Old Rock Church on Capitol Hill, Salt Lake City, Utah

I used to practice the organ in the Old Rock church in the evening after I got home from work and while Anthony was still finishing up with work. I loved that old church. The layout and finishings were so amazing.

I’d walk through the church by street light until entering the chapel. The street light poured through the chapel’s stained glass windows. I’d only turn on the lights I needed above the organ and piano, leaving the rest of the chapel in still, partial darkness.

The chapel housed an old but vibrant pipe organ. I’d never played a pipe organ before and really enjoyed playing it and noticing the tonal variations the pipes produced.

Looking towards the piano and organ from the chapel doors

After I’d practiced the hymns for the next Sunday, I’d often take my seat at the grand piano. I loved playing the piano in that chapel. The acoustics were amazing and the piano itself was fantastic.

After concentrating during my organ practice, I just let my mind, heart, and hands wander over the piano keys. I played songs I knew and loved, but I especially enjoyed a period of creating — just letting my fingers go wherever they would. These moments were soul renewing for me.

Suddenly I Was Not Alone

One night while playing the piano in the old church, I knew someone had walked into the chapel. I instantly stopped and looked around, fully expecting to ask if the person needed the room. I was totally able to leave at any point so had already planned to vacate with the words on my lips during the instant it took me to turn my head to the door.

No one was there. Weird. I chalked it up to random street noise and still continued playing.

Looking at the chapel doors from the stand between the organ and piano

Again, someone entered the room. I quickly looked that direction. No one stood in the doorway.

I left the piano and headed to the darkened chapel doors. As I exited into the hall, I looked both directions. I checked the doors I entered ensuring I’d locked them behind me when I initially entered the church. Everything was in order.

I returned to the piano because I’d been in the middle of a joyful time and wasn’t ready for it to end. As one song blended into another, I felt another person enter the room and sit in a pew.

I stopped and looked at the pews. I sensed a handful of people looking at me. I checked within my heart to see if I felt a warning. I felt still and happy.

I felt my grandma saying they’d had a moment from their different responsibilities and they chose to spend a few moments with me while I played. Three of them entered the chapel door to alert me — if I was in a serene mental space — to their presence and teach me of their presence.

A little startled but deeply happy, I turned back to the piano again and played until my time was through.

Sensing While Still

Periodically, they would come and visit, different ancestors from both sides of my family tree. While playing, I would suddenly just realize someone or several were there. Sometimes they left before me. Sometimes I Ieft before them.

I noticed that I never sensed them while concentrating on learning a song. I noticed them when my mind was still, unhindered and worshipfully creating.

Change of Space

Five years ago, we moved from that ward to a new one. I had different responsibilities and didn’t even have a piano until recently. Though called to play the organ in the new ward, I didn’t go practice as regularly because of the requirement at this building to have a man at the building with me. That was inconvenient to the men I knew so I just practiced on Sunday as soon as I could get into the chapel.

I thought of my visitors and wondered if they knew where I was, but never really felt them again until August 12th. Some people were moving out of our ward and we would be honoring them with Aloha ‘Oe the following Sunday at church. I asked Anthony to go with me to the church so I could practice the song. He agreed and decided to take our bulldog to skateboard in the parking lot while I played.

I sat at the grand piano under the essential lights and played through Aloha ‘Oe. I love that song. It was written by Princess Liliʻuokalani in 1877 or 1878. My experience with the song has been singing or playing or leading Aloha ‘Oe after sacrament meetings as the congregation stands to bid ward members adieu. We sing the first verse and chorus of the song. We sing it in Hawaiian. It’s become very sacred to me.

Be Still … Until We Meet Again

After I finished practicing, I decided to just play the song freely and then moved on to other favorites that I haven’t played in a long while on such an amazing piano. As I played, lost in still thought, I suddenly felt them! Several visitors joined the room as I played. I stopped playing and smiled at them, holding back tears because it had been so long.

After a little while, Anthony came into the chapel letting me know the dog’s skateboarding time was done. According to our “going to the church” agreement, I quickly prepared to leave. But before I did, I sat looking into the pews and tried to convey my love for them — and everyone who came before.

Two days later on Friday, Anthony accepted a job offer that didn’t exist when I practiced on Wednesday. The new job wanted him in Texas in three weeks. The day after that, on Saturday, our beloved bulldog crossed the rainbow bridge.

On Sunday, I sat and played Aloha ‘Oe for a wonderful family and missionary who were leaving our ward. I also played it for us because it was our last Sunday (we hadn’t announced our move yet) and for our buddy Stig. I fought back tears and ugly sobs as I played through the song. And I realized that some of my people were there! They strengthened me to make it through the song.

Sweet memories come back to me, Bringing fresh remembrances of the past … until we meet again.

Be Still More Often

Packing commenced. I didn’t know if I’d be able to fit my electric piano into the moving POD. The first night after loading the POD, I needed some music therapy. I walked into a room devoid of everything but the piano and sat down and began to play. Music lifts my heart and invigorates my mind. I love the peace music brings.

As I sat alone, I felt one grandmother standing near me. I played for her.

I wondered why I hadn’t felt them while playing there before and had the distinct impression that I couldn’t feel them when I was chaotic emotionally or in a disheveled space. That room had been super full of everything that goes into a spare bedroom when it’s the only extra room. That was the first night with breathable space in there.

I felt like she came specifically for me to discover that lesson, which had personal further-reaching implications than piano visits.

Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.

The crux of the matter is that the veil is thin. President Joseph F. Smith beautifully described my lesson.

“Sometimes the Lord expands our vision from this point of view and this side of the veil, that we feel and seem to realize that we can look beyond the thin veil which separates us from that other sphere. . . . [And we would understand that] those who have passed beyond, can see more clearly through the veil back here to us than it is possible for us to see them from our sphere of action.

I believe we move and have our being in the presence of heavenly messengers and of heavenly beings. We are not separate from them. We begin to realize more and more fully, as we become acquainted with the principles of the Gospel, as they have been revealed anew in this dispensation, that we are closely related to our kindred, to our ancestors, to our friends and associates and co-laborers who have preceded us into the spirit world. We can not forget them; we do not cease to love them; we always hold them in our hearts, in memory, and thus are associated and united to them by ties that we cannot break, that we cannot dissolve or free ourselves from. . . .

