Listening to the Spirit

I have heard the whisperings of the Spirit. I have felt the comforting hand of the Lord. Not all the time mind you, but often enough that I know that the Love of God is real. I am in the USA because the "Voice of the Lord" said "Go the the United States". The words were not fancy, but they were startling...they were penetrating...and I obeyed. Such experiences have been infrequent, always simple, yet powerful...like... "Be a good son". That got my attention. Ii was more difficult to obey...it was open ended...a lifetime challenge.

When I was a counsellor to Bishop Kent Wallis, I realized that he was a man who expected direct answers to his prayers. I had really never associated with a man like Kent Wallis. We would kneel as a Bishopric to pray about an issue. He would ask his counselors "Did you get an answer?" It was always embarrassing to have to admit that we had neither heard nor felt anything. Bishop Wallis would go to the temple and generally stay until he had an answer. I was not then in his league. I am not today.

Still...age has wrought a change in me that I can feel. Whereas I have always been a deep sleeper, one who could miss the end of the world so-to-speak...I now find myself waking in the early hours of the morning...and often receiving very clear promptings regarding such things as Family History, or work issues, or even my political ambitions. Rather than lie in bed, I get up, sit at the computer and write for a couple of hours, then go back to bed. That is most unusual for me. But I have come to enjoy the promptings...even look forward to them.

I think it was Elder Scott who talked about the promptings of the Spirit in Conference. There were lots of great talks. It was wonderful! But I think I heard a message which was truly new to me. It was that even though the Spirit might prompt us to do something...the lesson is in recognizing the Spirit. It is not important whether or not the prom[tings lead to some dramatic conclusion or solution. Rather it is more important that we simply learn to recognize the promptings...and enjoy them with gratitude.

I recall Nate going through a very difficult time in his youth. He had had a very clear vision of the direction which his life was going to take. It did not happen. He asked for counsel. I do not recall what I said, but I am sure that I did not have a good answer. Today I might be more inclined to smile and say "Enjoy the experience son...know that the Lord is mindful of you. Things may not work out for you the way you dreamed or visualized, but always remember the feeling that you had, when the spirit either whispered or showed you something special."

Elder Scott helped me realize, for example, that just because I felt prompted by the spirit to get up and write something that might be useful in my political campaign, I may or may not be successful in the campaign. And that's OK. Whether I am successful or not does not diminish the warm feeling that our Father in Heaven is mindful of me...and His Spirit is prompting me...and I am becoming used to it...and loving it. Let's face it, unless the Lord has some grand political plan for me, such as helping to save the Constitution of the United States, I'm sure that whether I win or lose an election is of little importance to Him. I think Elder Scott's message was that when it comes to spiritual promptings...it is not so much about the outcome...it is about the journey...and learning to enjoy the trip, feeling that you are truly under the watchful eye of God.