives.

Joy Regardless of our Conditions

“If we have faith in Jesus Christ, the hardest as well as the easiest times in life can be a blessing. In all conditions, we can choose the right with the guidance of the Spirit. We have the gospel of Jesus Christ to shape and guide our lives if we choose it.”

President Henry B. Eyring - April 2012 General Conference "Mountains to Climb"
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/mountains-to-climb?lang=eng 

My Thoughts on Personal Revelation

Revelation is such a necessary part of a successful life.  The Lord wants to communicate with us.  He wants to guide us and help us.  Because of this He provided a way for it to happen.  Revelation has many different levels, it can come from our leaders in their stewardship over us, it can come to a parent to help guide their children, and it can come to us personally to assist us in our own lives.  The Holy Ghost will confirm to our hearts revelation from our leaders if our hearts are soft and we seek that confirmation.  As parents we are wise to seek revelation from the Lord concerning our families and our children. After all, they were the Lord’s first and He desires their success even more than we do.  Personal revelation is also an incredible gift from the Lord.  He can help us in all our varying circumstances if we will learn to listen. If we show Him that we value the help He is giving us we will receive more and more until it becomes a constant stream of information to instruct and guide us.  I know this is something I need to continue to work towards.

Constant Stream of Revelation

“We all know that human judgment and logical thinking will not be enough to get answers to the questions that matter most in life. We need revelation from God. And we will need not just one revelation in a time of stress, but we need a constantly renewed stream. We need not just one flash of light and comfort, but we need the continuing blessing of communication with God.”

President Henry B. Eyring - October 2014 General Conference "Continuing Revelation"
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/continuing-revelation?lang=eng

Christ Knows

“That is part of the great plan of happiness the Father gave us. He allowed His Son to provide, by His sacrifice, the hope that comforts us no matter how hard the way home to Him may be..Only God knows hearts, and so only He can say, in truth, “I know how you feel.” So I can only imagine both her joy and the sorrow that preceded it, but the Lord, who loves her, knows."

President Henry B. Eyring - April 2015 General Conference "The Comforter" 
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/the-comforter?lang=eng

My Thoughts on Personal Preparation to Guidance

Although I do not hold the priesthood, I believe that the concepts President Eyring is teaching about personal guidance and revelation still apply to me.  I know that the Spirit can guide us and give us specific instructions for our individual circumstances and callings, but we have to be living worthily to have this spiritual guidance.  Not only must we be keeping the commandments, but we also have to be putting in the time and the effort to pray and study and make that personal connection with the Lord.  The more we do this the more clear his promptings, warnings, and instruction will become to us.  The Lord is constantly trying to speak to us and trying to give us guidance.  We have to fine-tune our receptors so that we learn how to hear and heed His communications to us.  If we do this we can become better tools in His hands to help and lift His other children as well as ensuring our own spiritual safety and growth.

Companionship of Holy Ghost

“You will not survive spiritually without the protection of the companionship of the Holy Ghost in your daily life.  You must pray for it and work to have it. Only with that guide will you be able to find your way along the strait and narrow path through the mists of evil. The Holy Ghost will be your guide as He reveals truth when you study the words of prophets.  Getting that guidance will take more than casual listening and reading. You will need to pray and work in faith to put the words of truth down into your heart. You must pray that God will bless you with His Spirit, that He will lead you into all truth and show you the right way. That is how He will warn and guide you into the right path in your life and in your priesthood service.”


“President Henry B. Eyring - April 2015 General Conference "Priesthood and Personal Prayer” 
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/priesthood-and-personal-prayer?lang=eng