My wife says I have the ability to see the future

[WANDERER]

After reading up on some LDS views on the gift of discernment I think it's a bit worrying that it's either...of God or NOT. I mean the general view of those that aren't all that into faith is that it always isn't, new age beliefs and all. So there you go. Nothing new I guess.

I tend to shy away on the whole thingy, coming from a pentecostal point of view where people are likely to pray those offending spirits right out of you if you happen to like chocolate rather than strawberry; no seeking God necessary on their own interpretation of things needed for some. You have to experience the barbaric side of having demons prayed out of you when you misbehave as a kid, you know for essentially demonic things like forgetting to make your bed, to really appreciate just how wonderful this point of view is.

But hey if you know God wouldn't you recognise the enemy counterfeit and God at work..at least some of the time, at the very least. Ask/trust/pray/ and so on.

Something I read about shaking hands with an Angel ... totally bewildering.

[Hemidakota]

Which Scripture is this, by the way? Which "Gift of Discernment" is this?

Anyway, reading D&C 46, it seems to say there's a lot of Gifts of the Spirit, but not everyone will have them. Am I reading this correctly?

But yeah, it's cool that we have these gifts... I like hearing about them... Though some people seem to go off the deep end.

Correct on scriptures. Add also, 46:9.

For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts.

Another scripture is 1 Cor 2:11 -

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

[Hemidakota]

People are blessed with different gifts and talents. It is something they should be humble in and magnify to benefit their fellow man and glorify the Lord.

Absolutely...

By the way, are you a return missionary?

[Hemidakota]

That's not a source - that's an assertion followed by some questions. What's your source?

That's a description of a seer - nothing about your claims that "Seers are not called but is a talent from on high" and "many have this gift".

Again - what is your source? If it is your own opinion or interpretation, please identify it as such. If there's an authoritative source, let's hear it.

LM

I guess a General Authority is not a source when his own talk is closely scrutinized by the brethren prior to a General Conference? When did we start to ignore this venue as a source? Interesting!

Was Joseph Smith called as a Seer prior to translating the plates? Yes or no. When was Joseph called as a Prophet?

It is a gift. Read D&C 107:92 [given as a gift to a prophet]. Beside, a Seer is a greater call than a prophet. [read the BOM]

Now, isn't the term 'Seer' means, 'One who sees; as a seer of visions?'

Then we have our trusty Random House Webster's College Dictionary:

1. a person who sees; observer.

2. a person who prophesies future events; prophet.

3. a person endowed with moral and spiritual insight or knowledge.

4. a person reputed to have powers of divination, as a crystal gazer.

Now, if you had a vision of the future, some have here, were they called?

[NeuroTypical]

I guess a General Authority is not a source when his own talk is closely scrutinized by the brethren prior to a General Conference? When did we start to ignore this venue as a source? Interesting!

A GA is a source - but Elder Burton didn't say anything about your claim "many have this gift".

I want to be clear about where I'm coming from. I believe seers exist. Right now, I know of 14 of them - 11 living apostles and 3 members of the first presidency. Come April, there will be 15 as we name a new Apostle. You apparently believe that God has more seers than that. I'm looking for any kind of authoritative source that backs you up. Elder Burton doesn't back you up, neither have the scriptures you've cited. I suppose Dictionary.com backs you up, but I'm not willing to let that source define the term for me as "a person who sees; observer".

Was Joseph Smith called as a Seer prior to translating the plates? Yes or no. When was Joseph called as a Prophet?

I have no problem with Joseph becoming a seer early on. I do have a problem with assigning the title seer to various folks on this board who are claiming to see the future. I'm asking you for some sort of authoritative source that says something to the tune of "God makes all sorts of people seers - not just the twelve and 1st presidency." I've never seen such a source. If you've got one, I'd love to see it. Because if you don't have one, then we've just got your belief about the issue. I do not doubt it is a strong belief, but I do question whether it is correct.

Then we have our trusty Random House Webster's College Dictionary:

1. a person who sees; observer.

2. a person who prophesies future events; prophet.

3. a person endowed with moral and spiritual insight or knowledge.

4. a person reputed to have powers of divination, as a crystal gazer.

Now, if you had a vision of the future, some have here, were they called?

