Of Salt & Sunrises: Discerning the Holy Ghost

In the final chapter of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Moroni extends this invitation to all who might read his words:

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.
(Moroni 10:4-5)

As a young girl, I often wondered just how the Holy Ghost would speak to my soul.
How would I know that the Book of Mormon was true?
I was pretty sure I wouldn't hear a voice. And an angelic visitation seemed pretty improbable.

But over time, I did discover for myself that the Book of Mormon was indeed the word of God.  I learned how the Holy Ghost communicates with my Spirit.  It was not in a dramatic physical manifestation, but in a quiet peaceful feeling that spoke to my soul.  Unlike my own emotions, the warm presence of the Holy Ghost seemed to wash over me almost as a wave from some unseen external Source.  Although it is sometimes difficult to describe exactly how I know, there is little doubt in my mind that I do know.

President Boyd K. Packer, of our faith's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles once related a story that describes this experience perfectly.

While sitting on an airplane next to a self-professed atheist, President Packer felt prompted to bear his testimony to him that God does indeed live.  When the gentleman pressed him to explain exactly how he knew, President Packer found himself at a loss of words to effectively communicate.  The words prayer, faith, and discernment meant nothing to his companion.

He said, somewhat mockingly, "You see, you don't really know.  If you did, you would be able to tell me how you know."

At that moment, the Holy Ghost brought a sudden insight to President Packer's mind, and he then replied with a question.

Speaking to the atheist he said, "Let me ask if you know what salt tastes like."

"Of course I do," was his reply.  "I know what salt tastes like as well as I know anything."

"Then," President Packer countered, "assuming that I had never tasted salt, explain to me just what it tastes like."

After several attempts, he found that he could not do it.  While he would explain what it did not taste like, there were no words for what it did taste like.  He simply could not describe in words alone the everyday experience of tasting salt.

President Packer recommenced, "My friend, spiritually speaking, I have tasted salt.  I am no more able to convey to you in words how this knowledge has come than you are to tell me what salt tastes like.  But I say unto you again, there is a God!  He does live!"
(President Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, "The Candle of the Lord", Jan 1983) 

Similarly, those of us who have received the answer to Moroni's promise may not always be able to articulate the sacred impressions that have brought us to the knowledge we hold dear.  But that does not mean that the experiences we share are any less valid.

Much like the rising sun gradually illuminates the sleeping earth below, reading the Book of Mormon (as well as the Bible!) brings light and warmth into my life.  It imparts clarity and insight that I wouldn't otherwise possess.  Like salt, it adds depth and a richness to my life.  Something would certainly be missing without it. 

I know that God lives.
I know that He speaks to us in the pages of holy scripture, including the Book of Mormon.
And do you know what?
I know that you can know too.

And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.
(Moroni 10:7)

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This post is part of a series hosted by the Book of Mormon Forum!
To learn more about the Book of Mormon, please visit this website.

Repost: Small and Simple Things

This is a post I originally wrote in September of 2009.
Reilly had recently turned three, and I was just a few weeks pregnant with my twins.
It will be a familiar story to those of you who know my family, but even two years later, it still clearly articulates my thoughts on faith and receiving answers to prayer.

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Truly, God answers prayers.
And not just the big ones.

One of my personal goals in life is to rely more on my Heavenly Father and to understand more fully the promptings of the Spirit.

It is most definitely a work in progress.

I have learned to act on certain feelings and impressions I have concerning friends and family-- although I wouldn't have necessarily considered them inspiration at the time-- and through these experiences have become increasingly aware that the Holy Ghost speaks to our hearts much more often than we might think.

Over the past few months I have tried to seek out a little more time for quiet meditation-- to turn off the TV, computer, music (that is a tough one for me!) and just reflect. I'm not always consistent with it, and I'm definitely not great at it, but over time it has made a considerable difference in my life.

This year there have been a lot of things to pray about on the grand scale. A dying friend. A newborn nephew's struggles. A beloved aunt having heart surgery. A favorite uncle suffering a horrible spiral break of his arm. A sister getting married. A horseback riding accident that seriously injured my mom.

It is easy to pray when the heavy trials of life come knocking.

Our faith tells us that God will hear our prayers during these times of adversity.
But-- for me at least-- sometimes it is difficult to remember that God stands ready to answer all our prayers.

Even the seemingly insignificant ones.

Last week we had the misfortune of Sheepie going missing again.
(Yes, again.)

It was late.
I was not feeling well and was completely drained of all energy.

Reilly was beside herself with grief for her missing friend, and Bryson could not find her anywhere despite his extensive search efforts both within and outside the house. He crashed on the couch, telling me that he simply couldn't look anymore.

There was nothing left in the tank.

He put Reilly to bed without Sheepie, and she continued to cry inconsolably in her room. I knew we would be in for a long night if we were unable to locate her. To complicate matters further, the next day promised to be long and hectic even without a broken night's sleep.

Not finding Sheepie just wasn't an option this night.

Feeling slightly silly but not knowing what other options we had, I took to my knees.
I prayed for the insight to find Sheepie.

Afterward, I got to my feet and instantly knew she was in Bryson's & my room somewhere. I had felt that impression previously, but now the thought was all-consuming. I knew she was in our room. I walked in our bedroom and immediately my eyes were drawn to Bryson's laptop briefcase. I couldn't help laughing to myself as I unzipped one of the compartments and rescued the poor, trapped Sheepie.

It was just so like Reilly to put her in a small zippered compartment (purses are actually one of her favorite hiding spots), but we would have never checked the laptop case in a million years. The kids *never* touch it. We had walked past it several times in our previous searches.

After that evening, I pretty much learned my lesson.

Our Heavenly Father is mindful of us, and knows our needs-- even the small heartfelt desires of a little child. So when the same thing happened just a couple nights later, my faith was already in place. After we did all that we could do, I said another simple prayer on Reilly's behalf.

However, this time I didn't get an impression of where Sheepie was; only that I needed to do a load of laundry. Tired and grumpy, I had no desire to do laundry-- and did not grasp the concept that my stray thought just might be related to the ongoing search for Sheepie.

We went to bed. Just after midnight, I awoke to Reilly's cry for her beloved friend. She went back to sleep on her own after a couple minutes, but I was left wide awake. I could not sleep. After deciding that lying in the dark staring at the ceiling was pretty pointless, I got up. I decided to get that load of laundry in the washer while I was at it. After the cycle was over, I opened up the washer, and much to my chagrin discovered Sheepie right on top of the clothing. I still have no idea when or how she arrived at that location.

Faith isn't something that has come easily to me all the time. I have a tendency to over-think, over-analyze, and rationalize that my emotions are just messing around with me. I wish I were more like Bryson, whose faith is an unshakable gift. I have difficulty not knowing all the answers to the questions that perplex me. It has taken practice to let go of that and simply hold on to the seed of faith.

I have a deeper appreciation for the words of Alma in the Book of Mormon:

Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.

But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words. 

Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
 (Alma 32: 26-28)


In today's society, it can be easy to dismiss God as an active participant in our lives. Some even doubt whether He exists at all. Religion is rejected as merely the opiate of the masses, and spiritual experience is believed to be nothing but a series of chemical reactions in the brain. However, I truly believe if even the smallest part of you wants to believe in Him-- if you work at it-- you can feel His continual presence in your life. Faith will replace doubt, and His love will flood every aspect of your life. Even the small and simple parts.


Take it from someone who's been there.

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To learn more about the Book of Mormon, please visit this website. 

This post is part of a series hosted by the Book of Mormon Forum!