Enlightened by the Spirit of Truth

I have been thinking recently about an experience I had near the end of my mission. I was serving in Watsonville, California at the time. Christmas was fast approaching, and so was the day I would be flying home.

My companion and I were door knocking on the second day of December, a Saturday, when Ben opened his door. He was a friendly older gentleman who expressed interest but said he was busy, so we set up an appointment for the following afternoon. When we arrived the next day, Ben led us into his office, which was filled with Christian literature.

We started teaching the first discussion and got through the Joseph Smith story. When we started talking about The Book of Mormon, Ben asked why another book was necessary. “We are all prophets and apostles,” he said. Then he asked us to find one truth in The Book of Mormon that is not in the Bible. I started flipping pages and praying for help, but I did not seem to get an answer. So I prayed harder. Meanwhile, my companion introduced the doctrine of eternal marriage.

As my companion and Ben were discussing Matthew 22:25-30, I had a very strong impression from the Spirit that said, “Every truth in The Book of Mormon is in the Bible, yet more clearly explained in The Book of Mormon.” I was then impressed to turn to Moroni 8 and ask Ben’s feelings about infant baptism. He said it was wrong and unnecessary and quoted Paul saying, “Before I had the law I was alive, but once I had the law I was dead” (Romans 7:9).  I agreed with him and then read Moroni 8:12. 

"But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism!"

Ben agreed with the passage and this served to confirm the earlier impression that I had received.

We talked about a few other things but eventually came back to The Book of Mormon. My companion asked Ben if he would accept more scripture if God brought it forth. We had to make sure that he understood that God was doing this. He answered that he would only accept it if he could find a foundation for it in the Bible. He then repeated his challenge about finding a truth in The Book of Mormon that is not in the Bible. The impression I got from the Spirit at this point hit me like ton of bricks.

I said, “Wait, just a moment ago you said that if you could not find foundation for something in the Bible you would not accept it.” Then I asked, “How can we find a truth in The Book of Mormon that is not in the Bible if you will not accept anything without a foundation for it being in the Bible?”

That got him. He hemmed and hawed for a moment and then said that he meant a truth he had not yet found in the Bible.

“Sir,” I said, “you give us an impossible challenge, for we are not mind readers and we cannot know what you do and do not know.”

Again, he hemmed and hawed before reissuing his challenge.

It was at this point that we concluded our meeting. We had to hurry home so that we could be on time for the First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional satellite broadcast. But first, I tried to give Ben my testimony and tell him how I knew these things were true. He passed it off as irrelevant. We gave him a copy of The Book of Mormon and challenged him to read and pray about it. Then we departed.

Throughout this whole experience, my companion and I had some big impressions from the Spirit. My companion later told me that he had one that kept repeating, saying, “If you believe not these words, you believe not in Jesus Christ.” He thought it was a scripture and kept asking for the reference.

Meanwhile, as Ben was bashing The Book of Mormon, we both felt the spirit and knew that it was independent of anything our antagonist was saying. In a situation where our faith might have been shaken, we both knew by virtue of the spirit that The Book of Mormon is true. There simply could be no doubt.

As it was the first Sunday of the month, I had fasted that morning for a spiritual experience and a strengthening of my testimony and I clearly received both. The Lord answers prayers and looks after His servants.

Boyd K. Packer taught that we have "not only the right but the obligation to understand what the gift of the Holy Ghost is. And when you do, the Spirit will be present with you often enough and in such power as to protect you in whatever you do." He then added that the Spirit "will bless you in times of struggle and difficulty that certainly will be part of your life."

There were definitely times when some of the investigators I taught on my mission provided a struggle. Yet, during those times I sought to have the Spirit with me, and to teach by the Spirit, I was sustained and strengthened, even given what I should say. As Ben rejected my testimony and attacked the Book of Mormon, the Holy Ghost testified to both my companion and I that it is true.

Almost a year and a half earlier I had had a similar experienced. My companion at that time and I found another gentleman who also expressed some interest. When we returned for a teaching appointment, we noticed a tall stack of books next to his chair, and we knew that we were in trouble.

For the next hour he fired one challenge after another at us, and we answered as best we could, but then, guided by the Spirit, I kind of took over.  I told my story of receiving a witness from the spirit, that I had just experienced a few weeks before this, and bore the most powerful testimony I could, and I withstood the challenges he and his wife both threw back at me.  His wife got so angry at one point that she almost threw her copy of the Book of Mormon at me!

