Welcome to the Come Follow Me podcast for teens and for parents of teens. A podcast to supplement your weekly study of the Come Follow Me curriculum.
with thoughts ideas principles stories and questions all geared towards helping teenagers better follow christ through their teenage years hey everybody welcome back as always to another edition of the come follow me for teens podcast as always i'm your host josh downs and this week we are going to be taking a look at a very special set of sections in the doctrine covenants doctrine covenant section six through nine with the theme this is the spirit of revelation these sections
contains some of the very most important and foundational principles as it relates to learning to walk by the Spirit in life. And so young people, I want you to pay extra close attention to the things that we're going to cover today. And to delve as deeply as you can into your own personal study to learn.
some of the foundational truths when it comes to recognizing and following the spirit from these sections now here's the background of this week's study to kind of introduce it in the fall of 1828 A young school teacher named Oliver Cowdery took a teaching job in Manchester, New York and stayed with the family of Lucy and Joseph Smith Sr. Oliver had heard about their son Joseph and his remarkable experiences, and Oliver, who considered himself a seeker of truth, wanted to know more.
the smiths described visits from angels an ancient record and the gift to translate by the power of god oliver was fascinated could it be true lucy and joseph sr gave him advice that applies to anyone seeking truth which is to pray and ask the lord which oliver did and the lord answered speaking peace to his mind Revelation, Oliver discovered, isn't just for prophets like Joseph Smith. It's for anyone who wants it and seeks it diligently.
Oliver still had a lot to learn, but he knew enough to take his next step. He knew the Lord was doing something important through Joseph Smith, and Oliver wanted to be a part of it. And I love, I think, most of all in that statement that he learned that revelation isn't just for prophets. It really is for everyone and anyone that wants to receive inspiration, direction, counsel from the Lord to guide them.
help them find their way through life. So the first principle we're going to take a look at today, however, is something that's very simple. kind of implies some of the reasons why revelation is so important and where our focus needs to be in order to be able to receive it. Because one of the biggest barriers to receiving revelation is just simply a lack of faith, not believing that God cares.
is enough to share these things of deep importance in our lives and to guide us even in the little decisions that we have to make. Fear is the number one killer of faith. And so I wanted to start with this simple principle that Oliver has taught in section 6. See, Oliver was given a lot of great counsel from the Lord all throughout these sections, and you're going to discover a lot of it, you guys, in your own personal study.
But personally, for me, I believe that none of it was maybe quite as important as what he was simply instructed to do in verse 36 of section 6. Here he was. in a very unfamiliar place, surrounded by people that he really didn't know, being told something he wasn't sure for sure was true. He was uncertain of his own future and what all of this uncertainty might lead to, and I'm sure was experiencing a lot of fear associated with it.
Now think about how often we will find ourselves, you will find yourselves in situations like that, young people, where where you are in an unfamiliar place, a place surrounded by people you don't know. Maybe you're being told some things you aren't sure are true or important. There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding you, surrounding your future. If that doesn't describe kind of where a teenager is...
most of their teenage lives. I don't know what else does. You remember the first time you walked into a high school or junior high? how you most likely were overcome with those feelings of uncertainty, of fear. Where do I go? Where's my class? What kind of experiences am I going to have here? Well, section six, really in its entirety, was meant to reassure Oliver, to help reaffirm his faith in God.
trust that there was a bigger picture that was happening in his life than what he could see, and to trust that God would lead him in the right way to experience the right things for him. And we see a lot of that summarized in one simple verse. And every once in a while, I just love spending some time with these real kind of, I call them power phrases, phrases that we can just remember a lot more easily than maybe, you know, a typical.
verse that we can kind of just keep in our back pocket for those moments whenever we need it. And this is one of those verses, young people. I want you to make sure you mark this and take a second and let it really become a part of you. Internalize it. And the verse is simply this. In verse 36, the Lord says, Look unto me in every thought. Doubt not, fear not.
