More than 60 years ago, a stake patriarch pleaded with now-Church President Russell M. Nelson, a pioneer in heart surgery, to repair two faulty valves in his heart. Operation was not advised, but the patriarch faithfully declared that the Lord would reveal how the repair could be done.
President Nelson was moved by the man’s faith and, with fervent prayer, moved forward with the operation. Recounting the experience in 2003 as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, then-Elder Nelson said he still remembered a “mental image — complete with dotted lines where sutures should be placed. The repair was completed as diagrammed in my mind.”
The patriarch lived many more years, and the successful surgery went on to help others with similar heart problems.
“God cares about your careers,” added BYU–Pathway Worldwide President Brian K. Ashton in the first devotional of the spring semester on April 30. He was joined by his wife, Sister Melinda Ashton. “Your jobs allow you to support your families, educate your children and serve God’s children in the Church, your communities and your nations. As a result, God will help you in your professions as you are humble, strive to do His will and seek His help.”
The couple testified that through humility, prayer, action and the gift of the Holy Ghost, Latter-day Saints can receive revelation to guide their professions.
The role of personal revelation in one’s career
Sister Ashton told her student audience that “nearly all of you will have experiences in your profession that require specific personal revelation. In many cases, the answers you receive will bless not just you and your families but also many others, as President Nelson’s experience did.”
President Ashton shared that in his career as an entrepreneur, he was met with a crisis and didn’t know how he would make payroll. Despite his efforts, no solution came.
“Finally, at the last moment, I prayed again and was given the name of a person to go see,” recounted President Ashton. “I was guided by the Spirit in that conversation, which led to the solution I needed.”
Because of the gift of the Holy Ghost, said Sister Ashton, and “as you strive to keep the commandments and honor your covenants, you can have confidence that the Spirit will guide you even when you do not recognize it.” This help is available to children of God, since “He wants to be part of your life and help you along your path.”
Divine help to ‘accomplish what God wants you to do’
Referring to an insight from President Spencer W. Kimball, the 12th President of the Church, the Ashtons shared four actions students can take to impact the world through their God-given missions in life. These are to:
- Obtain a world-class education.
- Become clean through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
- Understand God’s plan of salvation.
- Learn to receive revelation in both spiritual and temporal things.
“Throughout our lives, God will guide and help us to move along a path that will allow us to accomplish the work that God has for us,” said Sister Ashton. This doesn’t mean that everything will go as planned or that there won’t be difficulties in life. However, “it does mean that we will be guided to do the things that matter.”
After making thoughtful, intentional decisions, Sister Ashton looks back to recognize God’s guidance in her decision-making. Looking back, she recognizes “that God was helping me even though I did not recognize it.” She said that for those with the gift of the Holy Ghost, this guidance comes often in their daily lives and their careers.
In his first general conference as President of the Church, President Nelson offered a pattern to receiving personal revelation: Find a quiet place, pray with humility and honesty, then listen.
President Ashton encouraged students to do likewise this semester, saying: “We promise that as you keep your covenants and seek to apply this pattern for receiving revelation in your life, you will have the help you need to accomplish what God wants you to do.”
