Mormon Direction

I have heard many claim entrenchment in their beliefs about their church, their faith, their particular religion, claiming it is God’s. By these firm beliefs, they claim to have a testimony. Many people hear their testimony and hear they firmly believe what they claim. People have heard these firm beliefs from one Christian denomination to the next. Then, when approached by missionaries from this LDS Church, they hear another claim of firm belief. In response, they then stand in doubt because they cannot discern which is true.

To filter through these firm beliefs and to discern what is God’s truth and what is merely a personal belief, we must first consider that a “firmness” in belief is an expression found in many facets of life. It is not specific to religion, it exists everywhere. The phrase “I firmly believe” is a common phrase used by people to proclaim their stance with something or in regards to something.

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Remember the instruction from the scriptures and from Church leaders to study the gospel. It has also been said that we have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion to aid and guide us in our lives, but has anyone come to realize the importance of study to increase our knowledge and understanding?

We have been warned by Church leaders that these days shall become darker all around. This is not a trivial counsel in light of the Biblical prophecies for these latter days. This Church has also instructed us to develop our own connection to the light of God and not to depend on others, because in these latter days, it is the degree of light that is within you that will determine your ability to withstand the darkness before the second coming of Jesus Christ.

How many have experienced challenges by others because you are a Latter-Day Saint? How many have felt flustered, or tongue tied, unable to respond or think of answers to deal with the challenge beset upon you? Is there a reason for this floundering?

Yes, remember what the scripture says,

D&C 11:21

Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.

It easier for you to receive a reminder of the truth from God, than it is to learn it in times of challenges or immediate need.

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Outside of this Church, how many Christians believe that the Holy Ghost continues to give revelation, which is direct communication? That has become a crucial question in light of worldly events that are happening and due to happen in these last days on the earth. Biblical prophecy dictates that a storm of evil is forthcoming. War skirmishes, unknown diseases and encomomic collaspe are but a small example of what this world is to suffer, which Christians agree.

Christendom has repeatedly claimed that all we need is the Bible and nothing else. They claim that the Holy Ghost is in them and all revelation they need is in the words read in the Bible. Many other Christians believe that they get all the guidance they need for their life from the Bible, but is this true in all respects? It is true the Bible holds God’s wisdom for the common aliments of life and gives counsel of what we are to do and believe, in general, but a serious problem arises in light of the ongoing fulfillment of prophecies for these last days. Will the Bible be able to provide the right counsel for these times, at the right moment, to tell or warn you of things not yet seen and give the right counsel and direction? In fact, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine of Covenants and Pearl of Great Price face the same problem. What then is the answer to this concern?

In Christendom, there are more than 34,000 different Christian denominations across the world. All are different and they do not all have the same beliefs in Christ and salvation. In other words many have differing doctrines about the same thing. Some believe in baptism by water, others believe baptism by sprinkling, others baptism by desire and others, no baptism at all. Some believe Jesus Christ is a real person and others merely an expression from a greater single being. Some believe the Holy Ghost still communicates, others claim such communication has ended with the end of the early Christian Church and believe that the Holy Ghost is no longer needed since we have all we need in the Bible. Yet there are many different Bible versions which exclude scripture, added scripture, mistranslated the original Hebrew and Greek texts or purposely left out some things for some unknown reason. It is these Bibles that other Christians claim are sufficient.

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In the recent General Conference, Vicki F. Matsumori gave a talk about recognizing when the Spirit, or Holy Ghost speaks to us. The examples and descriptions she gave of how the Spirit “whispers” are exact and true. One of the descriptions given was from the words of President Henry B. Eyring, where he said, in effect, “Almost always I have also felt a sensation of light.” ¹. The description that immediately followed was the experience by an eight-year-old boy, “It felt like sunshine”.²

All of the descriptions I recognize, having experienced the Holy Spirit many times. The latter two descriptions given by Ms. Matsumori as the experience of “light”, like “sunshine”. The mind is enlightened, gaining clarity of understanding and perception, being able to understand and perceive the scope and breadth of the subject, topic, matter or issue at hand. All doubt is erased and sureness of thought is accomplished. So long as one moves within that frame of sureness, once moved by the Holy Ghost, peace and success is assured. To some, this may also describe the experience of “being in the spirit” or “feeling enlightened”. The experience that seems to be like a bright light that has shined brightly within the mind and heart. Hand in hand with this is the feeling of peace or how peace exists in it. Such is quite distinct and in contrast to having a “sudden idea”.

Vicki Matsumori was correct when she said that it can be hard to discern these “sunshine” moments. The inability to recognize these moments is because of the lack of experience and knowledge of the Holy Ghost or worst, from a disbelief that these experiences and feelings are from the Holy Spirit.

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When God gives his will on matters, many expect this would be through revelation or inspiration. When we look at Church leaders, we generally expect they would be recipients of revelation or inspiration and if we do not see the results of this, some of us may become saddened, disappointed or even disheartened because we work with the hope that our Church leaders (local leaders or the General Authorities) are led by God.

I hear upset or disappointment come from members every so often of how this leader or that leader failed here or should of done something there. As much as this is “murmuring” and we should not do it, we do get caught into that habit from time to time. It is part of being mortal, but this is not what you like to hear and instead you would likely want to know something that helps you deal with these struggles and frustrations felt and experienced about Church leaders. Well, there is something that will help.
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One day, when I was in the Sunday School Presidency, we had to find a replacement teacher for one of the Sunday school classes. We sat for about thirty minutes, making a list of names of members that would be able to take the calling. Then we spent more time to narrow the list down to three names, making a short list, but once done, we could not come to a decision as to who would be first on the list, which would be our recommendation to the Bishop.

We decided that each of us would silently pray to Heavenly Father as to his will. Once we each completed our prayers, we each silently and separately wrote down what our individual inspiration gave us.  Once done, we each revealed what our inspiration was and the first name we each wrote down was the same person. The second, third and fourth names, from each of us, did not match the order we each gave them.
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