I suppose it's possible. I'm looking for something besides opinion and rhetoric and inconclusive evidence used in favor of the possibility by people on a message board. Again, for every real seer, there are thousands or tens of thousands of instances of confirmation bias, polarization effect, Tolstoy syndrome, myside bias, experimenter's regress, and subjective validation. That means when some random anonymous person tells me "My wife says I have the ability to see the future", I'm immediately skeptical.

So, I make my request for the third time. Are you aware of any scripture, any church leader at any time, talking about God calling people to be seer for any reason other than to do important work related to the Kingdom of God?

The Gospel Principles chapter on Gifts of the Spirit doesn't mention the word seer. D&C 46, which enumerates some of these gifts, doesn't mention a seer. 1 Corinthians 12, another place making a list of gifts, doesn't mention the word.

LM

[Hemidakota]

A GA is a source - but Elder Burton didn't say anything about your claim "many have this gift".

I want to be clear about where I'm coming from. I believe seers exist. Right now, I know of 14 of them - 11 living apostles and 3 members of the first presidency. Come April, there will be 15 as we name a new Apostle. You apparently believe that God has more seers than that. I'm looking for any kind of authoritative source that backs you up. Elder Burton doesn't back you up; neither have the scriptures you've cited. I suppose Dictionary.com backs you up, but I'm not willing to let that source define the term for me as "a person who sees; observer"

Did you in fact read the whole article [talk] or just make a postulation? Reading comprehension of what I am saying may be a problem also. Yes, I am aware that they have that gift, so do Area Presidents, Regional Presidencies, Mission Presidents, Stake Presidents, Bishops, patriarchs, and leading priesthood fathers of the home may have the same gift. Each position of authority mentioned or responsibility will have authoritative limitations. I guess, if it not spelled out literally, you may have a problem with it. Though, I want you to look back at D&C 46 – the term Prophecy. Is that a gift? What does a seer do again?

I suppose it's possible. I'm looking for something besides opinion and rhetoric and inconclusive evidence used in favor of the possibility by people on a message board. Again, for every real seer, there are thousands or tens of thousands of instances of confirmation bias, polarization effect, Tolstoy syndrome, myside bias, experimenter's regress, and subjective validation. That means when some random anonymous person tells me "My wife says I have the ability to see the future", I'm immediately skeptical.

Then be a skeptic. You have that right to agree and disagree. If you are hoping for the literal meaning in the ‘works’, then expect GOD to give it to you, literally, good luck.

Remember Apostle Thomas? He was skeptic. He did not take the word of the lead apostle but required physical proof.

So, I make my request for the third time. Are you aware of any scripture, any church leader at any time, talking about God calling people to be seer for any reason other than to do important work related to the Kingdom of God?

By your own admissions here, I suspect, you don't have or receive personal visions or may have that gift [D&C 46:22, Mosiah 8:16-17]. Even to think [D&C 46], that the Savior listed every gift known, is another fallible thought.

Whether we branded it - Seer - or another term that will be more palatable for you, it remains the same. What the FP and Apostles sees for the church as a whole, and the original poster sees for his family, is the same gift. The only difference is the receiving authority to prophecy. Regardless what we think or feel to be in error does not make a difference in this mans salvation and a worthy deserving gift.

We can go on - and on - and on - until we waste about 50-pages. At this point, we are at a lost on a common understanding what constitutes a seer.

[Elgama]

After reading up on some LDS views on the gift of discernment I think it's a bit worrying that it's either...of God or NOT. I mean the general view of those that aren't all that into faith is that it always isn't, new age beliefs and all. So there you go. Nothing new I guess.

I tend to shy away on the whole thingy, coming from a pentecostal point of view where people are likely to pray those offending spirits right out of you if you happen to like chocolate rather than strawberry; no seeking God necessary on their own interpretation of things needed for some. You have to experience the barbaric side of having demons prayed out of you when you misbehave as a kid, you know for essentially demonic things like forgetting to make your bed, to really appreciate just how wonderful this point of view is.

But hey if you know God wouldn't you recognise the enemy counterfeit and God at work..at least some of the time, at the very least. Ask/trust/pray/ and so on.

Something I read about shaking hands with an Angel ... totally bewildering.

I think many people in my position also experience bad spirits I have had 3 horrendous experiences one I have to say was at a Pentecostal meeting I went with a friend and I felt the way Joseph Smith described just before he met Heavenly Father and Jesus. There have been others and there really is no doubting when you experience the dark and you are rescued by the light.

-Charley

[MorningStar]

Wow, Charley, that would be freaky.

