How does the Lord communicate to you?

[Steve Clark]

This is something that got me really curious yesterday as I was pondering about getting answers to prayers. I went back through my life at the defining moments where I was receiving the most vivid communications from on high and noticed a pattern. The strongest events of revelation came as answers to questions I didn't ask.

Example 1: When I was 17 I was reading Joseph's history and read through the account of the First Vision according to the PoGP. As I read about the Father and the Son appearing in a pillar of light, my insides lit up and I could feel in my inner being that this actually happened. I had received an answer to the question of whether Joseph was a prophet when I hadn't asked it.

Example 2: I served a mission in New Zealand. I was a good little missionary, and tried to remain focused on missionary work. I didn't worry about life beyond mission years. About 18 months into my mission I was at a zone conference in Whangerei ("wh" = "f" sound in Maori). My companion and I arrived early and situated ourselves towards the front of the chapel and sat there quietly. Out of no where I got a very distinct prompting, nay a voice in my head clear as day that said, "You are going to marry (my wife's name)." That was odd since I hadn't ever dated her and she was in a serious relationship and I certainly wasn't looking to answer the question of who my companion should be.

Example 3: About 3-4 years ago I was in bed, unable to sleep on account of my excitement for working on my brother-in-law's car. I decided to wind down by recanting the first vision in Korean to see if I could remember how it went. It was purely an intellectual exercise, but about half-way through I was once again overcome by the spirit testifying of Joseph's experience. Hadn't been asking for this confirmation as the experience from when I was 17 was so intense that it has settle the question for me.

Example 4: I had a vision in a dream which kind of makes me chuckle. It was in regards to the aforementioned car which I was excited about working on. We removed its engine and subsequently re-installed it only to have serious issues of drive-ability. Every so often it would buck wildly while accelerating. We tried for probably 6 weeks to diagnose the problem including taking it to 3 different mechanics and the dealer. No luck - still had the problem. One night in a dream I was shown that the problem lied in a 10mm nut located behind the intake manifold. It was made known to me that if I tightened that nut the problem would stop. I called my brother-in-law the next morning and told him I had a dream and I knew how to fix the problem. We both laughed. Anyhow, I went over to his place later that day and just like in my dream I found that pesky little 10mm nut right where I saw it and tightened her up. Turns out it was the main ground for the ECU... after tightening she ran like a champ. Nephi gets the Tree of Life, I get the ECU ground... Again, hadn't even crossed my mind to ask for help from above about the car.

I have had many other incidents where I feel I was being prompted in smaller degrees than those listed above about things which I had not asked. When I started looking for examples of asking and receiving answers directly, they paled in comparison of magnitude with the above events.

I'm just curious now what others' experiences have been. Am I doing it wrong? Do you guys have similar experiences getting answers to questions you aren't asking more frequently than those you are asking?

[Raindrop]

If you're getting answers, you're not "doing it wrong." I enjoyed all your examples. Very good.
I'll add a couple examples which might be interesting to someone. This is a great topic.

1. I was driving home late from work one night. I was along a rural highway and it was close to midnight. A car was on the side of the road with it's hood up and I could see a couple people mulling around. I turned off the cruise control and planned to at least make a call for them. As I approached a voice in my head said, "Keep going!" I did. As I looked in the rearview mirror I saw one put the hood down and they pulled out and drove off the other direction.

2. My first marriage was falling apart. It was about 4 months before my ex got ex'd and we separated/divorced. I had a miscarriage at 3-4 months. As I was pondering miscarriages in general and my situation in particular this thought or vision or idea came to me where I saw a young man talking to the Lord. Pleading with the Lord. "Do not send me there. PLEASE do not send me there! You know I don't stand a CHANCE if I go there! PLEASE, I beg you, do not send me there! I won't make it if you send me there!" He was so intense and I was surprised at how bold this young man was in his desires. I had the impression this was the baby I lost. I found myself weeping and said outloud, "Good for you, brother! I don't blame you at all!"

I've since remarried and had more kids. That spirit is now 7 years old.

Both of the above examples I did not have a specific question in mind, but light was communicated just the same. Great topic.

