I spent a semester in Mexico during my senior year of high school. Weekdays found me studying hard at a university in Guadalajara. Weekends found me touring the Yucatán, San Miguel de Allende, Puerto Vallarta, and Mazatlán. One day I was on my own exploring a huge park in Mexico City. I was thoroughly enjoying the sights and sounds--and the feeling of maturity at being alone in a foreign country. With my rudimentary Spanish skills, I stopped at a cart where a man was selling soft drinks and bought an icy-cold glass bottle of Fanta Orange. I thanked the man, turned, and strolled off.
After about 30 seconds, I became aware that someone was making a hissing noise at me. Hiss. Teasing American tourists is a common game, so I ignored the pest. I kept my eyes straight ahead and pretended that I hadn't heard. The hiss got louder, so I knew the person was following me. I walked a little faster. So did the hiss. In fact, I quickly realized that, if I didn't break into a run, the hiss would soon be upon me. Finally, summoning my courage, I took a deep breath and turned to confront my pursuer. It was the Fanta man; he wanted his bottle back. I was supposed to have drunk the Fanta at his cart--and he had been chasing me for several blocks. You see, the hiss is a way of calling attention in Mexico, much like the whistle is in the United States. But I hadn't known that, so I didn't respond the way I should have done.
That experience reminds me of a story in the Old Testament. As you will recall, Hannah had been barren for many years. One day, while worshipping at the temple in Jerusalem, Hannah covenanted with the Lord that, if he would grant her a son, she would consecrate the child to the Lord. Well, Hannah was blessed with a son, Samuel. And, when he was weaned (at perhaps three years of age), she took him to Jerusalem, and left him with the High Priest at the temple. There Samuel spent the rest of his childhood.
One night, just after he went to bed, Samuel heard a voice calling him. Thinking it was Eli, the High Priest, he jumped up and ran to the man's bedroom. Eli told him he hadn't called Samuel and sent the young boy back to bed. The same thing happened a second time. Samuel heard a voice, ran to Eli, and was sent back to bed. In 1 Samuel 3:7 we can pick up the story:
"Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him."
"And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child."
"Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place."
"And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth."
When I was walking through that lovely park in Mexico City, I heard a call, but I didn't recognize the significance of it--and I didn't respond the way the Fanta salesman had hoped I would. I just kept right on walking down the street. In a similar fashion, when Samuel was trying to fall asleep that night at the temple, he heard a call, but he didn't recognize the significance of it--nor did he respond the way the Lord had hoped he would. He just kept walking into Eli's room. Sometimes we have to be taught to recognize a call, and we have to be taught how to respond. This especially pertains to things of the Spirit.
Now, it is perfectly true that sometimes there are visits from heavenly beings who introduce themselves, announce their missions, and deliver their messages. But usually the Lord doesn't provide us with such dramatic evidences of His will. Typically, He speaks to us through the Spirit. And hearing the voice of the Spirit isn't quite like hearing a voice with your ears. You may remember the passage in 1 Kings 19:11-12, where Elijah learns that the voice of the Lord isn't like a wind or an earthquake or a fire. The voice of the Lord is "a still, small voice."
And sometimes it isn't a "voice" at all! Often it seems more like a feeling or an impression. You may remember the passage in Doctrine and Covenants 9:8-9, where Oliver Cowdery was told that the Spirit would cause his bosom to "burn within."
I was asked to speak at today's Devotional just before Thanksgiving. Immediately, the topic of "Recognizing the Spirit" came into my mind. With so much lead time, I decided to review the many different ways I have "heard" the Spirit. Every day during January, I took out a notebook and wrote down one incident. If we had several hours, I could tell you about all 31 experiences--a veritable Baskin Robbins of 31 flavors. But we don't. So today I will present a dozen ways, in no particular order, that I have heard the Spirit speak. Some of them may seem familiar; you may have heard the Spirit that way, too. Others may be new--or maybe you just haven't recognized the Spirit when it has spoken to you that way.
