PapilioMemnon

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  1. I just wanted to say that I'm really, really thankful for this "flat period" of my life... and the testing of my patience :-) It's sobering as I ponder His infinite wisdom and timing... Thank you for that!
  2. Ask in Faith - Ask in Faith Elder David A. Bednar Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles ... Simply saying prayers is quite a different thing from engaging in meaningful prayer. I expect that all of us already know that prayer is essential for our spiritual development and protection. But what we know is not always reflected in what we do. And even though we recognize the importance of prayer, all of us can improve the consistency and efficacy of our personal and family prayers. The Prophet Joseph further explained that “faith is not only the principle of action, but of power also, in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven or on earth” (Lectures on Faith, 3). Thus, faith in Christ leads to righteous action, which increases our spiritual capacity and power. Understanding that faith is a principle of action and of power inspires us to exercise our moral agency in compliance with gospel truth, invites the redeeming and strengthening powers of the Savior’s Atonement into our lives, and enlarges the power within us whereby we are agents unto ourselves (see D&C 58:28). I long have been impressed with the truth that meaningful prayer requires both holy communication and consecrated work. Blessings require some effort on our part before we can obtain them, and prayer, as “a form of work, . . . is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings” (Bible Dictionary, “Prayer,” 753). We press forward and persevere in the consecrated work of prayer, after we say “amen,” by acting upon the things we have expressed to Heavenly Father. Asking in faith requires honesty, effort, commitment, and persistence. ... “Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other” (Bible Dictionary, “Prayer,” 752–53). Humble, earnest, and persistent prayer enables us to recognize and align ourselves with the will of our Heavenly Father. And in this the Savior provided the perfect example as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. . . . And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly” (Luke 22:42, 44). The object of our prayers should not be to present a wish list or a series of requests but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is eager to bestow, according to His will and timing. Every sincere prayer is heard and answered by our Heavenly Father, but the answers we receive may not be what we expect or come to us when we want or in the way we anticipate. This truth is evident in the three examples I have presented today. Prayer is a privilege and the soul’s sincere desire. We can move beyond routine and “checklist” prayers and engage in meaningful prayer as we appropriately ask in faith and act, as we patiently persevere through the trial of our faith, and as we humbly acknowledge and accept “not my will, but Thine, be done.” ... “Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other” (Bible Dictionary, “Prayer,” 752–53). Humble, earnest, and persistent prayer enables us to recognize and align ourselves with the will of our Heavenly Father. And in this the Savior provided the perfect example as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. . . . And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly” (Luke 22:42, 44). The object of our prayers should not be to present a wish list or a series of requests but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is eager to bestow, according to His will and timing. Every sincere prayer is heard and answered by our Heavenly Father, but the answers we receive may not be what we expect or come to us when we want or in the way we anticipate. This truth is evident in the three examples I have presented today. Prayer is a privilege and the soul’s sincere desire. We can move beyond routine and “checklist” prayers and engage in meaningful prayer as we appropriately ask in faith and act, as we patiently persevere through the trial of our faith, and as we humbly acknowledge and accept “not my will, but Thine, be done.” Prayer is essential to our spiritual development, protection, and strength as Elder Bednar pointed out. When we approach Heavenly Father in prayer, we need to understand that not everything that we want to happen or know will happen. We must understand and accept that He is the one who determines how answers are given, when, and what questions He will answer that is based of the principle of receiving personal revelation. We should not approach Heavenly Father to ask, even in faith, for mere curiosity of things that do not pertain to us, to our stewardship. Heavenly Father does not satisfy mere curiosity; He gives us what we need, that is expedient for us. Everything that we ask which is right and expedient, He'll answer. He increses our understanding about His teachings, commandments, doctrine, etc. so we must learn to ask for that which is right and expedient. We must be patient to wait upon Him to deliver the answer; the principle of patience goes along with faith. D&C 10 47 And I said unto them, that it should be granted unto them according to their faith in their prayers; D&C 46: 7 7 But ye are commanded in all things to aask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do in all bholiness of heart, walking uprightly before me, cconsidering the end of your salvation, doing all things with prayer and dthanksgiving, that ye may not be eseduced by evil fspirits, or doctrines of devils, or the gcommandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils. D&C 88: 65, 78 65 And if ye ask anything that is not aexpedient for you, it shall turn unto your bcondemnation. ... 78 Teach ye diligently and my agrace shall attend you, that you may be binstructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand; Moro. 7: 33 33 And Christ hath said: aIf ye will have bfaith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is cexpedient in me. We must learn to ask in faith, nothing wavering, and for things that are right, expedient for us to do, understand, receive, believe, etc... Let's be wise, I pray,
  3. I appreciate your input, but my comment is based on what's been said by LDS prophets, not some other book/people/speculation/my own opinion. My comment is/was based on the book below prepared by the CES & published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and the verses were explained by President J.F.Smith, and Kimball: From the Old Testament Student Manual Genesis - 2 Samuel, pg. 53-54: Genesis 6:1-2, 21. What is meant by the "Sons of God," and the "Daughters of Men"? Moses 8:13-16 further clarifies what is meant here and why this intermarriage is condemned. Commenting on the same verses, Elder Joseph Fielding Smith wrote: "Because the daughters of Noah married the sons of men contrary to the teachings of the Lord, his anger was kindled, and this offense was one cause that brought to pass the universal flood. You will see that the condition appears reversed in the Book of Moses. It was the daughters of the sons of God who were marrying the sons of men, which was displeasing unto the Lord. The fact was, as we see it revealed, that the daughters who had been born, evidently under the covenant, and were the daughters of the sons of God, that is to say of those who held the priesthood, were trangressing the commandment of the Lord and were marrying out of the church. Thus they were cutting themselves off from the blessings of the priesthood contrary to the teachings of Noah and the will of God." (Answers to Gospel Questions, 1:136-37.) President Spencer W. Kimball warned Latter-Day Saints today of the dangers of marrying outside of the covenant: "Paul told the Corinthians, 'Be ye not unequally yoked together...' Perhaps Paul wanted them to see that religious differences are fundamental differences. Religious differences imply wider areas of conflict. Church loyalties and family loyalties clash. Children's lives are often frustrated. The nonmember may be equally brilliant, well trained and attractive, and he or she may have the most pleasing personality, but without common faith , trouble lies ahead for the marriage. There are some exceptions but the rule is a harsh and unhappy one. "There is no bias nor prejudice in this doctrine. It is a matter of following a certain program to reach a definite goal." (Miracle of Forgiveness, p.240)" Genesis 6:3. What is the significance of the promise of 120 years? "Many scholars, who have only Genesis to study, beleive that this statement prophesied the shortened life expectancy that would take place after the Flood. In the Book of Moses, however, it is clear that the 120 refer to the time when Noah would preach repentance and try to save the world before the Flood was sent (See Moses 8:17). This period would be the time referred to by Peter as the time when "the longsuffering of God waited" (1 Peter 3:20). Because the people rejected the principles and ordinances of the gospel, preached to them by Noah, they were destroyed in the Flood. The Lord gave them more than adequate time to repent."
  4. Bytor... before I say anything, I must tell you that I can't keep a straight face when I see your avatar!!! I know that the Lord referred to the "Sons of God" meaning men of the covenant, and "daughters of men" meaning women outside the covenant. They married outside the covenant (Interfaith marriage) and the Lord was not pleased. I studied that when I attented the Institute on Eternal Marriage; I learned the Lord is really strict about it. The Lord mentions this several time on the OT, regarding interfaith marriage, one of the main problems with Solomon and many others who decided to do how they wanted.
