President Brigham Young on growing in blessings from God

President Brigham Young (1801-1877) was part of the first Quorum of Twelve Apostles of this dispensation, called and ordained in 1835. He served as the second Church president, succeeding Joseph Smith, from 1847 until his death in 1877.

"Those who humble themselves before the Lord, and wait upon Him with a perfect heart and willing mind, will receive little by little, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little, 'Now and again,' as brother John Taylor says, until they receive a certain amount. Then they have to nourish and cherish what they receive, and make it their constant companion, encouraging every good thought, doctrine and principle and doing every good work they can perform, until by and by the Lord is in them a well of water, springing up unto everlasting life."

- Brigham Young, discourse in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, March 15, 1857; see Journal of Discourses 4:286–87
Click here to read the complete talk

President Young seemed to love the imagery of the "well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life" (D&C 63:23; see also John 4:14). He spoke of it on a number of occasions. In this instance, he describes the process of growing in our spiritual sensitivity. We start by being humble, trusting in God's timing and wisdom. As we do that, we will begin to receive gifts and blessings, endowments of understanding and power. We must cherish and nourish those gifts as they grow stronger and stronger within us:

We sometimes neglect the "follow-up work" that we should do after we receive inspiration or blessings; we should focus our personal efforts in "encouraging every good thought, doctrine and principle and doing every good work." That is what brings the greatest growth and progress, allowing the Lord's well of living water to spring forth in our hearts.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)