Ants Crawling Up Your Back
During my mission, I was often blessed with the opportunity of teaching the gospel to children. Ramón, a dark-haired, bright-eyed beauty, was one of my many favorites. He and his mother, Elvira, along with his Aunt Aurora, heard the discussions, read the Book of Mormon, and accepted the baptismal challenge. The date was set for the last Friday in February. With great excitement, we called the Mission Home and asked to have the portable pila (or font) sent from Madrid to La Coruña.
On the Sunday just before the baptism, all of the Saints in Galicia traveled to Santiago de Compostela for a Regional Conference. While the meetings were warm spiritually, the train to and from Santiago was not. And Elvira caught a cold. She became absolutely terrified at the thought of climbing into a rubber tub of frigid water. She decided to wait. Ramón and Aurora, however, wanted to be baptized on Friday. And they were!
The Sunday following the baptism was a Fast Sunday. Because his mother was hesitating on getting baptized, eight-year-old Ramón rose to bear a sweet testimony of how he had come to know the Church was true. He told how "las Hermanas" (the Sisters) had taught him about the Book of Mormon and had read him Moroni 10:4-5, often called "Moroni's Promise:"
"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost."
"And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."
My companion stressed the importance and the power of prayer. One night shortly thereafter, Ramón had a high fever. Trusting in what he'd been taught, Ramón knelt and prayed that his illness might be taken away--and it was! The next morning, Moncho was surprised to find himself completely healthy. He decided to pray again, this time to see if the Book of Mormon was true. Now, remember, Ramón was eight. With childlike faith, that beautiful boy knelt by his bed and offered a simple prayer. As Ramón described it during the testimony meeting, after his prayer, he felt "ants crawling up the back." Ramón recognized that tingling feeling as a manifestation of the Spirit and thus gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon--and of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Now, in English, we probably wouldn't describe that tingling sensation as "ants crawling up our backs." We might talk about something "sending shivers down our spine," "causing us goose bumps," or even "giving us the chills." But, whatever we call it, one way I have come to recognize the Spirit is when I get goose bumps. Or, as Ramón put it, when I feel "ants crawling up my back!"
Assurance of the Heart
My parents adopted three children--not all at once, mind you; over a period of four or five years. Thus, I have precious memories of my first three temple trips; I was 4 when Shanna was sealed to our family, 6 when Lisa was sealed, and 10 when Darren was sealed. In fact, to attend Darren's sealing, since I was over age 8, I actually had to obtain a temple recommend I remember being interviewed by the Bishop the week before we went. I can also remember many little details about the temple: the games in the children's waiting area, the beautiful white clothing we put on, the labyrinth of halls, and, of course, the sealing room. Like all sealing rooms, it was lovely--with a stone altar, velvet cushions, a breathtaking chandelier, and those incredible eternity mirrors. The room was filled with people dressed in white: relatives, friends, the sealer, and, of course, our parents. After some brief instructions, the entire family knelt around the altar and joined hands. I remember the feelings I had as my parents and the six children encircled that altar. I felt safe. Whole. Complete. Encircled by the arms of love.
The chapter synopsis for 2 Corinthians, Chapter 1, mentions that the "Saints are sealed and given assurance by the Spirit in their hearts." In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul talks about the specific feelings the Holy Ghost puts in our hearts, naming love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.
When our family was sealed, I felt an assurance in my heart. Perhaps you have felt that same assurance when your family has knelt in a circle--if not around an altar to be sealed, at least in prayer. I know I do Especially if my mother is offering the prayer; her words truly seem to reach unto heaven. At such times, the Spirit gives an assurance to my heart. And that's a second way I've come to recognize the Spirit.
Belly of the Whale
One of my favorite Primary songs is "Follow the Prophet " Whenever I hear it, I have the urge to grab a tambourine and dance the Hora. Because I have an odd sense of humor, I especially like the verse about Jonah, which says:
"Jonah was a prophet, tried to run away,But he later learned to listen and obey.When we really try, the Lord won't let us fail;That's what Jonah learned deep down inside the whale.Follow the prophet!"
Whenever I sing that verse, I get giggling about the juxtaposition of the lines; after we're told that Jonah went "down deep inside the whale," we are told to follow him! And, yet, I suppose that most of us do, at some point or another, follow Jonah into one of those "belly of the whale" experiences where we refuse to hearken to the Lord until He compels us to be humble.
