Jay Family Missionaries

Here is the talk that Jared mentioned, and that Ariel requested. I
will send it to Tom and Ariel by Dear Elder, so they don't have to
take the time to read it right now.

Receiving, Recognizing, and Responding to the Promptings of the Holy Ghost

Elder David A. Bednar

Ricks College Devotional

August 31, 1999

Brothers and sisters, it is a pleasure and a privilege for me to
welcome you to a new semester and academic year at Ricks College. To
students, faculty, and staff, both new and returning, welcome. We are
delighted you are here at Ricks.

The message I hope to communicate this afternoon is an important one.
I pray for and invite the Holy Ghost to be with each of us today, that
we may truly understand one another and be edified and rejoice
together (D&C 50:22).

Please have your scriptures ready to use. Today I will refer to a
number of scriptures—many more than we could possibly look up and read
together in the allotted devotional time. Some of the references I
will specifically ask you to look up in your scriptures and read along
with me; other verses I will quote directly and provide only the
reference. You may find it helpful to jot down the references and
study the quoted verses in more detail at a later time.

Sister Bednar and I love to meet and associate with the students of
Ricks College. On the weekends when I do not have an assignment to
fulfill in connection with my service in the Quorum of the Seventy,
Susan and I frequently go tracting in the dorms and apartment
complexes. We enjoy knocking on doors, introducing ourselves to a
group of students, and spending a few minutes getting acquainted and
asking questions. We also like to visit with students as we run laps
at the football stadium or in the Hart Building. And on most

Monday nights Sister Bednar and I host family home evening for
approximately 100 of you students. Typically we sing an opening hymn,
pray, and then we invite the students to ask gospel questions or to
identify topics they would like to discuss. We conclude with a
benediction and lots of ice cream.

Susan and I have been meeting with groups of students every Monday
night since we moved to Rexburg in the summer of 1997. Most of the
questions students ask are both insightful and instructive, and we
have learned a great deal about you through the questions you have
asked. Let me share with you just a few of the most commonly asked
questions.

• Elder and Sister Bednar, please tell us how you obtained your
testimonies. What do you do to strengthen your testimonies?

• Elder Bednar, what have you learned working with President Hinckley?

• What advice or counsel do you have for us as future wives and
mothers and husbands and fathers?

• How do you know when you have met the right one?

• What is your favorite scripture?

Today I want to address the one question that is asked most frequently
by the students with whom we meet. In fact, during the entire time we
have been holding family home evenings with students, I cannot
remember a single time when some version of this question was not
asked. Here's the question: "Elder and Sister Bednar, how can I tell
the difference between my emotions telling me what I want to hear and
the Holy Ghost telling me what I need to hear?"

Now, I certainly do not presume to have a complete or perfect answer
to this question. But I would like to discuss with you some of the
things I have learned about receiving, recognizing, and responding to
the influence of the Holy Ghost.

The Doctrine of the Godhead

The beginning of the answer to this important question is found in a
correct understanding of the nature of the Godhead. The first Article
of Faith states: "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in his
Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost." It is important to remember
the simple but profound truth that the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost are three separate and distinct beings. In this dispensation,
the Prophet Joseph Smith came to understand this fundamental and
powerful doctrine in the Sacred Grove in 1820, and he boldly
proclaimed the true nature of God throughout his mortal ministry. As
Joseph taught, "If men do not comprehend the nature of God, they do
not comprehend themselves" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg.
343).

Please turn with me to Section 130 of the Doctrine and Covenants. I
want to draw your attention to verses 21 and 22.

The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son
also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a
personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in
us.

Thus, the three members of the Godhead are separate beings who are
perfectly united in one overarching purpose, which is to bring to pass
the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39). I testify that
God, indeed, is our Eternal Father; we literally are His spirit
children. He and His Beloved Son know, are concerned about, and love
each one of us.

The Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit who bears witness to the
truth. The Holy Ghost also is referred to in the scriptures as the
Comforter (John 14:16-27, Moroni 8:26), a Teacher (John 14:26; D&C
50:14), and a Revelator (2 Nephi 32:5). It is through the Holy Ghost
that the revelations of the Father and the Son are given. The Holy
Ghost is the witness of, the messenger for, and the testifier of the
Father and the Son.

Given these fundamental truths, consider then that prayer is the
process whereby we as sons and daughters communicate with our Heavenly
Father. We are counseled to pray to the Father in the name of the Son
by the power of the Holy Ghost. Revelation is the process whereby our
Heavenly Father communicates with us. Remember, it is through the Holy
Ghost that the revelations of the Father and the Son are conveyed to
men and women here upon the earth.

Revelations or messages from the Eternal Father to his children can
come in many ways, including, for example, visitations, visions, and
dreams. However, it is important to note that in the scriptures the
influence of the Holy Ghost is frequently described as ". . . a still
small voice . . ." (3 Nephi 11:3; 1 Kings 19:12) and a ". . . voice of
perfect mildness . . ." (Helaman 5:30). The influence of the Holy
Ghost is gentle, tender, and delicate.

Please turn with me now to Section 8 of the Doctrine and Covenants.
Section 8 is a revelation given to Oliver Cowdery through the Prophet
Joseph Smith during the work of translating the Book of Mormon. Verses
two and three describe the spiritual gift of revelation and the
process whereby this gift typically occurs.

Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the
Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your
heart. Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation . . . .

These verses teach us that revelation from our Father, in its most
familiar form, comes through the Holy Ghost as thoughts to our minds
and feelings to our hearts. Thus, God communicates with us through our
very thoughts and feelings! It should not be hard to understand why we
are counseled to avoid polluting our minds with pornography, watching
R-rated and inappropriate movies and television programs, and taking
into our bodies harmful and addictive substances such as drugs and
alcohol. These tools of the Adversary can restrict and eventually
destroy our ability to recognize and respond to the promptings of the
Holy Ghost. As President Boyd K. Packer has explained:

These delicate, refined spiritual communications are not seen with our
eyes nor heard with our ears. And even though it is described as a
voice, it is a voice that one feels more than one hears . . . . The
Spirit does not get our attention by shouting or shaking us with a
heavy hand. Rather, it whispers. It caresses so gently that if we are
preoccupied we may not feel it at all. (Boyd K. Packer, "The Candle of
the Lord," in That All May Be Edified, pg. 335-336)

Now I need your help for a brief demonstration. In my hand I am
holding a tuning fork. As many of you know, a tuning fork provides a
constant standard or pitch to which a musical instrument is tuned.
Please be just as quiet as you can and listen for a moment. Just like
the sound produced by this tuning fork, the Holy Ghost is constant,
steady, and sure. The sound is not brash like the crashing of cymbals;
it is not loud like the sound of a trumpet. It is subtle and subdued;
it whispers and beckons in softness. And you and I must tune the
strings of our souls to the standard of the Holy Ghost.

I have wondered if we as members of the Church talk about and
emphasize marvelous, magnificent, and dramatic spiritual
manifestations so often that we perhaps overlook the customary
influence of the Holy Ghost that is quiet, delicate, and subtle.
President Packer also has taught:

I have learned that strong, impressive spiritual experiences do not
come to us very frequently. And when they do, they are generally for
our own edification, instruction, or correction. Unless we are called
by proper authority to do so, they do not position us to counsel or to
correct others.

I have come to believe also that it is not wise to continually talk of
unusual spiritual experiences. They are to be guarded with care and
shared only when the Spirit itself prompts us to use them to the
blessing of others. (Boyd K. Packer, "The Candle of the Lord," in That
All May Be Edified, pg. 337)

Now, brothers and sisters, in my ministry I have talked with many
young people who, because they have not had a personal interview with
the angel Moroni or some other miraculous manifestation, question the
strength of their own testimony and spiritual capacity. If you have
had similar thoughts or doubts, please know that you are normal and
everything is "ok." Such concerns are usually made worse by friends or
associates or classmates who do not know about or do not follow
President Packer's advice and talk unwisely about purported spiritual
experiences. Please remember this important principle: People who have
profound spiritual experiences do not talk about them, except in the
rarest of circumstances. It would be a good thing for you to consider
the implications of that principle.

