5And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.
The Holy Ghost can teach us the truth of ALL things! If there is any truth out there to be found, it's through the Holy Ghost that we can obtain that knowledge. So... how can we know for ourselves that the Holy Ghost is teaching us truth? Christ taught us in John 14:26 that the Holy Ghost is known as the Comforter.
26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
That's one way in which the Holy Ghost communicates to us: it brings us comfort.
The Apostle Paul taught us about the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. Now I don't know about y'all, but I'm a city slicker and I don't know ANYthing about trees! The only way I'm going to know if it's an apple tree is if it has apples on it. The only way I'll know if it's an orange tree is if it has oranges. The same principle applies to these spiritual fruits:
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
A modern-day apostle, President Boyd K. Packer, taught:
The voice of the Spirit is described in the scripture as being neither “loud” nor “harsh.” It is “not a voice of thunder, neither … voice of a great tumultuous noise.” But rather, “a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper,” and it can “pierce even to the very soul” and “cause [the heart] to burn.” (3 Ne. 11:3; Hel. 5:30; D&C 85:6–7.) Remember, Elijah found the voice of the Lord was not in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but was a “still small voice.” (1 Kgs. 19:12.)
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. (No wonder that the Word of Wisdom was revealed to us, for how could the drunkard or the addict feel such a voice?)
Occasionally it will press just firmly enough for us to pay heed. But most of the time, if we do not heed the gentle feeling, the Spirit will withdraw and wait until we come seeking and listening and say in our manner and expression, like Samuel of ancient times, “Speak [Lord], for thy servant heareth.” (1 Sam. 3:10.)
So now comes the question: How do I begin to seek out spiritual truth? Christ gives us the answer in Mathew 7:7-8.
7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
We ask through prayer. We seek by searching the scriptures. We knock by going out there and attending Sacrament Meeting. As we begin the process of receiving revelation of truth from the Holy Ghost, we will notice a defference in our lives. The Book of Mormon prophet, Alma, describes the following in Alma 32:28:
28Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
I know the Holy Ghost speaks to our hearts and our minds. It sends feelings to our souls that fill and comfort us. It's through the Holy Ghost and putting my trust in God and not in the arms of flesh that I've come to know my Savior Jesus Christ and His restored Gospel. I know that if you pray with faith in Jesus Christ and really truly desire to seek out truth, God will answer you through the Holy Ghost.
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