The discerning of spirits...???...

[tiancum]

There is a lady in our ward, who says she has it.(well the missionary said she did)The missionaries were over at her house, they were giving a blessing and she said one of the elder's family (dead grampa) was there, and didn't want him to worry, and to fix things with his family or something. She said to confirm it through prayer...

The missionary hadn't ever seen a gift like that before so he asked me about it.

Does this sound legit? how does this gift manifest itself? Are people allowed to receive things like that about other people not under their stewardship?

[Iggy]

I have the gift of discernment. It is only for that which is under or within my stewardship.

I have always had this ability, though I never really knew it. When I was inactive, the gift was still there- I just called it Gut Instinct or Women's Intuition. Then the only time I was really able to "see" or "hear" it was when my life or the life of a loved one was in peril.

Since coming back into the Church, and becoming more in tune with the Holy Ghost, this gift manifests itself quite often and in varying degrees.

I can't discern which stock to buy or when to sell;), but I can discern what to believe, and what is truth and what is lies. I have found that I can do this face to face, over the phone, in letters and amazingly over the internet.

My Sister-In-Law can see past the veil at times. She has been guided by the ancestors (she calls them the Grands as in Grandparents:)) in finding lost genealogy and for breaking down the brick walls. The Grands also witnessed to her that all would be well concerning the stillborn child she had. She was so distraught, then the Grands witnessed to her and she is at peace now.

We are all blessed with gifts. So for this woman to be able to see spirits or to hear them, yes I believe. Most especially by what and how she said it. To confirm it through prayer.

[HiJolly]

There is a lady in our ward, who says she has it.(well the missionary said she did)The missionaries were over at her house, they were giving a blessing and she said one of the elder's family (dead grampa) was there, and didn't want him to worry, and to fix things with his family or something. She said to confirm it through prayer...

The missionary hadn't ever seen a gift like that before so he asked me about it.

Does this sound legit? how does this gift manifest itself? Are people allowed to receive things like that about other people not under their stewardship?

As we have been taught in the Church, the spirit world is all around us. Some have that gift, yes. It is important not to put too much importance on it, though.

I once received the witness (pure intelligence, I would say) that my wife's brother-in-law's sister was pregnant by her then fiancee. No one else knew it.

Definitely outside of my stewardship, I would think. ...and yes, I'm serious. It was wierd, and scary.

HiJolly

[NeuroTypical]

Does this sound legit? how does this gift manifest itself?

The gift of discerning of spirits does appear in the list of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12

Are people allowed to receive things like that about other people not under their stewardship?

That's a different question alltogether. To discern merely means to perceive or recognize. It doesn't say anything about receiving information from.

The way I see it, put 1000 people who claim to get info from the afterlife in a room, and maybe 995 of them are frauds, hallucinating, mentally ill, misinterpreting their own emotional state, etc. etc.

Her advice to 'confirm it through prayer' certainly belongs with her claim.

(dead grampa) was there, and didn't want him to worry, and to fix things with his family or something.

Fortune tellers, astrologers, mind readers, palmists, etc can have a skillset to read body language and speak generally. I wonder - is there anyone on this board (or on this planet) that has absolutely nothing to fix within their families? How many people do you know, that DON'T want to hear that a departed relative hopes they don't worry?

LM

[tiancum]

she was more specific than that.

I still wonder if she has the right to tell others, (not under her direct stewardship) like missionaries that they have angels around them, and what they are saying.

For those of you in leadership, bishops, high council, EQP, how would you feel if you knew someone on your ward was doing this?

[Iggy]

she was more specific than that.

I still wonder if she has the right to tell others, (not under her direct stewardship) like missionaries that they have angels around them, and what they are saying.

For those of you in leadership, bishops, high council, EQP, how would you feel if you knew someone on your ward was doing this?

I don't think she is making a business out of doing this, or going around randomly saying things like this.

The missionary is the one who repeated it, and it then got told by someone else.

The missionary was in HER home, so I think that it was under her stewardship.

I beleive missionaries always have angels, & heavenly spirits around them:lol:, at least I sure hope they do!

Do you feel threatened by this? That there are people who are able to see spirits and angels. To hear them?

[tiancum]

good points Iggy, thank you, that cleared up much. nope, I am not threatened. I love it actually. I really believe in the gifts of the spirit, but i see a knee jerk reaction by many that don't like it for some reason.