Consider this counsel from President Joseph F. Smith:

Show me Latter-day Saints who have to feed upon miracles, signs, and
visions in order to keep them steadfast in the Church, and I will show
you members of the Church who are not in good standing before God, and
who are walking in slippery paths. It is not by marvelous
manifestations unto us that we shall be established in the truth, but
it is by humility, and faithful obedience to the commandments and laws
of God. (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, pg. 7)

Your simple, faithful obedience and dedication are the surest
indicators of your spiritual capacity. Just keep moving forward with
faith in the Savior, and you will be fine.

Now, brothers and sisters, in the world today there are many deceptive
and counterfeit tones that imitate the true sound and standard of this
tuning fork. For example, I wonder if we sometimes too easily mistake
personal sentiment and spiritual sensationalism for the promptings of
the Holy Ghost. If we are not careful and discerning, we may
mistakenly follow a false sound that will lead us astray. As the
Prophet Joseph Smith taught, ". . . For nothing is a greater injury to
the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit
when they think they have the Spirit of God" (Teachings of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, pg. 205).

Because the Holy Ghost typically uses our minds and our hearts to
convey spiritual messages, it can sometimes be difficult to discern
the difference between our own thoughts and feelings and those
communicated from our Heavenly Father. May I now suggest four
principles that can help us to receive, recognize, and respond to the
Holy Ghost in our daily lives.

Principle #1 — We must desire the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

Simply stated, we must desire, yearn for, and seek the companionship
of the Holy Ghost. Please turn with me to 3 Nephi 19:6-9:

And the twelve did teach the multitude; and behold, they did cause
that the multitude should kneel down upon the face of the earth, and
should pray unto the Father in the name of Jesus.

And the disciples did pray unto the Father also in the name of Jesus.
And it came to pass that they arose and ministered unto the people.

And when they had ministered those same words which Jesus had
spoken—nothing varying from the words which Jesus had spoken—behold,
they knelt again and prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus.

And they did pray for that which they most desired; and they desired
that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them.

Do you and I likewise remember to pray, both morning and night, for
that which we should most desire, even the Holy Ghost? Or do we get
caught up in the routine of daily living and the cares of the world
and neglect this most valuable of all gifts. Receiving, recognizing,
and responding to the Holy Ghost starts with our sincere and constant
desire for His companionship and influence in our lives.

Principle #2 — We must invite the companionship of the Holy Ghost

We receive more readily and recognize more clearly the influence of
the Holy Ghost as we specifically invite Him into our lives. Please
turn with me to Section 42 of the Doctrine and Covenants and note
verse 14: "And the spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of
faith . . . ."

In Section 63 verse 64 we are instructed: "Remember that that which
cometh from above is sacred, and must be spoken with care, and by
constraint of the Spirit; and in this there is no condemnation, and ye
receive the Spirit through prayer . . . ."

We cannot compel or coerce or command the Holy Ghost. We must invite
Him into our lives with the same gentleness and tenderness by which He
influences us. Frankly, I am bothered by frequently repeated language
that suggests we can "call down the powers of heaven." Certainly we
can invite such power, but I would never suggest we can "call it down"
according to our will and timing.