I was the "Fourth Period Seminary Class President" one year, which more or less meant that I coordinated the opening exercises each day, asking students to play the piano, lead the singing, offer the prayer, and read a scripture. As it happened, there were two girls in the class who talked loudly throughout the entire period, and they especially liked to mock students who were participating in the devotional. One day, in front of the entire class, I rudely asked the teacher to make them be quiet. Immediately, I knew that what I had done was mean and that I ought to apologize. But I felt they deserved it, so I refused to listen to my conscience.
Days went by, then weeks, and I was constantly troubled by the vague sense that something was wrong. I felt sick. My stomach hurt. I was miserable. I'm not just talking about not feeling the Spirit--like when the Spirit is absent. Jonah's description of the belly of the whale--which he also called the belly of hell--isn't just about being alone. Jonah talks about the water encompassing his soul and the weeds wrapped around his head. He felt awful.
It took Jonah three days and three nights before he was humbled sufficiently to utter the words recorded in Jonah 2:9, "I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving." Then, in verse 10, the whale "vomited out Jonah upon the dry land." I was a bit more stubborn. I'm sure that a month or more passed before I finally relented and called the girls to apologize. And, after being "vomited" on the beach by that whale, I immediately felt better. A weight was lifted.
Now, I don't really like it when the Spirit pricks my conscience, but I do seem to bring it about. Fortunately, when I finally recognize that my miserable condition is the Spirit working on me, I usually do repent. And I always feel better afterwards. In fact, every time I have spent a few hours--or days, or weeks--in the belly of the whale being worked over by the Spirit, I later wonder why I wouldn't repent sooner! And that's a third way I've come to recognize the Spirit.
Watering Eyes
I love the Book of Mormon stories about Ammon and his missionary work among the Lamanites. You probably remember how Ammon cut off the arms of the thugs who were trying to steal King Lamoni's sheep. He later taught the gospel to the King, who was so overcome that he fell to the earth as if dead. In Alma 19:13-14, King Lamoni arose and told his wife that he had seen Jesus Christ, who would "redeem all mankind who believe on his name." At that point, "the queen also sunk down, being overpowered by the Spirit." This caused Ammon to fall upon his knees and to pour out his soul in prayer and thanksgiving to God, "and he was also overpowered with joy; and thus they all three had sunk to the earth." I, too, have felt the spirit as an overpowering of joy. However, in my experiences, this has not resulted in a state of unconsciousness. For me, it has usually resulted in watering eyes.
Since 1999, I have been privileged to participate in 4 Hosanna Shouts through broadcasts. Three were for temples: Winter Quarters, Palmyra, and Nauvoo. Those were special occasions which I shall not soon forget. The Spirit was strong--and unique--at each dedicatory service. And to stand in chapels with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of Saints to give the Shout was, wow, tremendous.
But I would like to bring to remembrance the fourth time: the day the Hosanna Shout was given for the new Conference Center. Some of you may have been at the Conference Center that day. I was not. I was watching that session of General Conference at the home of a friend. It surprised us that a Hosanna Shout would be done on network television, and you may recall how the Prophet asked the media to treat the event with dignity and respect.
Lidia and I stood in her living room and participated in that joyous event. I remember that the camera panned out across the 20,000 Saints gathered in the Conference Center, and that was certainly impressive. But my thoughts were turned to the many thousands of homes around the country--around the world--where one or two, or even a half-dozen, faithful Saints were standing in front of their television sets to given the Hosanna Shout. They, too, were a part of the congregation of Israel. About then the tears started flowing. I was wanting to shout with my whole soul, and there I was--overcome by the Spirit, eyes watering and voice croaking.
I should hasten to point out that a great many of you feel the Spirit this fourth way, too. I have a campus Church assignment, and I have visited many of your wards. I have watched you speak and bear testimonies. I've seen you crying and sniffling into the microphone--so don't bother denying it. I hope you recognize the Spirit's role in those watering eyes. And just be glad that you haven't been so overpowered with joy that you were rendered unconscious at the pulpit!