[Matthew.B]

There are at least 3 major types of manifestations of the Holy Ghost akin to physical feelings that I've found- the "burning in the bosom", the "cold chill", and the "electric shock".

The "burning in the bosom" is the "introductory" feeling and comes when the Holy Ghost testifies Gospel truth to you. The first time I noticeably, tangibly felt this was when I was 17 and was taken with the desire to read the Book of Mormon and learn for myself its truth. Read it within 2 days (I felt like Parley Pratt; eating/sleeping was a chore) and felt a powerful burning the whole time. That was also an interesting week accompanied by a waking vision (brief snippet).

The "cold chill" is much more common to me and I've learned it's the Holy Ghost acknowledging His presence and acceptance with what I'm doing. This often comes in prayer or when specifically engaged in works of righteousness with a humble heart. "Cold" isn't the most accurate description, but the effects are the same as when a cold drafts sends chills down your body on a warm day- but distinctly different.

The "electric shock" is much rarer for me, felt once a few years ago to help me know I was on the right track at an incredibly difficult time. Brigham Young described it when he turned towards the Prophet Joseph in prayer and spoke in tongues (the first instance of speaking in tongues in the Restoration) as a kind of electric surge or tingle (I forget his exact words, they're in his biography by Leonard Arrington).

Then there are times when angels (not the Holy Ghost) communicate with you as well. As with your experiences, one4freedom, those times have come to me when "I didn't ask" for it- but later found out I needed it (I've been helped out of bed to get to work more than once, lol).

Then there's also the time where, in a perfect moment of clarity (no other thoughts in my head, which is incredibly, impossibly rare), the right course of action is laid before me (these come as answers to prayer or pondering). These moments are noticeable in that the path laid out for me is what I think is best for me according to God's will (Heavenly Father saying "yes" instead of "no" to a direct question) and, when prayed about for confirmation, it was confirmed to me that those were not Satanic deceptions but from the Lord.

Then there's the "night visions" (dreams). I once received one to my unvoiced question as to why my current manager at work was on an extremely self-destructive path. I love those dreams! I never want to wake up from them, they feel so good...

Besides all those, there are waking visions/visitations from Celestial beings (which often end up with the person sound asleep, apparently), miraculous signs from the earth and heavens, and the greatest of all, the theophany of the Father and Son. I'm trying to live my life so as to see/experience all of those, in due time.

[SwissMrs&Pitchfire]

I have inspiration all the time just stuff hucked into my head. I reason things out other times and something will stand out and come almost pre-ackaged with conviction and I know that's the answer. I have had the cold blood drain out of me a time or two right before being spiritually kicked in the face. I know the spirit of a thing often before coming face to face with it. When I was a kid I would always dream about my new classmates before moving and would always get deja vu ,meeting some of them. Other people I meet and see them physically a certain way only to see a picture and realize they don't really look that way, years later they do look that way (I equate it to seeing the spirit in some way). Sometimes the Lord works through deliberate randomness like casting lots which seems pagan but is actually a God endorsed method for getting certain kinds of answers. With me that takes the form of opening my scriptures to random passages when seeking an answer and getting it in a direct fashion (satan can't counterfeit nor guess the randomness of it, so he can't manipulate it, but God saw the end from the beginning and is in and through all things so He can and does). Usually new ideas and revelation come with a second and often third witness. I get what at first seem odd gospel revelations occasionally and they always come with a witness or two to back them up. Mostly it's a calm assurance. I don't ever hear a voice audibly but it feels the same just without using my ears.

On my mission I remember a few times knowing the way somewhere without ever having been anywhere near there when the other missionaries were lost, and I directed them right there by listening to the internal gps. Also I remember driving by a small row of houses out by themselves and knowing that we needed to knock on the second door in. Sure enough, we did.

Also I know that I have been tutored by specific people who are now dead (they remained unseen) and others have assisted me in other things including saving me from a traffic accident that surely would have killed me; also that others have come to see a principle lived out here in this life, we knew that "classes," for lack of a better word, from the other side were being shuffled through our house to illustrate a certain point or principle.

I have to contrast this all with somebody I have known who gets awoken in the night in panics and fits. The Lord doesn't do that. The Lord will warn but for me that always comes in a quiet way (even if persistent). The Lord's voice is like that of a friend. Of course the person in question asserts that there are evil spirits attending them so...

