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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The Lord, through his Church, instituted long ago the need to establish and maintain “official doctrine”, a standard and measuring rod by which the Church is governed and salvation is taught to all the faithful. Official Doctrine is what the Church teaches and sustains as from God. This doctrine, as part of its official stamp, must be in harmony with all other laws and ordinances of the gospel (the four standard works).¹ This says that anything endorsed by the Church as official doctrine must harmonize with the revealed gospel. Anything that is not in harmony with the revealed gospel is rejected. The current four standard works held by this, the Lord’s Church are The Book of Mormon, Holy Bible, Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. The “official doctrine” applies to everyone in the Church, no matter the authority, position or status. Therefore, even the president of the Church is subject to this rule.

“You cannot accept the books written by the authorities of the Church as standards in doctrine, only in so far as they accord with the revealed word in the standard works. ”Every man who writes is responsible, not the Church, for what he writes. If Joseph Fielding Smith writes something which is out of harmony with the revelations, then every member of the Church is duty bound to reject it. If he writes that which is in perfect harmony with the revealed word of the Lord, then it should be accepted” ²

Over the century that this Church has existed, many leaders of this Church published articles, made speeches and made some profound statements. Was it all doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? That depends if what they said stands in harmony with “official doctrine”. Does the doctrine or principle expressed sanctify the soul or lead us closer to God? If it does, then it can be accepted as among the doctrines of the Latter-day Saints.³

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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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