[Iggy]

good points Iggy, thank you, that cleared up much. nope, I am not threatened. I love it actually. I really believe in the gifts of the spirit, but i see a knee jerk reaction by many that don't like it for some reason.

I think the knew jerk reaction is because the general population equate spirits with bad spirits not good.

Too much bad tv and movies me thinks:eek:

[tiancum]

Ok, a new development... She told someone close to me that she saw a little spirit girl around them... hugging them etc. She described them in detail, color of hair etc. The weird/cool thing was someone else in the room saw/felt the same things too.

Does this kind of thing happen lots? Is this an anomaly? It sounds legit to me. I really want to beleive there are still things like this is Christ's church. Are there warning signs here that I am not seeing?

[Still_Small_Voice]

As we have been taught in the Church, the spirit world is all around us. Some have that gift, yes. It is important not to put too much importance on it, though.

I once received the witness (pure intelligence, I would say) that my wife's brother-in-law's sister was pregnant by her then fiancee. No one else knew it.

Definitely outside of my stewardship, I would think. ...and yes, I'm serious. It was wierd, and scary.

HiJolly

When I was in my early twenties something similar happened to me. The Spirit told me to tell an associate I knew that he needed to repent if he was going to serve a mission or the opportunity would be lost. I told him.

Several weeks later his girlfriend became pregnant and the opportunity to serve was lost while he was young.

[Still_Small_Voice]

Here is something I like on the discerning of spirits:

One of the gifts of the Gospel which the Lord has promised to those who enter into covenant with Him is the gift of discerning of spirits—a gift which is not much thought of by many and probably seldom prayed for; yet it is a gift that is of exceeding value and one that should be enjoyed by every Latter-day Saint. . . .

Now, the gift of discerning of spirits not only gives men and women who have it the power to discern the spirit with which others may be possessed or influenced, but it gives them the power to discern the spirit which influences themselves. They are able to detect a false spirit and also to know when the Spirit of God reigns within them. In private life this gift is of great importance to the Latter-day Saints. Possessing and exercising this gift they will not allow any evil influence to enter into their hearts or to prompt them in their thoughts, their words or their acts. They will repel it; and if perchance such a spirit should get possession of them, as soon as they witness its effects they will expel it or, in other words, refuse to be led or prompted by it. (Gospel Truth: Discourses and Writings of President George Q. Cannon)

President Stephen L. Richards, who served as a counselor to President David O. McKay, has provided additional instruction about the nature and blessings of discernment:

First, I mention the gift of discernment, embodying the power to discriminate . . . between right and wrong. I believe that this gift when highly developed arises largely out of an acute sensitivity to impressions—spiritual impressions, if you will—to read under the surface as it were, to detect hidden evil, and more importantly to find the good that may be concealed. The highest type of discernment is that which perceives in others and uncovers for them their better natures, the good inherent within them. . . .

. . . Every member in the restored Church of Christ could have this gift if he willed to do so. He could not be deceived with the sophistries of the world. He could not be led astray by pseudo-prophets and subversive cults. Even the inexperienced would recognize false teachings, in a measure at least. . . . We ought to be grateful every day of our lives for this sense which keeps alive a conscience which constantly alerts us to the dangers inherent in wrongdoers and sin.

[Traveler]

I think that there is much more to the influence of spirits than many realize. But there are two kinds of spirits and often unclean spirits will present themselves as spirits of light. Telling the difference is not that difficult. If we have made place for clean spirits in our lives, unclean spirits have difficulty presenting themselves as clean. If we have allowed place for unclean spirits then there are limitless possibilities - almost none of which are enjoyable (even if the spirit is clean - example: Alma the younger).

It has been my experience that if someone is encouraged to talk, without reservation, to others about the spirit that is influencing them - usually it is not a clean spirit that is guiding them.

The Traveler

[Mahonri]

...next time she sees a spirit, ask her what color is his hair.

If it's sandy, you know it's the dark side. (from TPJS)

[MorningStar]

I think it's more common than we realize, but people don't share it much because of how sacred it is to them. :)

[tiancum]

...next time she sees a spirit, ask her what color is his hair.

If it's sandy, you know it's the dark side. (from TPJS)

She described the little girl as having red hair, or got the impression that she had it.

Did joseph say that they could only have white hair?

[Abraham]

Visitors from the other side whether angels, spirits, or translated beings always have a purpose, they do not always have a message.