Something like that anyways...

[Nan]

I get the cold chills sometimes too. I don't know any other way to describe it either.
I have had dreams, words in my head, through studying my scriptures and the other hard one to describe is being compelled to do something I wouldn't normally do. For instance, when I was on my mission, we went up to a commune to locate a member. When we got out of the car and walked up the hill a man approached us and asked who we were. I pointed to my name tag and said that my name tag said who we were and what we were doing. As I said this I realized that the man couldn't read. He was so embarrassed by it that he let us onto the commune. No idea why we were supposed to be up there because the member we were looking for wasn't home. But I never before or after that pointed to my name tag to introduce myself to someone. I am actually grateful that the Lord works with me in that way. Although at the time I am usually saying inside my head, "what the heck are you doing?" But I cannot stop doing whatever I am doing.
I am so grateful that God speaks to me and helps me. I am so grateful he does that with all of his children. I am currently trying to figure out how he talks to my children so that I can point it out to them and help them recognize it.

[serenitylala]

Wow, I really love this thread. It is amazing where you feel the spirit from... didn't expect it from a forum thread.

You know, I love the varied ways that the Lord communicates with us...

For me it depends on which stage I am in life, or what the Lord needs of me.

I ave had days where I was such a big butt head that I would never have thought the Lord would press upon me with the Spirit. But a friend would call in need and the Spirit of the Lord would fill me with peace and tell me exactly what to say to them.. even tell me things that were going on with them that they didn't tell me, which when I inquired about would shock and relieve them.

The feeling was like peaceful pure intelligence. I just knew it was from the Lord because it was definitely information that I would never have achieved on my own.

Other times, it is through dreams. I love dreams, because you really can't generate them yourself. You can affect them by watching a movie or reading a book at night, but when the Lord touches your dreams, it is unmistakable.

When my brother had barely married his wife, she had two children from a previous marriage. At the time, I had this dream, she was only pregnant with Elizabeth. In the dream, I was shown a place of safety where my family would have to go to before the millenium, and in the dream I saw my brother with a lot of kids and I had a SUV that I had never seen before.

My brother now has 8 children. And while I was away at medical school, he purchased for me the exact SUV from my dream, without me telling him anything or me even seeing the vehicle he was planning on purchasing. It sure was a heart stopped to see him drive up and give me the keys of the exact SUV from my dream. This also happened with the house he purchased for me while I was away on another medical rotation.

The feeling of being struck to the marrow of your bones, as though it vibrates from inside in response to the presence of a messenger.

Other witnesses. Once I had a dream about a career direction that the Lord desired me to take. I didn't mention the dream, but two friends and my mother told me the very next day that they had a feeling concerning my career path which was exactly the same as the dream indicated. They were my second witnesses.

Doves. Gosh, I love doves. Prayed about an important event in my life. Had a deeply powerful impression that nearly shook me to turn to a particular scripture. A dove was mentioned in it. Then felt strongly to open my front door. Three doves were sitting on my door step, looking at me. They didn't even fly away for a good few moments, while I gaped at them awestruck and filled with the burning peaceful feeling that the Lord wanted me to know that He provided me a sure witness.

Just matter-of-fact information. This happens a lot when the Lord desires that I help someone or call someone that is in need and they are in need just as the Spirit said.

The Lord especially uses this way when I am in the hospital. Diagnoses, treatments, and counseling have been based on this blessing of the Spirit. The Lord will just tell me what is wrong with the patient as though placing a text book in front of me, before any tests are performed.

One case was when I was still in medical school where the Spirit pressed upon me in the most plain and matter-of-fact manner that the patient had a tension penumothorax. Once the patient was placed in the CT scanner, I told my attending that she had a TP and he yelled at me for a good two minutes, saying that the experienced Radiologist had ruled out TP on the xray. Then as he said that we both looked up and on the CT image a TP started to form. We rushed a chest tube and the patient was immediately stabilized.

Warning feelings. I've had those and they have saved me many times.

I think I will stop here. I could go on forever, but it's late and I have my brother's kids to help watch tomorrow.

