Having the Spirit With You Always. . .

[builderr]

There's a phrase that sticks in my mind that says...
"be careful what you hope for, because you just might get it".
Although I didn't know the term at the time...I was an investigator
for 9 months before I joined the church, and was baptized.
Ironically, I was baptized and recieved the holy spirit on the weekend that our prophet,
Gordon Hinckley, passed away. But before that, I was skeptical
and didn't consider a move towards joining the church because
I didn't think that I had experienced the "spirit", in a way that was acceptable to
the missionaries that came to my house every wednesday at 3:30
while I worked in my garden. One day , I decided to surprise them, and actually
read and pray with genuine intent, just as they advised me, and prayed to know that
Joseph Smith is the prophet, as well as all of the other 30 to 40 little cards with notes
with BOM reading references that they gave me were true. I was smoking like a chimney,
and my inability to drive past a dunkin donuts, without stopping was puzzling me.

Unlike any time in my 58 years, I woke up in my office chair, startled by a serious
distinct voice saying "it's time to get busy". I would have sworn that the tv was on in the other room, but the house was silent, and I was alone. I had been reading about Nephi and had progressed somewhere to the point where they were fighting on the boat, and Nephi's brothers had tied him to a mast. I know that that's not too far into the BOM to be bragging after 6 months of investigating...
but, I realized that i had been, also, constantly reading an old Bible that i had purchased at a yard sale, and was trying to find some sort of parallel between the two books...I has assumed that the BOM was just another writer's attempt at fictionalizing the creation. things were synonymous.....building a boat/ noah's ark....and many others. Anyways... this voice shook me up......I had been praying to hear a soft gentle whisper....and being hard of hearing, I often prayed, and strained to hear something.
Obviously the spirit knows me well enought to know that"I don't hear too good"...and since that day...
he speaks up loud and clear. well, getting back to my point about "be careful what you hope for, because you just might get it". I wanted with all of my heart and soul to have the spirit come
into my being and show his existence. It felt strange to speak out loud in a room, alone, like a crazy person, talking to themselves, but I have to tell you....when you start asking specific questions, and you start getting specific answers....you will believe. I was afraid that, like the little boy crying wolf, if I only asked for something when I wanted something...I wouldn't be answered, or worse..ignored.
I was told...you'll get an answer, you may not like it, but you will be answered. That is so true.
I speak with Jesus, my friend and brother constantly.....he is a full time companion. With me, particularly, he's a very chatty sort of fellow, and I sometimes wish he would go take a nap, and let me concentrate on work. I'm like a spoiled kid that says..."i can do it by myself', knowing that I am scared to death to stop believing, to stop praying, and growing, and sharing the gospel. Maybe, like a baby bird, in a nest, ready to fly, but afraid to try.....for now, I'm nice and secure right where I am....

sorry for rambling....I had a point, but i may have lost it.

David

[applepansy]

Originally Posted by builderr

There's a phrase that sticks in my mind that says...
"be careful what you hope for, because you just might get it".
Although I didn't know the term at the time...I was an investigator
for 9 months before I joined the church, and was baptized.
Ironically, I was baptized and recieved the holy spirit on the weekend that our prophet,
Gordon Hinckley, passed away. But before that, I was skeptical
and didn't consider a move towards joining the church because
I didn't think that I had experienced the "spirit", in a way that was acceptable to
the missionaries that came to my house every wednesday at 3:30
while I worked in my garden. One day , I decided to surprise them, and actually
read and pray with genuine intent, just as they advised me, and prayed to know that
Joseph Smith is the prophet, as well as all of the other 30 to 40 little cards with notes
with BOM reading references that they gave me were true. I was smoking like a chimney,
and my inability to drive past a dunkin donuts, without stopping was puzzling me.

Unlike any time in my 58 years, I woke up in my office chair, startled by a serious
distinct voice saying "it's time to get busy". I would have sworn that the tv was on in the other room, but the house was silent, and I was alone. I had been reading about Nephi and had progressed somewhere to the point where they were fighting on the boat, and Nephi's brothers had tied him to a mast. I know that that's not too far into the BOM to be bragging after 6 months of investigating...
but, I realized that i had been, also, constantly reading an old Bible that i had purchased at a yard sale, and was trying to find some sort of parallel between the two books...I has assumed that the BOM was just another writer's attempt at fictionalizing the creation. things were synonymous.....building a boat/ noah's ark....and many others. Anyways... this voice shook me up......I had been praying to hear a soft gentle whisper....and being hard of hearing, I often prayed, and strained to hear something.
Obviously the spirit knows me well enought to know that"I don't hear too good"...and since that day...
he speaks up loud and clear. well, getting back to my point about "be careful what you hope for, because you just might get it". I wanted with all of my heart and soul to have the spirit come
into my being and show his existence. It felt strange to speak out loud in a room, alone, like a crazy person, talking to themselves, but I have to tell you....when you start asking specific questions, and you start getting specific answers....you will believe. I was afraid that, like the little boy crying wolf, if I only asked for something when I wanted something...I wouldn't be answered, or worse..ignored.
I was told...you'll get an answer, you may not like it, but you will be answered. That is so true.
I speak with Jesus, my friend and brother constantly.....he is a full time companion. With me, particularly, he's a very chatty sort of fellow, and I sometimes wish he would go take a nap, and let me concentrate on work. I'm like a spoiled kid that says..."i can do it by myself', knowing that I am scared to death to stop believing, to stop praying, and growing, and sharing the gospel. Maybe, like a baby bird, in a nest, ready to fly, but afraid to try.....for now, I'm nice and secure right where I am....

sorry for rambling....I had a point, but i may have lost it.