Our invitations for the companionship of the Holy Ghost can occur in
many ways. We invite the Holy Ghost into our lives through the making
and keeping of sacred covenants. Meaningful personal prayer every
morning and every night invites the Holy Ghost into our lives.
Searching the scriptures daily and diligently invites the Holy Ghost
into our lives. Sincere worship in our homes and at Church invites the
Holy Ghost into our lives. Appropriateness in our relationships with
family members and friends invites the Holy Ghost into our lives.
Virtuous thoughts and actions and language and dress invite the Holy
Ghost into our lives. Conversely, casualness about or the breaking of
covenants and commitments, failing to pray and study the scriptures,
and inappropriate thoughts and actions and language and dress cause
the Holy Ghost to withdraw or to avoid us altogether. Can you begin to
understand why abiding by the Honor and Dress Codes is so important to
your success at Ricks College? These Codes are not about curfew and
clothing; rather, they are about commitments and obedience. Most
importantly, the Honor and Dress Codes are about inviting the presence
of the Holy Ghost into our lives, into our classrooms, and to this
special campus.

Please do not believe the falsehood that somehow you and I can " . . .
live the spirit of the law even if we are in violation of its letter"
(Elder M. Russell Ballard, BYU Speeches, March 12, 1996, pg. 189). The
small things really do matter when it comes to personal worthiness and
inviting the Holy Ghost into our lives. Elder Richard G. Scott has
taught: "Even matters that are considered relatively small deviations
will seriously affect [your] capacity to be led by the Spirit"
(Helping Others to Be Spiritually Led, an address delivered at a
symposium on August 11, 1998, at Brigham Young University, pg. 12).
Thus, because small things do matter, you and I should strive to
become like the stripling warriors described in the Book of Mormon
who:

. . . did obey and observe to perform every word of command with
exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto
them . . . . (Alma 57:21)

. . . and they are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to
day; yea, they do observe to keep his statutes, and his judgments, and
his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the
prophecies concerning that which is to come . . . . (Alma 58:40)

Now before I discuss the next principle, I must raise a voice of
warning as both a Seventy and as the president of Ricks College. The
opposite of inviting the Spirit is offending or repulsing the Spirit.
In our modern world, the very technologies that bless our lives and
enable us to instantly view and access news and information from
around the world also have the potential to drive the Spirit away from
us and even destroy us. Vile and filthy pornographic material can be
accessed in the privacy of our homes, our offices, and our work areas
with the simple click of a computer mouse or a TV remote control.
Perhaps the most sinister aspect of such sin is the fact that it
seemingly occurs in private. And if we come to believe that sinning
"in secret" somehow is less serious because it does not hurt anyone
else, then we may be less willing or even unable to stop. Remember,
Satan and Cain devised their evil plan "in secret" (Moses 5:30). But
we can keep no secrets from our Heavenly Father. The Holy Ghost knows
about, is offended by, and flees from those who view pornographic
material, whether in public or in private.

It just may be the case that an idle moment of casual curiosity while
surfing through TV channels or on the Internet ensnares us in a trap
of evil from which we might never escape. To all students and
employees at Ricks College, please avoid pornographic materials of any
kind. Pornography is an insidious poison. Viewing pornography is
addictive and will destroy you spiritually. It can also cause you to
lose the privilege of studying at or continuing as an employee of this
great institution. Such salacious materials have the potential to
destroy individuals and thereby to weaken the entire campus community.
All of us who are blessed to study and work at Ricks College have a
sacred responsibility to live in such a way that the Holy Ghost can
reside with us and on this campus.

Principle #3 — We must heed simple promptings.

We are prompted by the Holy Ghost every day to do ordinary and simple
things. For example, we are prompted to say our personal prayers every
morning and every night. We are prompted to study the scriptures. We
are prompted to keep the commitments we made in connection with the
Honor and Dress Codes. To the degree that we heed these simple
promptings, then our capacity to recognize and respond to the Holy
Ghost is increased. To the degree that we do not heed these simple
promptings, then our capacity to recognize and respond to the Holy
Ghost is decreased. We are either progressing or regressing in our
ability to recognize and respond to the Holy Ghost. There is no
neutral ground; there is no standing still.