  5. Opening Our Hearts - Opening Our Hearts Elder Gerald N. Lund Of the Seventy Let us make it a part of our everyday striving to open our hearts to the Spirit. Today I should like to speak on the importance of opening our hearts to the Holy Spirit. After baptism we are confirmed and given the Holy Ghost. This is a supernal gift. The Holy Ghost comforts, teaches, warns, enlightens, and inspires us. Nephi put it very simply: “If ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.”1 We need the help of the Holy Ghost if we are to make our way safely through what the Apostle Paul called the “perilous times”2 in which we now live. The Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit, which allows Him to dwell in our hearts and communicate directly with our spirits.3 The voice of the Spirit is described as still and small and one that whispers.4 How can a voice be still? Why is it likened to a whisper? Because the Spirit almost always speaks to our minds and to our hearts5 rather than to our ears. President Boyd K. Packer has said, “The Holy Ghost speaks with a voice that you feel more than you hear.”6 We feel things in our hearts. In the scriptures, the prophets teach that personal revelation is closely linked to the heart. For example: Mormon taught, “Because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost.”7 Alma said, “He that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word.”8 Mormon wrote of the Nephites, “[Their souls were filled] with joy and consolation . . . because of their yielding their hearts unto God.”9 And then the Psalmist simply wrote, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.”10 Isn’t that something we all seek, brothers and sisters—to be visited by the Holy Ghost, to have the Lord draw closer to us, to find joy and consolation in our lives? If so, then carefully assessing the condition of our hearts is one of the most essential things we can do in this life. The heart is a tender place. It is sensitive to many influences, both positive and negative. It can be hurt by others. It can be deadened by sin. It can be softened by love. Early in our lives, we learn to guard our hearts. It is like we erect a fence around our hearts with a gate in it. No one can enter that gate unless we allow him or her to. In some cases the fence we erect around our hearts could be likened to a small picket fence with a Welcome sign on the gate. Other hearts have been so hurt or so deadened by sin that they have an eight-foot (2.5-m) chain-link fence topped with razor wire around them. The gate is padlocked and has a large No Trespassing sign on it. Let us apply the idea of a gateway to the heart to receiving personal revelation. Nephi taught, “When a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men.”11 Elder David A. Bednar noted the use of the word unto: “Please notice how the power of the Spirit carries the message unto but not necessarily into the heart. . . . Ultimately, . . . the content of a message and the witness of the Holy Ghost penetrate into the heart only if a receiver allows them to enter.”12 Why just unto the heart? Individual agency is so sacred that Heavenly Father will never force the human heart, even with all His infinite power. Man may try to do so, but God does not. To put it another way, God allows us to be the guardians, or the gatekeepers, of our own hearts.We must, of our own free will, open our hearts to the Spirit, for He will not force Himself upon us. So how do we open our hearts? In the Sermon on the Mount, the Savior said, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”13 If something is pure, it is not polluted or tainted by things which do not belong to it. Purity of heart is certainly one of the most important qualifications for receiving inspiration from God. While none of our hearts are perfect, the more diligently we strive to eliminate impurity, or push out things which do not belong there, the more we open our hearts to the Holy Spirit. Note this sweet promise of the prophet Jacob: “O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love.”14 While in Liberty Jail, the Prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation that describes a condition of some hearts: “Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? “Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men.”15 Many in the world now live in prosperous and peaceful circumstances. In the Book of Mormon, prosperity often led the people away from the Lord. Mormon warned, “We may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art . . . , then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God.”16 The Lord noted three natural consequences of having one’s heart set on the things of the world: First, we seek to hide our sins instead of repenting of them. Next, we seek to gratify our pride and vain ambitions rather than seeking the things of God. Finally, we begin to exercise unrighteous dominion over others.17 Note that pride is a natural consequence of setting our hearts on the things of the world. Pride quickly desensitizes our hearts to spiritual promptings. For example, the Lord said, “I, the Lord, am not pleased with my servant Sidney Rigdon; he exalted himself in his heart, and received not counsel, but grieved the Spirit.”18 Compare that to this promise: “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.”19 In the Liberty Jail revelation, the Lord described the effect of a worldly heart: “Behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and . . . behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself.”20 Brothers and sisters, in these very “perilous times,” we cannot afford to grieve the Spirit and be left to ourselves. I say again, the condition of our hearts directly affects our sensitivity to spiritual things. Let us make it a part of our everyday striving to open our hearts to the Spirit. Since we are the guardians of our hearts, we can choose to do so. We choose what we let in or hold out. Fortunately the Lord is anxious to help us choose wisely. I close in testimony with two of the promises He has made to those who seek to come unto Him: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with [His] love, . . . that we may be purified even as he is pure.”21 And finally this stirring declaration of Paul the Apostle: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”22 May we ever ask Christ to strengthen our hearts and fill them with His love is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. NOTES 1. 2 Nephi 32:5. 2. 2 Timothy 3:1. 3. See D&C 8:2. 4. See D&C 85:6. 5. See D&C 8:2. 6. “Personal Revelation: The Gift, the Test, and the Promise,” Liahona, June 1997, 10; Ensign, Nov. 1994, 60. 7. Moroni 8:26. 8. Alma 12:10. 9. Helaman 3:35. 10. Psalm 34:18. 11. 2 Nephi 33:1; emphasis added. 12. “Seek Learning by Faith,” Liahona, Sept. 2007, 17; Ensign, Sept. 2007, 61. 13. Matthew 5:8. 14. Jacob 3:2. 15. D&C 121:34–35. 16. Helaman 12:2. 17. See D&C 121:36–37. 18. D&C 63:55. 19. D&C 112:10. 20. D&C 121:37–38. 21. Moroni 7:48. 22. Philippians 4:13.
  6. In the Mouth of Two or Three Witnesses --------------------------------------------------- "In the Bible we read this important declaration: 'In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established' (2 Corinthians 13:1). This assures God's children that divine doctrines are confirmed by more than one scriptural witness. "The Bible and the Book of Mormon are both witnesses of Jesus Christ. They teach that He is the Son of God, that He lived an exemplary life, that He atoned for all mankind, that He died upon the cross and rose again as the resurrected Lord. They teach that He is the Savior of the world." Topics: Savior, Bible, Book of Mormon (Russell M. Nelson, "Scriptural Witnesses," Ensign, Nov. 2007, 43)
  7. We are all children of God. He loves us and knows our needs, and He wants us to communicate with Him through prayer. We should pray to Him and no one else. The Lord Jesus Christ commanded, "Ye must always pray unto the Father in my name" (3 Nephi 18:19). As we make a habit of approaching God in prayer, we will come to know Him and draw ever nearer to Him. Our desires will become more like His. We will be able to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that He is ready to give if we will but ask in faith. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Principles of Prayer - LDS.org - Topic Definition - Prayer Our Heavenly Father is always ready to hear and answer our prayers. The power of our prayers depends on us. As we strive to make prayer a part of our lives, we should remember this counsel: Make our prayers meaningful. The prophet Mormon warned that if anyone "shall pray and not with real intent of heart . . . it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such" (Moroni 7:9). To make our prayers meaningful, we must pray with sincerity and "with all the energy of heart" (Moroni 7:48). We must be careful to avoid "vain repetitions" when we pray (see Matthew 6:7). Use language that shows love, respect, reverence, and closeness. The application of this principle will vary according to different languages. If we pray in English, for example, we should use the pronouns of the scriptures when we address God—Thee, Thou, Thy, and Thine, rather than the more common pronouns you, your, and yours. Regardless of the language, the principle remains the same: When we pray, we should use words that appropriately convey a loving, worshipful relationship with God. Always give thanks to Heavenly Father. We should "live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon [us]" (Alma 34:38). As we take time to remember our blessings, we will recognize how much our Heavenly Father has done for us. We should express our thanks to Him. Seek Heavenly Father's guidance and strength in all we do. Alma counseled his son Helaman: "Cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day" (Alma 37:36–37; see also Alma 34:17–26). Remember the needs of others as we pray. We should offer prayers "for [our] welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around [us]" (Alma 34:27). We should ask our Heavenly Father to bless and comfort those in need. Seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost so we will know what to include in our prayers. The Holy Ghost can teach us to pray and guide us in the things we say (see Romans 8:26; 2 Nephi 32:8; 3 Nephi 19:9, 24). He can help us pray "according to the will of God" (D&C 46:30). When we make a request through prayer, we must do all we can to assist in its being granted. Heavenly Father expects us to do more than merely ask Him for blessings. When we have an important decision to make, He often will require that we "study it out in [our] mind" before He will give us an answer (see D&C 9:7–8). Our prayers for guidance will be only as effective as our efforts to be receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. Our prayers for our own welfare and for the welfare of others will be in vain if we "turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need" (Alma 34:28). If we have a difficult task before us, Heavenly Father is pleased when we get on our knees and ask for help and then get on our feet and go to work. He will help us in all our righteous pursuits, but He seldom will do something for us that we can do ourselves. Personal Prayer In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ counseled: "Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6:6). Personal, private prayer is an essential part of our spiritual development. At least every morning and every night, we should find a place that is free from distractions and kneel in humility and commune with our Heavenly Father. Although sometimes we may need to pray silently, we should make an extra effort at times to pray vocally (see D&C 19:28; 20:51). Prayer is two-way communication. As we close our prayers, we should take time to pause and listen. At times, Heavenly Father will counsel, guide, or comfort us while we are on our knees. We should never give in to the idea that we are not worthy to pray. This idea comes from Satan, who wants to convince us that we must not pray (see 2 Nephi 32:8). If we do not feel like praying, we should pray until we do feel like praying. The Savior has commanded, "Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work" (D&C 10:5). Although we cannot be continuously on our knees, always offering a personal, private prayer, we can let our hearts be "full, drawn out in prayer unto [God] continually" (Alma 34:27; see also 3 Nephi 20:1). Throughout each day, we can maintain a constant feeling of love for our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son. We can silently express gratitude to our Father and ask Him to strengthen us in our responsibilities. In times of temptation or physical danger, we can silently ask for His help. Family Prayer In addition to commanding us to pray in private, the Savior has exhorted us to pray with our families. He said, "Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed" (3 Nephi 18:21). We should make family prayer a consistent part of our family's life. Every morning and every evening, we should kneel together in humility, giving each family member frequent opportunities to say the prayer and uniting in gratitude for the blessings Heavenly Father has given us. We should also unite in faith to plead for the blessings we need and to pray for others. Through regular family prayer, our family members will draw nearer to God and to each other. Our children will learn to communicate with their Father in Heaven. We will all be better prepared to serve others and withstand temptations. Our homes will be places of spiritual strength, a refuge from the evil influences of the world. Public Prayer At times we may be asked to offer a public prayer, perhaps in a Church meeting or class. When we receive this opportunity, we should remember that we are communicating with Heavenly Father, not giving a public sermon. We should not worry about what others may think of what we say. Instead, we should offer a simple, heartfelt prayer. Receiving Answers to Prayer The Savior taught, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matthew 7:7–8). To the Nephites He said, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you" (3 Nephi 18:20). Heavenly Father hears our prayers. He may not always answer as we expect, but He does answer—in His own time and according to His will. Because He knows what is best for us, He may sometimes answer no, even when our petitions are sincere. Answers to prayer come in many ways. They often come through the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost (see "Revelation"). They may come in the circumstances of our lives or through the kind acts of those around us. As we continue to draw near to our Heavenly Father through prayer, we will recognize more readily His merciful and wise answers to our pleadings. We will find that He is our "refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). See also Faith; Fasting and Fast Offerings; Worship —See True to the Faith (2004), 118–23 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Scriptures References: Matthew 6:5–15; James 1:5–6; Enos 1:1–17; Mosiah 4:11–12; 3 Nephi 13:6–7; 14:7–8; D&C 19:38; 88:63–65 -------------------------------------------------------------------- John 14 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. To have access to Heavenly Father, we must pray directly to Him only, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as He said Himself.