Now, isn't that awesome? That is something that you want to remember. That's something that I want to remember. Mark it. Highlight it. Memorize it. Look into me in every thought. Doubt not. Fear not. This counsel to Oliver kind of echoes Peter's experience with Christ during, if you remember, the storm on the Sea of Galilee. When invited to walk out on the water to Christ, Peter remarkably did so.
the only person other than Christ in the history of the world to do it. But the key is, how was he able to do it? As long as his gaze was fixed on Christ, he was able to stay atop the water. It wasn't until he took his eyes off of Christ that he started to sink. Because he shifted his focus from Christ and he started to pay attention to the storm and to look and feel the wind and the waves. And in doing that, he started to sink.
And while I love how immediately the Savior reaches out to Peter when Peter begins to sink and pleads with the Lord to save him. I especially love the message that the story teaches about how to stay above the storms of life and to keep from sinking.
And that is that we must keep our eyes focused on Christ. And that is exactly what Oliver is being told to do. Oliver, if he focuses on all the problems and the current situation that he's in, all the uncertainty, all the unknown, all the fear is going to take over. And guess what? He is going to start to feel like he is sinking. And so the Lord is kind of repositioning his gaze. Oliver, don't worry about all the uncertainty. Don't worry about the storm that you're in. Focus on me. Look at me.
And the promise is that everything will be okay. Keep walking towards me, Oliver. It's going to be all right. Look into me in every thought. Doubt not. Fear not. And I don't believe that the Lord is telling us to not doubt and to not have fear when we think of Him as much as He is telling us that we will not have doubt and we will not fear as we think of Him.
That Christ has the ability to not just calm the storms around us, but to calm the storms within us. And those, to me, are the storms that I want calmed first. Young people, there will be times when you also will need to rely on this counsel where you will need the Lord to speak peace to the storm that is raging in your heart and in your mind. And this advice and this principle Whenever you feel fear, whenever you have doubts, we'll remind you to look to Christ because He is the source.
and the one that can ease those doubts calm those doubts and calm those fears so allow your thoughts to be centered on him and he will center you i remember elder david a bednar taught this very powerfully when he said can we hush the fears that so easily and frequently beset us in our contemporary world the answer to this question is an unequivocal yes
three basic principles are central to receiving this blessing in our lives first look to christ to build upon the foundation of christ and three press forward with faith in christ he said i envisioned peter responding fervently and immediately to the saviour's invitation with his eyes fixed on jesus he stepped out of the boat and miraculously walked on the water
Only when his gaze was diverted by the wind and the waves did he become afraid and begin to sink. We can be blessed to conquer our fears and strengthen our faith as we follow the Lord's instruction, Look unto me in every thought. Doubt not. Fear not. Now, for me personally, there have been multiple times in my life where I have had to rely on the Savior to help me stay above the storms.
Whether it was the uncertainty that I had in laying in a hospital bed after experiencing a pretty serious injury that affected my senior year of high school and my ability to play basketball. the sport that I loved and had given so much of my life and time to, to finding myself in a very scary and unfamiliar situation on my mission and just not knowing exactly how it was all going to play out and feeling completely...
like a fish out of water that first day in the mission field. Or the times that as a father and as a provider that there was uncertainty into how I was going to be able to provide for my family, how I was going to be able to have enough to pay our bills. or the fear and the concern about where we were going to live when certain leases unexpectedly came up and we were told that we had to move out of our home with nowhere else to go i have been in multiple situations all throughout my life
that could have very easily been filled with uncertainty, with fear, and I would be lying to you if I didn't feel those things. But I have come to learn and recognize that by focusing on Christ, Those storms.
really do get calmed and things just work out and now with some of the the storms i've been in as of late i've had the time i've had the experience and come to recognize the savior's ability to help and bless and heal and direct and to trust that everything does happen for a reason and can work out for us and will with faith in Him.
and so those storms have not near as much impact on on me there's not near as much fear not near as much concern about the uncertainty i just know that you know what it's going to work out It has in the past. It will in the future. God was there for me once. He'll be there for me again. He will always be there for me. And I bear testimony that He will for you as well.
Now some journal discussion questions for you to consider about this simple principle. Number one, I just would love you to discuss or to think about what does this verse mean to you personally? And how can you apply this to your life right now? I am sure there are situations that you can apply this principle to in your life here and now. Is there anything causing you to feel fear or doubt?
