Through personal revelation, simple experiences become opportunities to recognize God’s guidance.
Life is full of seemingly ordinary moments—quiet mornings, routine classes, conversations with friends. Yet these simple experiences can carry profound meaning, often revealing God’s presence and guidance in ways we might not immediately notice. Faith allows even the smallest, most routine events to become opportunities for personal revelation.
In his general conference address “And Now I See,” Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explores how God communicates through everyday experiences and how personal revelation helps us recognize his guidance. Elder Holland emphasizes that understanding does not always come instantly; rather, it unfolds gradually and requires patient, faithful effort.
Christ provides a powerful example of this principle in John 9:1–7, which Elder Holland refers to in his address. Christ heals a man that was born blind using a small, simple act: mixing spit and dirt, applying the mud to the man’s eyes, and instructing him to wash in the pool of Siloam. Through this humble action, the man receives the extraordinary gift of sight. This story illustrates that God often works through simple, unexpected means to accomplish miracles, and that our faith allows us to recognize his hand even when the methods seem modest.
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Similarly, Elder Holland shares that his first life-changing encounter with evidence of God’s truth came through the simple act of reading the Book of Mormon. For Elder Holland, the sacred pages became a rod of safety, a penetrating light of revelation, and a guide through times of uncertainty. Just as the blind man’s sight was restored through a simple act, our understanding and personal revelation can be opened through faithful engagement with scripture. Although some have dismissed or criticized the Book of Mormon, Elder Holland testifies that its impact is miraculous and enduring, offering a tangible way to experience personal revelation.
Recognizing how to receive personal revelation has also deepened my own relationship with God. Learning to notice his guidance in simple, everyday experiences has brought me reassurance during times of uncertainty and helped me see his hand more clearly in my life. As I’ve acted on quiet impressions and moments of clarity, my confidence in his presence and timing has grown stronger.
Amid life’s challenges and transitions, faith allows ordinary moments to become evidence of how closely God walks beside us. Through faith, ordinary experiences can open our eyes to his guidance, helping us grow spiritually and recognize his hand in our lives. We can recognize subtle personal revelation and then act on it to build spiritual insights and strengthen our confidence in his guidance.
Read and watch the full address by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland “And Now I See” to learn how faith can open eyes to God’s work in everyday life and how scripture can provide personal revelation.
Source: General Conference
—Macady Whitehead, Latter-day Saint Insights
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Find more insights
Read the general conference address “And upon the Handmaids in Those Days Will I Pour Out My Spirit,” by Julie B. Beck, to learn how God invites all of his children to receive personal revelation.
Take a look at the general conference address “A Framework for Personal Revelation,” by Elder Dale G. Renlund, to explore how the Spirit communicates with each person in unique ways.