  8. Gospel Message Brings Light, Hope, and Joy--------------------------------------------------- "In the middle of [the] despair [of postwar Germany], my family learned about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints and the healing message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. This message made all the difference; it lifted us above our daily misery. Life was still thorny and the circumstances still horrible, but the gospel brought light, hope, and joy into our lives. The plain and simple truths of the gospel warmed our hearts and enlightened our minds. They helped us look at ourselves and the world around us with different eyes and from an elevated viewpoint." Topics: gospel, Jesus Christ, adversity, joy, hope, strength (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Have We Not Reason to Rejoice?" Ensign, Nov. 2007, 19)
  9. LDS.org - Ensign Article - Communion with the Holy Spirit ... The Right of Personal Revelation Latter-day Saints, having received the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, are entitled to personal inspiration in the small events of life as well as when they are confronted with the giant Goliaths of life. If worthy, we are entitled to receive revelations for ourselves, parents for their children, and members of the Church in their callings. But the right of revelation for others does not extend beyond our own stewardship. David, the youngest son of Jesse, a mere shepherd boy, volunteered to fight the giant Goliath. David and all of the army of Israel were insulted by the humiliating taunts of this formidable giant, but David knew that inspiration had brought him to save Israel. King Saul was so impressed with the faith and determination of this young boy that he appointed him to fight Goliath. Goliath made sport of David’s youth and lack of armament. David responded that he came in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, and that the whole assembly would learn that the Lord does not save by the sword and the spear, “for the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Sam. 17:47). Then David threw a rock from his sling with such force and accuracy that the stone sank deep into the forehead of Goliath. Goliath fell to the earth a dying man, and the Philistines fled in fear. What has happened to David’s living God? It is the greatest insult to reason to suggest that God, who spoke so freely to the prophets of the Old Testament, now stands mute, uncommunicative, and silent. We may well ask, “Does God love us less than those led by the ancient prophets? Do we need His guidance and instruction less? Reason suggests that this cannot be. Does He not care? Has He lost His voice? Has He gone on a permanent vacation? Does He sleep?” The unreasonableness of each of these proposals is self-evident. When the Savior taught in the synagogue at Capernaum, He proclaimed His divinity in no uncertain terms. The Apostle John states: “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. “Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. “And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:66–69). We acknowledge and testify that the same witness of Christ’s divinity as received by Peter is also our sacred knowledge. Personal revelation comes as a testimony of truth and as guidance in spiritual and temporal matters. Latter-day Saints know that the promptings of the Spirit may be received upon all facets of life, including daily, ongoing decisions. Without seeking the inspiration of the Almighty God, how could anyone think of making an important decision such as “Who is to be my companion?” “What is my work to be?” “Where will I live?” “How will I live?” Many faithful Latter-day Saints have been warned by the Spirit when they were faced with injury or possible death. Among these was President Wilford Woodruff, who said: “When I got back to Winter Quarters from the pioneer journey [1847], President [brigham] Young said to me, ‘Brother Woodruff, I want you to take your wife and children and go to Boston and stay there until you can gather every Saint of God in New England and Canada and send them up to Zion.’ “I did as he told me. It took me two years to gather up everybody, and I brought up the rear with a company (there were about one hundred of them). We arrived at Pittsburgh one day at sundown. We did not want to stay there, so I went to the first steamboat that was going to leave. I saw the captain and engaged passage for us on that steamer. I had only just done so when the spirit said to me, and that, too, very strongly, ‘Don’t go aboard that steamer, nor your company.’ Of course, I went and spoke to the captain, and told him I had made up my mind to wait. “Well, that ship started, and had only got five miles down the river when it took fire, and three hundred persons were burned to death or drowned. If I had not obeyed that spirit, and had gone on that steamer with the rest of the company, you can see what the result would have been” (Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, sel. G. Homer Durham [1946], 294–95). How Is Personal Revelation Received? Some guidelines and rules are necessary if one is to be the recipient of revelation and inspiration. They include [/b](1) to try honestly and sincerely to keep God’s commandments, (2) to be spiritually attuned as a receiver of a divine message, (3) to ask God in humble, fervent prayer, and (4) to seek answers with unwavering faith. I testify that inspiration can be the spring for every person’s hope, guidance, and strength. It is one of the magnified treasures of life. It involves coming to the infinite knowledge of God. How do revelation and inspiration operate? Each person has a built-in “receiving set” which, when fine-tuned, can be a receiver of divine communication. Said Job, “There is a spirit in man: and … the Almighty giveth them understanding” (Job 32:8). If needed, it is possible, like Nephi, to be led completely by the Spirit, “not knowing beforehand” what should be done (see 1 Ne. 4:6). How is inspiration received? Enos stated, “While I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind” (Enos 1:10). One does not necessarily hear an audible voice. The spirit of revelation comes by divine confirmation. “I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart,” says the Lord (D&C 8:2). How was the voice of the Lord heard by Elijah the Tishbite? It was not the “strong wind [which] rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks,” nor “after the wind an earthquake,” nor “after the earthquake a fire.” It was “a still small voice” (see 1 Kgs. 19:11–12). The inner voice of the Spirit has the capacity to whisper through and pierce all things (see D&C 85:6). The scriptures teach, “It was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul” (Hel. 5:30). Thus the Lord, by revelation, brings inspiration into one’s mind as though a voice were speaking. As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Harold B. Lee gave this testimony: “I have a believing heart because of a simple testimony that came when I was a child, I think maybe I was around ten—maybe eleven—years of age. I was with my father out on a farm away from our home, trying to spend the day busying myself until father was ready to go home. Over the fence from our place were some tumbledown sheds which had attracted a curious boy, adventurous as I was. I started to climb through the fence and I heard a voice as clearly as you are hearing mine—‘Don’t go over there!’ calling me by name. I turned to look at father to see if he were talking to me, but he was way up at the other end of the field. There was no person in sight. I realized then, as a child, that there were persons beyond my sight and I had heard a voice. And when I [hear] and read these stories of the Prophet Joseph Smith, I, too, know what it means to hear a voice because I’ve heard from an unseen speaker” (Divine Revelation, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year [15 Oct. 1952], 5). Revelation for the Church Although every faithful member of the Church is entitled to receive personal revelation, there is only one man upon the earth who receives revelation for the Church. President Wilford Woodruff said, “The Church of God could not live twenty-four hours without revelation” (Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, 61). A member has written: “Every day men and women come, by revelation, to understand the basic truth that God has restored his gospel and church. “Every day leaders of the Church are led by revelation to conduct the affairs of the Church, general and local, throughout the world. “Every day Latter-day Saint missionaries are impressed by the spirit of revelation to bear witness, to know what to say, to know what to do, and to teach by the spirit of revelation. “Every day the mind and will of the Lord as revealed in the standard works of the Church are illuminated in the minds of the Latter-day Saints by the spirit of revelation. “Every day faith is increased in the hearts of the faithful by evidences of revelation in their lives—in decisions regarding marriage, vocations, home concerns, business ventures, lesson preparations, danger signals—in fact, in all facets of life. “Every Latter-day Saint may know by the spirit of revelation that President Joseph Fielding Smith spoke the truth when he said: ‘The Lord not only blesses the men who stand at the head and hold the keys of the kingdom, but he also blesses every faithful individual with the spirit of inspiration’ ” (Roy W. Doxey, Walk with the Lord [1973], 173–74; emphasis in original). Who is the prophet of the world today? I testify that the prophet upon the face of the earth today is Gordon B. Hinckley, who serves as the President of the Church. He is the only person who holds all of the keys of the kingdom of God on earth. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God’s Church upon the earth, and salvation in God’s presence requires acceptance of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ as taught in His Church. Why has the Church grown so dramatically over more than 170 years? Why does it continue to grow at an ever-increasing pace? It does so in large measure because of divine revelation and inspiration. I pray that we may so live as to enjoy the companionship of the Holy Ghost, for the Holy Ghost, under the direction of Almighty God, has led this people and their leaders from the Church’s humble beginnings to the great spiritual force it is today.