If so, then how can you better look to Christ in your thoughts and let Him speak peace to your mind and to your heart? And I might ask you to consider where is it that you have felt easiest Or where has it come most easily to think of him? I think it's important to identify the places in our lives that are conducive to those kinds of thoughts. What kinds of places have been easiest to think of him?
What kinds of things have you been doing that have helped you to think of him most easily? And how can you spend more time in those places and doing those things? To apply this principle, I would just invite you to simply write of a time that you're aware of where looking to the Lord helped calm your doubts and fears in whatever you are experiencing.
Okay, once we have the fear and the doubt dialed down, it makes it so much easier to hear the Spirit. And so we can delve now into the Spirit of Revelation. The heart of these sections really deals with... principles surrounding revelation president nilson taught if you remember that in the coming days it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding directing
comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost. And He's also repeatedly invited us, if you remember, to hear Him. saying also that if we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation.
he then pleaded with us my beloved brothers and sisters i plead with you he said to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation point that out because in these last two principles that we're going to cover in this episode we are going to look at key truths when it comes to accessing hearing, and recognizing the Spirit so we can better fulfill what President Nielsen has asked us to do. And so we're going to start by taking a look at section 8 verses 1 through 4.
In these verses, basically Oliver Cowdery is being trained by the Lord on how to receive revelation and inspiration. per his request to try and translate the plates like Joseph has been doing. He's watched Joseph do this translation and he wants to take part in it. He wants to do it for himself.
But before he can, the Lord needs to teach him a little bit about how to receive revelation and how revelation works and feels. And that's what we're going to take a look at primarily in these verses. As you read through verses 1 through 4, I... invites you to just simply look for what is it that the Lord is teaching.
Oliver, to help him better understand the workings of the Spirit. We'll read through these together and mark anything that stands out to you. Starting in verse 1, the Lord says, that as surely as the Lord liveth, who is your God and your Redeemer, even so surely shall you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of And then here in verse 2,
and in your heart by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you, which shall dwell in your heart. Verse 3, Now behold, this is the spirit of revelation, and this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea. on dry ground therefore this is thy gift apply into it and blessed art thou for it shall deliver you out of the hands of your enemies when if it were not so they would slay you and bring your soul to destruction
My goodness, there's so many truths and important principles that can be unpacked in just those four short verses. I have been asked, you guys, multiple times in my life, and I've often thought myself, How is it that you really can tell when you're feeling the Spirit or receiving a prompting? And honestly, this is something that you can really only learn over a lifetime.
i am still trying to learn and understand it myself but there are a few key truths and foundational fundamental principles that are in here to understand that are absolutely the best place to start when it comes to understanding the workings of the spirit and will help us to better recognize it when we do experience it and first is this the lord tells oliver that he will tell him how did you notice
I will tell you in your heart and your mind. Not necessarily one or the other. And sometimes we can get confused. Am I thinking this? Is this thought from the Spirit? What about this feeling? Well... blessing of this verse is that the Lord indicates that they most often will come to both simultaneously. That we will not only think it, but we will feel it.
The question, though, is, okay, how might they come? Can we really understand what it means when something comes to our heart or comes to our mind? And this is where President Boy K. Packer... has helped to clarify this so much. It's an older talk but it is one of the best talks that I've ever read.
that has been given i believe on the workings of the spirit and it's called the candle of the lord and in it i'm going to read a little bit of what he taught about how to recognize this spirit the voice of the spirit as it comes to our heart and mind he said we do not have the words even the scriptures do not have the words which perfectly describe the spirit
he said the scriptures generally use the word voice which does not exactly fit it these delicate refined spiritual communications are not seen with our eyes nor heard with our ears And even though it is described as a voice, and this is key, it is a voice that one feels more than one hears.
remember that the spirit does not get our attention he said by shouting or shaking us with a heavy hand rather it whispers it caresses so gently that if we are preoccupied we may not feel it at all He then pointed out it's no wonder that the word of wisdom is so important, not just physically, but also spiritually, as it helps keep us in a place where we can better hear those gentle whisperings of the Spirit.