[WANDERER]

Elgama, I'd agree with you on that one and the 'no doubt' factor.

Words like seer, prophet and so on: those are tags that go with more than a personal level of things, but revelation for God's people. Not about things like stopping your car because oncoming traffic could be hazardous or dreams and stuff in my opinion.

[bcguy]

Hi everyone,

Sorry I have been very bussy and almost forgot about my original post here. I have been reading most of all your replies and it is nice that this subject has shown great interest and mostly openess.

The original post did not say specifically why my wife said I can see future events but perhaps now I can tell you all what scarred the daylights out of my wife when I presented her with a revalation.

Me and my wife were on a road trip to see my parents for the Christmas Holidays in the winter of 2004. It was a two hour commute to where thay lived. While driving I lapsed into a 2-3 second vision. I know this is perhaps dangerous while driving but I was put into another time and another place. As I saw in this quick vision was a cheap am radio in hand possibly as a way to hear bad news. I was standing on a beach in a very tropical location. As I looked around I saw fresh straw and bamboo walls sitting on the beach as well as palm tree or other type of tree branches on the beach. All this debree was all wet. I looked up and to my right was a entire primtive village completly destroyed. some of the straw and bamboo and some more modern houses stood flattened or perhaps 6 feet high on and the rest snapped off. The sound in the air was totally silent with no human life to be seen. The Village was at least a mile deep with some slight hills in the background. Down the beach was a tall and very rounded 300-500 foot hills. Those hills kind of remind me of what I have seen in vietnam on tv shows.

As soon as I stepped out of that vision something told me to say "One of the greatest earthquake in history is going to happen on christmas day" At that moment I snapped out of it. wife was totally scared.

I said it would have been this "city" in the USA then said...no it cannot be the tempature and season and geography did not match. It is tropical some where hot and near the equator.

This vision occured on december 23 2004.

Two days latter one of the greatest tsnumais to ever hit a civilization whipped out many coastal cities in Tialand and 10 other countries.

That was abosultly the strongest vision and "verbal vision" I have ever had.

Here is a Different story but possibly help from above that recently happened a few weeks ago,

Recently few weeks ago My truck broke down in one of the bussyiest roads in Vancouver. risk of getting rear ended was high. I was desperate to use the starter to pull it up the road and around the corner. Well I put my head down in desperation and closed my eyes in disbelief and said "help!" silently!

That second a member from my old ward who lived 20 minites away in a city of 1.5 million yelled out my name. He was on the other side of this bussy avenue going in the oposite direction and asked if I needed help and I said yes!! I need some help to watch out for traffic as I try to troubleshoot my truck.

He came around and watched for traffic as I possibly found the issue. Purged my diesel injection pump of air and was able to start it and get it up the hill to the nearest turn off. It stalled again but was able to coast it down the road on a quiet street and waited for a tow truck.

So this really supprised me. for some very very odd reason my fuel transfer switch was on the other tank and it was dry. basicly the pump was letting in air and thats why my engine died. I NEVER touch that switch because I am fully aware it has no fuel in it.

Like all your responces seems I am not the only one that has these events.

[Hemidakota]

I am sure you and many others have the same vision or dream concerning what transpired in 2004. God has blessed us with gifts and talents to be used wisely. Some have more, some will have less. That is our uniqueness, which makes us different. Again, we are allowed to have visions [seer] or dreams what will be but for a personal usage.

[bcguy]

I try not to think of it and other things of the past and just move on with my life being a average person :) I am sure I will experaince more of these but wont let it affect me.

Anyway nice forum and page. I do think the church should be a little more open instead of scrutinizing people like me but what the heck, im different :)

[WANDERER]

2004 , yes.

I haven't ever discussed it before besides here on the forum twice...thanks for posting.

[NeuroTypical]

By the way, in case anyone is wondering if a skeptic has a common sense reason to be skeptical, consider this:

Population of America: 303,000,000

Assume on any given morning, 5% of us (15,150,000) will remember having vivid dreams.

Assume 5% of those vivid dreamers (757,500), dreamt about some sort of disaster, natural or manmade.

Assume one-tenth of one-tenth of one-tenth (0.001) of these people will have a dream about an airplane flying into a building.

So, every morning in America, 757 different people wake up in a sweat, having just experienced a prophetic-like incredibly detailed, very realistic feeling dream about an airplane flying into a building.