And therefore, I claim that we live in their presence, they see us, they are solicitous for our welfare, they love us now more than ever. For now they see the dangers that beset us; they can comprehend better than ever before, the weaknesses that are liable to mislead us into dark and forbidden paths. They see the temptations and evils that beset us in life and the proneness of mortal beings to yield to temptation and wrong doing; hence their solicitude for us and their love for us and their desire for our well being must be greater than that which we feel for ourselves” (Joseph F. Smith, in Conference Report, April 1916, 2–3).

What a beautiful consolation and truth. I realized a need to consistently purify my heart, mind, and surroundings to be aware of these gifts the Lord is willing to bestow. Because He is willing to bestow everything we need. He promised:

I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

There is always that “fond embrace … until we meet again.”

Delisa Hargrove

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have moved 64 times and have not tired of experiencing this beautiful earth! I love the people, languages, histories/anthropologies, & especially religious cultures of the world. My life long passion is the study & searching out of religious symbolism, specifically related to ancient & modern temples. My husband Anthony and I love our bulldog Stig, adventures, traveling, movies, motorcycling, and time with friends and family.

Our loved ones are so much closer than we realize. Just because they are on the other side of the veil doesn’t mean they are gone.

For a moment I’d like to talk about dreams, and warnings that we can receive through dreams.

One of the ways spirits and the Lord can communicate with us is through dreams. In college I had a dream that changed the course of my life and saved the life of my roommate.

Powerful Warning Dreams

At the time I had a roommate that I knew was struggling. She had a very demanding program of study, and she and one of her instructors had clashed recently. But one night I had a dream that was a warning.

In my dream there was a little girl I was babysitting. She was supposed to go to bed but was afraid there was a monster in the closet. I told her there was nothing to be afraid of, and I opened the closet door to show her.

When I opened the closet, the room beyond pulled me in. It was dark and there were dark angry spirits in the room. In the center was a figure curled into a ball on the floor. She was crying.

And when I approached, she looked up at me. I saw it was my roommate. She was sobbing as these demons danced and laughed and poked at her. It was so shocking and jarring that I woke up with a start.

I have had a few dreams in the past that were warnings, but none this vivid or terrifying. I stayed close to home the next day and watched this roommate. My boyfriend at the time had a car, but I didn’t have one. He invited me out, but I asked him to just visit with me in the apartment because I had an unsettled feeling. And he supported my weirdness.

Danger

My roommate came home from class and it wasn’t long before she came to find me. She said that she had swallowed a bottle of pills and was going to end her life.

But that she couldn’t get me out of her mind and knew she needed to seek help. She asked if my boyfriend and I could take her to the hospital.

I have never been so glad I listened to a feeling. We took her in, and they pumped her stomach. She needed to stay a few days, but she lived. She sought help and is a different woman today. I am so grateful for the times the Lord lets us see what is happening in the lives of those around us through dreams and feelings.

Dark Spirits

Now, for every good thing there is a bad thing. It’s the balance in this world. So for a moment we need to talk about dark spirits. I have seen them too. They have no light, no physical features except maybe for gender.

They are only darkness and malice. I feel they are the spirits who fell from Heaven with Lucifer and never got a body. That is why they have no distinguishing features and only appear as a shadow.

But they are subject to the same laws as the adversary and can easily be banished. You can get rid of them through a prayer. Prayer is powerful!

Or you can raise your arm to the square and cast them out. To illustrate this principal, I need to share a story.

When my sister in law decided she wanted to fight the darkness, she started purposely attracting dark spirits.

She thought she could attract them and kill them off and make the world a better place. As a Pagan, she misunderstood the nature of dark spirits. She had no idea the power she was messing with, but as a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, she thought she had it handled; that is until one fateful night.

Mistake

On that night she had come to visit me at my parent’s house. I was home from college for the summer, and we talked late into the evening. As we did, I could feel a dark presence in the house.

Everyone was in bed, so this unnerved me. I had no idea she was playing with such powerful evil at the time and said a prayer in my head for the darkness to go away.

Right after my prayer the dark presence left the house and I thought that was the end of it.

I bid her goodnight, but moments later she was back at the front door, very freaked out. She then admitted to me that she had been trying to see dark spirits so she could fight them with her spells.

And she admitted that one had followed her to the house that night. It was now sitting on top of her car and she knew that if she didn’t get help to get rid of it, that she wouldn’t make it home.

She had a deep feeling of dread that this powerful dark spirit was going to harm her. We went outside, and she told me the dark spirit had moved to the roof of the house. So, I did the only thing I knew would make it go away.

Powerful Tool

I stood tall, and raised my right hand, bending my arm into a 90-degree angle at the elbow, with my hand raised, palm facing forward and fingers extended. I said these words “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to leave.” The most intense moment followed.

The only way I can describe it is like there was suddenly a giant spotlight of pure light, and heat, and power that came from Heaven in a bright intense tunnel of light. It landed on my head and filled my whole body.

To read more of Abby’s articles in her Living in Harmony column, click here.

The power that shot down from the sky, was then blasted forward from my chest directly at the dark spirit. I staggered backward because it was so powerful and intense. And instantly the darkness was gone. I was breathless!

I have never felt such immense power in all my life. In that moment I knew that God will ALWAYS win. His power is far greater than anything the adversary will EVER be able to throw at us.

My sister in law never tried to be Buffy the Vampire Slayer again. And I am permanently in awe of the tremendous power of God. There really aren’t enough words to describe it.

It changed how I communicate with God. I am far more humble and I no longer take His power for granted.  I felt it first hand, and it was intense enough to make my skin feel like it was white hot on a dark cold night. So when you are facing dark or scary moments. Know that you have the most powerful being in the universe on your side. You never need to fear with God nearby.

Abby Christianson

Abby is capable and caring. She is learning more about Autism and parenthood every day. Having completed training to be an RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) for ABA therapy she is beginning to understand her son. And even though she is the first to admit she makes a lot of mistakes, she is so grateful to be on this journey. She comes from a family with many autistic members. She invites us to join her, as she shares her adventures. She wishes to emphasize that Autism is a difference not a defect. If you or a family member have autism, Abby wants you to know that the challenges can be overcome, and there are blessings in autism. You or your loved one are not sick or broken. Together we will teach the world this new language.

Then he shared a story about a dark figure he had seen that was only a black shadow. He worried he was going crazy or had been watching too many scary stories. I assured him that he wasn’t crazy. That what he was experiencing was a gift of the Spirit. It’s that gift I want to talk about today.