Loose Tongue
It's interesting that the Spirit can leave a person unable to speak, for the Holy Ghost can also put words into a person's mouth. In Doctrine and Covenants 11:21, we read, "Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men."
In one of my college wards, I was the Gospel Doctrine teacher. As part of a lesson on trials and tribulation, I planned an activitiy where the class members anonymously wrote their "greatest trial" on pieces of paper and placed them in a basket. I read the slips aloud and wrote their responses on the board, grouping them by category. As I did so, I discovered that stories kept popping into my head--examples to illustrate the trials listed by the class members. It was like little sparks were igniting in my brain in random order, illuminating and connecting my experiences and theirs.
After the lesson, I was surprised to discover that I had no clear recollection of what I had said. When people stopped me to comment on particular stories that had been meaningful for them, I could only smile vaguely; I didn't even remember telling the stories! Others mentioned the warm glow they'd felt--that whole burning bosom thing. Yet I had felt nothing!
I am told that when some people teach by the Spirit, their hearts race. Others feel butterflies in their stomachs. Not me. I just experience rapid, seemingly random, associations, and my tongue is turned loose. I've come to recognize the Spirit in that, the fifth, way.
A Whack on the Side of the Head
In the first city where I served during my mission, I had a native companion. Because she was helping the Church to grow in her homeland, Hermana Arriaga radiated a special intensity for the work. Together we had great success; we taught several people who were baptized and had many investigators. One night the President called--rather late--and instructed us to be on the first train to Salamanca the next morning. He was sending us to open a new city for work by sister missionaries. While that may sound quite thrilling, my companion and I were actually quite bothered by the mid-month transfer. Since we were both leaving, neither of us would be around to follow up with our investigators. Therefore, we had to leave copious notes explaining about the progress of each and every one. We also had to pack, which took hours. Then we had to decide what to do with the groceries we had just bought to see us through the month. We opted to take them with us, so we loaded everything into plastic bags.
After a couple of hours of sleep, we went to the train station, climbed aboard, had the other passengers help us find room for our suitcases and 10 (yes, ten) bags of groceries, and then collapsed in our seats. As we pulled out of the station, we noticed the train schedule on the wall and saw that a train left each hour--on the hour--for Salamanca. What was the big deal about being on the first one??? We hadn't even had time to tell any of the members or our investigators that we were leaving. We were frustrated, tired, and in a grumbling mood.
After a few minutes of complaining, my companion suggested that we hold our companionship study session. We had packed our scriptures near the surface, so we grabbed them. We then realized that our study guide and reference books were in cases under other people's seats, and we weren't about to inconvenience all of the other passengers (again) to dig them out. Hermana Arriaga suggested that we just read aloud. So, we flipped open our scriptures at random--no, they fell open--and we began to read--I'm not kidding--Section 111 of the Doctrine and Covenants, which says:
"I, the Lord your God, am not displeased with your coming this journey, notwithstanding your follies."
"I have much treasure in this city for you, for the benefit of Zion, and many people in this city whom I will gather out in due time for the benefit of Zion, through your instrumentality. . . ."
It goes on and on, but we'll skip to verse 10:
"For there are more treasures than one for you in this city."
"Therefore, be ye as wise as serpents and yet without sin; and I will order all things for your good, as fast as ye are able to receive them. Amen."
Well, that impressed us. Deeply. We knew the Lord was speaking directly to us through the scriptures. We immediately stopped our complaining. President Theodore Roosevelt introduced a clever little adage into our culture; he said, "Speak softly and carry a big stick." I don't suppose he meant this in a spiritual sense, but we do sometimes refer to the scriptures as sticks. And, metaphorically speaking, I would have to agree that the Spirit speaks softly and carries a big stick, with which He often whacks me on the side of the head--a sixth way.
Heart Stopped
Sometimes the Lord speaks to us by taking action in the physical world. You may recall the story of the early Saints not paying their tithing; the subsequent drought manifested God's feelings. You may also recall the story in John 21:6-7, when Christ appeared to his Apostles in Galilee after His resurrection. The Apostles were out fishing, and Christ told them to "Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find." When they did as He said, their nets were filled so they could not draw them in "for the multitude of fishes." Yes, the Lord can manipulate objects and events as a way of speaking to us.