Secondly, these verses also teach that when the Spirit comes to our heart and mind, that it will also dwell with us and in us.
often in scriptures it takes if you've noticed several times for the spirit to reach the intended recipient or recipients so we can learn from that we can trust that the spirit will try to get through to us multiple times in essence dwelling in our hearts until we either dismiss it or follow it so that's one of the things that we can look for when those gentle promptings or whisper
and our feelings are not just happening once, but happening repeatedly, that can be a very clear indication that it isn't coming from us, but this is coming from the Spirit. And speaking of this, President Packer said, occasionally the spirit will press itself just firmly enough for us to pay heed
but most of the time if we do not heed the gentle feeling the spirit will withdraw and wait until we come seeking and listening and say in our manner and expression like samuel of ancient times speak lord for thy servant heareth He said, I have learned that strong, impressive spiritual experiences do not come to us very frequently.
and when they do they are generally for our own edification instruction or correction unless we are called by proper authority to do so they do not position us to counsel or correct others
That's a very important truth when it comes to revelation. We have responsibility first and foremost for ourselves, and that really is it. God's house is a house of order, and He will not direct revelation to you, typically for someone else, unless you have responsibility and are put in a position over them, such as a father for his family, or a bishop for the ward, or obviously the prophet for the church.
This is a safety precaution. And certainly if anyone comes to you, young people, and tells you that they received a revelation for you to do this, be very careful of that person, that individual, and that person. revelation. Certainly, at the very least, you would be entitled to the same and you should not act on it.
unless you are. And I've seen this even happen in dating. Be very careful of the young man or young woman that comes to you and says, I've received revelation that we're supposed to be together or that we're supposed to get married. Be just cautious of that again. You are entitled to revelation for you always.
And just a way of safeguarding yourself from false spirits, false potential revelations that can be received out there because they are real. Satan is real and he can whisper in a similar way into people's hearts and minds. Just be aware of that. Now, after kind of clarifying there a little bit about how the spirit works, how we can recognize it, how it might feel.
In verse 3, the Lord reminds us that this Spirit, His Spirit, is the same Spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground. In other words, He is teaching Oliver and all of us there, that you too can see miracles in your life as you learn to follow and walk by the Spirit of the Lord. There wasn't a loud voice that came to Moses that said, Moses, part the Red Sea. And he just did it. According to God, it wasn't that. It was just the opposite.
It was the same still small voice that we are trying to become familiar with. That it was just a simple, gentle impression. that must have came to Moses' heart and his mind, and that probably dwelt with him there. I don't know that, you know, if I just had a thought, hey, why don't I part this seed, that I'm going to feel really confident to do that. That, well, is the Lord really, this has never been done.
an entire seed. There was probably a little bit of rejection initially to that thought, that gentle whispering and prompting, but it probably repeated itself multiple times until he finally acted in faith and said, okay. Let's do this. Let's give this a try and see what happens. Well, the seas in your life, young people, and in mine, will also part when we follow the gentle, simple promptings of the Holy Ghost.
important to keep in mind that also we cannot force spiritual things that we might feel the spirit also in a very unique way Because each of us are all unique. There are no steps to follow, no specific recipe to do in order to have these kinds of experiences. But understanding these basic principles can kind of help put us in a... best position possible to receive the Spirit and to recognize it when it visits us.
Sometimes one of the best ways to recognize it is maybe you're sitting in a meeting or a church meeting or a class, a church class of some kind, or you're listening to a podcast like this or reading your scriptures and all of a sudden you have this thought about... Something maybe related, maybe not related, but something to do something, maybe to apply something, to reach out to someone. You recognize, ah, this would really help me if I can incorporate that into my life.
it's those kinds of thoughts that most often originate from the spirit and elder richard g scott kind of referenced this in a talk when In conference, he mentioned to all those that were listening to him speak, he said, As we have talked, some of you have been prompted by the Spirit about private things the Lord wants you to do something about. You have been impressed.
to know what to do. Those feelings are the most important part of our time together because they are a personal message of the Lord to you. Remember that message. Follow it precisely now for your happiness. I remember a time when I was on the mission field and a companion of mine and I were out tracting and we kind of come to the end of a street and...
