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Continue ShoppingThe Holy Ghost Reveals the TRUTH of All Things IF We Allow It
Reveals the Truth of All Things “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know
the truth of all things.” (Moroni 10:5)
This Will Help When . . .
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You want to develop a deeper testimony of the gospel.
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You want to better distinguish between truth and error—both in the world and within your own thinking patterns.
While speaking with Jesus Christ before His crucifixion, Pontius Pilate asked a pertinent question: “What is truth?” (John 18:38) President Dieter F. Uchtdorf expounded on this, saying, “I sense a certain weary cynicism in Pilate’s reply. . . . I wonder if what he really was asking was ‘How can anyone possibly know the truth?’” The answer to that question is by the power of the Holy Ghost, for “the Spirit . . . will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).
A central mission of the Holy Ghost is to testify of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is certainly the case for those investigating the Church, which is why missionaries consistently ask people to “experiment upon [their] words” (Alma 32:27). They understand that through reading the scriptures, praying, and keeping the commandments, investigators will “gain [a] divine witness from the Holy Spirit” that the Church is true.
However, the Spirit’s testifying power isn’t just for investigators—it’s for all of us. Elder Craig C. Christensen taught the following:
Some people speak of a testimony as if it were a light switch— it’s either on or off; you either have a testimony, or you do not. In reality, a testimony is more like a tree that passes through various stages of growth and development. . . . [Our testimonies] grow and develop over time through constant nourishment and frequent spiritual encounters.
The Holy Ghost can continually strengthen and renew your testimony. As Professor Robert L. Millet taught, “One cannot afford to coast spiritually, to live forevermore on past sacred moments; new ones must be sought for, treasured, and stored in our reservoir of faith.” In other words, your faith doesn’t have to depend on hazy spiritual experiences from the distant past. It can be rooted in a continual stream of revelation. Then, in moments of doubt or troubling times, you’ll be able to “hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes.”
Another important way the Spirit can assist you is by helping you discern between truth and error. This goes far beyond just the spiritual realm—the world is full of misinformation regard- ing just about everything. But as Elder Neal A. Maxwell put it, “Happily . . . the Holy Ghost not only helps us to recognize plain truth but also plain nonsense!” If you ever come across some- thing you’re not sure is true—whether that be a news story, an academic theory, a political assertion, or anything else—ask God if it’s true. And when confronted with competing opinions about complex issues, ask God what His opinion is. In the simple words of James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him”—through the Holy Ghost. As you pray with faith, ponder with humility, and study with diligence, you will be able to distinguish between truth and error with the help of the Spirit.
Unfortunately, the world isn’t the only source of misinformation you’re up against. Oftentimes, we need to look no further than our own minds to find a war between truth and error. For example, President Ezra Taft Benson taught that “Satan is increasingly striving to overcome the Saints with despair, discouragement, despondency, and depression.” Such feelings are usually accompanied by thoughts such as “I’m worthless and helpless,” “I fail at everything I do,” “I’m so stupid,” and “I’m never going to get this right.” But are those statements true? No! Yet in the moment, it can be so hard to see that.
That’s why it’s crucial to stay close to the Spirit and allow Him into your heart and mind—because He “speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be” (Jacob 4:13; emphasis added). In other words, the Holy Ghost can help you recognize distortions of reality in your own mind. And He can help you reframe those thoughts to align with the truth. Your choruses of “I am a worthless failure” can be transformed into “I am a child of God—a very imperfect one, yes, but one whose worth is great in the sight of God.”
In answer to Pilate’s original question, the Lord defines truth as a “knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come” (D&C 93:24). And who can know it? Anyone who “[takes] the Holy Spirit for their guide” (D&C 45:57). Amidst all the questions and doubts—in a world that is “confusing and noisy, full of deception and distractions”—“the Spirit is the only wit- ness that is sure and certain and infallible.” What a miraculous gift from God, and one that is so needed in today’s world.
Liken to Yourself
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In what ways do you think you need to strengthen your testimony? (For example, are there any doctrines you struggle to accept?) What are some specific things you could do to deepen your testimony in this area?
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What are some examples of competing messages in the world that people claim to be true? What is the Spirit telling you about what’s actually true?
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What distorted thoughts do you tend to struggle with, and what’s untrue about them? What truths do you think the Spirit wants you to internalize instead?
The following was taken from the book The Holy Ghost from A-Z currently on sale at cedarfort.com.
