Revelation

I listened to this talk by President Packer over a year ago, while running errands as I waited for Melodie to be finished with her Orchestra class. Happened upon it randomly but it was revelation to me and exactly what I needed to hear for thoughts that had been on my mind. I had been thinking of bloggers on the internet who are critical of the brethren and church (nicely summed up here). As I listened, I learned. President Packers words that were answers for me came from his talk "Reverence Invites Revelation", October 1991 General Conference. First - we can ask and knock, but we cannot force it. If we try to force revelation, we may be deceived. President Packer states (underlined emphasis mine):

No message appears in scripture more times, in more ways than, “Ask, and ye shall receive.” (Matt. 21:22; James 4:3; 1 Jn. 3:22; 1 Ne. 15:11;Enos 1:15; Mosiah 4:21; D&C 4:7; and Moses 6:52 are examples.) While we may invite this communication, it can never be forced! If we try to force it, we may be deceived.

We cannot force a divine theophany. We can yearn and seek and study, but then we've got to turn it over to the Lord and his timing. As we wait upon the Lord we will learn patience and trust. Also, regarding whether writers of books or bloggers on the internet have more understanding of scripture or doctrine than do the leaders of the church, he states, I'm in the brethren camp:

Recently the Council of the First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve Apostles issued a statement alerting members of the Church to the dangers of participating in circles which concentrate on doctrine and ordinances and measure them by the intellect alone.

If doctrines and behavior are measured by the intellect alone, the essential spiritual ingredient is missing, and we will be misled.

Personal testimony is confirmed to us initially and is reaffirmed and enlarged thereafter through a harmonious combining of both the intellect and the spirit.

A testimony is profoundly personal, and occurs in response to very private prayers and pleadings. Nevertheless, the Lord has told us, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:20; see also D&C 6:32.)

There is safety in learning doctrine in gatherings which are sponsored by proper authority. Some members, even some who have made covenants in the temple, are associating with groups of one kind or another which have an element of secrecy about them and which pretend to have some higher source of inspiration concerning the fulfillment of prophecies than do ward or stake leaders or the General Authorities of the Church. Know this: There are counterfeit revelations which, we are warned, “if possible … shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant.” (JS—M 1:22.)

The Lord commanded: “Assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves. … Continue in prayer and fasting. … Teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom. … And my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand.” (D&C 88:74–80.)