Every single time these different people got out of bed and went about their daily routine, quickly forgetting the dream. On 9/11/01, those specific 757 people turned on their TV's and saw images they can easily associate with their dream.

We don't bother remembering all the other dreams we've had that never come true. But we sure as heck remember the one that does. And we're prone to add substance that isn't there, misremember and reinterpret what we experienced to fit the events of the day. One famous study asked people who had recently returned from their Disneyland vacations, if they got a picture of their kids with Woody Woodpecker. A certain percentage of them remember seeing him in the park, some remember going up to him and shaking his big cartoony hand or getting a hug, some even remember taking the picture. Problem is, Woody is owned by a different company, and has never been associated with anything Disney.

Our brains make stuff fit automatically - whether it really fits or not.

"But it wasn't a dream - I'm awake when this happens!" - well, run the equasion again and lower the percentages of random Americans that randomly have similar premonitions. Again, 99.9% of them will be wrong, but that .01%, whoo-boy - he's sure got something to remember and talk about and be convinced about, right?

I'm not saying the people making claims are wrong. I'm just saying I've got good, logical, common sense-based reasons to not assume they're right.

LM

[Elgama]

Except in my case I have only ever dreamed about 10 times in my life and remebered them except when pregnant - ALL have had something prophetic about them (except when pregnant those don't count lol) most of my experiences are had whilst wide awake not whiilst asleep.

-Charley

[Gretchen]

Someone asked why people with physic abilitys don't go on TV and such. I don't know about anyone else, but I've always had a fear of being discriminated against or hurt. Sorry if I spelled any words wrong, I have trouble spelling.

[Traveler]

In society its often called ESP, Remote Viewing, clairvoyance. What ever the description I now have my first firm believer that I have the ability to do it. She firmly believes I have it after I told her of a global event that resulted in mass casualties.

Personally it does not happen often. But want to know if there are others out there that have the ability to see future events happen hours or days before thay occure? Perhaps others in this board that have it? My Bishop has really put me down thinking that I would declare my self some kind of profit but in really that is TOTALLY untrue. I just wanted some expert advice on how to deal with it. But obviously I turned to the wrong person.

BTW I do not bring these gifts up in conversation anymore. To many people I talk to are uncomfortable discussing it.

BTW Plan on spending more time on this discussion board about the LDS faith. Great web site! :)

It is not inspired or wise to tout an ability you cannot control.

The Traveler

[WillowTheWhisp]

I think many people in my position also experience bad spirits I have had 3 horrendous experiences one I have to say was at a Pentecostal meeting I went with a friend and I felt the way Joseph Smith described just before he met Heavenly Father and Jesus. There have been others and there really is no doubting when you experience the dark and you are rescued by the light.

-Charley

I've had similar experience too and can definitely say you can certainly tell when something is from God and something isn't.

[Gretchen]

I've had similar experience too and can definitely say you can certainly tell when something is from God and something isn't.

Willow, how can you tell?

[MorningStar]

I am sure you and many others have the same vision or dream concerning what transpired in 2004. God has blessed us with gifts and talents to be used wisely. Some have more, some will have less. That is our uniqueness, which makes us different. Again, we are allowed to have visions [seer] or dreams what will be but for a personal usage.

What event are you talking about that happened in 2004? (It's probably obvious, but it's late and I can't think straight anymore. I should go to bed. :))

[Guest Username-Removed]

Any Priesthood holder has the ability to receive revelation. This is not a surprise to me. Many people have seen future events.... as they relate to their personal study, or as they relate to their stewardships.

One of my experiences with this was when I just returned from my mission. In my teenage years, I did a lot of study on the Space Shuttle. I read every magazine article & every news clip. I knew how the individual computers worked and a lot about the propulsion systems. After my mission, I had a dream about a space shuttle launch. I saw how fire escaped from the SRBs, and how the shuttle exploded afterword. A few months later, I watched the launch live on television, and saw it explode.

Other points of past revelation for me include:

1) When I would be called and where I would go on my mission.

2) The cause of a major airline crash.

3) My own divorce, 5 years before I was married.

4) What callings I would have.

5) My own inactivity.

6) A voice (audible) calling me back to activity… twice.

7) I’ve seen future disasters as they relate to where I’ve lived.

8) I’ve seen my role, and the role of others in those disasters.

I firmly believe that if we study things, we will gain revelation on them. Also we gain revelation on our stewardship as well. This includes future events related to these stewardships.

