If there is one
thing that I have learned in the last year of my life is that there is a big
difference between learning entirely on your own and learning by/with the
Spirit. It does not matter what the subject is, if it’s for school, church, or
even just as a hobby. The ability for us to learn is enhanced if we strive to
learn by the Spirit.
In the last year of my life I have
been blessed to be a part of a program the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints offers called “Pathways”. This program allows you to go to school
through BYU Idaho at a reduced cost of $65.00 per credit hour. The first year
are basic courses such as English and math alongside with meeting up with
fellow students once a week to spend turns teaching one another. This has been
a very enriching experience for me and has really taught me that God cares
about every aspect of my life, even my academic studies. Before I started this
program I would have never connected going to school with God, but as we are
here to learn, grow, and are promised help through the Holy Ghost, it makes
complete sense now.
Learning anything and everything by
the Spirit is a wonderful gift and if you truly want to know something on a
deeper level, then tap into that gift and learn things you didn’t even know you
could.
Wisdom from the Prophets and Apostles:
Now, brothers and
sisters, we have available to us a tool even more remarkable than the best GPS.
Everyone loses his or her way at some point, to some degree. It is through the
promptings of the Holy Ghost that we can be brought safely back onto the right
path, and it is the atoning sacrifice of the Savior that can return us home.
______________________________
Samuel the
Lamanite identified five basic elements in becoming converted unto the Lord:
(1) believing in the teachings and prophecies of the holy prophets as they are
recorded in the scriptures, (2) exercising faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, (3)
repenting, (4) experiencing a mighty change of heart, and (5) becoming “firm
and steadfast in the faith” (see Helaman 15:7–8). This is the pattern that
leads to conversion.
______________________________
Now that you are
here on earth, it might be wise to ask yourself how your journey is going. Are
you on the right course? Are you becoming the person you were designed to be
and wanted to become? Are you making choices that will help you to return to
your Father in Heaven? He didn’t send you on this journey only to wander
aimlessly on your own. He wants you to come home to Him. He has given you
loving parents and faithful Church leaders, along with a map that describes the
terrain and identifies the dangers; the map shows you where peace and happiness
can be found and will help you plot your course back home. Now, where do you
find this map? • In the sacred scriptures. • In the words of prophets and
apostles. • And through personal revelation from the Holy Ghost.
______________________________
Be wise in how
you embrace technology. Mark important scriptures on your device and refer back
to them frequently. If you young people would review a verse of scripture as
often as some of you send text messages, you could soon have hundreds of
passages of scripture memorized. Those passages would prove to be a powerful
source of inspiration and guidance by the Holy Ghost in times of need. Doing
all we can to invite the gentle, guiding influence of the Holy Ghost into our
lives is critical in our attempts to center our homes on the Savior. Acting
obediently on those promptings strengthens us even more.
______________________________
All are born with
the Light of Christ, a guiding influence which permits each person to recognize
right from wrong. What we do with that light and how we respond to those
promptings to live righteously is part of the test of mortality. “For behold,
the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil;
wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to
do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and
gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.”8
Each of us must stay in condition to respond to inspiration and the promptings
of the Holy Ghost. The Lord has a way of pouring pure intelligence into our
minds to prompt us, to guide us, to teach us, and to warn us. Each son or
daughter of God can know the things they need to know instantly. Learn to
receive and act on inspiration and revelation.
______________________________
Those who rely
solely on themselves and follow only their own desires and self-inclinations
are so limited when compared to those who follow God and tap into His insight,
power, and gifts. It has been said that someone who is all wrapped up in
himself or herself makes a very small package. Strong, proactive obedience is
anything but weak or passive. It is the means by which we declare our faith in
God and qualify ourselves to receive the powers of heaven. Obedience is a
choice. It is a choice between our own limited knowledge and power and God’s
unlimited wisdom and omnipotence. According...
______________________________
...To succeed in
life, we must teach our spirit and body to work together in obedience to God’s
commandments. If we heed the gentle promptings of the Holy Ghost, it can unite
our spirits and bodies in a purpose that will guide us back to our eternal home
to live with our eternal Father in Heaven.
