When I first became a member of the Church, I knew nothing about the Holy Spirit. To me, it was just an invisible being watching over you to see if you were doing something bad and would "snitch" to God. On the flip side, it would also help you out if you were in need. You prayed and asked for God’s help, and you would receive it through the Spirit.
At the age of 18, I was baptized into the LDS Church. One year later, I went on a mission for the Church. It was so very intimidating... Here I was, a 19-year-old kid who knew very little about religion and didn't have even a fraction of the knowledge that these Utah Elders, raised in the Church, had. I was still in the process of learning and felt inferior compared to these other missionaries.
One month after arriving, I went to a mission conference where I got to hear our mission president speak. During his talk, something strange started to happen to me. Everything he said made sense. I felt as though he was telling me the truth, and I felt happy... but then I started feeling a burning sensation in my chest and became anxious because I didn't know what was happening to me. I thought I was going to pass out. My companion asked what was wrong, and I told him I didn’t know. I wasn’t sure if I had a headache and needed a pill or if I was having a heart attack. I couldn’t understand what I was feeling. We went out into the hallway, and the feeling went away. By that time, other Elders came to see what was going on. I told them what I was experiencing. One of them asked, "Were you feeling a burning sensation in your chest while the President was speaking?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Elder, you just experienced the Holy Spirit testifying to you that what he was speaking about is true."
In the mission field, feeling the Holy Ghost is different from how "normal people" experience it in everyday life. As a missionary, you dedicate two years to God—preaching, studying, testifying, and praying constantly—so the Spirit is right there by your side. In normal life, there are so many distractions that it can be hard to hear or feel the Holy Ghost. Elder Faust spoke about this in a talk, so I will quote from it:
“Give ear to the voice of the living God.”1 The voice of the Spirit is available to all. The Lord said, “The Spirit enlighteneth every man [and every woman] … that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.” In other words, we ALL have the capability and the blessing of hearing the Holy Ghost. We can all receive instructions or guidance from Him, but we need to be diligent in seeking this companion.
He further says:
But we hear other voices. Paul said, “There are … so many kinds of voices in the world”8 that compete with the voice of the Spirit. The Spirit’s voice is ever present, but it is calm.
But this part really opened my eyes:
The adversary tries to smother this voice (the Holy Spirit's voice) with a multitude of loud, persistent, persuasive, and appealing voices:
Here is my explanation of each, with a few insights of my own:
Murmuring voices that conjure up perceived injustices.
For example, you’re at work, and a coworker gets recognized by the boss for a project you also worked on. In your mind, you start thinking, “That’s not fair. I did just as much, maybe more. My efforts are always overlooked. Maybe the boss just likes them better. Why didn’t they do that with me, too?” Even though no one intentionally wronged you, those murmuring voices in your head start to conjure up a perceived injustice, so you get hurt and start building resentment.
Whining voices that abhor challenge and work.
When we whine instead of acting. When something seems too challenging or time-consuming, we find excuses not to do it. We may think, "Other people are just smarter. Why should I even bother? I’m not as smart." Satan makes us feel that we don’t have the capacity to succeed. But if we don’t listen to this whining voice, it opens our mindset to growth, experience, success, and confidence—showing us that we can tackle anything, no matter how hard or time-consuming it seems.
Our attitude should be: "It’s tough, but I can handle it, little by little. And I can ask for help if I need it."
Seductive voices that offer sensual enticements.
This one could be anything from pornography, to Hollywood trying to set a fashion trend that portrays women as needing to dress in overly revealing ways, to alcohol consumption, drugs, promiscuity, or having several sexual partners. The justifications we might hear are, “It’s harmless. I’m not hurting anyone. Everyone does it. It’s normal.”
Our attitude should be: “I know where this path leads, and I want better for myself. This moment doesn’t define me, but my choices do.”
Soothing voices that lull us into carnal security.
This one was a big one for me. When we’ve been in the Church long enough that we think we know a lot and don’t need to worry about our spiritual growth, we become complacent. For example: "I’ve been good today. I don’t need to pray. I’ll go to church next week; God knows I’m tired. I’ve already repented from this; I don’t need to repent again."
Our attitude should be: “Just because I feel fine spiritually doesn’t mean I shouldn’t seek the Spirit. I need to nourish my spirit, even when things are going well in my life.”
Intellectual voices that profess sophistication and superiority.
This could come from the media or from really smart people—scientists, for example—who might say that believing in God is naïve or for people who are not as intelligent.
Proud voices that rely on the arm of flesh.
These are thoughts we might have that tell us we do not need God. “I can rely on myself, on my own knowledge. I don’t need to pray to God; I’ve got this. I built my success; God didn’t do it for me.”
Flattering voices that puff us up with pride.
These are voices that inflate our egos, making us feel that we are better than others—more talented, more righteous, or more important.
Cynical voices that destroy hope.
These are the voices that make us think things won’t ever get better. They try to crush our faith and discourage us from even trying to get closer to God. “Things will never change for me. God helps other people, not me.”
Entertaining voices that promote pleasure seeking.
This one influences all of us, and sometimes we don’t even realize it. Certain types of music with very sexually explicit lyrics or suggestive images, things that promote feeling good or having fun regardless of the consequences—like they say, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."
We may hear: “You only live once. Live in the moment. You’re missing out.”
Commercial voices that tempt us to “spend money for that which is of no worth, [and our] labor for that which cannot satisfy.”10
This one is self-explanatory. I need the next iPhone, the newer car, or the latest clothes. We spend money on these things, and in the end, we still feel empty inside.
Delirious voices that spawn the desire for a “high.”
I’m not referring to a drug- or alcohol-induced high, but to the pursuit of dangerous, death-defying experiences just for the thrill. Life, even our own, is so precious that we are accountable to the Lord for it, and we should not trifle with it. Once gone, it cannot be called back.
Another thing we should be aware of is what we call a "gut feeling." Gut feelings are intuitions, perceptions, or judgments based on our reasoning, and they are usually influenced by emotions or personal experiences we've had in the past. Sometimes we can be right about our gut feelings, leading to positive outcomes by going with that feeling. But gut feelings can also lead us away from what is true due to incomplete information or because our past experiences cloud our judgment.
This is why seeking the guidance of the Spirit is our best source. The Spirit will always make us feel what is true and comes from Heavenly Father. It will make us feel peace, love, reassurance, and calmness. If something is not of God, it will make us feel rejected, disoriented spiritually, uncertain, or unsettled.
How to distinguish the Holy Spirit from gut feelings:
Gut feelings are usually based on emotions, memories of hurt, or past experiences. The Spirit speaks to us through small, gentle promptings—whispering to our mind and heart, filling us with a warm feeling a feeling of closeness and even of love.
To finish, the Holy Ghost is what God has given us to help guide us to the truth. It testifies of the Father and the Son, comforts us, and sanctifies our souls. We can all have this companion, but we must strive to be close to it by reading the scriptures, praying, living a life of service, working on developing Christlike attributes, being grateful for our blessings, going to church, fasting, and repenting regularly. Remember, when asking God for inspiration through the Spirit, we need to be still and listen. We lead busy lives, but to hear the Spirit, we need to slow down and focus our attention, tuning out the other noises of the world.