We did notice that there was a very small apartment complex across the other side of the road, but it was nearing lunch. We were hungry, kind of tired from several hours of knocking on doors, not having anyone open to us. And we had made the decision to just stop where we were and to head back to the apartment. But boy, I remember there was just something that was pushing me forward. Something that just kind of kept pressing itself on my heart and mind. towards that particular apartment complex.
and i almost didn't follow it but i just thought you know what let's let's go finish this i don't know why but let's just finish this this street and let's knock on a couple of these doors we have left and then we'll go get some lunch And it just happened to be one of the last doors we knocked on that somebody answered. And that person let us in. And we began to teach them. And then their husband joined us. And we began to teach him. And eventually it led to both of them being baptized.
And they became two of my very best friends in the mission field. And they loved serving in the church. They loved missionaries. And they were two of the most solid members that I've ever seen.
and just to think that i could have missed out on that opportunity had i not followed the promptings of the spirit but i also recognized that it wasn't a loud voice it wasn't this just overpowering feeling it was just a gentle nudge like hey go knock on those doors a couple more doors that just kind of kept repeating itself and that to me is how the spirit works
Now, I would invite you to consider for yourself some of these discussion and journal questions. They help you better identify the workings of the Spirit in your own life. Number one, what has impressed you? about the way the Spirit has been described in these verses. Just for you. How might the Spirit manifest itself in our minds? In your mind. What do you think that might be like, or feel like?
And how has it done that for you? How might the Spirit manifest itself in our hearts? What do you think that might feel like? Or what has it felt like? What feelings might be associated with it? And how have you experienced that in your own life? And then lastly, what has been most helpful in these verses and quotes to help you in your personal journey to become more familiar with the voice of the Lord, more familiar with His Spirit?
I invite you to write of a personal experience that you've had with the Spirit, speaking to your heart and mind, directing you to do something and to write about how it turned out. Now for the last principle. section nine is where we're going to go and it kind of takes things a little further in not just our understanding of how the spirit works and things to watch for when we experience it but how to utilize it in getting the answers and directions that we need in life.
This revelation from the Lord was a result of Oliver Cowdery's attempt again to translate the plates himself. He wasn't now learning about the Spirit so that he could translate. He is now actually trying to translate. But you know what? he couldn't do it nothing was coming to him he just was sitting there and he started to get frustrated like why can't i know these words and what they're supposed to be why isn't it coming to me as easily as it did to you joseph
Well, in section 9, the Lord teaches him. Why? And in so doing, helps all of us to understand what our part is when receiving revelation and what the Lord's part is. See, we have a part to play. We can't just expect to sit here and have the Lord tell us what to do. So let's take a look at section 9 verses 3 through 9 and maybe 11 as well. Starting first of all in verse 3.
The Lord tells Oliver, Oliver, be patient, my son, for it is wisdom in me, and it is not expedient that you should translate at this present time. Behold, the work which ye are called to do is to write for my servant Joseph.
and behold it is because that you did not continue as you commenced when you began to translate that i have taken away this privilege from you do not murmur my son for it is wisdom in me that i have dealt with you after this manner and then the lord teaches him some very important truths as it relates to receiving direction from the spirit he said in verse seven behold you have not understood you have supposed that i would give it unto you when you took no thought
save it was to ask me. But behold, I say unto you that you must study it out in your mind, and then you must ask me if it be right. And if it is right, I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you, therefore you shall feel that it is right. And then he adds this clarification, but if it be not right, you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong.
Therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred, save it be given you from me. Oliver Cowdery has taught that he needs to do a little more than just ask. There needs to be a little bit more thought given to trying to find an answer. In verses 6 through 8, he is basically told to first study it out in his mind and try to find an answer himself. To try to come up with a solution. And then to present.
that answer and that solution to the lord for confirmation see young people the lord wants you to learn to utilize all the resources he's given to trust your intuition to do your part and exercise your faith and ability to seek out answers. Because if he were to just tell us everything that we needed to do, well, we'd just become like robots, just simply obeying commands without any thought or any personal growth in the experience ourself.