______________________________
Do you remember
the first time you knew there was a God and could feel His love? As a boy, I
used to gaze into the starry sky and ponder and feel His presence. I thrilled
to explore the magnificent beauties of God’s creations—from tiny insects to towering
trees. As I recognized the beauty of this earth, I knew that Heavenly Father
loved me. I knew that I was a literal spiritual offspring, that we are all sons
and daughters of God. How did I know this? you might ask. The scriptures teach,
“To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God, and … to others it is given to believe on their words, that they also
might have eternal life if they continue faithful.”3 From my perspective, this
does not mean that some people will forever be dependent upon the testimonies
of others. My own testimony grew as I learned about Heavenly Father and the
Savior from the teachings and testimony of my parents, teachers, the
scriptures—which I read diligently—and especially the Holy Ghost. As I
exercised faith and obeyed the commandments, the Holy Ghost testified that what
I was learning was true. This is how I came to know for myself.
______________________________
That personal
revelation of acceptance, for which we all long, does not come easily, nor does
it come simply for the asking. The Lord gave this standard for the capacity to
receive such witnesses from God. It is a guide for anyone seeking personal
revelation, as we all must. “Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all
men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts
unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and
the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from
heaven. “The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion.”4
______________________________
We all know that
human judgment and logical thinking will not be enough to get answers to the
questions that matter most in life. We need revelation from God. And we will
need not just one revelation in a time of stress, but we need a constantly
renewed stream. We need not just one flash of light and comfort, but we need
the continuing blessing of communication with God.
______________________________
The Apostle Paul
taught a parallel principle regarding spiritual knowledge. “The natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God,” he wrote to the Corinthians,
“for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.”12 In other words, if you want to recognize spiritual
truth, you have to use the right instruments. You can’t come to an understanding
of spiritual truth with instruments that are unable to detect it.
______________________________
...God cares
about you. He will listen, and He will answer your personal questions. The
answers to your prayers will come in His own way and in His own time, and
therefore, you need to learn to listen to His voice. God wants you to find your
way back to Him, and the Savior is the way.5 God wants you to learn of His Son,
Jesus Christ, and experience the profound peace and joy that come from
following the path of divine discipleship. My dear friends, here is a fairly
straightforward experiment, with a guarantee from God, found in a book of
ancient scripture available to every man, woman, and child willing to put it to
the test: First, you must search the word of God. That means reading the
scriptures and studying the words of the ancient as well as modern prophets
regarding the restored gospel of Jesus Christ—not with an intent to doubt or
criticize but with a sincere desire to discover truth. Ponder upon the things
you will feel, and prepare your minds to receive the truth.6 “Even if ye can no
more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you … that ye can give
place for [the word of God].”7 Second, you must consider, ponder, fearlessly
strive to believe,8 and be grateful for how merciful the Lord has been to His
children from the time of Adam to our day by providing prophets, seers, and
revelators to lead His Church and help us find the way back to Him. Third, you must
ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, to manifest the
truth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints unto you. Ask with a
sincere heart and with real intent, having faith in Christ.9 There is also a
fourth step, given to us by the Savior: “If any man will do [God’s] will, he
shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of
myself.”10 In other words, when you are trying to verify the truth of gospel
principles, you must first live them. Put gospel doctrine and Church teachings
to the test in your own life. Do it with real intent and enduring faith in God.
If you will do these things, you have a promise from God—who is bound by His
word11—that He will manifest the truth to you by the power of the Holy Ghost.
He will grant you greater light that will allow you to look through the
darkness and witness unimaginably glorious vistas incomprehensible to mortal
sight. Some may say that the steps are too hard or that they are not worth the
effort. But I suggest that this personal testimony of the gospel and the Church
is the most important thing you can earn in this life. It will not only bless
and guide you during this life, but it will also have a direct bearing on your
life throughout eternity.
______________________________
...the power to
speak and act in God’s name requires revelation and that to have it when we
need it requires praying and working in faith for the companionship of the Holy
Ghost.
No comments:
Post a Comment