Further Light and Knowledge

President Howard W. Hunter has said that, "those who seek God are entitled to further light and knowledge."

As I continue my quest as it relates to receiving Revelation, I was given more answers this week via my new friend, Kristin.

I was explaining to her my big life realization (that I wrote about earlier) regarding the spirit speaking through my feelings, and then I said,

"I still can't understand how Agency, which is so central to God's plan, and the Holy Ghost can work together. Receiving promptings from the Holy Ghost seems so counter intuitive to Agency."

And then Kristin (who is a brilliant psychologist whose emphasis for her career has been agency and is currently writing a book about the subject) said,

"Don't you understand, when you choose, with your agency, to follow the commandments, you choose to allow the spirit to speak to you which is of course, using your agency!"

And my mind said, DING DING DING!!!! LIGHT BULB!!!! YES, OF COURSE!!!

In his book Hearing the Voice of the Lord, Gerald Lund says that you will know something is for God when you receive confirmation that the impressions you had were, in fact true. My confirmation that what Kristen said was true came moments later as I flipped through my scriptures to this verse,

Alma 34:38, "That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth and that ye live in Thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you."

"That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost,
Have I ever contended! I've questions and wondered and pondered and doubted. I've contended.

but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust,
I always thought that when we are confirmed we are COMMANDED to RECEIVE the Holy Ghost. But no. It isn't a command, it's an invitation. The word receive in and of itself speaks of agency. A choice. A reception.

and worship God in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth and that ye live in Thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you."
Whatever house, whatever city. Full of gratitude for there are so many Tender Mercies; so many blessings that he gives to me. I love that big spurts of spiritual growth often follow trials. That is one of the sweetest of tender mercies of all.