So he invites us to participate in the revelatory experience by seeking out answers and solutions and presenting them to the Lord. And if those answers and solutions are correct, he promises that we will know it. that he will cause our bosom to burn within us. Now, it's very important that we clarify exactly what that means. Most of you don't even know what a bosom is. I don't even know that I do. I just assume it's my heart, my chest, deep within me.
Because misunderstanding this, it can cause a lot of confusion. And I really believe that it has, especially as it relates to the Spirit. There are so many times in my life where I'm like, why am I not feeling this burning in the bosom? And really, what even is that?
That's why I love this quote from Elder Oaks, and this will serve you well to help clarify what that burning in the bosom is and what it means. Elder Oaks said, This may be one of the most important and misunderstood teachings in all of the Doctrine and Covenants. the teachings of the spirit often come as feelings that fact is of the utmost importance yet some misunderstand what it means i have met persons who told me that they have never had a witness from the holy ghost
because they've never felt their bosom burn within them. What does a burning in the bosom mean? Does it need to be a feeling of caloric heat, like the burning produced by combustion? if that's the meaning he said well i've never had a burning of the bosom surely the word burning in the scripture signifies a feeling of comfort of serenity That is the witness many receive. That is the way revelation works. Truly, the still small voice is just that, still and small.
And hopefully that will help you guys just understand a little bit better again what to look for. Now. What if our solution, the solution that we've come up with is wrong? Or what if we start moving in a direction that isn't right? That's why this next part is so important, just as important as the first. In verse 9, the Lord states this, But if it be not right...
You shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong. And honestly, young people, this might be one of the ways I've experienced the Spirit the most in my life. What does it mean to have a stupor of thought? Well, just think of it this way. Have you ever made a decision that you just didn't feel right about? That you were still very reluctant to do?
something that you felt uneasy about but maybe you did it anyway and afterwards you wish that you would have just listened to yourself to listen to your gut we've all had those experiences right that is the stupor of thought if you've experienced it which i firmly believe you have you've experienced personal revelation in that moment
Elder Scott taught that if we begin something that is not right, God will let us know before we've gone too far. We will sense that help by recognizing troubled or uneasy feelings. a stupor of thought. And in kind of referencing that principle, Elder N. Eldon Tanner said, if in doubt at all, do not do it. So remember those feelings of peace because they won't be there, young people, if the decision that has been made is a wrong one.
Now, there's a lot more to be said and learned about the workings of the Spirit, but these are, again, some of the basic principles that will lay the groundwork for your continual learning of how the Holy Ghost works.
But before we end today, let's kind of practice what we've learned and use it in an example that will be very common to all of you, like where to go to college. That's a big decision. I don't know if you've... thought about that yet, but it is a big decision because it will have a huge impact on your life and maybe even on your eternity.
Because this decision will largely impact the profession that you go into, the person that you marry. So how do you go about following this pattern to help you make the right decision on, say, where to go to school? First of all... What does it look like to study something like that out in your mind? Well, I would imagine it would entail researching all that you can about the school or the schools you are considering attending. its programs, look at its costs, its location.
How would it transfer the credits to another school? What about the housing that's available there? The social aspect that exists within the school, maybe possible job opportunities.
discuss it with friends certainly discuss it with your parents maybe grandparents siblings a school counselor you maybe even you take a trip there just to see how it feels walking around the campus you make a list of pros and cons and as always you include god in that portion of your study ask him to help you see things that you need to see
to guide you in your decision-making process. Ponder over it often at home in the temple while praying. You see what that looks like to study something like that out in your mind? So what does it look like to make a decision? Well, This is where I've known a lot of people who've gotten stuck. They want to be told what to do instead of making the decision. Fear is what will keep you
here in this place. So whether it's deciding what school to go to, what job to take, who to marry, or where to live, sometimes the Lord will wait for you to take a few steps to act in faith and to take those steps into the dark. Not knowing for sure what will happen, but trusting yourself and him that the way will open up, that light will come. Or maybe it won't. And that will be the answer for you as well.
