How do I get closer to Heavenly Father? and how do I know that the Holy Spirit is really not a feeling?

[without_you]

I know it's reading scriptures, going to church, attending church activities, praying...but is there another way that's faster?

Also,  when I read some scriptures and sometimes watch a general conference. I get that "burning of the bosom" feeling....How do I know that this is real and it's not just my feelings? Emotions are strong, I'm not really sure if what I felt was genuine?

[Nordic saint]

I would say that the standard answers you wrote are the most effective ways. The thing is that the answer is not really what method is fastest but rather how fast you allow it to get you closer to Father. For example, anyone can read the scripture, but how many wholeheartedly feast upon the words of Christ? I think that if we do what we have been told and give our 100%, it wouldn't take long time. Look at Enosh, he had a good relationship with The Lord after a days (hard) effort. It's all about giving up the natural man.

 

Now to the other question: Joseph Smith said it much better than I could ever do

"If you will listen to the first promptings, you will get it right nine times out of ten."

In other words, everything good comes from God, but sometimes we try to rationalize it or Satan try to stop you from doing good. Just ignore the devil's words, kick him in the butt, do what is right and be a hardcore disciple of Christ 🤠

[Fether]

10 hours ago, without_you said:

I know it's reading scriptures, going to church, attending church activities, praying...but is there another way that's faster?

Also,  when I read some scriptures and sometimes watch a general conference. I get that "burning of the bosom" feeling....How do I know that this is real and it's not just my feelings? Emotions are strong, I'm not really sure if what I felt was genuine?

Have you ever prayed and asked God to teach you how to recognize the spirit in your own life?

[CV75]

10 hours ago, without_you said:

I know it's reading scriptures, going to church, attending church activities, praying...but is there another way that's faster?

Also,  when I read some scriptures and sometimes watch a general conference. I get that "burning of the bosom" feeling....How do I know that this is real and it's not just my feelings? Emotions are strong, I'm not really sure if what I felt was genuine?

Getting closer to God is usually a series of very small steps, and while these can happen in quick succession, it is still a lifelong process, and more a distillation than a downpour (D&C 121:45). So it never seems fast. Some of the steps may feel or come suddenly, but if we do not keep moving forward it can seem longer and slower still.

Praying for charity is a great way to invite the hand of God into your life and feeling close to Him.

My conversion came about in such a way that I felt the burning of the bosom without anyone telling me what to expect. It was a unique experience, nothing like "blushing" or similar physical manifestations of emotional responses. I never felt it, or the accompanying spiritual confirmation and intelligence ever before. I knew this, along with the answer to a specific prayer, was from God. Years later, I read about this of the burning of the bosom description of it in the D&C.

And it is very much your feelings, as stimulated and enhanced by the Holy Spirit. It is your thoughts, stimulated and enhanced ("quickened") by the Holy Spirit. It is certainly your body, where all this take place, and your spirit which is connected with all of these. What else do you have with which to interpret the things of God. Act on them, and the Lord will teach you what they are, and whenever you are mistaken, and you will see the difference.

[Guest Mores]

10 hours ago, without_you said:

I know it's reading scriptures, going to church, attending church activities, praying...but is there another way that's faster?

Also,  when I read some scriptures and sometimes watch a general conference. I get that "burning of the bosom" feeling....How do I know that this is real and it's not just my feelings? Emotions are strong, I'm not really sure if what I felt was genuine?

There is usually a "tell".  And like playing poker, some have a gift for seeing them.  Others have to be taught.  But it is something that takes time to figure out.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

[Jane_Doe]

19 hours ago, without_you said:

I know it's reading scriptures, going to church, attending church activities, praying...but is there another way that's faster?

Also,  when I read some scriptures and sometimes watch a general conference. I get that "burning of the bosom" feeling....How do I know that this is real and it's not just my feelings? Emotions are strong, I'm not really sure if what I felt was genuine?