Gift of the Spirit

It’s a gift from the Lord to be able to see spirits. (See Moroni 10:14) Sometimes that can be a sweet and faith-building experience. And other times it can be scary and wake you up to the realities of the dark one.

But in every instance, you are seeing these spirits with your spiritual eyes, almost like your heart is seeing something your physical eyes cannot. And you are being granted a glimpse through the veil. There isn’t a ton of revealed truth about spirits, just that we all have them and that when we die, we go to the spirit world. Because of that, a lot of what I write here will be from my inspiration — so if it tastes good or makes sense, take it in. And if not, I won’t be offended.

In this series, I’m going to share some experiences I have had with spirits. I’ll explain some of my understanding and give you a few tips for if and when you encounter dark spirits. But I must tell you that 90% of the time, you will see spirits that are good and full of light. Many are even sent by the Lord at key times in your life to lift and guide you. Let me explain.

Temple Visit

Washington D.C. Temple grounds

One weekend many years ago, I was in the temple with friends. We had intended to do an endowment session for those who had passed away, and I had the name of the sister I was going to be doing the work for. Usually you get that name and proceed right to the temple session. But this time there were several delays.

One sister in our group had not felt well and we had needed to delay our session to get her some food. When a second delay happened, I remember being in the locker room in my changing stall. And I remember saying to this sister in my head that I was sorry for the delays, and that I promised her I would get her work done that day.

In my mind’s eye, I suddenly saw her. She had dark hair in an older style, was a little overweight, and smiling. She laughed and said, “Honey, I have waited all this time. What is another hour?” I felt such comfort and a lifting of my spirits at her reply.

Spirits Are There to Bless Others

That experience has stayed with me all these years and was a real testimony builder that what we do in the temple is for a deeper purpose. That there is a real person there accepting the work done on their behalf. I shared the story with the sister who had researched and found this family name, the descendant of the woman I saw in the locker room, and it made her very happy to know her great-something-grandmother was accepting the work we were doing for her.

I have to tell you that most of the time when you have a spiritual experience, seeing a spirit is to bless you or another person. So I have learned to share my experiences with those close to me. In almost every instance, it was to lift and encourage us both.

Hollywood Ghosts Aren’t Real

When I was in college, my roommates and I had a movie night where we watched M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense. (Spoiler alert: In this movie a small boy sees dead people who didn’t know they were dead.) They carried with them the evidence of their demise. One lady had half her head blown away. This is NOT how spirits are.

A person may lose a limb in this life, but their spirit is still whole. So, if you encounter a spirit, they are whole. They do not look gross or creepy. And often you can feel their feelings when you meet them. It can be startling to see these spirits, but as you get more used to having these experiences, you will find your ability to sense them will grow. For example, the first time I felt a spirit, it was a very vague feeling. As I have gotten older, I can sense more about that individual.

Haunted?

I used to work at a title company in a small town. The office had been built onto an old house. It was really cool. But when I started, the first thing the other office ladies warned me about was that the house was haunted.

I don’t believe in ghosts, so I assumed they were trying to freak me out. But they were right — there was a spirit who visited the house often. She was a younger woman in old fashioned dress who had a motherly feeling around her. I saw her on the staircase once and in the upper hallway, and a few times in the basement. But she only seemed to visit the older parts of the building. The new addition never had her presence.

But she was a loving spirit, and I got the feeling she was just checking on a beloved home. She wasn’t there all the time, and that is in direct opposition to what Hollywood would have you believe about ghosts. Hollywood thinks that spirits are trapped where you see or sense them. But I believe they are simply visiting somewhere they loved in life to see how things are going.

Be Comforted

To read more of Abby’s articles in her Living in Harmony column, click here.

If you see or sense a spirit, please know you are being given a gift. It is proof that there is life beyond this earthly experience. Our loved ones who have passed away are around us all the time. We simply don’t always see or feel their presence.

In this series of articles, I want to help you better understand visiting spirits. I want to show you that there is love and light and nothing to be afraid of when encountering a spirit. And I want to give you tools for when you encounter a dark spirit. (Hint: You already know them.) That will be in the next article. See you next week!

(Episode two will include visits in dreams, spiritual eyes, casting out dark spirits, how they visit you, and more personal experiences.)

Abby Christianson

Abby is capable and caring. She is learning more about Autism and parenthood every day. Having completed training to be an RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) for ABA therapy she is beginning to understand her son. And even though she is the first to admit she makes a lot of mistakes, she is so grateful to be on this journey. She comes from a family with many autistic members. She invites us to join her, as she shares her adventures. She wishes to emphasize that Autism is a difference not a defect. If you or a family member have autism, Abby wants you to know that the challenges can be overcome, and there are blessings in autism. You or your loved one are not sick or broken. Together we will teach the world this new language.

11 For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.

 

12 To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby. (See Doctrine and Covenants 46: 11-12.)

Everyone, male and female, can receive spiritual gifts. The scriptures list many of these gifts and it can be interesting, as we read, to highlight each gift mentioned. The gifts bless the holder of the gifts if he uses them wisely, but they can also be used to bless others. A person who has the gift of faith can use it to find the truth among conflicting and confusing choices. This gift can be used to help that person become a member of the Savior’s Church. It comes to her through the Spirit of Christ. After receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, her faith grows even more. She might then choose to use that gift to pray for others or to share her faith with those who were not given as strong a gift as she received.

We’re taught that it is appropriate to pray for certain gifts if we are prepared to use them wisely in the service of others rather than to glorify ourselves. A person who is invited to teach a class but lacks the gift to teach can begin to pray for it. In addition to praying, of course, she must do what she can to improve her teaching skills, but God will step in and honor righteous requests if they are part of His plan for us. A prayer to become the greatest teacher in the world is not likely to be honored because this is a prideful request, but a prayer to have the ability to teach the class one has agreed to teach will likely be honored.

The diversity of the human race is one of God’s best ideas! If we all had the same talents, gifts, and assignments, most things wouldn’t get done. The world needs writers, but it doesn’t need everyone to be a writer. It needs gardeners, but everyone doesn’t need a talent for gardening. Because each of us has different talents and passions, everything that needs doing gets done. If we each had all the talents possible in equal proportion, we might find ourselves spread too thin and most things wouldn’t get accomplished. We’d all be doing whatever was easiest or created the most wealth, given human nature.

