How To Know If It's Revelation or Inspiration

Elder Richard G Scott said, "When we seek inspiration to help make decisions, the Lord gives us gentle promptings.  These require us to think, to exercise faith, to work, to struggle at times, and to act.  Seldom does the whole answer to a decisively important matter or complex problem come all at once.  More often, it comes a piece at a time, without the end in sight."

The First Presidency has said, "When inspiration conveys something out of harmony with the accepted revelations of the Church or contrary to the decisions of its constituted authorities.  Latter-Day Saints may know that it is not of God, no matter how plausible it may appear.  Anything at discord with that which comes from God through the head of the Church is not to be received as authoritative or reliable."

When Revelation Is Not Received or Recognized

a. Be patient and continue to wait faithfully on the Lord.  (D&C 98:2) Exercising patience helps us grow spiritually and develop attributes of Godliness.

b. Increase our efforts to be in tune spiritually so we can receive and recognize the whisperings of the Spirit.

c. Increase our efforts to study & pray, recognizing that we may not have done this as long, as faithfully, or as honestly as we should.

d. Be more faithful in obeying the commandments.

e. Set the matter aside for a while.  Flashes of inspiration often come when we least expect them.

f. Recognizing that we may be seeking counsel on matters that we should determine for ourselves, using our best judgment based on study and reason.  In these cases the Lord may leave us to decide on our own.  (D&C 58:25-28)