In Salamanca, Hermana Arriaga and I quickly found families to teach. After several weeks, one was on the verge of committing to baptism. They were at that point where it feels as though the adversary is going to pounce at any moment. One evening, we had an appointment to teach them. We arrived a few minutes before the scheduled hour and found no one home. We waited, patiently, until half-past. Then we decided, sadly, that we should start walking to our next appointment. We wrote the family a note, tucked it in the crack of the door, and stepped into the elevator to descend the six floors to street level. When the doors closed, I pushed the big black button for the ground floor.
We went, oh, maybe a floor or two, and the elevator stopped--so did our hearts! My companion and I suspected the Lord was trying to get our attention. We decided to wait just a little longer, so we returned to the sixth floor. In less than five minutes, the family came bustling out of the elevator, thrilled that we had waited because they really needed to see us.
Sometimes the Spirit startles us--makes our hearts stop even--as a seventh way to get our attention. I have learned not to dismiss such things as "coincidence."
Powerful Hands
On the eve of my sixteenth birthday, I received my Patriarchal Blessing. The Patriarch had asked that I come fasting, which I did. I remember many things about the hour I spent with Patriarch Thompson. I remember the warmth of his humble home. I remember the kindness of his gracious wife. I remember that he forgot to turn on the tape recorder so that he had to give the blessing twice! And I remember the feeling of power emanating from his hands to my head and spreading through my entire body. It was real. It was tangible.
It makes me think of the story of Nephi when Laman and Lemuel were mocking his ship- building efforts. In 1 Nephi 17:52, we learn that the Spirit of God was with him. Picking up in verse 53, we read:
"And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth thine hand again unto thy brethren, and they shall not wither before thee, but I will shock them, saith the Lord, and this will I do, that they may know that I am the Lord their God."
Now, I'm not saying the Patriarch's hands "shocked" me, but I did feel energy--power--coming from them. It was real. And I have felt the Spirit in this eighth way--as a power in the hands--many times since then as I have participated in and performed sacred ordinances in the temple.
Eyes Opened
In Doctrine and Covenants 76:12, a description of yet another way the Spirit works is given: "By the power of the Spirit our eyes were opened and our understandings were enlightened, so as to see and understand the things of God."
Three years ago, my paternal grandmother passed away. She had struggled with poor physical health and declining mental stability in her later years. However, in her younger days, Grandma had been an avid genealogist. When several of my distant cousins were cleaning out sheds on her property, they found a trunk full of genealogy. They weren't interested in the papers, but they recognized the potential value--so they called my father.
Within days, I had the aqua-colored trunk, with glittery sparkles embedded in its padded vinyl cover, sitting in my kitchen. I opened it to discover thousands of moldy, old genealogy forms--the long kind, where the ordinance work was stamped on a grid at the right-hand side. Much of the work had been started, but most of the pages had many empty squares. Because the smell was almost overwhelming, I wrapped the trunk in several garbage bags. Then I called Church Headquarters to see what we should do. They offered to have missionaries at the Family History Center in Salt Lake verify that the work had been finished; however, they said they would be ever-so-grateful if we would do it.
It took my mother and me several months (and a good deal of allergy medicine) to type the 30,000 names into the computer, but we did it. Then we checked the names against the various indexes to see if the work had been completed by others during the 60 years the trunk had sat in the apparently quite leaky shed. We discovered that roughly 90% of the people whose names we had found had been baptized, confirmed, endowed, and sealed--but 10% had not. We printed cards for them--enough cards to fill a shoebox. Then I began recruiting help.
Some of you were in my classes two years ago when we did the 3000 baptisms. Oh, what a spiritual feast we had together in the temple! What a delight it was to watch my students and friends perform those sacred ordinances for my family members. Even President Tucker came down to help, sitting in as proxy. I have many special memories of the impressions you had about my ancestors, which a number of you shared with me.
Because a few of you had already been endowed, we were able to perform the initiatory ordinances (which go rather quickly) on hundreds of names. However, we weren't able to get very many endowment sessions completed--a handful, but nowhere near 3000.
