Elder Richard G. Scott, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (deceased) taught. . . .
I have learned that our mind can strengthened an impression of the Holy Ghost or sadly, can totally destroy it by casting it out as something unimportant or the product of our own imagination.
(Continuing from “A Previous Post’) . . . .Now I share an experience that taught me a way to gain spiritual guidance. One Sunday I attended a priesthood meeting of a Spanish branch in Mexico City, I vividly recall how a humble priesthood leader struggled to communicate the truths of the gospel in his lesson material. I noted the intense desire he had to share those principles he strongly valued with his quorum members. He recognized they were of great worth to the brethren present. In his manner, there was an evidence of a pure love of the Savior and a love those he taught. ~Elder Richard G. Scott, 21 Principles, Divine Truths to Help You Live by the Spirit (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2013). 23-24 (now continuing. . . )
His sincerity, purity of intent, and love permitted a spiritual strength to envelop the room. I was deeply touched. Then I began to receive impressions as an extension of the principles taught by the humble instructor. They were personal and related to my assignments in the area. They came in answer to my prolonged, prayerful efforts to be guided in my assignment.
As each impression came, I wrote it down. In the process, I was given precious truths that I greatly needed in order to be a more effective servant of the Lord. The details of the communication are sacred and, like a patriarchal blessing, were for my individual benefit. I was given specific directions, instructions, and conditioned promises that have beneficially altered the course of my life.
Subsequently, I visited the Sunday School class in our ward, where a very well-educated teacher presented his lesson. That experience was in striking contrast to the one enjoyed in the priesthood meeting. It seemed to me that the instructor had purposely chosen obscure references and unusual examples to illustrate the principles of the lesson. I had the distinct impression that this instructor was using the teaching opportunity to impress the class with his vast store of knowledge. At any rate, he certainly did not seem as intent to communicate principles as had the humble priesthood leader.
In that environment, strong impressions began to flow to me again. I wrote them down. The message included specific counsel on how to become more effective as an instrument in the hands of the Lord. I received such an outpouring of impressions that were so personal that I felt it was not appropriate to record them in the midst of a Sunday School class. I sought a more private location, where I continued to record as faithfully as possible the feelings that flooded into my mind and heart. After each powerful impression was captured in words, I pondered the feelings I had received to determine if I had accurately expressed them in writing. As a result, I made a few minor changes to what had been written. Then I studied the meaning and application in my own life of impressions. ~Elder Richard G. Scott, 21 Principles, Divine Truths to Help You Live by the Spirit (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2013).24-26
