Sister Matsumori counsels:
There are places where it is easier to feel the Spirit. Testimony meetings and general conference are some of those places. Certainly temples are another. The challenge for each of us is in providing an environment where the Spirit can be felt daily in our homes and weekly at church.
One reason we are encouraged to pray and read the scriptures every single day is that both of these activities invite the Spirit into our homes and into the lives of our family members.
This is one of the reasons we have tried to be more diligent about having family scripture study every morning (at 6:25 am!) and family prayer at night -- to invite the Spirit into our home. Also, if you it seems like you haven't felt the Spirit for a while, check to make sure you are doing these basic things.
She also said:
Because the Spirit is often described as a still, small voice, it is also important to have a time of quiet in our lives as well. The Lord has counseled us to "be still, and know that I am God." If we provide a still and quiet time each day when we are not bombarded by television, computer, video games, or personal electronic devices, we allow that still, small voice an opportunity to provide personal revelation and to whisper sweet guidance, reassurance, and comfort to us.
These are great promises. I think that one of the keys is that we need to seek and find time in our day. It will not find us! There are just too many things going on. We need to make time for the Spirit to comfort us and to play a role in our lives.
Finally, some wonderful promises related to listening for and understanding the Spirit:
When we come to understand the whisperings of the Spirit, we will be able to hear Him teach us "the peaceable things of the kingdom" and "all things what [we] should do." We will recognize answers to our prayers and know how to live the gospel more fully each day. We will be guided and protected. And we can cultivate this gift in our lives as we follow those spiritual promptings. Most importantly, we will feel Him witness to us of the Father and of the Son.
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Learning to recognize the Spirit is of great importance. I know that as I learn to listen & follow promptings of the Spirit, I am blessed with additional guidance and my testimony increases.
ReplyDeleteI especially liked the section of her talk on providing an environment where the Spirit can be felt. I really want our home to be a place where the Spirit can be felt by our family as well as by visitors.
She suggested to pray & read the scriptures every day, have quiet time in our lives to provide time for personal revelation; at church as teachers and leaders, we can help others to feel the whisperings of the Spirit as well.
She also shared blessings that come to us as we come to understand the whisperings of the Spirit: be able to hear Him teach us the peacable things of the kingdon and all things what we should do; recognize answers to our prayers & how to live the gospel more fully each day; be guided and protected; we can cultivate this gift as we follow those spiritual promptings; we will feel His witness of our Heavenly Father & the Savior.
"While each person can learn to recognize the whisperings of the Spirit, that learning process can be facilitated as others help us understand about the Holy Ghost, share their personal testimonies, and provide an environment where the Spirit can be felt."
ReplyDeleteThis sums up Sister Matsumori's talk, and when I read that, I immediately thought, "that's why we go to Church." There's only so much we can do for our personal salvation by ourselves--scripture study, prayer, temple attendance--the other half of the work involves others. We cannot attain exaltation without being sealed to our families, and the real tests of life involve how we treat other people. Likewise, our most growth comes from interacting with other people with the Spirit. We attend Church meetings and activities so we can grow and edify each other. I'm always amazed at how a little comment from someone's talk or testimony will lead to other thoughts in my head, about how I can improve, or as a witness to truth.
Origionally, I was going to use the quote that Cambrai posted because it teaches us the importance of missionary work! We can help others to recognize the Spirit, which is something that they (sometimes unknowingly) yearn to feel.
ReplyDeleteAnother one of my favorite quotes was recounted from an 8-year-old boy who said that feeling the "[He] felt like sunshine" when he felt the Spirit. I thought of 2 different interpretations of this simile. First of all, when I feel sunshine on my body, it makes me feel warm and happy. My attitude becomes peaceful and I reflect on my blessings from Heavenly Father. These are some wonderful blessings from the Spirit. However, if one was to feel like sunshine, they could have "sunshine effects" on others. Just like smiles are contagious, the Spirit that one feels can radiate past their skin and have a positive effect on others, just like the sun, through its rays, causes such happy, warm feelings in me. Sometimes people point out that they can tell something different about your eyes - that light is coming from your eyes (that is the Gift of the Holy Ghost that we have received). This little boy made a profound statement about the Spirit! Sister Matsumori concluded her talk with a wonderful testimony and an example to me of what a testimony really is - knowledge gained through the Spirit. This was such an amazing talk about the Spirit, simple and true.
I liked how Sister Matsumori started by talking about how parents are responsible to teach their children about the feelings of the Holy Ghost. I am grateful that my mom often shared with me her experiences with the Holy Ghost. She didn't just sit down and teach me doctrine, but she just shared experiences with us in conversations. So that is something I want to do when Danielle and I are parents...someday :)
ReplyDeletedon't worry keith and danielle, your day will come soon enough. good idea to talk about this stuff before hand.
ReplyDeleteand, along with cambrai's...one of my friends posted on her blog how awful her sunday was going & how her kids were keeping her from listening, when she heard rob's testimony& it was just what she needed to hear.
Anyways, Sister Matsomori...
"we can help others become more familiar with the promptings of the Spirit when we share our testimony of the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives." I need to share these moments with Christopher & Michael so they will become familiar with the Spirit.
"The challenge for each of us is in providing an environment where the Spirit can be felt daily in our homes & weekly at church. One reason we are encouraged to pray & read the scriptures every single day is that both of these activities invite the Spirit into our homes & into the lives of our family members." This is why I've started reading the conference talks in December instead of March, because I feel the Spirit strongly when I do this.
"When we come to understand the whisperings of the Spirit,
1. we will be able to hear Him teach us 'the peaceable things of the kingdom' &
2. 'all things that we should do.'
3. we will recognize answers to our prayers and
4. know how to live the gospel more fully each day.
5. we will be guided and protected.
6. and we can cultivate this gift in our lives as we follow those spiritual promptings.
7. most importantly, we will feel Him witness to us of the Father & the Son."
It is interesting how closely tied Elder Scott & Sister Matsomori's talks are. We will learn more, the closer we are to the Spirit, which will happen more often as we follow spiritual promptings.