To Acquire Spiritual Knowledge

I was really strengthened by Elder Richard G. Scott's talk from Octobers general conference titled "To Acquire Spiritual Guidance." Lately I have been seeking the guidance of the Holy Ghost in my life. I felt that I have been out of touch with the spirit. Not really because I have done anything terribly wrong, but because I have not made the effort to listen. I decided I needed to do better and have sought out how I can gain the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost in my life again. As I have, I have prayer fervently for help and have come across many talks and quotes that have inpsired me and encouraged me to do better. This particular talk being one of them.

Elder Scott says, "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." But we are not left alone when faced with these difficult decisions. We have the assistance of the Holy Ghost. "It is a power, beyond your own capability, that a loving Heavenly Father wants you to use consistenly for your peace and happiness."
He then makes it a point to say that learning to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost and receiving these promptings is not easy. He says, "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 fath in Him and His Holy Son, Jesus Christ."
I love that he says this. In todays world we are so used to having everything at our fingertips. We literally have access to the internet from a tiny device that we can keep in our pocket. We can access music, email, movies, etc. We live at a time where we are constantly asking ourselves, how can we make this work faster so that we can make our lives easier. But mastering the ability to be guided by the voice of the Spirit will not come this way.
He says that if it did come this easy, we would become weak and ever more dependant on Them. But that isn't how this life works. We must struggle to learn how to be led by the Spirit for that essential personal growth.
This sounds difficult. In fact, as I have strived this past week and a half to have the Holy Ghost as my constant companion, I have felt that I have failed. It is difficult to always have your mind thinking of the Holy Ghost and the whisperings that may come. It is easy to get caught up in the day and to get caught up in what I see and hear at the moment. But Elder Scott promises that as we gain experience and success in being guided by the Spirit, our confidence in the impressions we feel can become more certain than our dependence on what we see and hear. What an amazing promise.

How do we gain experience with and have success in being guided by the Spirit? We must respond to, record and apply the first promptings that come to us. The Lord will not force us to learn. We must exercise our agency to authorize the Spirit to teach us. As we make this a practice in our lives, we will be more perceptive to the feelings that come with spiritual guidance. Then we will recognize it more easily.

It really does sound like having the Spirit as our guide and listening to the those promptings takes much effort and hard work. We must live a life that is founded on the teachings of our Savior Jesus Christ. We must avoid sin and keep ourselves clean and free from the carnal security that satan can so easily ensnair us in. We must have patience and practice and apply the correct principals that Elder Scott has talked of. Although I do not feel as though I have a personal understanding of the true extent that we can aquire spiritual knowledge, I can say that I have felt the spirit while reading the talk and can echo the same thoughts and feelings the Elder Scott shares in his testimony. We can learn to be constantly guided by the Holy Spirit in ALL aspects of our lives as we pray with all the fervor of our souls with humility and gratitude. That way we can be guided by the Savior and enjoy great peace and happiness. Isn't that what we want in this life? To find the true source of peace and happiness?


1. What can you do to enhance your capacity to be led to correct decisions in your life?
Repentance.

2. What are the principles upon which spiritual communication depends?


3. What are the potential barriers to such communication that you need to avoid?
anger, hate, passion, fear and pride. Sin.