  10. The Holy Ghost - LDS.org - Ensign Article - The Holy Ghost President Marion G. Romney Second Counselor in the First Presidency Marion G. Romney, “The Holy Ghost,” Ensign, May 1974, 90 My beloved brothers and sisters, wherever you are and whoever you are, I invite you to join in the request made in the opening prayer that the Spirit of the Lord will be with us during this meeting. Because of the subject I have chosen to speak about, it must be with us while I speak or my words will be but an exercise in futility. The first Article of Faith [A of F 1:1] of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reads: “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” A year ago we spoke of God, the Eternal Father. Six months later our theme was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Today we shall call attention to some divinely revealed truths concerning the Holy Ghost. The scriptures all teach about the Holy Ghost. They frequently refer to him as the Comforter, the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, or the Spirit of the Lord. According to these scriptures the Holy Ghost is a person. “The Father,” said the Prophet Joseph Smith, “has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. …” (D&C 130:22.) Jesus referred to the Holy Ghost as a male person. Speaking to his disciples, he said: “… It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7. Italics added.) And further, “… when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” (John 16:13–14. Italics added.) “That the [Holy Ghost] is capable of manifesting Himself in the form and figure of man,” wrote Dr. James E. Talmage, “is indicated by the wonderful interview between the Spirit and Nephi, in which He revealed Himself to the prophet, questioned him concerning his desires and belief, instructed him in the things of God, speaking face to face with the man. ‘I spake unto him,’ says Nephi, ‘as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in the form of a man; yet nevertheless, I knew that it was the Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another.’ ” (Discourses on the Holy Ghost, comp. N. B. Lundwall, Bookcraft, Inc., 1959, p. 13.) “… there are three,” says John the Beloved, “that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 Jn. 5:7), signifying, of course, they are one in understanding and purpose. Of them the Prophet Joseph said: “… these three are one; or, in other words, these three constitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all things; by whom all things were created and made … and these three constitute the Godhead, and are one.” (Quoted in Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., Bookcraft, Inc., 1966, p. 320.) As a member of the Godhead, and being one with the Father and the Son, the Holy Ghost is, as are the Father and the Son, omniscient. He comprehends all truth having a “knowledge of [all] things.” (D&C 93:24.) As the light of Christ “proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space” (D&C 88:12), so the influence, power, and gifts of the Holy Ghost may be manifest everywhere at the same time. Statements in the scriptures such as “the Holy Ghost fell on [him]” (Acts 11:15), “filled with the Holy Ghost” (Luke 1:15), “the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38), “receive … the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22), baptized by “fire and the Holy Ghost” (D&C 20:41) do not always refer to his person, but to his power, influence, and gifts. One of the most important functions of the Holy Ghost is to testify of the Father and the Son. In the very day that the angel told Adam that the sacrifice he was offering was “a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, … the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam” testifying to him of the Father and the Son. (Moses 5:7, 9. Italics added.) At the baptism of Jesus, the Holy Ghost bore witness to his divinity by “descending like a dove, and lighting upon him.” (Matt. 3:16.) Every person who knows or has ever known that Jesus is the Christ has received that witness from the Holy Ghost. “Wherefore I give you to understand,” wrote Paul to the Corinthians, “that no man speaking by the Spirit of God … can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” (1 Cor. 12:3.) Jesus implied this when responding to Peter’s declaration, “… Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” He said: “… Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 16:16–17.) The Holy Ghost not only bears witness to the divinity of the Father and the Son; he also bears witness to truth, particularly to gospel truths. “… when ye shall read these things [speaking of the gospel truths contained in the Book of Mormon], … I would exhort you,” wrote Moroni, “that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Moro. 10:3–4.) And then he adds this great promise: “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moro. 10:5.) Hundreds and thousands of people have accepted and acted upon this challenge and thereafter borne witness, by the power of the Holy Ghost, to its truth. The Holy Ghost is not only a witness to the truth; he is also a great revealer and teacher of truth. “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15), said the Savior to his disciples. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, … which is the Holy Ghost, … [and] he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:16, 26. Italics added.) “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, … take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: “For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.” (Luke 12:11–12. Italics added.) “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God,” wrote Paul to the Corinthians, “that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” (1 Cor. 2:12–13. Italics added.) To the Holy Ghost we are indebted for our scriptures. Not only did he reveal the gospel truths they contain; he it was who gave the prophets the spirit of prophecy. “… no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation”, said Peter. “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Pet. 1:20–21.) The record says that in the very beginning “the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, … “[And he] blessed God and was filled [with the Holy Ghost], and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, …” (Moses 5:9–10.) So it has ever been. Luke notes that Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, “was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied, …” (Luke 1:67.) The promise of the Lord in this last dispensation that “God shall give unto you knowledge … by the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost” (D&C 121:26) poses the question as to the manner in which one may receive this unspeakable gift. The prescribed manner is by the laying on of hands following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance from sin, and baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. This was the way the Holy Ghost was bestowed in the apostolic church. “… when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: “Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: “(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) “Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 8:14–17.) When Paul came to Ephesus and found certain disciples there, “He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. “And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. “Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” (Acts 19:2–6.) In prescribing the duties of elders in his latter-day church, the Lord said, among other things, that they were “to confirm those who are baptized into the church, by the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, according to the scriptures.” (D&C 20:41.) In calling several of the brethren to do missionary service, he said: “… I give unto you a commandment that ye go among this people, and say unto them, like unto mine apostle of old, whose name was Peter: “Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus. … “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, according to the holy commandment, for the remission of sins; “And whoso doeth this shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of the hands of the elders of the church.” (D&C 49:11–14.) The gift of the Holy Ghost is an endowment which gives one the right to enjoy the enlightenment, companionship, and guidance of the Spirit and the influence of the Holy Spirit as long as he complies with the commandments of God. The importance of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost is beyond expression. It is the baptism of fire referred to by John. (See Luke 3:16.) It is the “spirit” birth of which Jesus spoke to Nicodemus: “… Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5.) Receiving the Holy Ghost is the therapy which effects forgiveness and heals the sin-sick soul. The hallmark of the church of Christ, distinguishing it from all other churches and forms of worship, has ever been the receiving of the gift of the Holy Ghost by the membership of the Church. This is what distinguishes The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from all other organizations. Following an interview with President Van Buren, the Prophet Joseph Smith and Elias Higbee wrote in 1839 from Washington, D.C., a letter to Hyrum Smith, in which they said: “In our interview with the President, he interrogated us wherein we differed in our religion from the other religions of the day. Brother Joseph said we differed in mode of baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. We considered that all other considerations were contained in the gift of the Holy Ghost. …” (Documentary History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 42.) And so it is, because the Holy Ghost is a revelator. The gift of the Holy Ghost “is the spirit of revelation; … [it] is,” said the Lord, “the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.” (D&C 8:3.) It is the witness given by the Holy Ghost to the individual members of the Church that God lives; that Jesus Christ his son, is our Savior and Redeemer; that his gospel is the plan of salvation and the way to eternal life; and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is his church, possessing authority to preach the gospel and administer the saving ordinances thereof, which give vitality, strength, and power to the Church. I bear to you, my brothers and sisters and friends, whoever you are and wherever you are, my personal witness to the truth of all these things to which I have called your attention. The Holy Ghost has revealed to me that they are true. By his power I know that God lives; that we are his offspring; that Christ lives; that his gospel is true; that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is his church; that President Spencer W. Kimball is a prophet called by the Lord to preside over his church; that the Holy Ghost is a revealer of and a witness to these things; and that by his power each of us may, as Moroni declared, “know the truth of all things.” (Moro. 10:5.) I humbly and sincerely invite all of you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, to repent and be baptized in his name, and receive the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of the hands of the elders of His Church; and I invite you to thereafter follow his guidance. All who do this shall be prepared to meet the Savior when he comes, for he has said: “… at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins. “For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. “And the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation. “For the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver.” (D&C 45:56–59.) That we may all, through following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, be prepared to “abide” that great day, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
  11. The Holy Ghost - LDS.org - Ensign Article - The Holy Ghost President Marion G. Romney Second Counselor in the First Presidency Marion G. Romney, “The Holy Ghost,” Ensign, May 1974, 90 My beloved brothers and sisters, wherever you are and whoever you are, I invite you to join in the request made in the opening prayer that the Spirit of the Lord will be with us during this meeting. Because of the subject I have chosen to speak about, it must be with us while I speak or my words will be but an exercise in futility. The first Article of Faith [A of F 1:1] of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reads: “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” A year ago we spoke of God, the Eternal Father. Six months later our theme was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Today we shall call attention to some divinely revealed truths concerning the Holy Ghost. The scriptures all teach about the Holy Ghost. They frequently refer to him as the Comforter, the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, or the Spirit of the Lord. According to these scriptures the Holy Ghost is a person. “The Father,” said the Prophet Joseph Smith, “has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. …” (D&C 130:22.) Jesus referred to the Holy Ghost as a male person. Speaking to his disciples, he said: “… It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7. Italics added.) And further, “… when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” (John 16:13–14. Italics added.) “That the [Holy Ghost] is capable of manifesting Himself in the form and figure of man,” wrote Dr. James E. Talmage, “is indicated by the wonderful interview between the Spirit and Nephi, in which He revealed Himself to the prophet, questioned him concerning his desires and belief, instructed him in the things of God, speaking face to face with the man. ‘I spake unto him,’ says Nephi, ‘as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in the form of a man; yet nevertheless, I knew that it was the Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another.’ ” (Discourses on the Holy Ghost, comp. N. B. Lundwall, Bookcraft, Inc., 1959, p. 13.) “… there are three,” says John the Beloved, “that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 Jn. 5:7), signifying, of course, they are one in understanding and purpose. Of them the Prophet Joseph said: “… these three are one; or, in other words, these three constitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all things; by whom all things were created and made … and these three constitute the Godhead, and are one.” (Quoted in Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., Bookcraft, Inc., 1966, p. 320.) As a member of the Godhead, and being one with the Father and the Son, the Holy Ghost is, as are the Father and the Son, omniscient. He comprehends all truth having a “knowledge of [all] things.” (D&C 93:24.) As the light of Christ “proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space” (D&C 88:12), so the influence, power, and gifts of the Holy Ghost may be manifest everywhere at the same time. Statements in the scriptures such as “the Holy Ghost fell on [him]” (Acts 11:15), “filled with the Holy Ghost” (Luke 1:15), “the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38), “receive … the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22), baptized by “fire and the Holy Ghost” (D&C 20:41) do not always refer to his person, but to his power, influence, and gifts. One of the most important functions of the Holy Ghost is to testify of the Father and the Son. In the very day that the angel told Adam that the sacrifice he was offering was “a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, … the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam” testifying to him of the Father and the Son. (Moses 5:7, 9. Italics added.) At the baptism of Jesus, the Holy Ghost bore witness to his divinity by “descending like a dove, and lighting upon him.” (Matt. 3:16.) Every person who knows or has ever known that Jesus is the Christ has received that witness from the Holy Ghost. “Wherefore I give you to understand,” wrote Paul to the Corinthians, “that no man speaking by the Spirit of God … can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” (1 Cor. 12:3.) Jesus implied this when responding to Peter’s declaration, “… Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” He said: “… Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 16:16–17.) The Holy Ghost not only bears witness to the divinity of the Father and the Son; he also bears witness to truth, particularly to gospel truths. “… when ye shall read these things [speaking of the gospel truths contained in the Book of Mormon], … I would exhort you,” wrote Moroni, “that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Moro. 10:3–4.) And then he adds this great promise: “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moro. 10:5.) Hundreds and thousands of people have accepted and acted upon this challenge and thereafter borne witness, by the power of the Holy Ghost, to its truth. The Holy Ghost is not only a witness to the truth; he is also a great revealer and teacher of truth. “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15), said the Savior to his disciples. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, … which is the Holy Ghost, … [and] he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:16, 26. Italics added.) “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, … take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: “For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.” (Luke 12:11–12. Italics added.) “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God,” wrote Paul to the Corinthians, “that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” (1 Cor. 2:12–13. Italics added.) To the Holy Ghost we are indebted for our scriptures. Not only did he reveal the gospel truths they contain; he it was who gave the prophets the spirit of prophecy. “… no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation”, said Peter. “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Pet. 1:20–21.) The record says that in the very beginning “the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, … “[And he] blessed God and was filled [with the Holy Ghost], and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, …” (Moses 5:9–10.) So it has ever been. Luke notes that Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, “was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied, …” (Luke 1:67.) The promise of the Lord in this last dispensation that “God shall give unto you knowledge … by the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost” (D&C 121:26) poses the question as to the manner in which one may receive this unspeakable gift. The prescribed manner is by the laying on of hands following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance from sin, and baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. This was the way the Holy Ghost was bestowed in the apostolic church. “… when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: “Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: “(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) “Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 8:14–17.) When Paul came to Ephesus and found certain disciples there, “He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. “And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. “Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” (Acts 19:2–6.) In prescribing the duties of elders in his latter-day church, the Lord said, among other things, that they were “to confirm those who are baptized into the church, by the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, according to the scriptures.” (D&C 20:41.) In calling several of the brethren to do missionary service, he said: “… I give unto you a commandment that ye go among this people, and say unto them, like unto mine apostle of old, whose name was Peter: “Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus. … “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, according to the holy commandment, for the remission of sins; “And whoso doeth this shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of the hands of the elders of the church.” (D&C 49:11–14.) The gift of the Holy Ghost is an endowment which gives one the right to enjoy the enlightenment, companionship, and guidance of the Spirit and the influence of the Holy Spirit as long as he complies with the commandments of God. The importance of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost is beyond expression. It is the baptism of fire referred to by John. (See Luke 3:16.) It is the “spirit” birth of which Jesus spoke to Nicodemus: “… Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5.) Receiving the Holy Ghost is the therapy which effects forgiveness and heals the sin-sick soul. The hallmark of the church of Christ, distinguishing it from all other churches and forms of worship, has ever been the receiving of the gift of the Holy Ghost by the membership of the Church. This is what distinguishes The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from all other organizations. Following an interview with President Van Buren, the Prophet Joseph Smith and Elias Higbee wrote in 1839 from Washington, D.C., a letter to Hyrum Smith, in which they said: “In our interview with the President, he interrogated us wherein we differed in our religion from the other religions of the day. Brother Joseph said we differed in mode of baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. We considered that all other considerations were contained in the gift of the Holy Ghost. …” (Documentary History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 42.) And so it is, because the Holy Ghost is a revelator. The gift of the Holy Ghost “is the spirit of revelation; … [it] is,” said the Lord, “the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.” (D&C 8:3.) It is the witness given by the Holy Ghost to the individual members of the Church that God lives; that Jesus Christ his son, is our Savior and Redeemer; that his gospel is the plan of salvation and the way to eternal life; and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is his church, possessing authority to preach the gospel and administer the saving ordinances thereof, which give vitality, strength, and power to the Church. I bear to you, my brothers and sisters and friends, whoever you are and wherever you are, my personal witness to the truth of all these things to which I have called your attention. The Holy Ghost has revealed to me that they are true. By his power I know that God lives; that we are his offspring; that Christ lives; that his gospel is true; that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is his church; that President Spencer W. Kimball is a prophet called by the Lord to preside over his church; that the Holy Ghost is a revealer of and a witness to these things; and that by his power each of us may, as Moroni declared, “know the truth of all things.” (Moro. 10:5.) I humbly and sincerely invite all of you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, to repent and be baptized in his name, and receive the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of the hands of the elders of His Church; and I invite you to thereafter follow his guidance. All who do this shall be prepared to meet the Savior when he comes, for he has said: “… at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins. “For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. “And the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation. “For the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver.” (D&C 45:56–59.) That we may all, through following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, be prepared to “abide” that great day, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
  12. Hearing the Still, Small Voice --------------------------------------------------- "Each of us should be careful that the current flood of information does not occupy our time so completely that we cannot focus on and hear and heed the still, small voice that is available to guide each of us with our own challenges today." Topics: Holy Ghost, personal revelation (Dallin H. Oaks "Focus and Priorities," Ensign, May 2001, 82) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  13. Restored Truth Elder M. Russell Ballard Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles M. Russell Ballard, “Restored Truth,” Ensign, Nov. 1994, 65 Three weeks ago I was assigned to host an open house at the Orlando Florida Temple for leaders representing the clergy, press, government, education, and business. Before I escorted these prominent guests through the temple, I explained to them the position and basic doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I wanted them to know why the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith, so they could understand the divine purpose and the eternal significance of the temple. My message this morning is to remind Church members what we have and to invite nonmembers to understand the need for the restoration of the gospel. The mortal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ was comparatively brief. He lived only thirty-three years, and His ministry was only three years. But in those three years He taught the human family everything that is necessary to receive all of the blessings our Father in Heaven has in store for His children. He concluded His mortal ministry with the single most compassionate and significant service in the history of the world: the Atonement. One of the most important accomplishments of the Savior was the establishment of His church upon the earth. Paul taught that Christ “gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:11–12). When Jesus called His twelve Apostles, He laid His hands upon them, ordained them, and conferred upon them the authority to act in His name and govern His church. Peter is commonly understood to have become the chief Apostle, or the President of the Church, after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. Early Christians endured the challenges of persecution and hardship. Peter and his brethren had a difficult time holding the Church together and keeping the doctrine pure. They traveled extensively and wrote to one another about the problems they were facing, but information moved so slowly and the Church and its teachings were so new that heading off false teachings before they became firmly entrenched was difficult. The New Testament indicates that the early Apostles worked hard to preserve the church that Jesus Christ left to their care and keeping, but they knew their efforts would ultimately be in vain. Paul wrote to the Thessalonian Saints, who were anxiously anticipating the second coming of Christ, that “that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first” (2 Thes. 2:3). He also warned Timothy that “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; … And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Tim. 4:3–4). And Peter presupposed the falling away, or the Apostasy, when he spoke of “the times of refreshing” that would come before God would again send Jesus Christ, who “before was preached unto you: “Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:19–21). Eventually, with the known exception of John the Beloved, Peter and his fellow Apostles were martyred. The Apostle John and members of the Church struggled for survival in the face of horrifying oppression. To their everlasting credit, Christianity did survive and was truly a prominent force by the end of the second century A.D. Many valiant Saints were instrumental in helping Christianity to endure. Despite the significance of the ministries of these Saints, they did not hold the same apostolic authority Peter and the other Apostles had received through ordination under the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. When that authority was lost, men began looking to other sources for doctrinal understanding. As a result, many plain and precious truths were lost. History tells us, for example, of a great council held in A.D. 325 in Nicaea. By this time Christianity had emerged from the dank dungeons of Rome to become the state religion of the Roman Empire, but the church still had problems—chiefly the inability of Christians to agree among themselves on basic points of doctrine. To resolve differences, Emperor Constantine called together a group of Christian bishops to establish once and for all the official doctrines of the church. Consensus did not come easily. Opinions on such basic subjects as the nature of God were diverse and deeply felt, and debate was spirited. Decisions were not made by binspiration or revelation, but by majority vote, and some disagreeing factions split off and formed new churches. Similar doctrinal councils were held later in A.D. 451, 787, and 1545, with similarly divisive results. The beautiful simplicity of Christ’s gospel was under attack from an enemy that was even more destructive than the scourges and the crosses of early Rome: the philosophical meanderings of uninspired men. The doctrine became based more on popular opinion than on revelation. This period of time was called the Dark Ages. They were dark largely because the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ had been