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Scientific Explanation Of The Holy Ghost - Page 3

Hi Graced,

Wow what a great question. How do we separate, or tell the difference between our emotions and the Holy Spirit. Well, the answer is simple, however to do it takes an understanding of the "Operations of the Spirit", in other words how the Spirit operates.

Moroni said we should search in the Light of Christ (thats the simple answer). But how is that done? I can tell how I do it. When a thought comes into my mind I first have to determine the source. Is it from my own mind? Is it from the adversary? Or is it from the Spirit.

Here is an simple example of a prompting I got recently. I was getting in my car to run an errand, and the errand is was what was occupying my mind at the time. I started the engine, and began to pull the car out of the drive and moved maybe 15 feet, when a thought came into my mind that was totally unrelated to what I was doing; the prompting was, Call Holly (my daughter) and see if she is alright. So I stopped the car and searched in the Spirit, or Light of Christ.

This was my thought process. Is this prompting from the devil? Not likely, because he wouldn't want me to help my daughter if she was in need. Was it from me or my mind, not likely because I wasn't even remotely thinking of Holly, only on the errand I had to run. Was it from the Spirt? Probably. The Spirit it good and wants me to do good things....So I went in the house and called Holly, and guess what...Holly was fine.

Do I think it was the Spirit that was Prompting me, yep, with out a doubt. I don't know if Holly just need to know her Dad was thinking about her, or if it was a way to make her more alert to a possible danger, or it actually helped her to avert a danger or something. But I know I did the right thing. I believe it was a Prompting from the Holly Ghost, but what if it wasn't, was any harm done, no. In fact good was done, so either way, whether it was my own mind or the Spirit telling me to call Holly, it was a good thing.

I am by no means a Spiritual giant, and didn't figure this out myself, but found out about it through study. If I may be so bold as to recommend a book to you on the subject. It is the most concise and easy to understand book on the operations of the Spirit I have ever read. Don't let the title fool you, it won't become apparent what he is saying until you read a little into the book.

The Book is Titled "Following the Light of Christ into his Presence", By John Pontius. Pontius is a member in good standing, and lives in Alaska. I highly recommend the book, and I hope you get a chance to look it over.

Ghost Holy The Explanation Scientific

Wnevil, thanks for telling me about your story. However I have a question based on this part of your post:

I really thought you would say Holly wasn't fine and that's why the Spirit told you to call her. Our minds work in ways sometimes we don't understand, could it be also that her name just popped out in your mind and there is really no relation to the Spirit? I am not a disbeliever, I'm just trying to figure out our own minds and how our brains operate versus the Spirit whispering to us.

Scientific Explanation Of The Holy Ghost Studies Doctrine Mormon

Graced,

you have hit upon a subject that is so important to a persons spiritual development that it is critical to us in knowing the Lord.

The "Operations of the Spirit" will "only" be taught to you by the Spirit. It is a fail safe of sorts. Yes, it is true that you can read and study and gain knowledge about it, but only when a person is Spiritually Mature will the full understanding and recognition of the Operations of the Spirit be unfolded to them by the Spirit. Why? Because then you will be required to follow the promptings given you, and you will be held accountable for that. Sometimes it will require faith to follow, like in the case of my daughter Holly, and you may not know the reason or even have a confirmation immediately, (so that is why a person needs to learn to search in the Spirit. I think my prompting was a simple, safe test of my faith and a learning experience in searching in the Spirit). We have to grow in our confidence in the Spirit and our ability to correctly recognize and follow it.

What if Nephi had not known how to recognize and distinguish the Spirit? It is my opinion that the Church has not, and will not teach in detail, about this doctrine (to the general population of the Church) for fear that people not being spiritually mature in understanding and recognizing the Spirit will be deceived and do all sorts of crazy things. (Learning to search in the Spirit is a portion of learning the Operations of the Spirit, and is one of the very first steps)

Yet the Book of Mormon is full of examples of great people whose lives were so centered in walking by the Spirit that they converted thousands, as well as guiding the people temporally. So the information and example is there, and when a person is ready, the Spirit tugs at them to learn more. I think that is what is happening to you, at least that is the way it happened for me. I really hope you follow your desire to learn more of how to search in the Spirit.

We are given the Gift of the Holy Ghost, which means we can have His companionship all the time. The Book of Mormons say the Spirit will tell us all things we should do. Yet we never learn how to listen, never truly understand and learn the Operations of the Spirit". Think about this...The Holy Ghost knows all things, He knows what the right decision is in "every"circumstance in our lives. If we made the correct decision in all of our daily decisions we would be very successful. We would be happy because we were following the plan of happiness tailored specifically to us. We would be righteous because we are doing the right thing for the right reason, because the Holy Ghost told us what to do, and not out of pride or some other hidden selfish reason.

I really feel awkward trying to explain this. I am learning myself. The book by John Pontius will help you much more than I can't. I know that he isn't a General Authority and that made me hesitate, but when I read his book I felt the Spirit the same as I do when reading the Book of Mormon.

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That's where I am at the moment. Some time ago I posted on a thread that I got a very powerful revelation that will probably put my membership in jeorpardy. Yet after a few years, a divorce, I am here wondering if what I experienced was the Spirit or just my mind.