Desperately Seeking the Holy Ghost

In the Bloggernacle a writer needs to have a good title to get noticed in the aggregators. It’s also a good idea to have something worthwhile to say. I think I’ve got both. I hope you’ll hang in there for a few minutes and read what I’ve have to say. There is a 1 to 5 star rating system at the end. After reading this, please rate how meaningful of a read it was to you.

For this post I’ve decided to be less formal. I’m going use my experiences in life to illustrate the workings of the Spirit. I’d like to discuss sacred things with you, like I would with a loved one.

As the title says, I am writing about the Holy Ghost. Obtaining the Holy Ghost is where it’s at, at least that what we’re told by church leaders. They tell us there is nothing more important we can do. I agree with that counsel. Not just because church leaders teach it, but because of what I’ve experienced.

As a young man I lost interest in the church and one day just stopped going.  I was about 15 years old. No one in my family was active so it wasn’t a big deal. One of the reasons I left was I got tired of hearing about how wonderful it was to be born in the covenant and how we must have been among the great and noble spirits in the preexistence. Problem was, I wasn’t born in the covenant. My father wasn’t even a member. So the message turned out to be, “you’re a second class spirit”. I agreed and left church thinking I’d never return. Continue reading

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A Crisis in President Monson’s Family

I just finished reading a devotional address given at BYU Idaho by President Monson’s daughter, Ann M. Dibb. It was given shortly after President Hinckley died. It is titled, My Father Is a Prophet, given in Feb 2008.

As many of us already know by experience, when we’re visited by a crisis, faith can be found, lost, increased, or decreased. If we’ve lived a life more of form than substance, then a crisis will reveal this for all to behold. On the other hand, if we’re the real thing, then that will be revealed as well.

For the men who lead this church–how they handle a crisis is more revealing than anything they might have said or written.

To those who frequent the Bloggernacle with the intention of thumbing their nose at the church by dredging up this or that tidbit of church history or doctrine, I suggest the lives of church leaders will tell those who are quick to observe more about the truthfulness of the gospel than any half-baked criticism currently being tossed about. Continue reading

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New Order Mormons-A Path of Deception

While surfing the Bloggernacle I came across a blog with a post that I would like to review. The author of the post shared his “testimony”. He started out by stating that he was born and raised in the church, served on a mission, and cherishes the church, and then added that he did not believe in the spiritual claims of the church and never really had. This includes foundational things like the first vision, coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and the restoration of the priesthood by angelic messengers. In other words, all claim of the “supernatural” (his choice of words) never happened.

To him, the church is just an organization of men doing good things based on a whopper of a story. But, that is all right with him because there are many practical aspects of the church that are good, he writes.

Following is a list of a few of the practical aspects of the church that keep him coming back:

It’s good to grow up giving prayers, memorizing talks, and learning songs in Primary. Continue reading

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Serendipitous Answers to Prayer

I think everyone has experienced serendipity. Serendipitous blessings come about in many ways. It can happen in a chance meeting with someone. Sometimes very important things transpire through chance meetings.

For several months I have been praying about a concern I have and last week I received a serendipitous answer from Heavenly Father. As I’ve ponder the details of this experience I am grateful that God hears and answers prayer this way.

Serendipitous blessings do not usually have a “feeling” associated with them. They can be thought of as “packets of help” from Heavenly Father. Someone else is generally involved, but typically they are unaware of it.

I’ll give an example of something that happened to me a few years ago to illustrate this form of answer to prayer. For many years I’ve experienced a ongoing health problem that doctors are unable to help with. The symptoms are with me almost daily and at times can be severe. To find relief, I’ve been prayerfully using alternative medical remedies, usually found on the internet. The problem with this approach is that there are so many things that claim to be helpful, but lack evidence, that if one is not careful they can make their condition worse or go broke hoping to find an effective remedy. Continue reading

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Is America on the Cusp of Economic Chaos? A Voice of Warning, Are We Listening?

I don’t know the answer to this question, but sentences beginning with economic, and ending with assorted descriptive terms like depression and collapse are being heard among those who are in the know about things financial. I think Jim Rogers was the first market maven I heard sound the alarm about the seriousness of the sub-prime problem in late 2007. More recently he told CNBC that the US government’s approach to the “bailout” will create an “inflation holocaust”.