lost. Then in 1517, the Spirit moved Martin Luther, a German priest who was disturbed at how far the church had strayed from the gospel as taught by Christ. His work led to a reformation, a movement that was taken up by such other visionaries as John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli, John Wesley, and John Smith. I believe these reformers were inspired to create a religious climate in which God could restore lost truths and priesthood authority. Similarly, God inspired the earlier explorers and colonizers of America and the framers of the Constitution of the United States to develop a land and governing principles to which the gospel could be restored. By 1820 the world was ready for the “restitution of all things” spoken of by Peter and “all [God’s] holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). At this time religious excitement was sweeping across the countryside in upstate New York. Ministers from different denominations vied zealously for the loyalty of the faithful in villages and towns, including Palmyra, the home of the family of Joseph Smith, Sr., and Lucy Mack Smith. The Smith family followed this religious excitement, and members of the family were “proselyted” to various faiths. Mother Smith and three of the children—Hyrum, Samuel, and Sophronia—joined one church (see JS—H 1:7), while Father Smith and his eldest son, Alvin, affiliated with another. When fourteen-year-old Joseph, Jr., considered which church to join, he investigated each denomination carefully, listening to the respective ministers and trying to sort out the truth. He knew there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:5), but which was the one he did not know. “In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions,” Joseph Smith, Jr., wrote later, “I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?” (JS—H 1:10.) Young Joseph looked for answers to his questions in the scriptures. While reading in the Bible, he came upon a simple, direct admonition in the epistle of James: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). Joseph reflected: “Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know” (JS—H 1:12). With the simple faith of youth and motivated by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Joseph decided to go into a grove of trees near his home and put the promise in James to the test. On a beautiful, clear spring morning, Joseph retired to the woods. He paused when he arrived at a quiet, secluded spot. He looked around to make sure he was alone. Then he knelt and began to pray. No sooner had he done so than an overwhelming feeling of darkness swept over him, as if some evil power was trying to dissuade him. Rather than surrender, Joseph intensified his pleas to God—and God Himself responded. Reading from Joseph’s account: “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. … “When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (JS—H 1:16–17). I testify those Beings were God, our Heavenly Father, and His resurrected Son, Jesus Christ, in one of the most supernal spiritual manifestations of all time! They told Joseph he should join none of the existing churches. Their mission accomplished, the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, departed, leaving young Joseph physically drained but spiritually enriched with exciting restored truth. He knew with certainty that God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, are real, for he had seen them. He knew they are two separate, distinct individuals. He knew that no church on the face of the earth had the authority of the priesthood to act in the name of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Perhaps the most important lesson young Joseph learned in the Sacred Grove is this significant eternal truth: the heavens are not sealed. God does communicate with mortals. He loves us today just as much as He loved those who lived anciently. What comfort that sweet assurance provides in a world filled with confusion and discouragement! What peace and security come to the heart that understands that God in heaven knows us and cares about us, individually and collectively, and that He communicates with us, either directly or through His living prophets, according to our needs. My dear friends, I testify to you that this is true and that the Father and the Son appeared in wondrous vision to young Joseph as a step in the restoring of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth. Through subsequent, equally miraculous experiences, Joseph Smith was God’s instrument in— • Translating from ancient records a book of scripture, the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, • Restoring priesthood authority, • Restoring sealing keys to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers, • Establishing the restored church of Jesus Christ in these latter days with the fulness of the gospel as taught in the meridian of time by the Savior and His Apostles, • Fulfilling biblical prophecy, • Preparing for the second coming of Jesus Christ. During the Orlando temple tours, I explained to our guests who were not of our faith that I understood if they found this message a bit overwhelming. I taught my new friends in Orlando, as I teach here this morning, that either the gospel has been restored or it has not. Either the Savior’s original church and its doctrine were lost or they were not. Either Joseph Smith had that remarkable vision or he did not. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ or it is not. Either the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to earth through God’s chosen latter-day prophet or it was not. The truth really is not any more complicated than that. Either these things happened just as I have testified or they did not. As a latter-day Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, my testimony, and the testimony of millions of faithful members of the Church the world over, is that what I have told you this morning is true. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been restored to the earth through Joseph Smith and is administered today by a living prophet. These things I know! This information is valuable to each of us only if we know for ourselves that it is true. Thankfully we have a simple but certain way to know. It requires some effort and sincere prayer. But it is worth it! In the last chapter of the Book of Mormon, an ancient prophet named Moroni gave a significant promise to those who would one day read this sacred book of scripture. His promise applies to every sincere seeker of truth. He wrote: “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moro. 10:4–5). Moroni urges us to go directly to the Source of Truth for answers to our questions. If we seek Him humbly and sincerely, He will help us discern truth from error. As the Savior Himself assured His disciples: “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Brothers and sisters, we know the truth. Because we do, we are expected to share it with all of our Heavenly Father’s children. To our dear friends of the Church, please do not let pass this opportunity to receive personal revelation from God. Consider what I have said. Weigh it carefully. Measure it against the things you believe. Hold fast to all that is true, and add to that the fulness of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Take into account what you have felt as you have listened. You can know if these things are true by asking God. Listen for His answer; then respond to what you feel. If you will do so, I believe you will come to know as I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God’s true church upon the earth. May God bless you, my dear friends, with the peace and joy the gospel gives, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Gospel topics: apostasy, Book of Mormon, restoration, Joseph Smith, truth
  14. I think ProspectMom gave you a great insight... Faith fuels hope... and with faith, you can just go about your life making sure you're doing the things you need to be doing (Keeping the commandments, and doing your part) in order for the promise to be bestowed upon you when the times comes, and that requires patience. Having faith, you'll wait on the Lod because you KNOW that He delivers what He promises! Just do all you can, and wait on Him.
  15. Salvation In the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the terms "saved" and "salvation" have various meanings. As used in Romans 10:9-10, the words "saved" and "salvation" signify a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ. Through this covenant relationship, followers of Christ are assured salvation from the eternal consequences of sin if they are obedient. "Salvation" and "saved" are also used in the scriptures in other contexts with several different meanings. If someone were to ask if another person had been saved, the answer would depend on the sense in which the word is used. The answer might be "Yes" or perhaps it might be "Yes, but with conditions." The following explanations outline six different meanings of the word salvation. Salvation from Physical Death. All people eventually die. But through the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, all people will be resurrected—saved from physical death. Paul testified, "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22). In this sense, everyone is saved, regardless of choices made during this life. This is a free gift from the Savior to all human beings. Salvation from Sin. To be cleansed from sin through the Savior's Atonement, an individual must exercise faith in Jesus Christ, repent, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (see Acts 2:37–38). Those who have been baptized and have received the Holy Ghost through the proper priesthood authority have been conditionally saved from sin. In this sense, salvation is conditional, depending on an individual's continuing in faithfulness, or enduring to the end in keeping the commandments of God (see 2 Peter 2:20–22). Individuals cannot be saved in their sins; they cannot receive unconditional salvation simply by declaring a belief in Christ with the understanding that they will inevitably commit sins throughout the rest of their lives (see Alma 11:36–37). However, through the grace of God, all can be saved from their sins (see 2 Nephi 25:23; Helaman 5:10–11) as they repent and follow Jesus Christ. Being Born Again. The principle of spiritual rebirth appears frequently in the scriptures. The New Testament contains Jesus's teaching that everyone must be "born again" and that those who are not "born of water and of the Spirit . . . cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). This teaching is affirmed in the Book of Mormon: "All mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; and thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God" (Mosiah 27:25–26). This rebirth occurs as individuals are baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. It comes as a result of a willingness "to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days" (Mosiah 5:5). Through this process, their "hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, [they] are born of him" (Mosiah 5:7). All who have truly repented, been baptized, have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, have made the covenant to take upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ, and have felt His influence in their lives, can say that they have been born again. That rebirth can be renewed each Sabbath when they partake of the sacrament. Salvation from Ignorance. Many people live in a state of darkness, not knowing the light of the restored gospel. They are "only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it" (D&C 123:12). Those who have a knowledge of God the Father, Jesus Christ, the purpose of life, the plan of salvation, and their eternal potential are saved from this condition. They follow the Savior, who declared, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). Salvation from the Second Death. The scriptures sometimes speak of salvation from the second death. The second death is the final spiritual death—being cut off from righteousness and denied a place in any kingdom of glory (see Alma 12:32; D&C 88:24). This second death will not come until the Final Judgment, and it will come to only a few (see D&C 76:31–37). Almost every person who has ever lived on the earth is assured salvation from the second death (see D&C 76:40–45). Eternal Life, or Exaltation. In the scriptures, the words saved and salvation often refer to eternal life, or exaltation (see Abraham 2:11). Eternal life is to know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and dwell with Them forever—to inherit a place in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom (see John 17:3; D&C 131:1–4; 132:21–24). This exaltation requires that men receive the Melchizedek Priesthood, and that all Church members make and keep sacred covenants in the temple, including the covenant of eternal marriage. If the word salvation is used in this sense, no one is saved in mortality. That glorious gift comes only after the Final Judgment. See also Atonement of Jesus Christ; Baptism; Eternal Life; Grace; Kingdoms of Glory; Plan of Salvation —See True to the Faith (2004), 150–53 LDS.org - Topic Definition - Salvation
  16. I just wanted to share a scripture with you: Colossians 1 9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the aknowledge of his bwill in all wisdom and spiritual cunderstanding; Warm regards,
  17. Right! The Spirit is the one that coverts. I just have noticed and found that a lot of people, including LDS members, do not know how to recognize the voice of the Spirit, the answers, and they fall into confusion, uncertainty. It's essential for us to learn about the Holy Ghost, familiarize ourselves with His mission, and how He testify/guide us, how does Father talks to us through the Holy Spirit, so that we can recognize the answers and make right decisions. We need to be acquainted with Father, His character, know who He is, His will, and Jesus Christ, His mission, character, behavior/example; know the standards of truth, commandments, and praying, studying His words, and living the commandments (All important things to qualify us to receive an answer on His timetable, according to our faith & diligence) can help us become familiar with Them, until we come to know Them, and accept Father's will. That takes humbleness & meekness to be taught, do, and behave accordingly. Change is hard; it's easier to accept and do that which requires less, and less, if nothing at all; no wonder so many decides to dictate their own beliefs... to satisfy themselves.
