October 2009 General Conference talk
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1117-2,00.html
President John Taylor wrote: “Joseph Smith, ...said to me: ‘Brother Taylor, you have received the Holy Ghost. Now follow the influence of that Spirit, and it will lead you into all truth, until by and by, it will become in you a principle of revelation.’ ”
When we are baptized, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost which helps us to recognize right from wrong. We can get personal revelation regarding ourselves and our families. We don't need to inundate our leaders for help.
Father in Heaven knew that you would face challenges and be required to make some decisions that would be beyond your own ability to decide correctly. In His plan of happiness, He included a provision for you to receive help with such challenges and decisions during your mortal life. That assistance will come to you through the Holy Ghost as spiritual guidance. It is a power, beyond your own capability, that a loving Heavenly Father wants you to use consistently for your peace and happiness.
My personal perspective is narrow. I don't know what will happen in the future. I need Heavenly Father's help when making decisions, when evaluating my performance, decisions & priorities. He wants to help us with those things so that we may have joy and return to Him.
I am convinced that there is no simple formula or technique that would immediately allow you to master the ability to be guided by the voice of the Spirit. Our Father expects you to learn how to obtain that divine help by exercising faith in Him and His Holy Son, Jesus Christ. Were you to receive inspired guidance just for the asking, you would become weak and ever more dependent on Them. They know that essential personal growth will come as you struggle to learn how to be led by the Spirit.
We all recognize the spirit in our own ways. It's not always received in the same way. Sometimes it takes a while to get the answer and those can come by impressions, through other people's comments or actions, etc. Taking the leap of faith may be required before recognizing that it's the right thing to do.
Once when my husband to be & I were trying to decide if we should wait to have kids for a few years after getting married or start right away. We fasted and prayed about it. I still felt like I didn't have an answer until I went to a meeting that evening. A young boy that I didn't know, came and sat by me. I felt an overwhelming feeling that we should start trying soon after getting married.
Another time I received my answer in the temple while praying and worrying that I wouldn't be able to get pregnant after trying for some time. I was worried there was something wrong with my body. I felt impressed that everything was fine and things would work out. Soon after I found out that I was indeed pregnant.
My prayers have been answered in a variety of ways, some taking longer than others. A few have been unexpectedly answered in a way I never imagined thus increasing my knowledge that God knows way more than we do. He can send things or people our way that we wouldn't have been able to find on our own.
What may appear initially to be a daunting task will be much easier to manage over time as you consistently strive to recognize and follow feelings prompted by the Spirit. Your confidence in the direction you receive from the Holy Ghost will also become stronger. I witness that as you gain experience and success in being guided by the Spirit, your confidence in the impressions you feel can become more certain than your dependence on what you see or hear.
Spirituality yields two fruits. The first is inspiration to know what to do. The second is power, or the capacity to do it. These two capacities come together. That’s why Nephi could say, “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded.” He knew the spiritual laws upon which inspiration and power are based. Yes, God answers prayer and gives us spiritual direction when we live obediently and exercise the required faith in Him.
Creating this blog is one thing that I'm not sure why I'm doing. I don't think people will see it. I don't feel confident in my writing or ability to tell my thoughts and feelings. But there have been a couple of impressions to do this. I need to do as Nephi did with the plates and with the boat. Even though I feel that I need to be focusing more on my family. It will be a balancing act but I will commit to taking care of my family first.
Elder Scott then relates an experience that he had in some church classes...
...As each impression came, I carefully wrote it down. In the process, I was given precious truths that I greatly needed in order to be a more effective servant of the Lord. The details of the communication are sacred and, like a patriarchal blessing, were for my individual benefit. I was given specific directions, instructions, and conditioned promises that have beneficially altered the course of my life.
I need to write down my impressions, ponder upon them, continue to ponder and then ACT upon it.
What I have described is not an isolated experience. It embodies several true principles regarding communication from the Lord to His children here on earth. I believe that you can leave the most precious, personal direction of the Spirit unheard because you do not respond to, record, and apply the first promptings that come to you.
Impressions of the Spirit can come in response to urgent prayer or unsolicited when needed. Sometimes the Lord reveals truth to you when you are not actively seeking it, such as when you are in danger and do not know it. However, the Lord will not force you to learn. You must exercise your agency to authorize the Spirit to teach you. As you make this a practice in your life, you will be more perceptive to the feelings that come with spiritual guidance. Then, when that guidance comes, sometimes when you least expect it, you will recognize it more easily.
If I don’t exercise my agency to authorize the Spirit to teach me, I won’t be able to increase in faith and testimony, at least not as much.
I share a warning. Satan is extremely good at blocking spiritual communication by inducing individuals, through temptation, to violate the laws upon which spiritual communication is founded. With some, he is able to convince them that they are not able to receive such guidance from the Lord.
Have patience as you are perfecting your ability to be led by the Spirit. By careful practice, through the application of correct principles, and by being sensitive to the feelings that come, you will gain spiritual guidance. I bear witness that the Lord, through the Holy Ghost, can speak to your mind and heart. Sometimes the impressions are just general feelings. Sometimes the direction comes so clearly and so unmistakably that it can be written down like spiritual dictation.
I bear solemn witness that as you pray with all the fervor of your soul with humility and gratitude, you can learn to be consistently guided by the Holy Spirit in all aspects of your life. I have confirmed the truthfulness of that principle in the crucible of my own life. I testify that you can personally learn to master the principles of being guided by the Spirit. That way, the Savior can guide you to resolve challenges of life and enjoy great peace and happiness.
I'm grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost that I received when I was baptized. I'm grateful for the impressions I have received. I look forward to being more in tuned with the Spirit as I authorize him to teach me.