[tmac]

This is a great thread, and a subject that I have been deeply interested in for a long time. I've appreciated and enjoyed all the examples. Serenitylala, after reading your post, I also enjoyed looking at your blog. Looks like you've got a very interesting and commendable niche.

All I can say is that the Lord does move in mysterious ways. I remember an experience somewhat similar to Nan's while I was on my mission, that I have always scratched my head about. I served in Norway. I had been out about six months. I was training my first greeny. In November (days starting to get pretty short, and we could feel the onset of winter) we set a goal to find and baptize a family (which doesn't happen very often in Norway). We worked our tails off. As the last week was winding down, we still hadn't found a family, but I refused to give up. I was still exercising all the faith that I could muster, and had a feeling that the way would be opened for us. The last Sunday an inactive sister showed up at church that we had never met before. We went to visit her that evening. She told us about a couple that had received all the missionary discussions several years earlier. We essentially interrogated her about where they lived. She said they had moved to a place outside of town, and she would have to ask someone else exactly where it was. We went by her place every evening for several days to get the new address, but we could never catch her at home. It was getting very discouraging. On the evening before the last day of the month, we finally caught her at home. It was probably about 7 p.m. (and had gotten dark about 3-4 p.m.). She didn't have the exact address, but she was able to give us a pretty good description of where they lived. It was out in the country probably 5-10 miles away, up on a mountainside. I was convinced that the way was being opened. If they had already been taught all the discussions, and it had finally sunk in, and they were "ready," all we would have to do was challenge them, and baptize them the next day to meet our goal. It was very dark and cold, and starting to snow. We asked the sister if there was any way that she could take us there, but she said she couldn't. No matter, as we jumped on our bikes and headed that direction, driven by pure faith and adrenaline. We furiously pumped our bikes across town, out into the countryside and up the mountain in steady snow the whole way. But miraculously we didn't get lost, and actually found their place fairly easily. The light was on, and we could see that they were home. It all seemed so meant to be. We looked like abominable snowmen as we knocked on the door. By then it was 8:30-9:00 p.m., but they opened the door and warmly invited us in. We could hardly believe how all this was falling together for us. We shed our hats and coats and sat down to talk to them. Instead of taking the time we should have to really try to get to know them, we started trying to cut to the chase because we were absolutely convinced that they were going to be ready to be baptized . . . but then it all came crashing down. To make an even longer story a little shorter, they weren't ready. There was no way they could be baptized the next day. Two days later I got word that I was being transferred early the next week. Everything fell apart for me so fast I couldn't believe it.

Although that is a somewhat unique story, on my mission despite being very obedient and working very hard, I had steady discouragement for a full 18 months, and had never baptized a soul up to that point. At that point (early 80's), they shortened mission lengths to 18 months, and told us than anyone who had been out 18 months or more could go home next transfer if they wanted to, or stay and go home at any point up until a full 24 months, but after that, everyone would go home at 18 months. There was a major exodus. But I stayed. Over the course of the next six months, although I was transferred again for my last three months, we baptized almost every month. We continually had people just fall out of the sky into our laps, that really weren't a direct result of any real work or effort on our parts. We had one guy that almost perfectly fit the description of what we had been looking for with that first family. He lived out in the country, but one day, several years earlier, while he was in town had been street contacted by the missionaries and received some literature and a BOM. He had read them and received a testimony. He found us and said he wanted to be baptized. The things like that that happened my last six months were amazing. My last companion was six months behind me, so we went home together because his 18 months was up. We had our last baptism the night before we left, after our mission dinner. The stark contrast between the first 18 months of my mission and the last six was nothing short of amazing.

Although I sometimes question whether what I am thinking/feeling is coming from the Lord, or just what I call "a clever thought," there have been many times in my life when I felt like I was being directed. The real troubling and frustrating side of it, though, is when, as with the experience on my mission, nothing comes of the direction I felt like I was receiving. When something does come of it, obviously that is a confirmation. But when something doesn't come of it, I am really left scratching my head. I've had a few of those, including a big one a year or two ago that has been a real head scratcher for me.

