Ether 2

As the people of Jared travel through the valley of Nimrod and into the
wilderness, the Lord appears in cloud, first to the brother of Jared, and
then it says he appeared "to them." So I'm supposing these later visits
were to more than just the brother of Jared. I believe that if we knew the
number of times the Lord has appeared to someone in our time we would be
amazed. Joseph McConkie, a friend who I greatly admire and the son of Elder
Bruce R. McConkie said this: "Our testimony of Christ reaches beyond
accounts given of his ministry in scripture. We testify that he lives, that
he speaks, and that he manifests himself to his people today as literally as
he ever did in any ancient day."

Our Savior isn't just a name in a book, someone who lived a long time ago.
Our Savior is someone who lives now, who is actively involved in his work
which is saving his people. He will speak to the mind and the heart, he
will speak audibly, he will appear, he will manifest himself in a variety of
ways to those who have same faith, have the same knowledge, and the same
gifts and signs that existed when he was on the earth.

Joseph Smith said, "When faith comes, it brings its train of attendants with
it - apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, gifts, wisdom,
knowledge, miracles, healings, tongues, interpretation of tongues, etc. All
these appear when faith appears on the earth, and disappear when it
disappears from the earth; for these are the effects of faith, and always
have and always will attend it. For where faith is there will the knowledge
of God be also, with all things which pertain thereto-revelations, visions,
dreams, as well as every necessary thing, in order that the possessors of
faith may be perfected and gain salvation." It's no wonder that this
dispensation started with an appearance of the Father and the Son.

To me, there are two keys for knowing that Savior close by. One is faith
that he does speak or appear. The other is to recognize his voice. I
believe he wants us to recognize his voice for than anything else, because
his voice is always accompanied by a witness of the Holy Ghost. We will
know and we will feel and odd as it may seem, this is a more sure and
lasting witness. Oliver Cowdery and Sidney Rigdon both saw the Savior, but
eventually fell away. Their faith and spirituality did not equal what they
knew and so it couldn't sustain them.

Shortly after his father died, Joseph McConkie told me that he had just
finished reading his father's journals in the apostle's office in Salt Lake.
He said, "There are apostles and then there are apostles. My father was an
apostle." Meaning there are some apostles who do not have the personal
visitation of the Savior and some that do. His father had. But if you read
Elder McConkie's last testimony in conference, which the last time he ever
spoke, it was the witness of the Holy Ghost that gave him the most sure
testimony and knowledge that the Savior existed.

One of the most sure ways of hearing his voice is through the scriptures
through the power of the Spirit. In a statement made to the twelve about
the Book of Mormon, the Savior said: "These words are not of men nor of man,
but of me; wherefore, you shall testify they are of me and not of man; for
it is my voice which speaketh them unto you; for they are given by my Spirit
unto you, and by my power you can read them... Wherefore, you can testify
that you have heard my voice, and know my words.