In the same way, God divided up certain tasks and assigned them to specific genders. Only women were given the ability to give birth. This doesn’t mean God loves men less; it only means that doesn’t happen to be one of the tasks assigned to them. Only men hold the priesthood, but that does not say women aren’t worthy or capable of holding it. Priesthood is an office, not a gender, but assigning it to men keeps it focused, just as assigning childbirth only to women keeps that aspect of life focused.

Within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there are a great many tasks to be completed because we have a lay religion and very complex programs. Everyone is asked to take on his or her share of the work. Tasks are assigned in various ways that make the Church run more smoothly. Some are assigned by age: only an eleven, twelve, or thirteen-year-old old girl may serve as a youth leader in the Beehive Program. (Beehives are girls of that age in the Young Women’s program for teenagers.)

Other callings and responsibilities are assigned by gender. For example, only women can serve as Primary or Relief Society presidents. (These are, respectively, the organizations for children and women.) Some tasks are open to anyone who is an adult: anyone may teach the children or the literacy classes, even though only women can lead those programs. Some tasks are assigned by office: only a person who holds the office of a high priest can serve as a bishop (the leader of a congregation). It might appear that the rule is that only men can be bishops, but actually, the rule is that only high priests can be bishops. A good and worthy man who does not hold the office of high priest in the priesthood cannot be a bishop, no matter how qualified he is otherwise.

While it’s true that only men are to hold the priesthood (as we see from even a casual study of the Bible), this does not limit a woman from serving God anymore than not being able to be the Primary president limits a man’s ability to serve God. There are many ways to serve and God does not love the priesthood holders more than the Primary president—or the door greeter. We don’t get bonus points for serving in certain kinds of positions. God asks us to serve wherever He needs us, and, if we do this well, we are blessed for our attitude and willingness to serve, not for the specific task accomplished.

Men holding the priesthood receive no special blessings over the women. It isn’t about power, blessings, or God’s love. Rather, it is about our trust in God and His plan. If we have a testimony that the Savior is at the head of the Church and that He sees with a vision greater than our own, we won’t waste valuable hours of our mortality fretting over what gifts or offices we don’t have. Instead, we’ll work hard to develop those gifts and talents that God has asked us to take on.

As with every other aspect of the gospel, it really comes down to a testimony. How much do you trust God?

When I was first investigating the Church, the priesthood concerned me. As a teenager raised in the 1970s, I thought women’s liberation was what I was supposed to be living (even though I was known for my love of taking care of children). In other words, my nature was fairly traditional—if you leave out housework. The missionaries teaching me, when asked about priesthood during the first lesson, told me they’d be happy to discuss it with me but that I needed more background and training in prayer first.

They asked me to learn to pray and to continue to study, and then we’d discuss it. By the time I was able to understand the answers, I no longer needed to ask the question. I had learned to get my own answers through prayer and I had come to see how much God valued the woman’s place in His kingdom. I understood that being told I had to turn into a man was degrading to women and insulting to God, who created gender. It was no longer a problem for me. I had become proud of the person God created in me.

Over the years, I’ve longed for certain gifts. Some I’ve been able to receive, such as an improved ability to teach, while others were not my calling, such as a desire to sing. Over the years, as I’ve grown and matured, I’ve stopped wasting time fretting over what I don’t have and have begun to be thankful for what I do have. God gave me a most interesting gift box of traits, talents, and experiences. I would be ungrateful and unworthy of those gifts if I wasted my life whining that they weren’t good enough.

This article was originally published in October 2009. Minor changes have been made.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.

As she worked on my feet, sometimes she’d run across something she wanted to let me identify myself. So she’d pull out her phone, pull up a scripture verse, hand it to me and ask me if the verse applied somehow. After I read the verses, she never asked me to explain or defend myself. She just accepted what I was at that moment and believed that I would identify and understand the meaning of the verse.

The whole time I kept thinking about scriptures like “The shew of their countenance doth witness against them” and “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

Since President Packer warned that violent movies impact our bodies and souls much more than we realize, I’ve been studying connections between thoughts, actions, and our physical body, cells, and countenance. But that’s a topic for another day. But because I’ve wondered and searched about this topic for so many years, watching this woman identify physical and emotional strengths and weaknesses through contact with my body truly amazed me. I couldn’t help but glorify God and feel excited about all of the new questions springing to mind.

I easily discerned this prayerful discerning and healing spirit were two of her spiritual gifts. Used in this manner, they were previously unfamiliar to me. But though astonished, I felt joy.

Spiritual Gifts

In the New Testament, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants, Paul, Moroni, and Jesus Christ list specific spiritual gifts that pertain to members of the Church. The listed spiritual gifts include differences of administrations and operations, faith, wisdom, healing, working miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues, knowledge, beholding of angels and ministering spirits, and to know the Savior’s mission through the Holy Ghost.

The point of spiritual gifts is to witness of the Savior and do the work of God (ultimately the immortality and eternal life of everyone.) The Savior offers gifts to all and promises that everyone has at least one gift.

“For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God. To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.”

What are your spiritual gifts? Did they come naturally or did you petition the Lord for them? Have you hidden it in the earth, like the man with one talent?

Or have you multiplied your gifts, like the man with five talents?

Do you honor your spiritual gifts? Do you honor other people’s spiritual gifts?

It seems that in general people don’t understand some gifts or their worth. Sometimes preconceived notions prejudice against gifts that may seem unusual to us.

The Spiritual Gift of Healing

My 4th great grandmother Margaret Cooper West (1804-1882) experienced this. She’d experienced a life-threatening illness and the death of a child and as she learned about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and believing the Lord to be a God who provides a way for miracles, she began searching for natural ways to heal herself and her family.

She found a book about natural health that transformed her life. She prayed for divine assistance and became so adept in the gift of healing that she and her husband delivered her last three children without midwives or doctors.

She recorded that she followed natural laws appointed by God and she recovered from her ailments and helped to save her family’s lives on multiple occasions. Eventually, they never needed a doctor again. Though I’m grateful for the stories she left in her journal, I wish I knew more about the methods she used.

But apparently, others did know her methods and disapproved. One prominent church leader said the man who wrote the natural health book she used was “an illiterate man and that his works were of little value.” She withstood his rebuke and said, “the sectarians say as much against the Saints as the fashionable practice says against [natural health] and with about as little reason.”