Sometimes Heavenly Father gives us these in order to prepare us, or those in our stewardship. Sometimes they serve as a warning of what things could be unless we act. Sometimes, it’s as simple as building on the knowledge we are already striving for.

This should not be unusual. I am not a prophet; I don’t share revelation about future events with others. My revelation is for myself or those in my stewardship.

.

[prospectmom]

YOU got it word and it is a gift , one of our talents......... When I am in tune and doing what I am suppose to I get promptings if I listen I am glad but if I am not paying attention I think back and I realize what I missed.

[MrNirom]

My wife has had dreams of things that pertain to her. She has seen herself moving into a home.. later.. she finds that exact home and does. These dreams are what she calls "different". They are more Life Like than a dream. So would you upgrade that to a vision? I don't know.

I know that Joseph Smith said their are many things of God and about God that he would not tell us because we could not understand it. I don't know if this would be included in that category or not. But I suspect so.

I know there are many things that go on in the background in this great work that our Father in Heaven does. We learned more in 1918 when Joseph F Smith was given the revelation of the redemption of the dead. To learn that there is work going on there.

We are not told of what we learned in the pre-mortal existence.. or what was being taught.. or how much time was spent there before coming here. We are only told that it happened. We are not told specifically of everything that goes on there now.. yet I am sure there is much that does. And the reason I feel we are not told.. is that it is not vital to our salvation. It is the icing on the cake.

The problem I see.. is that if you give some of us the icing.. that is all we want. We forget about the meat and potatoes and the cake.

I have been told by some who have the gift.. that those who die of overdoses are met by others who have crossed over that way too. They have been "assigned" to help. Same for suicides. Now is this important to know? No.. not really. But it is interesting to know of some of the workings going on. To once again realize that our Father in Heaven is very organized and there is a plan and it is in place and working. It is a Marvelous Work and a Wonder.

Why do some have gifts and others don't. And what do these gifts mean when seeing future events that sometimes have nothing to do with us personally? How about a testimony that you do have the gift. So pay attention!

15 years ago we would have smirked at someone calling the police to warn them of an impending disaster that they had a "vision" of.

It has only been recently that people are "seeing" there is something out there. Psychic detectives helping police to solve crimes. Mediums testifying that there is actually Life after Life. Many television shows are now about this subject. Sometimes people just become more spiritual from these experiences.. and open their minds up to the possibilities that are out there.. That a boy of 14 really could have seen the Father and the Son.

Imagine.. the churches of the world say that God does not talk to man and has not since the Apostles were killed. People who had gifts.. were put to death by the Church!

When people now speak of things like spirits and gifts... they say.. hmmmm Maybe God does still talk to man. And if he did.. how would he do it? How would one expect it to happen? If you look at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints... that is how he would do it!

We do not know all the reasons for everything that goes on. And at most.. it is speculation at best. But we know more than most.

Edited July 11, 2008 by MrNirom

[Guest Username-Removed]

Dreams are always different to figure out from other types of revelation. Generally speaking (a least for me) they tend to be revelation when there is someone in them that gives me advice or is there to teach me something. Also, if I am seeing myself in the dream, thats also a trigger for me to pay attention to it, because those also tend to be revelation too.

Dreams have helped me when I have been down as well. One time in my life I was struggling with college. I had a dream where I found myself in a limo, being driven by my hired driver. I knew it was a dream, and so did my driver. He even welcomed me. I was excited because the limo was quite nice. He responded, "wait until we get to your mansion". It was incredible and very vivid. We drove up to the covered main entrance, got out and went into the main entry way. Everything was white with a big stairway leading upstairs. I told my driver, who was standing in the front entrance doorway, that this was a wonderful place; much nicer than anything I experinced in my life. Then, an older gentleman wearing white clothes walk up to my driver and whisper something in his ear. My driver nodded his head and smiled as he listened to the older man. Then, my driver said ... "where you are going is much nicer than this". I said to them both "Its time to leave now isnt it?" He opened the door of the limo and I got in. As we drove away, I thanked him for the whole thing. I then woke up.

Revelation from dreams can be a wonderful thing.

[Moksha]

We are entitled to the 'Gift of Discernment' when receiving the endowment of the Holy Ghost if 'worthy.'

Unfortunately so many people choose either the blender or a matching set of cocktail napkins instead.