Then, there are the times when I feel like I am left essentially entirely on my own to try to figure things out the best I can by trial and error with no clear guidance and direction, regardless of how hard I plead for it. Those are times/experiences that I also find very troubling, because sometimes it is really hard to tell what is going on. Sometimes it feels like the Lord is completely ignoring me. It feels like there is a withdrawal of the spirit and a real lack of communication, and I can't figure out why. Although those times are very frustrating, I found some solace and understanding as I was reading some of Denver Snuffer's stuff. He talked about Abraham. According to his example, the Lord directed Abraham (then Abram) to leave the land of Haran and to go into the land of Canaan, which Abram did. But after a time, despite the fact that Abram was a righteous man, and had been directed to go to Canaan by the Lord, and the Lord continued to appear to him, and made a covenant with him, there was a grievous famine that continued in the land of Canaan. This must have been very frustrating for Abraham, and he didn't know what to do. Obviously, he must have pleaded with the Lord for guidance and direction, but there is no indication that he received any. So, according to Abraham 2:21, Abraham himself finally "concluded" to go back down to the land of Egypt to weather the famine. From the language, it makes it sound as though Abram was pretty much on his own at that point, trying to figure things out the best he could -- without any really guidance and direction from the Lord -- which must have been very frustrating. It wasn't until Abraham came to the border of Egypt that the Lord spoke to him again, instructing him to tell the Egyptians that Sarai was his sister, so that they would not kill him to have her.

Through this great example from the scriptures, Snuffer helped me understand that sometimes -- even for prophets -- there are periods of silence when the Lord chooses not to speak and essentially leaves us to flounder around, and try to figure things out the best we can on our own -- and then perhaps issue correction(s), if needed. That was something I could really relate to.

I will be interested to hear more about other peoples' experiences and observations in this regard.

[Matthew.B]

Through this great example from the scriptures, Snuffer helped me understand that sometimes -- even for prophets -- there are periods of silence when the Lord chooses not to speak and essentially leaves us to flounder around, and try to figure things out the best we can on our own -- and then perhaps issue correction(s), if needed. That was something I could really relate to.

During the reign of King Hezekiah in Judah, Hezekiah did a LOT of good, reigned in righteousness and justice, removed idolatry and idolatrous temples and altars, re-instituted some of the neglected Law of Moses (such as holding the Feast of the Passover), and countless other things.

Near the end of his life (after he had received a promise from the Lord that Hezekiah would live 15 more years; Isaiah 38) he acted foolishly and showed envoys from Babylon all his treasures in his house and all the land, "there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not" (Isaiah 39:2). Regarding this period of time, the writers of Chronicles tells us:

2 Chronicles 32:31:

Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.

Apparently showing the Babylonians all his treasures was the wrong move- Isaiah prophesied that, because Hezekiah did that, all his treasures and sons would be carried away into Babylon. I think it's reasonable to assume that Hezekiah had enough wisdom to know that he shouldn't show a heathen nation- even one on friendly terms with Judah- all the treasures and goodly things he possessed. However, he acted unwisely and ended up bringing wrath upon his house.

It seems that those times when the Spirit leaves us, it's because the Lord wants to know exactly what's "in our hearts", our own best judgments, etc.

[a_member]

I have felt the spirit in various ways.

Two Sundays ago I was teaching my class of 4-5 yr olds. The lesson was about how choosing the right makes us happy. I had studied the lesson and done all of my usual prep, but I could tell from how that was going that I'd probably just need to start teaching and I would get further guidance as we went along. So I led the class outside, and immediately the thought came to me -- go to the street, and talk about making the right choice to not run into the street. So we talked about that. Then we went inside to the classroom, did the usual things, and I could tell that there'd be attention issues if we just sat in class the whole time. So out we went again, this time we started in one of the foyers off the chapel and looked at the various pictures, talking about the choices people were making. We went into the chapel and sat down quietly, and talked about being reverent in church. We went to the back and sat under a wall-mounted fire extinguisher and talked about how it would be a bad choice to use that when there wasn't a fire. I had a visitor in my class that day who had told me earlier "I hate church, it's so boring!". I asked him at the end of class if he was still bored, and he replied "no". I know that I was led by the spirit and instructed about what to say, thankfully the spirit helps me out a lot in that class and now I've learned how to use it. Sometimes the inspiration comes in the form of thoughts, other times things happen too quickly to think but somehow I know what to do to keep the spirit present (something of a challenge, I have to suppress my tendency to want to control the situation a lot which generally drives out the spirit).