Was natural health unusual and threatening? Maybe the man thought it diminished priesthood power. Grandma’s writings clearly indicate she felt the power of God magnified and manifested as she exercised her spiritual gift.

The Savior’s Spiritual Gift of Healing

Angry scribes and Pharisees objected to many of the Lord’s spiritual gifts, especially healing. Traditionally, they viewed sickness and disease as a punishment for communal and individual sins. Only God could judge a contrite heart and heal the ailment. Healing occurred with the mediation of prophets and priests invoking Divine help through the infirm’s sacrifice, prayer, repentance, fasting, and purification rituals.

But Jesus healed a person directly, through the power of God. The story of the man born blind is one of my favorite examples of traditional convention versus the Savior’s divine orthodoxy—His methods can’t be unorthodox, because He is the way from the beginning, eternally. Mankind’s corrupted ideologies are the real unorthodoxy.

Infirmity resulted from sin. Only a priest or prophet could facilitate healing.

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. …

 

When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing….

 

Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? …

 

Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. …

 

They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. [Because priests or prophets mediate healing with God]  Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?

 

The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

 

They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. …

 

And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

By using His spiritual gift, the Savior obliterated blindness, ironically identified real blindness and confronted false precepts of men. Infirmity does not imply sin. Materials of the earth can be used in healing. All good works occur through the power of God.

Jesus promised, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

The Spiritual Gift of Faith

In church classes or discussions about spiritual gifts, most people say it’s just the ability to believe. Faith seems undervalued as a spiritual gift. Sometimes I wonder if that happened in Moroni’s ward on some level, inspiring his amazing reflection on what faith accomplishes.

By exercising faith, the Nephites saw the Savior after His resurrection, received the priesthood, gained hope and charity, and received miracles. Then, what they accomplished by faith is astonishing! Prison walls fell down, others experienced conversion, mountains moved, men faced their weaknesses to accomplish the Lord’s purpose. They rent the veil of forgetfulness rent and saw all things. Moroni saw the Book of Mormon as a product of great faith.

But during these outpourings of faith-filled experiences, many with this spiritual gift experienced opposition to their spiritual gift. Prison walls fell down because Alma and Amulek were imprisoned. Those who saw the Savior after His resurrection had been under an extermination order. Prophets who edited, compiled, and then translated the Book of Mormon fought for their lives but persevered in their spiritual gift of faith.

An Opposer Who Acquired the Spiritual Gift of Faith

My 3rd great grandmother Eliza Chapman Gadd (1815-1892) did not believe the Church was true when her husband and children joined. Soon, going to Zion consumed her family. To keep the family together, Eliza agreed to leave England for Utah and they began making their way West. They joined the ill-fated Willie Handcart company for their final leg of the journey to the Salt Lake Valley.

During that trek, when winter snow fell early and the food was gone, Eliza’s husband and two sons—her husband Samuel and son Samuel most wanted to go to Zion—died on the plains. My 2nd great grandmother Sarah, only eight at the time, led a snow-blind Eliza with one hand as Eliza helped the older children pull the handcart up Rocky Ridge.

Just seven days after arriving in Salt Lake, Eliza was baptized saying, “I just can’t wait any longer”. When she was asked by a daughter just before her death about why she was baptized, she said, “After seeing all of my children turn into angels, how could I not be?” This is significant if you consider the fact that Eliza was snow-blind on the day her son, Samuel, died.

Grandma Eliza received the same spiritual gift of faith that Grandpa Samuel had and she magnified it. She experienced physical and spiritual blindness and through the spiritual gift of faith, she chose to see.

Acquiring Spiritual Gifts

I asked a family member I’ve always admired about her spiritual gift to see the spirits of those who have died. I said I would like that gift. She said, “pray and ask.”

The Lord said the same thing.

 

But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking uprightly before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils.

 

Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived; and that ye may not be deceived seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given;

 

For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts. …

 

And it shall come to pass that he that asketh in Spirit shall receive in Spirit; He that asketh in the Spirit asketh according to the will of God; wherefore it is done even as he asketh.

 

And again, I say unto you, all things must be done in the name of Christ, whatsoever you do in the Spirit; And ye must give thanks unto God in the Spirit for whatsoever blessing ye are blessed with. And ye must practice virtue and holiness before me continually. Even so. Amen.

Rejoicing in Spiritual Gifts

To read more of Delisa’s articles, click here.

We live in the fullness of times! We see the fullness of evil, but hopefully, choose fullness of light and righteousness. We live in a time when the gifts of the spirit can magnify and replenish our ability to build the Lord’s Kingdom on earth.

I hope we recognize that “every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ” so we avoid the Lord’s chastisement “dispute not because ye see not.” Instead, “thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.”

Delisa Hargrove

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have moved 64 times and have not tired of experiencing this beautiful earth! I love the people, languages, histories/anthropologies, & especially religious cultures of the world. My life long passion is the study & searching out of religious symbolism, specifically related to ancient & modern temples. My husband Anthony and I love our bulldog Stig, adventures, traveling, movies, motorcycling, and time with friends and family.

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. (Matthew 7:6)

Many years ago (10? 11?), I was visiting a ward out of state. During Relief Society, the lesson was on spiritual gifts. The teacher was good and very eager to discuss the topic. She asked if anyone would be willing to share their specific spiritual gifts with the group.

It was quiet for a bit, and I decided to raise my hand. I had received zero promptings to share; I didn’t even feel compelled to share outside of my own pride. I figured, “I’ve got this one great spiritual gift –I should share it with everyone!” I didn’t think I was sharing to brag…

I shared this gift (I’m purposefully not sharing it with you, dear reader, because it would defeat the point!) and the teacher said she was a little envious, that this gift was something she had always hoped to be given. I felt a little smug. I was pretty satisfied with myself and my amazing gift! I don’t think anyone in the room felt anything was amiss –the only thing amiss was my heart.

Lo, and behold, I discovered (very soon) that the specific spiritual gift I had described to everyone, in that very moment, was taken from me. It was gone. Honestly, it felt as if something was quietly removed from my soul. I felt the absence.

I felt awful. I felt so repentant. I felt incredibly humbled.

Over the course of the next 2-3 years, I struggled to regain that gift back. I learned a lot about humility, spiritual gifts, pride, and what it means to give the glory to God. I realized that every good thing we have been given is for the betterment of mankind and to bring souls to Christ. They aren’t to raise ourselves above others!