After we left, my companion turned to me and said, “You are amazing.”  But it wasn't me, it was the Spirit. He had strengthened me as I bore witness of the truth of the restored gospel.  He had made weak things become strong! As Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf has taught recently, "Christ’s precious gift of grace unlocks the gates of heaven -- even as it opens the windows of heaven"

I experienced what seemed like a significant amount of adversity in the first six months of my mission. Then, one night I found myself on my knees pleading for a witness from the spirit.  After some difficulty, as I think my faith and sincerity were being tested, I got the witness I sought.  It was as if a match had been lit in the dark of night. Anne Frank is supposed to have said that a single candle can both defy and define the darkness. On this night, the despair and doubt fled, and the light that flowed into me increased until it nigh consumed me.  And I knew, really knew, in a way I had not before. Yet, even if I had not had that experience, I would still have a testimony of the Book of Mormon.

First, I would have that testimony because I experimented on the word, specifically, Ether 12:27. I was weak, I humbled myself and exercised faith, and through His grace, I was made strong. Because of this I know that Ether 12:27 is valid direction from God and, thus, the book in which that counsel is found is from God, that the individuals who wrote and translated it were prophets of God, and that the church organized through the prophet who translated it has God at the helm.

Second, I had multiple experiences on my mission such as the two I have described in this post. President Russell M. Nelson has taught, "True disciples of Jesus Christ are willing to stand out, speak up, and be different from the people of the world. They are undaunted, devoted, and courageous." My mission presented numerous opportunities to be undaunted, devoted, and courageous, and when I took those opportunities, the Holy Ghost was with me to sustain and strengthen, to comfort, and to give me the words I should say. Often the words given to me testified of the truth of the Book of Mormon, thus those words were additional witnesses of the truth of that book of scripture.

Boyd K. Packer also taught that there are times, perhaps even for some all of the time, when we "have no appreciation or understanding of the gift that we have, the power and authority that come. As you read the revelations, you'll find the Holy Ghost referred to as a Comforter — think of that, a Comforter — and as a teacher. And we're told that it will abide with us and be in us."

He added that, "We have so much power that's available to us, and we shouldn't fear. The marvelous thing is that it operates with every one of us in our own lives. And the Lord hasn't required that all of us choose the same occupation or be the same size or weight or age or anything else. It's available to everyone who will come with a contrite spirit, a broken heart."

Perhaps there are times when we feel that we have sought a witness, that we have planted seeds and exercised faith, yet despite our sincerity, we have not received the clear answer we expected. Perhaps that is how Oliver Cowdry felt at one point as he served as scribe for Joseph Smith as he translated the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God. Oliver asked several times to see the plates in order to gain a testimony of the work and Joseph received a revelation from God for Oliver.

The Lord reminded Oliver that he had often sought instruction from God, and that each time he inquired he received instruction from the Spirit. "If it had not been so," said the Lord, "thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou are at this time."

The Lord went on to say, "Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten thy mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth. Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart."

The Lord also said that his purpose in revealing these things to Oliver was so he would know that the words he wrote at Joseph's dictation were true. Even so, it seems that Oliver did not feel these witnesses had been clear enough. If so, God knew of these thoughts and feelings, for the Lord added this witness:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?”

Regarding this revelation, which is found in Section 6 of the Doctrine & Covenants, Oliver would later say that he had not told anyone of his secret prayer in Palmyra regarding the truthfulness of Joseph’s work. Yet, the Lord reminded him of the spiritual witness he had obtained which was greater than if he had seen the plates.

We should be careful not to look beyond the mark. Because Moroni wrote the promise that he did in the final chapter of the Book of Mormon, and because of many other scriptural passages we have studied regarding personal revelation, we may expect to receive a witness in a certain way. If so, we should do as the Lord invited Oliver to do, to be still and to contemplate the many times that we have inquired of God and have received instruction by the Spirit.

Were there times when we taught by the Spirit and were given the words that we should say? Were there times when we were directed to reach out to someone in need? Were there times when we were comforted and strengthened? Were there times when we received a blessing of peace? Were these not witnesses of truth?

Before my mission I attended a missionary preparation program in my stake, and my older brother was one of the teachers. I can recall my brother telling us in class one day that he had prayed for many months to receive a witness from the Spirit regarding the truth of the Book of Mormon, yet it seemed that he never received an answer to his prayers. However, one day he realized that he already knew the Book of Mormon was true and that he had been seeking a witness that he had already received.

So let us be still -- “We hear Jesus Christ better when we are still,” said President Russell M. Nelson -- and contemplate the experiences we have had, either while on a mission or not, with the Holy Ghost. We may find that we have already received witnesses, and this realization, given to us by the Spirit, will be yet one more witness.

Let us follow the counsel given by Boyd K. Packer to "Go forward without fear. Do not fear the future. Do not fear whatever is ahead of you. Take hold of that supernal gift of the Holy Ghost. Learn to be taught by it. Learn to call upon it. Learn to live by it. And the Spirit of the Lord will attend you. You will be blessed as it was intended that we should all be blessed with this supernal gift of the Holy Ghost."

President Russell M. Nelson has suggested that this has become ever more important in these latter days. "I plead with you," he said, "to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation. Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly."