Receiving the REAL Truth

I planned everything around something I believed to be true.

 

I posted a link to information of our beloved President Thomas S. Monson’s funeral on our ward Facebook page. In my mind, the funeral was Friday (so this Friday) at 10:00 AM MST, so 7:00 AM HST.

 

I planned my entire day around this timeframe so that I could participate in viewing the prophet’s funeral.

 

I got home from grabbing some groceries at 6:57AM. I asked my husband to cue up the funeral while I prepared to start the pulled pork—missionaries coming for dinner today. He searched and searched, becoming frustrated that he couldn’t find what I was so adamant about watching. He looked everywhere for it.

 

The thought came to check the time. So I pulled up that same link and saw the time was 12:00 MST, 9:00 HST. So silly.

 

I apologized. Cooked the brownies for dinner’s dessert, fed the dog, did the dishes, finished a small job I’d started yesterday, worked on some church business, and rearranged some other plans so I could watch the funeral at 9.

 

At 8:45, I started searching lds.org for a link, assuming I could start listening to the music and do the cleaning I planned to do during the funeral. No link!  I was so confused. On his way out the door, Anthony searched the channels for me again. No mention of the funeral.

 

The thought came to check the link again.  So I pulled up the Facebook page and clicked on the link which clearly reads (opening sentence):

 

Funeral services for President Thomas S. Monson, leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be held in the Conference Center on Temple Square Friday, January 12, 2018, at 12:00 p.m. MST.

 

I “read” it four times before I actually comprehended the real truth.
 

Receiving Truth

 

And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way?

If it be some other way it is not of God.

 

I did receive the word of truth!  I even sought it out and found it! But I did not actually receive it.

 

My assumptions and traditions clouded my view. Since I saw the info earlier in the week, when I read Friday, I just assumed Friday (this Friday) and stopped seeing. I’m used to church conferences, and even other apostolic funerals I’ve attended, starting at 10:00 AM MST. So I didn’t even see the time.

 

Basically, I had the truth, but I colored the whole thing to fit my reality.  I obviously didn’t receive it by the Spirit of truth.

 

What Is Truth?

 

Pontius Pilate’s cynical question rang in my ears: “What is truth?”

 

Someone without experience in receiving truth by the Spirit of truth might not realize there can be absolute truth. His or her experience might only include relative truth, truth tainted by perception, tradition, or even other mistruths.

 

Pilate’s question followed Jesus Christ’s powerful assertion that everyone of His Spirit actually hears Him.

 

Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Truth Sets Free

 

What a chilling reminder that I had truth available, even in my grasp, but I tainted it.

 

Of course, mistaking the funeral time isn’t catastrophic. But I know my thought process and how sure I felt I was.

 

While advising readers of the Book of Mormon, Moroni’s challenge really applies to all knowledge, learning, and ultimately, to everything we encounter in life, because the principle is true.

 

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.

 

So, that’s not a bad Friday morning lesson. Is what I consider truth true? Did I receive it by the Spirit of truth? Is it free of my interpolations?

 

If I actually receive truth, then I’ll avoid this observation.

 

Behold, I say unto you, that they desire to know the truth in part, but not all, for they are not right before me and must needs repent.

 

Previously posted on Delisa’s Patheos site.