I've had some experiences with flipping through the scriptures and receiving answers to questions, generally speaking I'll take my question to the Lord and ask Him to guide my study and then run a finger along the edges of the pages until I feel prompted to stop and read.

I've also received many great lessons about myself by writing about experiences in my life that bother me. For example, being nerdy by nature I tend to be too passive in my relationships, I'm learning how to be better at this now but it's taken a fair amount of self-examination and a lot of revelation and grace. Of all my spiritual experiences, I feel like these have been some of the most useful in that they've really helped me to change for the better in many ways. To the point that I think, generally speaking, we are most entitled to revelation from the Lord when asking about our own lives and what we need to change. If we want spiritual experiences, I think this is one of the best ways to have them because He is concerned about our welfare and will (if we are willing to accept it) reveal things to us that we cannot see by (indeed, because of) ourselves.

Finally, the greatest spiritual experience I've had is to witness the Lord changing something in me that I knew I could not change by myself. To know that He loves me enough to do that is awesome beyond words.

[jsk]

I like this thread! It is so nice to be able to talk about these things with people who don't think you are crazy...

For me...it has happened differently. Sometimes, I receive a warm feeling. Other times, it is kind of like an electric shock that makes me tingle. Other times, I have had words form in my head, accompanied by a calm, peaceful feeling. A few times, I literally heard a voice in my head.

Couple of experiences....

Having been raised in an active LDS family, I fell away and became inactive for a long time. Before writing the Church and the Gospel off for good, I decided to really study the doctrines and read the Book of Mormon. I did that, and everything I read and/or studied made so much sense. I knelt down to pray to know if everything I had read was true and to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet...I really didn't expect an answer but had made up my mind that if I received a confirmation, I would change my life, embrace the Gospel and never doubt again. To my shock, I heard a voice...a small but intensely powerful voice which pierced me to my core...I immediately recognized this as the Holy Ghost...something I hadn't felt for many years. The voice said "The Gospel is true, but you have always known it was true." Yikes! Not the answer I expected or even really wanted...but there was no going back!

Next experience was when I was repenting of my many sins after the experience above...it took a long time....several months. During that time, there were periods where I literally felt the Spirit withdraw...terrible feeling because Satan actually has access to a person during these times, but necessary for the repentance process. I remember after one particularly terrible time where the Spirit had withdrawn for several days just breaking down in bed and crying, and telling the Lord I knew I had to suffer for my sins but that I was about at my breaking point. I asked the Lord if he was listening. Again I heard the same still small voice and it said "I love you and I accept your repentance. Your sins are forgiven." Wow...I have never experienced such a feeling of warmth and love in my life.

Thanks for the opportunity to share....it is cool for me to remember these experiences!

[superslob]

Hello,

When I was at summer camp there was a kid there who was smaller than me so I beat him up. That night as I lay in bed I really got a chewing out by someone speaking into my mind. I never picked fights with people smaller than me any more after that.

[TrojanHorse]

Wow, what a great thing to talk about and share. I realize these spiritual communications are of a sacred nature. But I was so touched by some of them tears came to my eyes. I have been a "good" member of the church all of my life and have a strong testimony. However, I have had a serious addiction for much of my life. I won't go into details. But I have had a hard time feeling the spirit many times, especially when I think I need it most. I know that my desires are right and my faith is there. But with my "problem" I have had a hard time forgiving myself, thinking I'm not good enough, even when I am living correctly most of the time.

With that being said, I have had several strong witnesses and communications. The strongest ones came as an overwhelming feeling of emotion, intelligence and conviction. I would call this a burning of the bosom. Like the time I called my future wife for the first time to ask her on a blind date. (Her number was given to me by my brother, who was engaged to someone else.) I had the strongest feeling/knowledge come over me that I knew this girl extremely well, even though I had never met her on the earth. It so overwhelmed me I couldn't speak at first and had to mumble through asking her out. I was so excited when she said yes. I KNEW at that very moment we would be married. But it took 4 months to convince her.

