3 Nephi 11

When the people heard the voice of Heavenly Father, they did not understand it at first. In fact, they didn't understand until they had heard the voice 3 times.  In verse 5 it states, "And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came" (3 Nephi 11:5). I like how this verse says that they opened their ears to hear, and their eyes towards the sound. I think this is much like us with personal revelation. Sometimes the Lord is speaking to us, but we are the ones not listening. Perhaps, we are not preparing ourselves spiritually to be able to hear what it is He is saying, or perhaps we are not asking the right questions, or perhaps we are not truly listening... There are many reasons for "not hearing" spiritual promptings. This scripture gives me the desire to "open my ears and my eyes" to what the Lord is telling me. 

I think in order to truly hear, we must be looking to God and seeking His will. In verse 8 it states, "And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes again towards heaven; and behold they saw a Man descending out of heaven..." (3 Nephi 11:8). I like how it says that they were "looking towards heaven". I think we have to be facing the right direction to receive and understand personal revelation. We have to be doing what it takes to face the Lord. WE have to be seeking Him. He is ready to offer all that He can to us, but He cannot do anything until we choose Him, until we choose to read our scriptures, to say our prayers, to live the Gospel. WE can't expect His hand in our lives without our choosing to place Him in our lives.

The Savior gives instruction about this principle in verse 37 when he says, "And again, I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things" (3 Nephi 11:37). The Gospel of Jesus Christ takes work on our part. We must take action in order to receive the blessings awaiting us, but when we do "choose"--it will be glorious.

"Belief and testimony and faith are not passive principles. They do not just happen to us. Belief is something we choose—we hope for it, we work for it, and we sacrifice for it. We will not accidentally come to believe in the Savior and His gospel any more than we will accidentally pray or pay tithing. We actively choose to believe, just like we choose to keep other commandments" (L. Whitney Clayton, "Choose to Believe", April 2015 General Conference).