Then, last winter, the Matron announced in our preparation meeting that the Idaho Falls Temple had almost run out of names for endowment sessions. We were asked to encourage patrons to help out in the initiatory area until we had a cushion of names built up again. Because I had that shoebox full of cards, I dropped by the office and offered them to the Recorder. He was eager to use them. Since I work in the Temple each Tuesday evening, I took five or six hundred (which had the initiatory done) with me the next week. The sisters working in the office told me they would stamp them "Return to Recorder's Office" and use them--probably by that Saturday, as they were really low on names by then. They thanked me for offering my family names for temple use, and I assured them I was happy to help out.
The next week, when I arrived at the temple, I was told that my names had not been finished on Saturday; they were still being handed out. That evening, the sessions were all full, with no empty chairs. And almost every patron was acting as proxy for one of my family members. As it happens, one of my assignments was to accompany a session as the sister who sits at the front, making sure that the patrons' needs are met. Mere words cannot convey what it was like to watch 150 Saints stand and make sacred covenants for my ancestors. Some of you were there that night; you've stopped me to tell me you'd read my name on the card as the person submitting the work. So, I am comfortable telling you that, from my vantage point at the front of the congregation looking out at the patrons, the walls in the ordinance rooms were, hmmm, rather transparent that night. The Spirit opened my eyes, and I was granted a glimpse of eternity that I shall not soon forget. And that's a ninth way the Spirit speaks to me. Oh, you'll be happy to know that my cousins and I have spent the past year getting our ancestors sealed into families.
Warned in a Dream
The scriptures contain many stories where the Spirit spoke to people in dreams. Sometimes the meaning was clear--like when Joseph was warned to take Mary and Jesus into Egypt to keep them safe. Other times, the dreams required an interpreter--like when another Joseph explained to Pharaoh that years of plenty would be followed by years of famine. Whether they were easily understood or not, dreams sent by the Spirit were recognized by the receivers as true dreams.
Dreaming is a lot like watching television. I am sure that at some point in your life you have walked into a room where "Wheel of Fortune" was playing on the television. You looked at the screen and saw pieces of a puzzle, the letters that had been revealed. Instantly, you saw the solution, yet the players on the show weren't getting it. Then you were called away to answer the phone or something, and you didn't get to see the ending of the show. But it didn't matter. You had the answer. You knew it. You knew you were right, even though you left before the full answer was revealed. That certainty, that's the feeling you wake up with when the Spirit has spoken to you through a dream.
Almost a year ago, I was asked to accept an administrative assignment on campus. The night before the "invitation" was extended, I had a dream about the assignment. Hours before I got the phone call, I knew what was coming and what the Lord expected me to do. Like many before me, I was "warned in a dream," which is the tenth way.
Intelligence Flowing into the Mind
Full-time missionaries are expected to study the scriptures for an hour each day. In English, our Church uses the King James version of the Bible. In Spanish, our Church uses the Reina Valera. And it is a beautiful version, lyrical even. One day, my companion and I were studying a passage where the Spanish translation held a different meaning than the English translation. If you've studied another language, then you realize that some languages have a keener ability to express a certain nuance than others. In this particular case, the difference was substantial, and I wondered which version was closer to the original language. I decided to dig into the footnotes during my individual scripture study in order to solve the mystery. I did not find a complete answer that day, so subsequent study periods found me searching again and again. To no avail. Apparently, the clarification I needed was not to be found in English or Spanish. Yet I had no other printed sources available to aid my study. But I did have prayer.
Enos tells us, in Enos 1:10, that his prayer was answered with a "voice in his mind " And so it was with me! One brisk Spanish morning, as I neared the end of what had seemed to be another fruitless search for answers, I suddenly felt knowledge flow into my mind. It was as though a floodgate had been opened and pure intelligence poured in, clarifying the passages I had been studying for days. The insights came so quickly and with such depth that I struggled to assimilate the information. I remember closing my eyes and asking the Lord to "slow down" because I could not comprehend all that I was being taught at such an incredible speed. It is wonderful to know that God will provide answers to those who seek. In 1 Nephi 10:19, Nephi explains, "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost. . ."