The other time I had a similar feeling was when I prayed (in a closet in the MTC) to know if the Church and Book of Mormon was true and if Joseph Smith was a prophet. The spirit was soo strong I started crying. I knew then that I already knew, and had known for most of my life, that it was all true, to the core of my being. I could never deny it.

Other times I just know things. This happened to my wife as well. Like when she was driving home from a Stake activity late at night on a dark highway, with a group of YSA in the car. (This was a few years before we met.) She noticed up ahead a truck stopped at a light on a cross street. She "knew" he was going to pull into her lane and run into her. So she started slowing down and pulling off the road. Just as she knew, he pulled out into her lane and came right at her. By the time he hit her car she was all the way off the road. His truck scraped all the way down her side of the car. It could have been a head on collision. He got out, obviously drunk, and yelled at her for being in his lane! The police eventually came and hauled him away. She found out later he had bought the truck that day and had gone to the bar to celebrate!

From reading all of your great posts on this wonderful subject I publicly resolve to beat my addiction for good and to have many more spiritual experiences going forward. We're all going to need them in the coming difficult months and years. Keep up the great discussion.

[SwissMrs&Pitchfire]

Right on!

[swiftbrook]

I tend to hear the holy spirit in my right ear. Funny huh? I hear the Lord speak to the me through the holy spirit. It's in my mind but the words are real. I've realized that I have to translate a bit into English. The holy spirit speaks something else, and I have to put it into my language which causes a stumble here or there. I've noticed a lot lately as I've progressed spiritually quite a bit this past year that the spirit will direct me to write something or email someone and the words just TUMBLE out and later when I go back and re-read it I can't believe I wrote that! Because I didn't. I can write doctrine or testimony and recall scriptures and ideas that I scarcely knew. The spirit is amazing how it can work through us.

Sometimes when the kids are finally asleep and I have time to read and meditate and pray in the evening, I will hear the spirit tell me to arise and write in my journal and receive instruction. I will then dictate what the holy spirit tells me. It's amazing to go back and read! I couldn't make that stuff up! The Lord's love and desire to work on us is so exquisite and flattering!

I have heard the Lord's literal voice just once speak to me and call me by name and His voice was the most perfect, gentle, beautiful sound of all existence! I long for more communication constantly. It's terribly lonely to be without it.

Thanks to everyone for sharing! Loved reading your experiences.

[serenitylala]

I tend to hear the holy spirit in my right ear. Funny huh?

Totally related to a portion of the temple ordinances. Love it!

I have heard the Lord's literal voice just once speak to me and call me by name and His voice was the most perfect, gentle, beautiful sound of all existence! I long for more communication constantly. It's terribly lonely to be without it.

Thanks to everyone for sharing! Loved reading your experiences.

Yeah! I am so excited for you! When I read that I just knew that you had received your Baptism of Fire! Yeah! I felt the Spirit when I read it. I just love that thread for that very reason.

[SwissMrs&Pitchfire]

I've realized that I have to translate a bit into English. The holy spirit speaks something else, and I have to put it into my language which causes a stumble here or there.

Great insight and whole post! I'm going to have to track down Brigham Young's statement that inspiration is given in perfection but seldom if ever received in perfection.

[SwissMrs&Pitchfire]

Here's an interesting quote to go along with the discussion:

Can revelations come from the Devil?

Joseph Smith said "Some revelations are of God: some revelations are of man: and some revelations are of the devil."

From David Whitmer, An Address to All Believers in Christ, p.30 - p.31 [It will be on slightly different pages in different editions of Whitmer's pamphlet.]

