Sister Michelle Craig: ‘Spiritual Capacity’

Notable quotes:

"As you use your agency to carve out time every day to draw close to God's voice, especially in the Book of Mormon, over time, His voice will become clearer and more familiar to you."

"The prayer Heavenly Father seems eager to answer, is our plea to be led to someone who needs our help."

"No matter who you are or what you're dealing with, you are invited to the Lord's table."

Summary points:

• In seeking to know the voice and the will of the Lord, eliminate distractions and act on promptings without delaying.
• The Lord wants to help all His children. He often uses individuals to help one another and will send revelation to those seeking to do so.
• Personal revelation from the Lord is tailored for each individual and will help each person to accomplish great things in the Lord's way.

Talk summary:

"Our souls long for a connection with our heavenly home. We want to feel needed and useful. But at times we struggle to distinguish between our own thoughts and the gentle impressions of the Spirit."

Following are four ways to increase one's spiritual capacity to receive revelation and come to know the voice of the Spirit:

1. "Be intentional about creating time and space to hear God's voice." The distractions of the world can often make it difficult to hear His voice, but taking time to seek His direction will help all draw closer to Him.
2. "Act without delay." Following the promptings of the Spirit when individuals receive them can help them  become more familiar with the voice of the Spirit in their lives. 
3. "Get your errand from the Lord." Heavenly Father is eager to answer prayers that allow His children to help one another. Pray and ask the Lord for an errand and He will "use your ordinary skills to accomplish His extraordinary work." The Lord will send revelation to those who seek diligently to help others. 
4. "Believe and trust." When acting as a disciple of the Lord, individualized or tailored revelation will allow all to perform their unique roles or missions in life through that guidance. The Lord will prepare a way for His children to accomplish the things He commands them, but His way may often differ from the expected way. 

"Each one of us, regardless of age or circumstance can strive to seek, receive, and act. As you follow this eternal pattern ordained for our day, you will draw nearer to Jesus Christ — His love, His light, His direction, His peace, and His healing and enabling power. And you will increase your spiritual capacity to become an everyday instrument of His hands in accomplishing His great work."

In the news:

• Sister Craig shared advice she would give her 16-year-old self at BYU Women’s Conference in a breakout session on May 3, 2019.  
• In August 2019, Sister Craig went with Primary general president, Sister Joy D. Jones, to various parts of Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan of the Asia Area to meet with missionaries, members and leaders for devotionals, trainings and ministering visits.

About the speaker:

• Sister Michelle D. Craig was sustained as the second counselor in the Young Women general presidency during the 188th Annual General Conference held on March 31, 2018.
• She received a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in elementary education and served a mission in the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Mission.
• She married Boyd Craig on Dec. 19, 1986, in the Salt Lake Temple. They are the parents of three children, and they have six grandchildren.

Recently on Social:

• Sister Craig found nightshade, a dangerously poisonous weed, in her yard late in the summer. In a Facebook post on Aug. 30, Sister Craig shared a lesson she learned from this experience.

• On July 19, Sister Craig posted about memories of her paternal grandmother and shared a family recipe from FamilySearch on Facebook.