In a now famous talk given by President Hinckley in Oct 1998 Priesthood Meeting, our optimistic prophet struck a surprisingly pessimistic tone when he said:

“There is a portent of stormy weather ahead to which we had better give heed. I hope with all my heart that we shall never slip into a depression. I am a child of the Great Depression of the thirties. I finished the university in 1932, when unemployment in this area exceeded 33 percent… We are carrying a message of self-reliance throughout the Church. Self-reliance cannot obtain when there is serious debt hanging over a household… I urge you, brethren, to look to the condition of your finances. I urge you to be modest in your expenditures; discipline yourselves in your purchases to avoid debt to the extent possible. Pay off debt as quickly as you can, and free yourselves from bondage.”


An Astonishing Prophecy Continue reading

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The Doctrine of Premortality (Pre-existence)

Understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ is made easier if we believe and understand the doctrine that we lived before we were born. I’ve found that most people find it easy to accept this idea because of their faith in life after death. Life before birth, and life after death are companion doctrines. To my knowledge LDS are the only Christian church to teach the doctrine of premortality.

The doctrine of premortality teaches that we were born as spirit children to heavenly parents. In the premortal world of spirits we grew into adult spirits. We experienced many things there that prepared us to come to this life where a veil of forgetfulness is placed over our memory so we can learn to walk by faith while in mortal life.

Following are a few key points related to this doctrine:

1. Mankind are the sons and daughters of God (D&C 76:24). Continue reading

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Was I Prompted by the Spirit? What Should I do if I’m not Certain?

I have experienced many answers to prayer. I know the Lord hears my prayers, He is my friend.

Nevertheless, I am currently trying to determine if an “impression” I received a few days ago, is from the Lord, or the workings of my mind.

I have been researching and praying about a particular business pursuit I have been involved with for years. Something I’ve been doing on the side from my main business, but would like to spend more time doing. So far, I haven’t been successful at this endeavor even though I have invested considerable time and money.

A few months ago I went to the temple with the express purpose of receiving help regarding this business endeavor. I left the temple with the conviction that I should continue my research and investigation, in other words, intensify my effort.

I did this and the results were expensive and discouraging. As I reviewed my results, I ask myself, why in the world am I wasting my effort on this losing endeavor? Continue reading

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This is the Testimony Which is in Me

Those who have a testimony possess power. I think it can be compared to the power that a gifted artist possesses. In my 7th grade class there was a fellow student who could play the piano with unusual skill. He had only been playing for a few years, but he knew all kinds of music by heart, and could play with a dexterity that summoned your attention—even for non musical types. He must have been born with power in music.

In whatever endeavor mankind participates in, there are those who possess a natural power for that endeavor. We like to use the term gifted to describe them. I think those who are gifted in music, athletes, math, science, and etc., first become aware of their power through their “feelings”.

Continue reading

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Are You Puffed Up or Humble?

Moving quickly about the internet is easy to take for granted. At least I have, until recently, that is. The broadband that runs my home computer is being upgraded and I’m without the internet for a week or so—what a pain. I now realize just how much I rely on various internet sites.

A few days ago I noted a reduction in the speed internet pages were loading on my computer. It would take minutes instead of seconds to move from site to site. It reminded me of the days when I relied on “dial up” internet.

This experience got me thinking about access to the Lord. The prophet Nephi said:

…whoso knocketh, to him will he open… Continue reading

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We are All Obedient. It is Simply a Matter of Whom We Obey

We are All Obedient. It is Simply a Matter of Whom We Obey

I read this statement recently and found it full of meaning (it would make a good bumper sticker).

Good and Evil

In Mormon theology we learn that all things good come from God, and all things evil come from satan . As members of the church we should be interested in determining what is good and what is evil, then choose the good. We’re taught, if we faithfully do this,  we’ll inherit a place in the celestial kingdom.

Determining Good from Evil Isn’t Always Easy

Determining good and evil is easy according to Moroni. I’ve struggled to understand this teaching and have found it hard to apply as I’ve tried to determine good from evil in various situations. Sometimes good and evil can not be discerned. The prophet Joseph Smith learned this lesson when the Lord said, Continue reading

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