I learned that “Pearls before swine” doesn’t always mean sharing spiritual things with evil people –it could really mean just sharing sacred things we have no right to share until we’ve been prompted to share it by the Holy Ghost. It could mean sharing sacred things with a bunch of nice people at church…

A good friend of mine recently told me that she often thinks about Mary, the mother of Jesus, when she receives sacred, personal revelation. Mary didn’t go tell everyone about it. She, as far as we know, didn’t share her experiences with very many people. She had been given the greatest gift of all time! She would be the very mother of God! What did she do with the information?

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)

This makes me wonder what I’m doing when I share too many things on social media, in church, or even with friends about my relationship with God, the things I learn from the Holy Ghost, and the promptings I receive. Do I share too much? Too little? Where is the line?

I’m still learning when I should share sacred things, with whom I could share them, and in what way they should be shared. I think I err on the side of sharing too much, sometimes, so it’s something I think about a lot. How many pearls am I casting? How can I be more like Mary?

Another thing I learned is that the spiritual gift I had been given wasn’t even mine in the first place. The gift was a Gift of the Spirit –a gift from God. Whether or not I brought it with me on my mortal journey doesn’t really matter, because all good things come from God. He had every right to give it to me and every right to take it away when I needed to learn not only humility, but patience, faith, and some gratitude, for good measure.

Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21)

Slowly, dear reader, I regained the spiritual gift I had lost. I believe it has returned fully, but I’m very careful about how I use it. I don’t discuss it casually with people and I try to use it in the way God had intended me to use it.

I listen for the promptings of the Holy Ghost before I share my gift. I try to heed the counsel I receive from Heaven. I’m still learning, but I’m grateful for the chance I had to regain something that has become precious to me.

It made me think about Joseph Smith Jr. and Martin Harris, and how, in an effort to please his friend, Joseph ended up losing the ability to translate. It was taken from him for a very long time! I can’t imagine how frustrating and humbling that must have been for him, especially since he had known better and he knew he had been commanded to translate the Book of Mormon quickly. But like me, Joseph repented, he was humbled, and he was given back the gift of translation from God.

When I think about his experience, and how it mirrors my own, my heart swells with gratitude for such a merciful and loving Father in Heaven. He is the greatest of all, and yet He takes effort in teaching us all, so individually, the things that we need to know to become more like Him.

To read more of Cheryl’s articles, click here.

Every time we repent, we are forgiven. Every time we take a step in the right direction, He is there to help us. Even the tiniest of efforts can yield immediate and miraculous results and brings us to Christ.

Jesus Christ exemplified the humility I’ve been trying to understand in every way. He did the will of His Father without complaint. He served without expecting rewards. He healed (raised people from the dead!) and asked people not to boast of His power and strength.

He was meek, mild, loving, and oh, so humble. He gave all the glory to Heavenly Father, never once attempting to take it for Himself, even though He had been given all the spiritual gifts.

I still need to work on humility, but I’m grateful for the experience I had that showed me how important it is to give the glory to God, wait for the promptings of the Holy Ghost, and keep sacred things sacred.

Cheryl S. Savage

Cheryl S. Savage has one incredible husband and seven sensational kids. Since earning her bachelor’s degree in marriage and family studies at BYU many years ago, she spends her time raising the kids, teaching piano lessons, voraciously reading, traveling, romanticizing, writing, and learning. She and her husband have moved their family from coast to coast, but currently reside in Kansas.

How true is this of people who have no inhibitions?  who feel no social pressure?  who just wake up each morning to a whole blank-slate of a day and begin anew?  

My Down syndrome son has no long-term goals.  He carries no baggage from yesterday.  Each and every moment is just born for itself.  

I mean, why wear a straw hat on top of your cowboy hat?  I don’t know.  

Joey and his double hat.

Why insist on drinking one glass of water and one glass of milk at the same time with two different straws?  No idea.

Drinking milk and water at the same time.

Why walk the bases backwards?  

Joey walking the bases backward.

Why be so proud of yourself simply for trying on funky sunglasses?  

Joey and some awesome sun glasses.

Why make a sculpture out of paper cups and straws and tape it to the floor?

Joey’s creative sculpture.

None of these things make any real sense to me at all.  They are just the brain flowers of my son.  

Is there often someone who’ll pause while shopping just to get in 8-10 seconds for a shave?  Not usually.

But a person who is free to express every thought and who is apparently pretty creative, is likely to do any of those things.  And this person will never look over their shoulder to see if anyone else approves. For this person, every morning is a springtime of the mind.  

To read more of Jane’s articles, click the picture.

And to my great delight I never know what will grow out of it.

The sun comes up every morning, and we choose what to do with our hours.  Seems to me that despite disabilities or differences each individual on earth is equally as magnificent and intricate as is every flower or stem.  Equally as worthy of observation and regard.  

My springtime wish for you is that you will find a way today to blossom with the freedom that my Down syndrome son feels and enjoy your time making the world an imaginative and beautiful place!

Jane Thurston

One family took their son to the emergency room as breathing capability audibly decreased. Doctors admitted him immediately and began treatment and said he was lucky to be alive. The other son’s struggle was less obvious. He thought he had a severe cold. He suffocated on the living room couch with a parent nearby ready to administer to his needs.

Both families loved their son. Both sons are talented and awesome. Both families believe in God. Both families have faith in priesthood power. Both families have seen miracles in their lives. Both reacted and coped with amazing faith.

But one son lived and the other son died.

We believe in miraculous healing. The scriptures are full of miraculous exceptions. The Shunammite woman rushed Elisha to her son’s side and Elisha raised him from the dead. Jairus’ daughter came back to life. Nephi raised his brother from the dead. The widow’s son in Nain came back to life on the way to his burial. Lazarus lived again.

But this good son, and so many other beloved children, didn’t revive.

I’ve realized that Heavenly Father sees this situation play out every day. From His perspective, every day, wonderful old, medium, and young people die and wonderful old, medium, and young people live.
I realized, while pondering about this that we encounter miraculous circumstances that keep us alive every day–from Holy Ghost’s warning of danger to God granting us the very breath we need to live.

Our Days Are Numbered

I began to ask, like Job, “Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?” Job reiterates what he already knows in a later chapter. “Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.”

The Lord told Joseph “Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.”

And in one of the most beautiful verses, the Lord revealed that “thus did I, the Lord God, appoint unto man the days of his probation—that by his natural death he might be raised in immortality unto eternal life, even as many as would believe.”

Repeatedly, the Lord testifies that He knows us, that our life’s duration is determined, and that through death we achieve our ultimate goal—eternal life.

It’s a glorious, and hard, truth for those left behind. Russell M. Nelson acknowledged that “Irrespective of age, we mourn for those loved and lost. Mourning is one of the deepest expressions of pure love. It is a natural response in complete accord with divine commandment: ‘Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die.’

Moreover, we can’t fully appreciate joyful reunions later without tearful separations now. The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life.”

There Is a Work to Do

At the appointed time, Heavenly Father’s only, begotten Son died, too. Jesus Christ constantly emphasized that He knew His life’s time frame and He zealously focused on fulfilling His life’s mission and purpose.

“I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me. And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—
And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me.”

God the Father declared His purposeful intention for mortality. “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” And this is the work tasked to all of us. We’re given amazing opportunities to fulfill God’s purpose through the unique talents and perspectives He’s given each of us.

The Lord taught Abraham the workings of the universe “before ye go into Eygpt, that ye may declare all these words.”

When rebuilding the temple, people flocked to the house of the Lord and “they gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work.”

In administering to the poor and needy during a great famine, “the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren.”

None of our efforts or offerings will be the same because we are not the same. The gifts God grants us differs between us.

“For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God. To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.”

You have a unique purpose. Your voice matters. Your gifts and talents are from God enabling you to gloriously contribute to the Kingdom of God.

To read more of Delisa’s articles, click here.

And what of that beloved, only son’s death? His life honored God. And his death testified of a plan of happiness and salvation to all who knew him. His obituary, so beautifully written, conveyed his family’s deep love for him, faith in Christ, and hope in an everlasting life. And you know what? His spirit still lives!

If we choose, every aspect of our existence can glorify God’s will and purpose.

“If they live here let them live unto me; and if they die let them die unto me; for they shall rest from all their labors here, and shall continue their works.”

Delisa Hargrove

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have moved 64 times and have not tired of experiencing this beautiful earth! I love the people, languages, histories/anthropologies, & especially religious cultures of the world. My life long passion is the study & searching out of religious symbolism, specifically related to ancient & modern temples. My husband Anthony and I love our bulldog Stig, adventures, traveling, movies, motorcycling, and time with friends and family.

As I listened to our Christmas Sacrament meeting, my thoughts were drawn to how powerful the scriptures have been in my life. The scriptures have anchored my testimony’s foundation.

Last week I read Nephi’s comments that the brass plates critically helped maintain his peoples’ conversion. And yesterday, I met the Mulekites again in Omni. Amaleki recorded that because the Mulekites didn’t have records, not only was their language corrupted but so was their religion.

My favorite tangible gift is scripture!  It’s the gift that keeps on giving because by studying the scriptures, I realize what other gifts are available! ☺

I’ve thought about how scriptures affected people in the scriptures. There are lots of times one prophet’s words are quoted by another prophet. But, I’ve read stories that made me feel like the main character had gotten his idea, or made his plan, because he read (or knew orally) of a similar story in the scriptures.

A Precious Stone that Shone

The first story that ever struck me this way is the story of the brother of Jared and lighting the barges. When he approached the Lord for light and air help, Jehovah resolved the question about air. He then told the brother of Jared that the barges couldn’t have windows or fire for light. He mentioned that the winds and waves and tumults had all been prepared to get them to the promised land. Then Jehovah said, “what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are…in the depths of the sea?” (Ether 2:25).

The brother of Jared prepared small stones and asked the Lord to touch the stones so they would shine in the darkness.

Genesis 6 tells the story of Noah’s ark. In directing the building of the ship, Jehovah said to Noah, “A window shalt thou make to the ark…” (Genesis 6:16). The footnote to “window” says “some rabbis believed it was a precious stone that shone in the ark.”

Maybe the brother of Jared read of Noah’s shining stone in the scriptures. Maybe he just knew the story since it hadn’t happened THAT long before he lived. Maybe the Holy Ghost prompted him to follow a similar pattern.

Regardless, I remember feeling a wonderful connection.  The Lord answered the question the brother of Jared couldn’t find, or know, the answer to. But, He let the brother of Jared work through his light problem and ask for a solution offered in a similar situation. Jehovah said He would prepare whatever the brother of Jared brought to Him and He did.

Here are (at least ☺) four gifts—the Lord’s preparation from the trial awaiting the brother of Jared. The Lord answering questions the brother of Jared couldn’t answer. The Lord letting the brother of Jared supply the answers he could and performing the requested miracle.

Ambush Strategy

Because of Israel’s wickedness, the city of Ai defeated Joshua and the children of Israel. The Lord commanded Israel to attack the city again. Joshua laid out a strategy to lead a small portion of his army near the city of Ai. He hoped the army at Ai would take the bait and think they could easily defeat them again. Joshua hid other parts of his army along the route.

As soon as the men of Ai left the city, the hidden portion of Joshua’s army took and burned the city.

Captain Moroni successfully utilized a very similar ambush strategy against Zerahemnah and vanquished one of the fiercest Lamanite armies.

Helaman’s strategy for conquering the city of Manti mirrors almost perfectly Joshua’s defeat of Ai. However, while Joshua killed the men of Ai, Helaman captured the city without any bloodshed.

Was Joshua’s story on the brass plates? Did Moroni and Helaman read it? Or was it just good military strategy?

I love the possibility that Captain Moroni and Helaman read their scriptures and relied on previously successful strategies in their own times of struggle.

Here is (at least ☺) two gifts—the Lord expressed His confidence in these leaders by commanding them to act. As they sought the best strategy, the Lord magnified their efforts and enabled a successful outcome.

On the Altar, or in the Furnace, of Affliction

Abraham laid on a sacrificial altar because he would not bow down to other gods. “And as they lifted up their hands upon me, that they might offer me up and take away my life, behold, I lifted up my voice unto the Lord my God, and the Lord hearkened and heard…and the angel of his presence stood by me, and immediately unloosed my bands” (Abraham 1:15).

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego found themselves conspicuously standing alone amidst a kneeling congregation worshipping a golden statue. In his rage and fury, Nebuchadnezzar demanded to know why they refused to worship his image.

They responded “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace…but if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Daniel 3:17-18).

They were thrown into the fiery furnace. Their bands were loosed (obviously), but they walked around unharmed. And, they were joined by someone “like the Son of God.”

