(Compiled by Dennis B. Horne)
See the Introductory blog (#1) for explanation about this 6-part blog series on hearing the voice of the Lord in the mind. The below are accounts shared by those who have experienced this spiritual gift and have thereby been able to bless and enlighten others. Most of these are self-explanatory, but if desired readers wishing further context can (in most cases) go to the original source:
Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone about Sister Featherstone:
For the past two years our family has served a mission in Texas. It has been glorious and fulfilling beyond all expectations. When we first arrived, Sister Featherstone went to the Lord and said: “We don’t have much time. Please let me learn quickly so that the work will go forth.”
Later she said, “The Lord has
answered my prayers. He taught me several great lessons. One of those lessons
came after the first three or four weeks in the mission field. I was unable to
find a few minutes each day to repair to a quiet spot. When I was home I would
take about forty-five minutes in the afternoon and go out and curry down my
Arabian horse. I would retreat into a world of my own for those few minutes.”
She could not find time for even a
few minutes for herself in the mission field. She went to the Lord and knelt in
prayer and said, “Please, Heavenly Father, help me to find some time for myself
while I am here.”
And she said that just as clear as
anything in this world the words came into her mind, saying, “My daughter, this
is not your time; this is my time.” We have attempted to work with all our
energy while we were on his time. And that work standard is compared to our
work standard and not someone else’s.
I give you
my sure witness that the Lord is such a kind and wonderful and gracious
Heavenly Father, that His [Son, our] Savior, never receives a sacrifice in
which He doesn’t return to us a thousand times the blessings that come from
Him. They don't always come exactly at the same time. They sometimes come much
later, but they always come. I remember that years after my mission when
something very good happened to me, and as I prayed and thanked the Lord for
the blessing, the thought came into my mind of: “I gave it to you because of
what you did for Elder so-and-so”—a mission companion I had had in France as a
young man. Totally obscure thought that I could never have put in my mind by
myself. The Lord never has us in his debt; He always returns it.[1]
The first
took place in southern Germany. I had been on my mission for two months. It had
been a difficult time and I was very discouraged. The language was hard, and we
had been rejected and ridiculed and cast out many times. It felt like we were
under attack. People had argued with us on points of doctrine, told us we were
from the devil, and much worse. I felt the temptations and whispers of doubt
about what I was doing. One morning I knelt in prayer and told Heavenly Father
of my troubles. It was a heartfelt prayer of real intent. I said to Him,
“Heavenly Father, please help me.” As I prayed I heard a voice, as distinct and
clear as though someone were standing right next to me. The voice said: Believe
in God.
I asked my
companion if there were a scripture that said, “Believe in God?” He sent me to
the Book of Mormon, Mosiah 4:9.
I sat on
the bed and opened the Book of Mormon and read the inspired words of King
Benjamin: Believe in God; believe that he is, and that
he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he
has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that
man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.
As I read
those words I felt as though King Benjamin were speaking to me. I felt the
power of the Holy Ghost in my heart. I knew this was the answer to my prayer.
My prayer was: Heavenly Father, please help me. The answer sent me to the Book
of Mormon where I received two messages.
The first
message: these are my words; this is my book, it is true.
The second
message: believe in me. I know all things and I have all wisdom and all power.
Trust me.
One of the
most sacred responsibilities of a mission president is the assignment of
companionships, for it must be done through inspiration. On one occasion,
having carefully followed the same procedure as always, I invited a missionary
into my office and said, “Elder, you’re going to be thrilled with your new
assignment.”
His eyes
lit up with enthusiasm. Then, just as I was about to give him his assignment, a
powerful impression came to my mind: “No, not there; you can’t send him there.”
The more he
stared wide-eyed at me the more uneasy I became. I said, “Just a minute, elder;
I’ll be right back,” and, of course, I went to another room and prayed to find
out where he should go.
[1]
Elder Neil L. Anderson, Talk given at Provo, Utah, MTC, October 27, 2015.
[2]
Elder Neil L. Anderson, Talk given at Provo, Utah, MTC, October 27, 2015.
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