A few years back I wrote my brother a letter on getting Devine inspiration. He was going to the Lord asking about the most important question in his life: If he should ask his girlfriend to marry him or not. I knew he probably knew all this stuff anyways but I thought it might help him to review it anyways before the trial of his faith. I hope this can help you, my readers in some way.
Brother,
I know right now you are seeking guidance for the Lord on
your relationship and I know that this is really between you, your girlfriend,
and the Lord; but I felt like it might be a good reminder of how inspiration
comes. Again I know you know this but
some times it is a good thing to review what you already know. Please open up your scriptures and read these
verses for yourself:
“There is no reason in the world why any soul should not know where to find the truth. If he will only humble himself and seek in the spirit of humility and faith, going to the Lord just as the Prophet Joseph Smith went to the Lord to find the truth, he will find it. There’s no doubt about it. There is no reason in the world, if men would only hearken to the whisperings of the Spirit of the Lord and seek as he would have them seek for the knowledge and understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for them not to find it—no reason, except the hardness of their hearts and their love of the world. ‘Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’ This is my testimony, I know it is true.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, in Conference Report, Apr. 1951, p. 59.)
First, remember that revelation comes only by the Holy
Ghost: D&C 8:2-3:
2 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.
3 Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.
Second, remember that you have to really, really ask: James1: 5-8:
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
I added the last couple of verses because just like it says
you really, really must want to know. I
remember once on my mission that I had a dream that our Grandpa had died, and
I was not sure if this was vision or just a dream but I decided I would ask
Heavenly Father if Grandpa was still alive. It was important to me enough that
I had decided that I was not going to stop praying until I had an answer and
sure enough after a while I knew that Grandpa was still alive and that I just
had a random dream. Enos had a similar
situation where he spent an entire day and night praying until he had received
an answer (Enos 1:2-4). I am sure that
Enos would have spent several days there asking until he received an answer.
So now that we discussed how to ask, how does the Lord
answer prayers? D&C 6: 14-16 & 22-24:
14 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time.
15 Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten thy mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth;
16 Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart.
22 Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things.
23 Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?
24 And now, behold, you have received a witness; for if I have told you things which no man knoweth have you not received a witness?
And D&C 9:7-9:
7 Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.
8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must cask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.
9 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me.
Finally in D&C 11: 13-14 it says:
13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;
14 And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive.
After you have received an answer it is then your
responsibility to act on that answer without looking back. It is my belief that all commands of God are
of great importance and as such have just as much urgency and the direction to
Lot to take his family and leave Sodom and Gomorrah and flee.
17 …..Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
26 ¶But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
I know we probably will not be turned into a pillar of salt
for looking back for most guidance that the Lord gives but He is our Master and
we know that he only wants what is best for us.
Also He knows the end from the beginning and we will never falter or
fail by strictly following His commands and guidance.
I know you have a big decision to make and I hope that this
long email will help you somehow in making the right decision. My prayers are with you and I do not intend
on this letter to mean that I am looking down on you or that you don’t already
know all of these things. I just hope
that this might help you remember how the Lord works and also remember that it
does no good to try and bargain with the Lord.
He knows what is best and it is always best to follow Him.
I love you and know you will make the right
decision….whatever it may be.
Your brother
Joe
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