We were waiting on Martin Harris who was doing his best to sell a part of his farm, in order to raise the necessary funds. After a time Hyrum Smith and others began to get impatient, thinking that Martin Harris was too slow and under transgression for not selling his land at once, even if at a great sacrifice. Brother Hyrum thought they should not wait any longer on Martin Harris, and that the money should be raised in some other way. Brother Hyrum was vexed with Brother Martin, and thought they should get the money by some means outside of him, and not let him have anything to do with the publication of the Book, or receiving any of the profits thereof if any profits should accrue. He was wrong in thus judging Bro. Martin, because he was doing all he could toward selling his land. Brother Hyrum said it had been suggested to him that some of the brethren might go to Toronto, Canada, and sell the copy-right of the Book of Mormon for considerable money: and he persuaded Joseph to inquire of the Lord about it. Joseph concluded to do so. He had not yet given up the stone. Joseph looked into the hat in which he placed the stone, and received a revelation that some of the brethren should go to Toronto, Canada, and that they would sell the copy-right of the Book of Mormon. Hiram Page and Oliver Cowdery went to Toronto on this mission, but they failed entirely to sell the copy-right, returning without any money. Joseph was at my father's house when they returned. I was there also, and am an eye witness to these facts. Jacob Whitmer and John Whitmer were also present when Hiram Page and Oliver Cowdery returned from Canada. Well, we were all in great trouble; and we asked Joseph how it was that he had received a revelation from the Lord for some brethren to go to Toronto and sell the copy-right, and the brethren had utterly failed in their undertaking. Joseph did not know how it was, so he enquired of the Lord about it, and behold the following revelation came through the stone: "Some revelations are of God: some revelations are of man: and some revelations are of the devil." So we see that the revelation to go to Toronto and sell the copy-right was not of God, but was of the devil or of the heart of man. When a man enquires of the Lord concerning a matter, if he is deceived by his own carnal desires, and is in error, he will receive an answer according to his erring heart, but it will not be a revelation from the Lord.

[mattctr]

I wonder how much of the Lord's communication I fail to notice. Since, "all things denote there is a God," I can safely assume that I miss a whole lot of His denotations before me, let alone attempts to guide my personal path.

That said, I love that this thread inspired great testimonies of the Lord's ongoing concern for our lives. I hope to become a better hearer and doer of the Word.

[bbrown]

Here's an interesting quote to go along with the discussion:

Can revelations come from the Devil?

Joseph Smith said "Some revelations are of God: some revelations are of man: and some revelations are of the devil."

From David Whitmer, An Address to All Believers in Christ, p.30 - p.31 [It will be on slightly different pages in different editions of Whitmer's pamphlet.]

We were waiting on Martin Harris who was doing his best to sell a part of his farm, in order to raise the necessary funds. After a time Hyrum Smith and others began to get impatient, thinking that Martin Harris was too slow and under transgression for not selling his land at once, even if at a great sacrifice. Brother Hyrum thought they should not wait any longer on Martin Harris, and that the money should be raised in some other way. Brother Hyrum was vexed with Brother Martin, and thought they should get the money by some means outside of him, and not let him have anything to do with the publication of the Book, or receiving any of the profits thereof if any profits should accrue. He was wrong in thus judging Bro. Martin, because he was doing all he could toward selling his land. Brother Hyrum said it had been suggested to him that some of the brethren might go to Toronto, Canada, and sell the copy-right of the Book of Mormon for considerable money: and he persuaded Joseph to inquire of the Lord about it. Joseph concluded to do so. He had not yet given up the stone. Joseph looked into the hat in which he placed the stone, and received a revelation that some of the brethren should go to Toronto, Canada, and that they would sell the copy-right of the Book of Mormon. Hiram Page and Oliver Cowdery went to Toronto on this mission, but they failed entirely to sell the copy-right, returning without any money. Joseph was at my father's house when they returned. I was there also, and am an eye witness to these facts. Jacob Whitmer and John Whitmer were also present when Hiram Page and Oliver Cowdery returned from Canada. Well, we were all in great trouble; and we asked Joseph how it was that he had received a revelation from the Lord for some brethren to go to Toronto and sell the copy-right, and the brethren had utterly failed in their undertaking. Joseph did not know how it was, so he enquired of the Lord about it, and behold the following revelation came through the stone: "Some revelations are of God: some revelations are of man: and some revelations are of the devil." So we see that the revelation to go to Toronto and sell the copy-right was not of God, but was of the devil or of the heart of man. When a man enquires of the Lord concerning a matter, if he is deceived by his own carnal desires, and is in error, he will receive an answer according to his erring heart, but it will not be a revelation from the Lord.

Ooh, good quote; I just saved it. I was just today trying to explain why it is difficult to receive revelation on how to apply a principle correctly if you don't understand the principle itself. Perfect quote and example to use.

CB