David

Thank you for your testimony. I don't think you lost your point. You illustrated nicely how to receive the spirit, how to listen and what to do when you hear the Spirit.

Your point of "be careful what you wish for". . . right on point.

Don't be too critical of yourself for reading the BOM slowly. Not everyone gets through the BOM in a year let a lone 6 months. Just keep at it.

applepansy

[Justice]

Yes, very nice. The hard part is always remembering. So, let me be one of the first to tell you...

Try not to forget.

[ldslesson]

This is my first day on the forum, and I have really enjoyed it! Two quick thoughts on this.
Mosiah 2:36
36 And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have known and have been taught all these things, if ye should transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom’s paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved—

This scripture mentions that we withdraw ourselves from the Spirit. So the question might be that we need to figure out how to keep ourselves with the Spirit. By studying the gospel we come to find out where the Spirit is, and where it is not. Then we just keep ourselves in that place.

Others have mentioned the sacrament prayer. The key word here is "willing." The fact that you want it really bad is a good indication that you are well on your way. God will always give us that blessing as long as we are willing to have it in our lives. I find that wanting the Spirit even more is an indication that I am trying to live up to my covenants. Remember even Nephi said,
"Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart csorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities." 2 Nephi 4:17. So as we continue to try to stay where the Spirit is, God will fulfill his promise.

[Hemidakota]

Forgetting is usually refers old age.. Unless you have ALS.

Welcome Builderr and LDSlesson to the forum.

[Justice]

Originally Posted by ldslesson

So the question might be that we need to figure out how to keep ourselves with the Spirit.

Yes.

I don't think Elder Bednar, and others, mean to imply it's the "end" of always having the spirit with you to not do things that detract from having it, but the beginning. We must also choose activities that help persuade us to believe in Christ and have the spirit, such as prayer, scripture study, etc.

So, it begins as defensive, but ends with being proactive.

Welcome to the forums. I'm looking forward to many more thoughtful and useful posts, such as this one, from you.

[candyprpl]

My focus lately has been, 'being one with Christ.' Always asking (every minute) what thought would Christ have right now (then listen), what would Christ do in this situation (then listen), would Christ talk to that homeless person (then listen), are my prayers meaningful (then listen), am I showing gratitude for this beautiful planet (then listen), do I need to do more in magnifying my callings (then listen). And on and on. These questions and listening to the answers have brought me closer to always having the Spirit to be with me. Staying focused on the Atonement and what it means.

I love this gospel!!! Before I was baptized four years ago I definitely had times when the 'light of Christ' helped me get through hard times but the Gift of the Holy Ghost is sooooo much more. I FEEL the difference in my day to day actions. Jesus Christ is my constant companion and I am so thankful that I am weak enough to need Him in my life!

[Hemidakota]

Article Link: This Day

Elder Erying talked about those would procrastinate their eternal destiny by allowing anything that detracts us from the receiving the Spirit.

" Then Amulek warns that procrastinating your repentance and service can cause the Spirit of the Lord to withdraw from you.

But with the warning he gives this hope: "And this I know, because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell; yea, and he has also said that the righteous shall sit down in his kingdom, to go no more out; but their garments should be made white through the blood of the Lamb."2

The scriptures are filled with examples of wise servants of God who treasured the day they were in and chose to do what they could to bring cleansing. Joshua was one: "Choose you this day whom ye will serve . . . ," he said, "but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Serving Him invites the Holy Ghost to be with us. And the Holy Ghost is a cleanser of sin.

Even the Savior, who was without sin, set an example of the need not to procrastinate. He said:

"I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

Again, if we cannot feel the Spirit, we need a self-review to see if there is something that we are not repenting.

[lilered]

Having the spirit always; to me is a life long process of spiritual growth. The spirit burns brighter within us as we continue to improve, to do good, to repent, and sin no more. Those that are around us notice the change as our spirit becomes sweeter. We change continually for the better. Our testimony becomes stronger and we feel the need to testify of the truthfulness of the gospel and our love for God and our Savior. We want to do better, we want to be sinless.

[Dove]

I have to admit, I have been pretty intimidated to even post on this thread.....It's not like I'm the greatest spiritual person around. I don't consistently read my scriptures anymore, I don't even consistently pray. But I know God lives, and I'm taking my stripes in life. I too, at one point, would want to have the Spirit with me "always."

The funny thing is, through all these threads, no one has talked about the greatest gift of all, the "pure love of Christ."........Isn't that what Christ is all about? Charity? Am I wrong on this one?! I think of 1 Corinthians 13, and then 1 Corinthians 13:13~"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three: but the greatese of these is charity.

I have learned that life is about learning. Learning to love, learning to give, learning to be humble, to think of others, to make them comfortable, whatever that looks like. "Love thy neighbour as thyself" comes to mind. This usually can't be found through scripture study and prayer alone, but through hard experience, through getting out their and trying. Little children are good ones to practice this on. They have no concept of altruism usually, but they're pure. Elderly people are good. Anyone is good.

Yeah, I do think that life will serve us up exactly what we want. Pray for your heart's desire. Then leave it to the Lord to provide.....Lose yourself in charitably loving others is my opinion.....Do it with all your heart. I believe you will begin to be guided by the Spirit as to how to help your fellow man, then you will find that you will have the Spirit with you more so. You will begin to feel His love for you and for others more and more. Maybe not in the ways you would expect.....but in the ways that will be for your best interest and others.