I have had the Spirit teach me as a voice--or intelligence--flowing directly into my mind. This is an eleventh way I recognize the Spirit.
Through Another's Voice
President Spencer W. Kimball was the prophet during my teenage and early adult years. I remember him with the same fondness that you undoubtedly hold for President Hinckley. Each morning, as I climb the stairs to my office in the Kimball Building, I am greeted by the gently smiling portrait of President Kimball. On either side of the painting are plaques with quotes. The one on the far right has an excerpt from a 1974 Ensign. It says, "God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs." I have noticed that it is often through another person that His voice is heard, as well. But, as we are taught in Doctrine and Covenants 1:38, whether a message comes through His own voice or by the voice of His servants, "It is the same."
Students frequently drop by to let me know about their mission calls. I always congratulate them, hug them, and ask to tell me all of the juicy details. At least once a semester, I'll have a student drop by who I didn't realize was planning a mission. When I express surprise, usually the student will laugh and say something like this: "Oh, I wasn't planning to go. One Wednesday, I just prayed and asked the Lord what I should do with my life. The next day, Thursday, I got a letter from a friend on a mission, and he was really pumped up about missionary work. Friday, my Religion class talked about missions. Saturday, my FHE brothers came by to tell us that one of them had received his mission call. Sunday, the Sacrament Meeting talks were both on missionary work, and the Relief Society lesson was on supporting missionaries. Then, after Church, the Bishop called me in and asked if I'd considered a mission. I realized the Lord was sending me a message, so I decided to go."
I have had many experiences in this twelfth way, as well; the Spirit has prompted others to speak to me--and, thus, I have heard the Lord's will through their voices. Take this talk, for instance. Knowing I should talk about recognizing the Spirit, I prayed for guidance. At the temple one evening in December, Sisters kept approaching me to share insights on this topic--sisters who did not even know that I was working on a Devotional talk. I recognized the Lord was answering my prayer and sending His servants to tell me what He wanted me to know. One dear sister stressed the importance of being still, of providing the Spirit with quiet moments to speak to us in his still, small voice. Another talked about finding answers in the scriptures. Others shared heart-warming stories of impressions they had had. It was a special evening for me, though others listening in on our conversations probably didn't hear anything extraordinary.
But that's how it was with Samuel, too. That beautiful little boy, who would become a great prophet, heard what Eli did not. In the old, blue hymn book that I grew up using, there was a song about Samuel, called "Hushed Was the Evening Hymn." One of the verses went like this:
"O give me Samuel's ear, The open ear, O Lord,Alive and quick to hear Each whisper of thy word."
You may not hear "whispered words," but the Spirit will speak to you--perhaps in one of the dozen ways I have discussed: as ants crawling up your back, as an assurance in the heart, as a miserable feeling as you sit in the belly of the whale, as watering eyes, as a loose tongue, as a whack on the side of the head, as a stopping of the heart, as powerful hands, as spiritual eyes that are opened, as a warning in a dream, as intelligence flowing directly into your mind, or through another's voice. Of course, I also had another 19 ways recorded in my journal. Maybe you've recognized the Spirit in a way I didn't mention. Then again, maybe you should make your own journal; perhaps you've recognized the Spirit in a way I never have!
At Christmas, I visited my parents in Buhl, Idaho. On Sunday, my mother and I attended the Gospel Doctrine class for the final Old Testament lesson on Zechariah and Malachi. At one point, the teacher read Zechariah 10:8, which says, "I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them." Brother Millington drew attention to the word "hiss." He commented that he wasn't sure what "hissing" to the ends of the earth would be like or how anyone would hear it. He asked if someone could shed light on the concept. I immediately remembered my experience with the Fanta salesman while I was in Mexico.
I did one of those "ooh, ooh, call on me" gestures and told them the story. I explained that the hiss is quiet, yet very distinctive; it can be heard on a crowded bus, in a busy subway, or in a spacious park. In fact, once I knew what to listen for, I noticed Mexicans calling each other that way all the time. And so it is with the Spirit. Once you know what to listen for, you'll hear it all the time. It is my prayer that each of us will learn to recognize the Spirit and respond appropriately to the promptings we are given. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.