Today I’m going to continue re-sharing the short video series the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been publishing. Today M. Russell Ballard shares how he hears the voice of the Savior. It seems like we don’t give ourselves enough quiet to hear the influence of the Spirit. I recognize that I don’t give the Lord enough time as I’m often on my digital device not allowing the Lord to speak through the quiet promptings.
Image Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Some of the greatest times in which I’m feeling the love of the Lord are in those times when I’m serving others. To reach our as the Savior reaches out to each one of us individually.
I know that I’ve reposted several of these videos, but they’re great. Check out hearhim.org for some more ideas on how to hear the Spirit in your own life.
This video reminds me of the times in my life when I have felt the need to change my course of travel or to make a different choice and have later benefitted from that prompting that was given by the Spirit.
When We Follow the Spirit
One such experience that comes to mind was on a walk with my girlfriend now wife. We were walking around my neighborhood and we were going to walk through a park. I had the prompting that we shouldn’t walk through the park, so we passed the park on the sidewalk by the street. We continued with no thought to any dangers we might have faced in the park. On our way back to my house we passed by the park again and police officers were dealing with something that had happened in the park. I firmly believe this was a warning from the Spirit to keep us safe from any dangers.
When We Don’t Follow the Spirit
Conversely, I received a prompting one day that I ignored and had to pay a heavy price as a result.
A couple of years ago we were visiting my wife’s sister. After our visit, my brother-in-law called and said that I should take a look at our van because it had left a large oil spot in his driveway. It was Sunday, so I was going to put off checking the van until after work on Monday. The business of life took over and Monday afternoon came and I forgot about the van.
The following Saturday morning we were on our way for another activity with my wife’s family up at a lake. As we passed a grocery store I had the impression that I should stop and check the oil then I could buy some in the store if I needed to top off the oil. I didn’t want to delay our trip by stopping and I thought to myself, “I can check it tonight when I get home.”
You know the rest of the story, but I’ll still tell it.
We were up in the mountains when the car began to act weird then it began to overheat. We stopped and I checked the oil… There wasn’t a drop left. I had allowed my oil to run dry… I feel like there is something in the scriptures about that…
We had to get my wife’s brother to backtrack to come and pick up my wife and kids. They went to enjoy a day at the lake while I had to wait for a tow truck to come pick me up. Since we were so far from home the tow truck was going to cost a fortune. To save some money I had the tow truck driver take me back to his city and drop me off at the train station and he took the car back to his shop.
The end of the story? The van’s engine had seized up and it would have cost more than what the vehicle was worth to replace the engine. We had to sell the van for parts. If only I had listened to the prompting of the Spirit instead of telling myself that I would check the engine when we got home…
Does God allow you to blow up your car so you have a story to tell about not following the Spirit? This is one expensive post.
I am like anyone else and have experienced periods of my life when I’ve experienced a faith crisis when I’ve felt the absence of the Spirit’s guidance and wondered if my prayers were going unheard. In those seasons, I have questioned myself and God. They have been some of the darkest times of my life, and I have really struggled to hold onto hope.
Even now, I continue to pray for something that has been on my heart for over 17 years. At times, the weight of waiting becomes overwhelming, and my prayers turn from simple requests to pleading with the Lord to answer my prayers.
During my faith crisis my confidence in myself takes a major hit and I find myself thinking, Surely my Heavenly Father could grant this righteous desire? I strive to live the commandments, I have felt the Spirit guide me in aspect of my life, and I have seen others inspired to reach out and bless me. And yet, despite all of this, the one answer I have sought for so long has not come.
This video about musician Michael McLean’s personal experience with the Spirit hit close to home. His story helped me see my own struggles differently and reminded me that the Lord’s hand is sometimes present in way I don’t immediately recognize.
I was also touched by an S. Michael Wilcox talk. Perhaps at times it isn’t that God is unwilling to answer, but rather that there isn’t a place in my heart to receive an answer.
In the end, all we can do is press forward in faith, believing that the Lord is fully aware of us and will bless us according to His wisdom, plan, and timing. This knowledge doesn’t erase the frustration I sometimes feel, but it helps me endure with greater hope.
Because of this, I have begun acting in faith (and some continued frustration) toward becoming the kind of person I believe I need to be to receive that much-desired blessings and I have faith that I will receive the answer when I’m finally ready and have a place in my heart.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a short video yesterday featuring Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Elder Bednar shares how he is able to hear the voice of the Lord in his own life. I feel it is universal to all who are trying to learn how to feel the Spirit in their life. We could all use a spiritual boost from the Spirit every day.
I like how he says that “the scriptures are the prerecorded voice of the Lord” and then describes the spirit as a non audible voice and a feeling in the mind and heart. I can attest to that as I’ve felt that feeling in my mind and in my heart at times when I have felt the Holy Ghost giving me guidance in my life.
For two days this weekend, Salt Lake City, Utah becomes the focal point of the world.
Why you may ask? What could be so important that the entire world is focusing on Salt Lake of all places?
Prophets, apostles, and other church leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints speak from the Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake, sharing messages of hope and faith across continents. It’s the biannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a time when living prophets and apostles address millions, including those like me, who yearn to draw closer to the Savior Jesus Christ.
The conference takes place in Salt Lake City, Utah at the Conference Center adjacent to the Salt Lake Temple. Although rooted in one location, it’s broadcast worldwide and translated into more than 80 languages– even Yapese, in case you’ve hear of it or happen to know it.
What to Expect from General Conference
The conference consists of five two-hour sessions of the conference. Three sessions are held on Saturday at 10:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 6:00 pm Mountain Time. The remaining two sessions are held on Sunday at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm Mountain Time, replacing regular worship services.
This conference is an important spiritual event, as it provides guidance and inspiration from men and women of God on how we can draw closer to Him. The messages are uplifting and deeply spiritual, leaving us determined to improve ourselves, become better individuals, and incorporate Christ more fully into our daily lives.
If you’re looking for an uplifting experience, you can watch all past and current General Conferences sessions online. To make it a regular habit, mark your calendar for the first Saturday and Sunday of April and October at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm Mountain Time.
Image Credit: From inside the Conference Center – screenshot from the October 2018 broadcast
Exterior Dallas Golden