The same way you refine any other sensory/measuring thing: trial, error, and refinement.  Eventually you will learn the difference between your own 'voice' and God's voice, but it does take a lot of trial & error, and practicing.  Sometimes, especially at first, you will get it wrong.  But as you learn, you'll get better at telling.

[Fether]

Here is a fantastic talk by the one and only Stephen Covey about this very topic:

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/stephen-r-covey_educated-conscience/

[Traveler]

On 3/23/2019 at 11:02 PM, without_you said:

I know it's reading scriptures, going to church, attending church activities, praying...but is there another way that's faster?

Also,  when I read some scriptures and sometimes watch a general conference. I get that "burning of the bosom" feeling....How do I know that this is real and it's not just my feelings? Emotions are strong, I'm not really sure if what I felt was genuine?

I do not intend to take away from anything that has been posted so far on this thread - but I would add something.  The goal of life and the intent of eternity is not to read scriptures and go to church or to pray.  Though these things are important they are not the end game.  They are a means to the end game.  Jesus had a word for those that draw dear to him and the Father.  His term was disciple.  The "thing" that most describes a disciple is love - not just of G-d but one another.

I am  not gifted as some - love is a difficult concept for me.  As a scientist and engineer; logic has always been at the center of my understanding of things.  Frankly - emotions, including romantic love does, not play well with logic and is often more disappointing than uplifting or enlightening.   I would point you to two other terms that I believe define love better than strong emotions.  These two terms combined with a burning bosom, at least for me, are more logical and genuine.  The two terms are "discipline" and "sacrifice".  

Reading scripture, and attending church are points of discipline - but they are only the beginning of discipline.  Also I would point out that nothing worthwhile has ever been accomplished without discipline.  Some say they go to church to be enlightened.  That is a noble thought but what happens when the day comes that you go to church or read scriptures and are not enlightened?  or worse - if life takes a dark turn?  I would suggest that it is when life takes a dark turn that we truly learn what it means to be closer to G-d.  Great sailors are not made on calm seas but in the storms.  And the great lessons of storms are that  what we learn from the masters are the principles  that we have used as discipline of what is right that gets us through the storms.  It is discipline that gets us through the storms.

The second principle is sacrifice.  Sacrifice is what we do - what we give up - when we see others enduring their storms.  It is what drives us into their storms with a life line.  One of my greatest spiritual lessons came when seeking to draw closer to G-d in the wilderness I came upon a lost person near death.  It nearly cost me my own life to save them.  At first I thought my spiritual journey was ruined until later in life I realized that was my spiritual journey.

The storm in life will come regardless if you have read scriptures and attended church.  So I would suggest that as you read your scriptures and attend church that you do so with hope to - not just face your own storms but to help someone else survive the storm as well and when you do you will understand the logic (both physical and spiritual) of that which is divine that is greater than the emotions that just flat out fail in the midst of storms.

 

The Traveler

 

[wenglund]

On 3/23/2019 at 11:02 PM, without_you said:

I know it's reading scriptures, going to church, attending church activities, praying...but is there another way that's faster?

Also,  when I read some scriptures and sometimes watch a general conference. I get that "burning of the bosom" feeling....How do I know that this is real and it's not just my feelings? Emotions are strong, I'm not really sure if what I felt was genuine?

The answer to your question is in Alma 32:28-34, which provides a simple process for growing in faith and getting closer to God as well as  a way to test whether the "feeling" is a self-generated emotion or the touch or whispering of the Holy Spirit. It enables growth as fast as you are able.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[KScience]

You have already had some great responses.  I had to reply as this was the lesson last Sunday with my YW and we discussed exactly these questions. I just want to share a couple of links to resources which I used and you might find helpful:

scroll down to the videos:  https://www.lds.org/study/youth/learn/yw/prophets-revelation/receive?lang=eng#title5

Section 4:  https://www.lds.org/study/manual/preach-my-gospel-a-guide-to-missionary-service/how-do-i-recognize-and-understand-the-spirit?lang=eng&para=figure8#figure8?lang=eng