Also, did you know that most if not all righteous 'members' in Noah's day were translated before the flood, so there were more than 8 that survived. This is doctrine, thought you'd like to know. That is where some of the visitors come from.

Abraham

[HiJolly]

Also, did you know that most if not all righteous 'members' in Noah's day were translated before the flood, so there were more than 8 that survived. This is doctrine, thought you'd like to know. That is where some of the visitors come from.

Abraham

Where is this 'doctrine' found? I hope you know that doctrine is limited to

1) The four standard works

2) The declarations and proclamations of the First Presidency and

3) The Articles of Faith

HiJolly

[inthearmsofsleep]

This is a great topic. I didn't know everyone is entitled to this gift... I feel that in some sense I have had it my whole life, but it's very subtle and undeveloped. I can literally feel the moment the Holy Ghost leaves me and when it returns, and I can feel the good in people who other people don't want to associate with. I remember in high school there was a guy who none of my friends liked, and for obvious reasons, but I saw that there was a great amount of good in him. He always put on a "tough guy" act but I always knew he was different. Since then I've worked with him and talked to him more. One day I said to him "I think you have a really good heart.", which probably caught him off-guard, but he didn't bother to contradict me. I also can sense the mood of a room, be it good or evil (or anything in between) without knowing why it should be that way. I don't know if that means anything to you, but it does to me... I hope I can develop this gift and use it more in my life.

[VisionOfLehi]

Where is this 'doctrine' found? I hope you know that doctrine is limited to

1) The four standard works

2) The declarations and proclamations of the First Presidency and

3) The Articles of Faith

The "visitors" part, I don't know about, but I know that the entire city of Enoch being translated is Doctrine.

Refer to Moses 7 & 8.

[HiJolly]

The "visitors" part, I don't know about, but I know that the entire city of Enoch being translated is Doctrine.

Refer to Moses 7 & 8.

Ok, thanks.

HiJolly

[VisionOfLehi]

No prob. I actually had a lesson in Institute on that a few months ago... Well, I don't think we had the lesson, but I read it in the manual. Just luck I'd learned that

[xandrik]

The discerning of spirits is very real. I have had several personal experiences where I have been able to "see" spirits. Both good and bad. I don't see them with my physical eyes, but with my spiritual ones. Sorta hard to explain. I will try.

Think in you mind what your father looks like. You have that image in your head. His hair color, facial features, and stature. Spirits are around us always. Good and bad. When a spirit presents itself then all the physical/spiritual characteristics are put into your mind so that you know what they look like. I hope I make sense.

I don't talk about it much because the experiences that I have are VERY sacred to me. I only share them when prompted by the spirit.

Does anyone else experience this as I have explained?

Thank you.

[Snow]

There is a lady in our ward, who says she has it.(well the missionary said she did)The missionaries were over at her house, they were giving a blessing and she said one of the elder's family (dead grampa) was there, and didn't want him to worry, and to fix things with his family or something. She said to confirm it through prayer...

The missionary hadn't ever seen a gift like that before so he asked me about it.

Does this sound legit? how does this gift manifest itself? Are people allowed to receive things like that about other people not under their stewardship?

Yes - it is legit, and here's the photo to prove it.

The coolest thing is that I won $800 in the 8th at Santa Anita on a hot tip from Gramps.

[bert10]

The gifts of the Spirit of God....are for the edification of all of us. He who would hide his gift will lose it and be condemned for it. Miracles workers can perform miracles for a church member...and healers can heal anyone and prophets can prophesy freely.

Anciently prophets that were sent to the church of God were often not of the church. If one is led by the Spirit then one is not under the law [Galatians].

I do not mean one can go to the Church leaders and say to them to straighten up. If one is not given that mission one does not do it. That is not what the gifts are for. They are there to help us.

There is a fine line from asserting Spiritual authority over someone than from revealing a message.

I feel the times of the one strong and mighty is not yet here.

Peace be unto you

bert10

she was more specific than that.

I still wonder if she has the right to tell others, (not under her direct stewardship) like missionaries that they have angels around them, and what they are saying.

For those of you in leadership, bishops, high council, EQP, how would you feel if you knew someone on your ward was doing this?

[Moksha]

...next time she sees a spirit, ask her what color is his hair.

If it's sandy, you know it's the dark side. (from TPJS)

Even better, ask him if he likes chocolate. (from Hershey, PA)