Regardless, you will have at times to make a choice and just move forward. You have to learn to push through the fear. So how can you know if the decision is right? Well, if it's right... As we've talked about, first of all, it will feel right. There will be a peace that will come to you that you will recognize as the decision is made. Things also will just seem to come together. They'll fall into place. Doors will open.
And you'll just know, you'll feel, and you'll see that this decision was right. How will it feel? Well, again, that will be unique to each person, but look for feelings of peace and confidence and faith because those things will always grow out of a right decision. And how will you know if it's wrong?
Well, things won't come together as well. Sometimes the Lord will put barriers in our way to help keep us from going further too much down the wrong path. And how will it feel? Well, most importantly, there will be an uneasiness about things remember that stupor thought there will be doubt uncertainty certainly a lack of confidence in the decision that has been made and in the direction that you're going
keep in mind though as elder holland taught on one occasion sometimes the best way from point a to b is by way of c meaning that sometimes heavenly father will allow us to make the wrong decision so we can have more confidence in the resulting right decision that is made following a wrong one. Regardless of this, let your feelings, as always,
be your guide. And let those that God has put in your life help guide you as well. I have learned for myself that the decisions that I've made correctly in my life, such as where to go to school, even who to marry, jobs to take, not only have they been confirmed through the gentle feelings and promptings of the Spirit,
They have also been confirmed by the voices of my parents, of good friends, of bishops, and most importantly, they have been in alignment with living prophets and apostles and the gospel of Christ. Elder Marion G. Romney taught, You can make every decision in your life correctly if you can learn to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And this you can do.
If you will discipline yourself to yield your own feelings to the promptings of the Spirit, study your problems, and prayerfully make a decision, then take that decision and say to Him in a simple, honest supplication, Father, I want to make the right decision.
I want to do the right thing. This is what I think I should do. Let me know if it's the right course. Doing this, you can get the burning in the bosom if your decision is right. And if we do not get the burning, then we must change our decision. And submit a new one. When you learn to walk by the Spirit, you never need make a mistake. I love that statement.
And I just want to share my testimony with you guys that I know that this is true. And that this is a process that will take a lifetime to learn. And I'm still learning it. I have so much to learn when it comes to walking by the Spirit. But little by little, I am getting... better at it and by understanding these core concepts and principles of how the spirit works we can begin really
to have more experiences with the Spirit, to recognize it when He is speaking to us, and utilize it in helping us to make decisions correctly. Some journal discussion questions for you to consider. How about what part of this pattern... first of all resonates with you the most what's kind of really stood out stood out to you as we've gone through this what does it mean to you to study it out in your mind what does that look like to you
What words might you use to better describe the burning of the bosom that the Lord talks about than just a burning? Why is it important to understand? this process and pattern? How might you describe the stupor of thought that the Lord teaches Oliver about? How have you experienced it in your own life? And what are some decisions in your life that you know that you need to make now? or in the future that are important where this pattern can be helpful.
To apply this, I'd just maybe invite you to consider writing of a time where you felt the stupor of thought guide you and maybe protect you from making the wrong decision. or of a time that you went against it and recognized afterwards that the decision was wrong. That stupor of thought has been one of the most life-saving experiences that I've had and continue to have in my life in guiding me.
in the decisions that I make. I hope that that's been helpful, young people, a lot there, again, to unpack from these sections, but some of the most important and vital truths that are taught in scriptures, that are taught by God as it relates to hearing. him. As always, please remember that person is greatest and most blessed and joyful whose life most closely approaches the pattern of the Christ. This has nothing to do with earthly wealth, power, or prestige.
The only true test of greatness, blessedness, joyfulness is how close a life can come to being like the master, Jesus Christ. He is the right way. He is the full truth. He is the abundant life. And he invites us all to come follow me. And His Spirit will help us all to better do that. So let's follow Him better this week. And as always, become better as we follow Him. Until next week, everyone, I'm Josh Downs. And you've been listening to Come Follow Me for Teens.