My blog post on Come Follow Me: D&C 6-9
Excerpt: This lesson focuses on sections 6-9 of the D&C, which explain several things about receiving revelation. Some of our more familiar scriptures are found in sections 8 and 9 regarding receiving revelation. Here, we will focus on some background. Oliver Cowdery was a schoolteacher, who had heard of Joseph Smith. Oliver believed in personal revelation, because he received it by using a divining rod. It is believed that he would ask “yes/no” type questions. In doing so, it is likely the rod would point up for “yes”, and down for “no.” This rod was also known as a “rod of nature” or the “gift of Aaron.” In the revelations we find that the Lord approved of Oliver using the divining rod as a method to receive revelation.
https://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2021/01/come-follow-me-d-6-9.html