  18. Hello, I firmly believe it's because of the same reason all the Nephites were destroyed: Pride, the hardness, opposition, & resistance of their hearts to the word of God. As President Benson said about pride: "Pride is a very misunderstood sin, and many are sinning in ignorance. (See Mosiah 3:11; 3 Ne. 6:18.) In the scriptures there is no such thing as righteous pride—it is always considered a sin. Therefore, no matter how the world uses the term, we must understand how God uses the term so we can understand the language of holy writ and profit thereby. (See 2 Ne. 4:15; Mosiah 1:3–7; Alma 5:61.) Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is still missing. The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us. Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God’s. When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of “my will and not thine be done.” As Paul said, they “seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” (Philip. 2:21.) Our will in competition to God’s will allows desires, appetites, and passions to go unbridled. (See Alma 38:12; 3 Ne. 12:30.) The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives. (See Hel. 12:6.) They pit their perceptions of truth against God’s great knowledge, their abilities versus God’s priesthood power, their accomplishments against His mighty works. Our enmity toward God takes on many labels, such as rebellion, hard-heartedness, stiff-neckedness, unrepentant, puffed up, easily offended, and sign seekers. The proud wish God would agree with them. They aren’t interested in changing their opinions to agree with God’s. .... Another major portion of this very prevalent sin of pride is enmity toward our fellowmen. We are tempted daily to elevate ourselves above others and diminish them. (See Hel. 6:17; D&C 58:41.) The proud make every man their adversary by pitting their intellects, opinions, works, wealth, talents, or any other worldly measuring device against others. In the words of C. S. Lewis: “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. … It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.” (Mere Christianity, New York: Macmillan, 1952, pp. 109–10.) In the pre-earthly council, Lucifer placed his proposal in competition with the Father’s plan as advocated by Jesus Christ. (See Moses 4:1–3.) He wished to be honored above all others. (See 2 Ne. 24:13.) In short, his prideful desire was to dethrone God. (See D&C 29:36; D&C 76:28.) The scriptures abound with evidences of the severe consequences of the sin of pride to individuals, groups, cities, and nations. “Pride goeth before destruction.” (Prov. 16:18.) It destroyed the Nephite nation and the city of Sodom. (See Moro. 8:27; Ezek. 16:49–50.) It was through pride that Christ was crucified. The Pharisees were wroth because Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, which was a threat to their position, and so they plotted His death. (See John 11:53.) Saul became an enemy to David through pride. He was jealous because the crowds of Israelite women were singing that “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” (1 Sam. 18:6–8.) The proud stand more in fear of men’s judgment than of God’s judgment. (See D&C 3:6–7; D&C 30:1–2; D&C 60:2.) “What will men think of me?” weighs heavier than “What will God think of me?” When pride has a hold on our hearts, we lose our independence of the world and deliver our freedoms to the bondage of men’s judgment. The world shouts louder than the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. The reasoning of men overrides the revelations of God, and the proud let go of the iron rod. (See 1 Ne. 8:19–28; 1 Ne. 11:25; 1 Ne. 15:23–24.) Pride is a sin that can readily be seen in others but is rarely admitted in ourselves. Most of us consider pride to be a sin of those on the top, such as the rich and the learned, looking down at the rest of us. (See 2 Ne. 9:42.) There is, however, a far more common ailment among us—and that is pride from the bottom looking up. It is manifest in so many ways, such as faultfinding, gossiping, backbiting, murmuring, living beyond our means, envying, coveting, withholding gratitude and praise that might lift another, and being unforgiving and jealous. Disobedience is essentially a prideful power struggle against someone in authority over us. It can be a parent, a priesthood leader, a teacher, or ultimately God. A proud person hates the fact that someone is above him. He thinks this lowers his position. Selfishness is one of the more common faces of pride. “How everything affects me” is the center of all that matters—self-conceit, self-pity, worldly self-fulfillment, self-gratification, and self-seeking. Pride results in secret combinations which are built up to get power, gain, and glory of the world. (See Hel. 7:5; Ether 8:9, 16, 22–23; Moses 5:31.) This fruit of the sin of pride, namely secret combinations, brought down both the Jaredite and the Nephite civilizations and has been and will yet be the cause of the fall of many nations. (See Ether 8:18–25.) Another face of pride is contention. Arguments, fights, unrighteous dominion, generation gaps, divorces, spouse abuse, riots, and disturbances all fall into this category of pride. .... The proud do not receive counsel or correction easily. (See Prov. 15:10; Amos 5:10.) Defensiveness is used by them to justify and rationalize their frailties and failures. (See Matt. 3:9; John 6:30–59.) The proud depend upon the world to tell them whether they have value or not. Their self-esteem is determined by where they are judged to be on the ladders of worldly success. They feel worthwhile as individuals if the numbers beneath them in achievement, talent, beauty, or intellect are large enough. Pride is ugly. It says, “If you succeed, I am a failure.” Pride is a damning sin in the true sense of that word. It limits or stops progression. (See Alma 12:10–11.) The proud are not easily taught. (See 1 Ne. 15:3, 7–11.) They won’t change their minds to accept truths, because to do so implies they have been wrong. Pride adversely affects all our relationships—our relationship with God and His servants, between husband and wife, parent and child, employer and employee, teacher and student, and all mankind. Our degree of pride determines how we treat our God and our brothers and sisters. Christ wants to lift us to where He is. Do we desire to do the same for others? Pride fades our feelings of sonship to God and brotherhood to man. It separates and divides us by “ranks,” according to our “riches” and our “chances for learning.” (3 Ne. 6:12.) Unity is impossible for a proud people, and unless we are one we are not the Lord’s. (See Mosiah 18:21; D&C 38:27; D&C 105:2–4; Moses 7:18.) Think of what pride has cost us in the past and what it is now costing us in our own lives, our families, and the Church. Think of the repentance that could take place with lives changed, marriages preserved, and homes strengthened, if pride did not keep us from confessing our sins and forsaking them. (See D&C 58:43.) Think of the many who are less active members of the Church because they were offended and their pride will not allow them to forgive or fully sup at the Lord’s table. Pride affects all of us at various times and in various degrees. Now you can see why the building in Lehi’s dream that represents the pride of the world was large and spacious and great was the multitude that did enter into it. (See 1 Ne. 8:26, 33; 1 Ne. 11:35–36.) Pride is the universal sin, the great vice. Yes, pride is the universal sin, the great vice. The antidote for pride is humility—meekness, submissiveness. (See Alma 7:23.) It is the broken heart and contrite spirit. (See 3 Ne. 9:20; 3 Ne. 12:19; D&C 20:37; D&C 59:8; Ps. 34:18; Isa. 57:15; Isa. 66:2.) God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be humble or we can be compelled to be humble. Alma said, “Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble.” (Alma 32:16.) Let us choose to be humble.'' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have read and reread President Benson's talk on Pride which is fascinating, an eye-opener, literally! I'm very acquainted with this sin myself. However, listening to the voice of a Prophet, to his counsel, and wisdom, especially because I know that Father spoke through him, I know that I can conquer this one through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. If anyone wants to read the full talk, here's the link: http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1989.htm/ensign%20may%201989.htm/beware%20of%20pride.htm Prov. 3: 13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. Regards,
  19. Hello everyone, In order for anyone to change a behavior, it's necessary to realize that, to come to that knowledge, and yes,... desire it as MS said. Repentance is the first step, along with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,... then, depending on what the person's battle is, getting help from every possible source is a good idea as abqfriend pointed out as well. However, we must remember the Savior's Atonment... which is the most powerful & merciful gift we can call upon to help us with our personal battles. The Savior went below ALL things for us (Things that I won't and/or have not yet experienced in my life), in order to KNOW HOW to came to our rescue! Going below all things means He took upon Himself ALL infirmities that affect mankind, and ALL sins mankind commits, without sinning Himself. Taking upon Himself means He experienced the pains, difficulties, struggles, etc. of diseases, grief, pains, etc. cased by one's bad choices or caused by other's bad choices, spiritual infirmities & diseases as well whatever they may be. Taking upon Himself, He felt those things on Him, but doesn't mean He suffered of or did any of those things Himself while He was alive. We can drawn upon the power, enabling & strengthening power of the Atonement to change something we are dealing with, that positive thinking, and many other good methods to help us be free from are not helping. He KNOWS HOW to succor (Come to our escue) us because He know what we feel, and has the power to enable & strengthen us to either deal with it like Paul, or to deliver us completely! To enable: to give a person power, to make him/her able to do something, to empower Elder Bednar's talk was one of the most detailed talk that helps us understand & make use of this wonderful and marvelous gift the Lord gave us! And it is my testimony that we all can be delivered of any behavior/attitude/circumstance/... that is harmful/bad/foul... through HIS enabling power or strengthened to bear His will on us. It's a glorious gift from our Savior, and He's intention was to help us... Let's unwrap it and make use of it! Warm regards to all of you!
  20. Imagine (visualize) is a great & powerful concept! Present the lessons, and ask them to take a minute podering, imagine, vizualizing themselves at the moment before Heavenly Father... as someone reads the questions. It's really powerfull if those who will do, do it with real intent!
  21. I'm sorry if you got the impression I'm (We're) angry at you.. That is far from reality. We problably got that impression from you as well because of the use of some rude expressions to convey your point or your husband's comment. I'm just sharing with you my thoughts, feelings, and testimony I have of Heanvly Father, Jesus Christ, His church, and the Restored Gospel! By the way, I'm also a convert! And no, I was NOT conditioned to accept things or see things that way... If you read what I wrote, you'd have noticed that. I just came to know that for myself, yes, through faith, prayer, and fasting! Basic principles! They are awesome... I work on basics all the time; they are the foundation of all other things!!! No one is judging you; we are just trying to help you work on basic trues and basic principles before you go ahead to try to make higher covenants and learn higher doctrine when it seems that you don't have understanding of basic ones. That's all! No one said you're not worth it of going to the temple; only God, you, and your Bishop can determine that. We care... it's a little hard to show that through written words on a forum though. I used CAPS, bold letters, italics to emphasize, nothing else! When we learn and understand the way the Lord works, sees, does things... we grown in HIS knowledge, and our faith strengthens... our FEELINGS change! The gift of understanding is precious! Knowing as we know what we read, words, letters is different than knowing with understanding; kowing with understanding makes things clear... and feelings with understanding change! If I ever reach Celestial Kingdom, the level He is at, to be in HIS presence, my feelings, thoughts, mind will have changed from the mortal being I am now to what He helped me achieve, and become; I will not be the same one with the same thoughts, and feelings I have now... The process to become like HIM changes us in ALL things! Mortal jealousies/cares/worries/... will all be left behind! Peace! Be well! Wishing you the best as you try to learn and understand things, to view them as Heavenly Father views them!
