4. We pray to receive personal revelation.

Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah grew up together as close friends. Fourteen years after the sons of Mosiah went to preach the gospel to the Lamanites, Alma met his friends on their way to Zarahemla. In my scriptures I have written "revelatory process" beside the scriptural account of their reunion. Alma was happy to see the sons of Mosiah, but "what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; … and they had searched the scriptures diligently. …

"But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation" (Alma 17:2–3).

Revelation comes as we follow this important pattern. Our prayers, when combined with fasting and pondering the scriptures constitute the revelatory process. Ponder the following verse: "If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal" (D&C 42:61).