Did they read, or know this history about Abraham? I would say probably on this one ☺. But, maybe not.  

My favorite phrase of this story is “but if not.” They knew God could deliver them. But, if it wasn’t His will to save them from death, like with Abinadi, it didn’t matter. Their loyalty was defined. Like Abraham, they worshipped the one true God.

Sometimes when we know how God can answer prayers, we pray differently. We have a different hope and faith. Our generalities become specific. Our faith becomes knowledge.

Here are (at least ☺) 3 gifts—the Lord heard their prayers. The Lord personally responded to their prayers. The Lord saved their lives.

Desiring to See, and Hear, and Know

One of my very favorite examples of immediately repeating a scriptural story is Nephi’s.

Lehi saw the vision of the Tree of Life and shared it, as the prophet, with his family.

Profoundly impacted, Nephi said, “having heard all the words of my father…I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him….” (1 Nephi 10:17).

He saw the vision and shared an expanded version in his records. When he returned home, Nephi found his brothers wondering about Lehi’s vision. They asked Nephi to explain it to them. Nephi asked if they’d asked God to explain it to them. He seemed frustrated that they wouldn’t just ask.

For me, this is the ultimate gift of the scriptures. I can see God’s dealings with other people in surprisingly relatable situations. And I’m taught that I can ask God myself.

But, I still have a choice. I can read and admire the stories and miracles from afar. Or I can read and run straight to the Source. The scripture doesn’t even indicate that Nephi asked his dad to expound on his dream. Maybe Lehi did expound more. Or maybe Lehi was exhausted and not available for further inquiry. Or maybe Nephi preferred direct revelation from the Lord.

The Lord personally touched the brother of Jared’s stones. The Lord inspired the efforts of Joshua, Moroni, and Helaman. The Lord stood with Abraham, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. The Lord showed Nephi Lehi’s vision AND answered then his questions!

Do I believe the Lord will do this for me? Do you?

To read more of Delisa’s articles, click here.

“For he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.

For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round” (1 Nephi 10:18-19).

Today is one of those “times to come.” Ask. Seek. Knock.

Accept His gifts and find Him.

Delisa Hargrove

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have moved 64 times and have not tired of experiencing this beautiful earth! I love the people, languages, histories/anthropologies, & especially religious cultures of the world. My life long passion is the study & searching out of religious symbolism, specifically related to ancient & modern temples. My husband Anthony and I love our bulldog Stig, adventures, traveling, movies, motorcycling, and time with friends and family.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes called Mormons, believe these three are not one being. They are completely unified in every way except physically. This is demonstrated through two verses in the New Testament of the Holy Bible.

John 10:30 says, “I and my Father are one.” In the centuries following the death of Jesus Christ and the apostles, councils convened and decided scriptures like this one signified a unity of physical being. Not all Christians agreed, but this view, put to a vote, prevailed. However, such an interpretation ignores the explanation given by the Savior a few chapters later.

In the Great Intercessory Prayer given by the Savior, He said,

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are (John 17:11)

From this we can see the oneness is that of spiritual unity, not physical oneness, since we do not include all of Jesus’ followers in our trinity. Jesus taught in this prayer that He and His Father were one in the same way all Christians are to be one.

Mormon beliefs teach that God and Jesus Christ have perfected and glorified bodies, but the Holy Spirit is a Spirit only. He has several assignments designed to help us in our life’s journey. In fact, without His help, we would have little chance of returning to our Heavenly Father.

In the Book of Mormon, we learn the Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus Christ and God.

“And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive” (2 Nephi 31:18)

The Holy Spirit, then, makes it possible for us to know for certain that God lives and Jesus Christ is our Savior. Without this witness, we would have to guess, and few would accept that reality. The Bible promises us in James 1:5 that if we lack wisdom, we can ask God and He will tell us what we need to know. This knowledge comes through the Holy Ghost. We will receive an answer through warm and comforting feelings in our heart (because Satan cannot bring a feeling of peace) and in this way, we can know God and Jesus are real. We can also use the testimony of the Holy Ghost to know what doctrines are true and which church is God’s church. To receive this witness, we must pray and ask for an answer, committing ourselves to act on the answer. We must not ask unless we’re willing to accept and live by the answer.

Some people warn others not to pray, saying you can’t tell who is answering you. However, Mormons believe that since God promised He would answer us, we can trust Him to find a way to make sure we recognize the source of all truth. This is the role of the Holy Ghost—to give us answers we can recognize as coming from God when we pray. The more we pray, the better we will become at recognizing what the Holy Ghost feels like.

Mormons convey the gift of the Holy Ghost after baptism. Mormons can be baptized at age eight, which they consider the age of accountability, when a child is old enough to know right from wrong if he’s been taught, and to pray to know what is true. They are expected to pray for a testimony prior to their baptisms. After they are baptized, they are confirmed members of the Church and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Prior to this, they have the Spirit of Christ and can receive periodic promptings from the Holy Ghost to help them recognize truth. However, after they are given the Gift of the Holy Ghost by someone with the proper priesthood authority, they can have the Holy Spirit with them all the time, as long as they are living worthy of His presence.

A Mormon teenager who enters a friends’ home to discover the parents aren’t home and the teenagers who are present are making plans to drink can receive a warning from the Holy Spirit to leave the home. If she chooses to ignore the warning and stay, she may find herself on her own, since the Holy Spirit can’t be where wickedness is, and choosing to ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit tells Him He is not welcome. However, the teen who obeys will protect herself from very difficult situations. A driver who has a sudden spiritual impression to pull off the road may discover she has avoided an accident that happens moments later to the cars just behind her. This does not mean we can avoid all trials or dangers. However, it helps us to avoid those that are not necessary for our personal growth and plan or to avoid many—but not all—hardships.

Another role of the Holy Spirit is to serve as a comforter.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever (John 14:16).

Life is sometimes very difficult. No life is without sadness or trial because we came here in part to learn and to be tested. However, Jesus promised not to leave us comfortless and so he sent the Holy Spirit. Even when we feel all alone in our trials, He can be there, if invited, to help us through it and to provide comforting companionship and reassurance.

The Holy Spirit also helps us receive spiritual gifts and to be sanctified as we repent. As we can see, although He may get talked about less than the other two members of the Godhead, He plays a powerful role in the success of our mortal lives.

Terrie Lynn Bittner

The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.