What if it's just me?

The other day my companion and I got out of our last lesson at around 8 and had about an hour of time to try to use effectively before it was time to call it a day. As we were trying to decide whether to go try and look for some people or if there was someone that we could visit, I had a very distinct thought to go visit one of our friends who lived nearby and share a message with her. We made our way over to her house and luckily she was there, and let us in. As we sat down and began to talk, it was clear that she was not at her best and was really in need of a message of comfort and support. As we testified of God's love for her and told her of the impression we received to come and visit her, she asked this question: "But how do you know

it was an impression from God? What if it was just you?"

What if it was just me. Anybody who is seeking spiritual impressions from God or is trying to be sensitive to the hand of God in their lives has asked themselves some form of this question. So, how do we know? How do we tell the difference between what is literally and legitimately the Hand of God in our lives, the Holy Spirit of the Lord whispering impressions and promptings to us to guide us in our lives, and our own thoughts, our own ideas?

The first clue I would like for in answering this question for yourself is the feeling that you get along with the impression. In the Doctrine and Covenants we read: "But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must cask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right." (D&C 9:8) If you have a really good, wonderful feeling inside, odds are the impression is of God. On the other hand, "...if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong."

The Second thing you can do is to ask yourself if the thing you are being prompted to do is rational. The Holy Spirit will never prompt you to rob a bank, harm another person or violate the laws of the land. He will never ask you to do anything impossible, or anything that a reasonably sane person would not do. Be smart; if it is anything that would offend God, it is not a prompting from the Holy Spirit.

Now, what if we receive a prompting that causes no sudden feeling and is not completely insane? These happen every day for those who listen: go talk to that person, this person needs cookies, help that person with their groceries, you should call your friend so and so, go read such and such scripture, so on and so forth. How can we tell what is truly a prompting from God and what is simply our imagination?

I once heard a quote from Elder David A. Bednar that gave me a profound insight into this question. When posed with the same question, his response was "Does it matter?" Does it really matter? What if it is only our mind that is telling us to go help someone in need, talk to our friend, help out the sick and afflicted? I ask

you, if so, what have we got to lose? In the Book of Alma we read: "For I say unto you that whatsoever is good cometh from God, and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil." If the thing that we feel we are being prompted to do is good, what do we have to lose? If worse comes to worst, then we will have helped someone in need, raised someones spirits, brought joy to the downtrodden. But if the prompting is to do a good thing, you will realize afterwards that you have indeed been a tool in the Lord's Hands and that it was indeed a prompting of the Holy Ghost.

I know that the prompting that I received to go speak to that choice daughter of God that night was no passing thought, no idea conjured by my mind, but a loving Heavenly Father prompting us to go and help one of his children in need. In the same way that this experience was able to uplift and edify all people involved, you too can make a difference in the lives of others every day. Let us heed the promptings of the Holy Ghost, listen to his counsel, and do the will of God here on the earth. Talk to people, help people, love people, and then enjoy the sweet joy that comes from being a true follower of Christ.

voice of the spirit