  22. Many people have given you great answers, it really seems that you don't accept them, and there's really nothing any of us can do, only Heavenly Father! That's why we said to pray... only through personal revelation about certain issues that you seem to have with HIS Church, and the way HE designated who does what in HIS kingdom is the way that HE will be able to help you understand things. We must understand before we can come to accept sometimes. Do you research more thoroughly about Joseph Smith, the priesthood, men and women's roles in the church! I'm a woman, and perfectly content that men hold the priesthood, and am perfectly contect with my responsibility to bear children, nurture, care, and teach HIS spiritual children, aside from doing much more in HIS kingdom where I can serve as much as priesthood holders, just not necessarily hold the same positions, and I'm perfectly content with that because I KNOW that Heavenly Father is NOT biased... I KNOW that Heavenly Father simply distributed responsibility... and frankly, caring for HIS spiritual children is NOT a small matter at all!!! Ponder that! Now, because I'm a woman, and still have the "natural" woman in me, I don't necessarily like the idea of sharing someone I love with another woman... but guess what? I wouldn't have to right now anyways, and if I had to for some reason... I KNOW Heavenly Father would help me through it, and with my feelings... and the "natural" woman would be a thing of the past because HE would help and assure me of things; that I KNOW! And IF I ever make to the Celestial Kingdom (Which is my primary goal)... I firmly believe that I'd have grown in MUCH understanding of HIS laws, HIS ways, HIS decisions on how things are done... I'd be MUCH more HUMBLE than I currently am... because humbleness, like our Savior's, is required of us... "Not mine FAther, but THY WIL BE DONE!" and I'm willing to do HIS WILL no matter what the immediate consequences will be... I care about the eternal ones only! I'd suggest you to work on basic doctrine & teachings, and check your feelings regarding them, the church, and Heavenly Father Himself! It seems the ways of the world influences a lot of your view about men & women and our different responsibilities, not more or less important, just different! Please pray that you'll understand how Heavenly Father does, not the world! I highly suggest that you hear some talks from Sheri Dew, a magnificent woman! Just go to BYU Broadcasting | Find A Talk Database & type Sheri Dew, or click on Women's Conference Talks and click on the topics you have concerns. Peace! Be well!
  23. The way to discern if something is of God or not is the learn to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit; this is an essential task we must learn or we will be deceived easily. The Holy Spirit is here to testify of truth and of things pertaining to God and righteousness, to be a comforter, and guide, ... Look for patterns in the scriptures: Did you read anywhere about Jesus going to check about His life with any psychic or person with "familiar spirit?" Did he teach us that? Did any prophet teach that? No, it's not of God, and I affirm this with conviction! This is not the channel or way the Lord communicates with us; He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit and the prophets ONLY through the same Spirit. The Lord send messengers when something is expedient, not to please us. The angels who have visited throughout the Bible, BOM, and Joseph Smith were of God. The Lord & prophets never taught us that we should seek someone with supposed or real ability to talk to spirits to know about our loved ones who passed way. Remember, whatever you got, even if it told you true things, remember the devil KNOWS all things, better than you and I do! The ability to discern spirits is a gift from God: D&C 46 23 And to others the adiscerning of spirits. A few scriptures: 1 John 1 1 Beloved, believe not every aspirit, but btry the cspirits whether they are of God: because many dfalse prophets are gone out into the world. D&C 50 1 Hearken, O ye elders of my church, and give ear to the avoice of the living God; and attend to the words of wisdom which shall be given unto you, according as ye have asked and are agreed as touching the church, and the bspirits which have gone abroad in the earth. 2 Behold, verily I say unto you, that there are many spirits which are false aspirits, which have gone forth in the earth, deceiving the world. • • • 10 And now come, saith the Lord, by the Spirit, unto the elders of his church, and let us areason together, that ye may understand; • • • 14 To preach my gospel by the aSpirit, even the bComforter which was sent forth to teach the truth. 15 And then received ye aspirits which ye could not understand, and received them to be of God; and in this are ye justified? • • • 17 Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me and sent forth to apreach the word of truth by the Comforter, in the Spirit of truth, doth he bpreach it by the Spirit of truth or some other way? • • • 19 And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way? • • • 21 Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the aSpirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth? • • • 27 Wherefore, he is possessor of all things; for all things are asubject unto him, both in heaven and on the earth, the life and the light, the Spirit and the bpower, sent forth by the will of the Father through Jesus Christ, his Son. • • • 30 But know this, it shall be given you what you shall aask; and as ye are appointed to the bhead, the spirits shall be subject unto you. 31 Wherefore, it shall come to pass, that if you behold a aspirit manifested that you cannot understand, and you receive not that spirit, ye shall ask of the Father in the name of Jesus; and if he give not unto you that spirit, then you may know that it is not of God. 32 And it shall be given unto you, apower over that spirit; and you shall proclaim against that spirit with a loud voice that it is bnot of God— * Spiritual Experiences * Link: LDS.org - Topic Definition - Spiritual Experiences The Apostle James taught that anyone can receive guidance from God: “If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James l: 5). Spiritual influence begins with the Light of Christ, “the light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things” (D&C 88:13). This influence “is given to every man, that he may know good from evil” (Moroni 7:16; see also Moroni 7:14–19). The Light of Christ is a powerful influence for good; it is sometimes manifested as our conscience. In addition to the Light of Christ is the Holy Ghost, who is a personage of spirit and a member of the Godhead. The Holy Ghost teaches and testifies of truth and can strengthen all honest seekers of the truth. The Holy Ghost and the Light of Christ lead people to Jesus Christ and His gospel. A person is capable of receiving spiritual guidance before being baptized and confirmed. On the day of Pentecost, many individuals who were not members of the early Christian church felt the Holy Ghost. Those who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are given the gift of the Holy Ghost soon after they are baptized. This spiritual gift enables a faithful member of the Church to enjoy the companionship of the Holy Ghost as a constant blessing and guide. A few talks: Links: LDS.org - Ensign Article - “The Great Imitator†LDS.org - Ensign Article - Hearken Unto the Voice of God * Sorcery/Spiritualism: Topical Guide: Sorcery Gen. 41: 8 magicians of Egypt. Ex. 7: 11 Pharaoh also called . . . sorcerers. Ex. 22: 18 (Ex. 22: 16-20) not suffer a witch to live. Lev. 19: 31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits. Lev. 20: 6 soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits. Deut. 18: 10 not be found among you . . . an enchanter. Josh. 13: 22 soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay. 1 Sam. 28: 3 (2 Kgs. 23: 24) Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits. 2 Kgs. 17: 17 used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves. 2 Kgs. 23: 24 workers with familiar spirits . . . Josiah put away. Isa. 2: 6 (2 Ne. 12: 6) soothsayers like the Philistines. Isa. 8: 19 (Isa. 19: 3; 2 Ne. 18: 19) when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits. Isa. 47: 13 Let now the astrologers . . . save thee. Jer. 27: 9 hearken not . . . to your sorcerers. Ezek. 12: 24 (Ezek. 13: 23) there shall be no more . . . flattering divination. Dan. 1: 20 ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers. Dan. 2: 27 cannot . . . the astrologers . . . shew unto the king. Dan. 4: 7 came in the magicians, the astrologers. Dan. 5: 15 astrologers . . . could not shew the interpretation. Micah 5: 12 thou shalt have no more soothsayers. Mal. 3: 5 (3 Ne. 24: 5) be a swift witness against the sorcerers. Acts 8: 9 Simon . . . used sorcery. Acts 13: 6 they found a certain sorcerer. Acts 16: 16 brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. Acts 19: 13 exorcists, took upon them . . . the name of the Lord. Acts 19: 19 Many . . . used curious arts. Rev. 9: 21 Neither repented they of their . . . sorceries. Rev. 18: 23 by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. Rev. 21: 8 (D&C 63: 17) sorcerers . . . shall have their part in the lake. Rev. 22: 15 without are dogs, and sorcerers. Alma 1: 32 did indulge themselves in sorceries. 3 Ne. 21: 16 I will cut off witchcrafts. Morm. 1: 19 there were sorceries. D&C 28: 11 those things . . . from that stone are not of me. D&C 46: 7 not be seduced by evil spirits. D&C 50: 1 spirits which have gone abroad in the earth. D&C 76: 103 they who are liars, and sorcerers. * Surperstitions: Topical Guide: Superstitions Gen. 30: 14 found mandrakes in the field. Gen. 30: 39 flocks conceived before the rods. Lev. 20: 2 giveth any of his seed unto Molech. Deut. 18: 10 (2 Kgs. 21: 6) maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire. 1 Sam. 28: 7 (1 Chr. 10: 13) Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit. Isa. 44: 19 shall I fall down to the stock of a tree. Jer. 23: 21 not sent these prophets, yet they ran. Ezek. 8: 9 behold the wicked abominations that they do. Ezek. 13: 6 have seen vanity and lying divination. Ezek. 22: 28 seeing vanity, and divining lies. Dan. 1: 20 better than all the magicians and astrologers. Dan. 2: 27 cannot the wise men, the astrologers . . . shew unto the king. Hosea 4: 12 my people ask counsel at their stocks. Micah 3: 7 Then shall . . . diviners confounded. Acts 8: 9 Simon . . . used sorcery, and bewitched the people. Acts 17: 22 ye are too superstitious. Acts 25: 19 questions . . . of their own superstition. 1 Cor. 10: 20 Gentiles . . . sacrifice to devils. 3 Ne. 21: 16 cut off witchcrafts out of thy land. D&C 28: 11 things . . . written from that stone are not of me. All these things, superstitions, magicians, witchcraft, spiritualists, divination, astrologers, soothsayers, whatever name they are called... are all abominations to the Lord! All spirits that speak through them are NOT of GOD; it is NOT the Holy Spirit! Be not deceived, and do NOT seek those things! 2 Cor. 11: 13-15 13 For such are afalse apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for aSatan himself is transformed into an bangel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose aend shall be according to their works. As PC said, it's one of the most serious sins, and it's abominable to God! Be not deceived my friend... repent... learn the way God talks to us, learn the about the Holy Ghost... it's imperative that you learn the way of truth... leave those who has left their mortal probation in the Spiritual World where they are, do NOT seek people who can "talk" to them... it's not them, but evil spirits that mimic them, and they know things... Do not marvel they know!!! There are countless examples in the Scriptures that talk about these things, and how abominable they are to God, and the Apostles went around also casting them out of people...
  24. AS far as I understand, there will be procreation in the highest level of the Celestial Kingdom, but how that will be done... we do not know, at least, not that I have found any prophet/apostle specifically mentioning how! I would not be teaching this either. I don't think it is the same way things are done here, just like our bodies will be "quickened," and not have blood like we do now... It's not something essential I need to know now... so... to me it doesn't matter; what matters to me is to be vigilant now, and do what I'm supposed to do D&C 11:20 20 Behold, this is your work, to akeep my commandments, yea, with all your might, bmind and strength.