The law of the harvest is real; we cannot gather crops in the fall
which we did not properly plant and cultivate during the spring and
summer. And we cannot realistically expect to recognize "big"
promptings if we consistently fail to heed the "small" ones. The
Lord's pattern is to teach us ". . . line upon line, precept upon
precept, here a little and there a little . . ." (2 Nephi 28:30).
Thus, revelation from our Heavenly Father comes most frequently in
small increments and, like all knowledge, is granted according to our
preparation. Misguided attempts to get spiritually supercharged
through unusually long prayers, lengthy and unwise fasting, and
intensive, short-term temple attendance certainly are no substitute
for gradual, consistent, and conscientious attention to the promptings
of the Holy Ghost.

Principle #4 — We must heed promptings quickly.

Have you ever received and recognized a prompting from the Holy Ghost,
and then decided to respond to it "later"? And then when later
arrived, you found that you could not remember the prompting. I have
learned that acting upon promptings quickly greatly increases our
capacity to receive and recognize the influence of the Holy Ghost. I
have also learned that properly recording spiritual impressions
demonstrates to the Savior how much I treasure His direction. The
simple practice of writing down spiritual thoughts and feelings
greatly enhances the likelihood of receiving and recognizing
additional promptings from the Holy Ghost.

Brothers and sisters, those are the four basic principles I have
learned about receiving, recognizing, and responding to the promptings
of the Holy Ghost: (1) desire, (2) invite, (3) heed simple promptings,
and (4) heed promptings quickly. If you and I have a sincere desire
for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, invite His influence
into our lives through our obedience and actions, and learn to heed
simple promptings and to do so quickly, then I testify and promise
that we will be able to tell the difference between our own emotions
telling us what we want to hear and the Holy Ghost telling us what we
need to hear.

I once was traveling to a stake conference assignment on a small and
noisy commuter airplane. Seated in the row just in front of me on the
plane was a woman with three young children ranging in age from an
infant to a four-year-old. Because the plane had only two seats on
each side of the center aisle, the mother was situated quite some
distance from her oldest child, a cute little boy who obviously was
flying on an airplane for the very first time. His nose was pressed
firmly against the window so he would have a good view of everything
that was taking place, and he delighted in describing what he was
seeing to his mother as the engines started and as we taxied down the
runway for takeoff. The little boy's eyes were wide and his voice was
full of excitement as the plane climbed into the sky.

During all of this time, however, the mother was busy with the two
youngest children, getting them buckled into their seats, finding
toys, and responding to their needs and requests. The mother
consistently had been responding to the little boy's enthusiastic
exclamations in a calm, soothing voice. But because of the noise of
the engines and the clatter of the small airplane, the little boy
could not hear his mother's responses. After we had been in the air
for about five minutes, and thinking that his mother was not paying
adequate attention to him, the little boy blurted out, "Mom, you're
not listening to me!"

I then observed a very interesting thing. The wise mother continued to
respond and talk to her son in the same calm tones, never raising her
voice. Eventually the little boy was able to hear his mom's voice in
spite of the engine and other noises on the plane. The mother's voice
did not change; rather, the little boy's ability to hear her voice in
the midst of the noise increased. It took some time, but the little
boy learned how to block out the distracting noises around him and
focus upon the familiar voice of his mother.

Brothers and sisters, as we desire and invite the Holy Ghost into our
lives and learn to heed simple promptings quickly, we too can block
out the distracting noises of the world and clearly focus upon the
promptings of the Holy Ghost. In the first section of the Doctrine and
Covenants the Savior describes The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints as ". . . the only true and living Church upon the
face of the whole earth . . ." (D&C 1:30). It is the Holy Ghost and
its attendant spiritual gifts that make this Church living. And may
each of us become a living member of this living Church by living in
such a way that the Holy Ghost can be our constant companion.

Brothers and sisters, the doctrines and principles I have discussed
today are true. I testify and witness that God the Eternal Father and
His Beloved Son live. I know the Holy Ghost is real and will be our
constant companion if we allow Him to be. I know the fullness of the
gospel was restored to the earth in these latter days through the
Prophet Joseph Smith. And I know that President Gordon B. Hinckley is
the Lord's prophet on the earth today. Of which I testify and declare
my witness in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

© 1999 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.