1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,920 Well, hello everybody and welcome to Redeemed Through His Blood. 2 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:12,980 In this podcast we discuss hope, healing and redemption through the atonement of Jesus 3 00:00:12,980 --> 00:00:14,040 Christ. 4 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:15,040 My name is Scott Durfey. 5 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,000 I want to be the first to welcome you out this morning. 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:24,400 And as always, it's my honor to welcome my partner in this project, my uncle, our amazing 7 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:27,840 teacher and all of our friend, Brother David Durfey. 8 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:28,840 Say hi, Dave. 9 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:30,360 Hey, Scott. 10 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:36,080 You know, coming over here today, we're doing this a little earlier than we normally do 11 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:37,080 it. 12 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:46,400 And I've been retired for a few years and I get on the freeway and I think, oh my goodness. 13 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:48,480 In some ways I miss it, some ways I don't. 14 00:00:48,480 --> 00:00:56,320 But I think, wow, I forgot what it's like to get on the freeway at 830 in the morning. 15 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:04,040 You know, usually I don't, I stay home and enjoy life until about 10 a.m. and 10 a.m. 16 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:05,440 I'll go do something else. 17 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,880 I'll take back roads to do it. 18 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:12,280 But to get on the freeway, I had to get on the freeway to get over here. 19 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,360 And I thought, wow, this is such a rat race. 20 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:18,200 Unbelievable, isn't it? 21 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:19,920 And you know, in some ways I miss it. 22 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:20,920 Yeah. 23 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:21,920 Yeah, I can see that. 24 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:22,920 In some weird ways. 25 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:23,920 I can see that. 26 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,800 I kind of miss the thrill of it, but I also don't miss it. 27 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:34,800 You know, the hassle and the feeling and the jockeying for position and, you know, as these 28 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:37,920 cars are going back and forth between. 29 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:43,240 Anyway, it kind of renewed some good and bad memories for me. 30 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:45,520 Well, it's good to be here and I got here safely. 31 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:46,520 Yeah, you did. 32 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:47,600 And I'm glad you're here. 33 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:52,760 And I'm glad that you seem unscathed, at least in terms of your attitude and you seem 34 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:54,800 happy and ready to roll this morning. 35 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:55,800 It's good to be with you. 36 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:56,800 Yeah, it's good to have you too. 37 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:58,240 It's good to be with you. 38 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:02,960 We've had a fun conversation this morning talking about a lot of really important things 39 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,240 and some things that are just fun to talk about too. 40 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:11,280 That's one of the great things of doing this with somebody who's kind of been like my older 41 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:12,480 brother all my life. 42 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:14,200 It's really cool to do that. 43 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:20,440 Hey, before we get into our topic today, as we always do, I just want to take care of 44 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:21,440 a couple of things. 45 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:23,920 First off, thank you very much for your emails. 46 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:25,800 We've received quite a few emails. 47 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:31,520 We're going to try and incorporate the question or two from some of those today. 48 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:36,400 Many of them have just been experiences and insights that you've had that you would just 49 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,560 like to share with us and we encourage you to continue to do that. 50 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,880 You can send us emails at this email address. 51 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,240 It is heredeemsusatgmail.com. 52 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:55,920 I was telling Scott earlier today about being set apart again just recently as a patriarch 53 00:02:55,920 --> 00:03:03,880 and how it kind of changes your approach to life, how it changes your perspective, how 54 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:09,360 it changes your efforts, your discipleship. 55 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:15,640 It's a little sad to me actually, Scott, that I have to be set apart as a patriarch for 56 00:03:15,640 --> 00:03:16,640 that to happen. 57 00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:18,640 At least that's true for me. 58 00:03:18,640 --> 00:03:25,600 I hope that I can someday live that kind of a life without being anybody or without any 59 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,920 office or without any calling in the church. 60 00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:30,360 It should be that way, I think. 61 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:36,080 I think you don't need a high calling in this church. 62 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:43,240 That's not pleasing, I don't think, to our Savior. 63 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:44,680 I know calling changes. 64 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:51,360 I know calling can up our game and raise our level of discipleship. 65 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:52,360 I've experienced that. 66 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:56,160 I think many of our listeners have experienced that for sure. 67 00:03:56,160 --> 00:04:02,660 I wish it wasn't that way for me and I don't think it has to be that way for any of us. 68 00:04:02,660 --> 00:04:13,320 But being set apart again as a patriarch and knowing the responsibility that comes with 69 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:20,000 receiving revelation for individuals who you've never before met, who you don't know anything 70 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:27,600 about, and to be able to try to tell them something about their past, pre-mortal past, 71 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:35,080 and to try to say something about their mortality and how they are related to Abraham, Isaac, 72 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:42,000 and Jacob by revelation to identify their lineage and what tribe of Israel they come 73 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:49,800 from, and then to try to say something about how God sees them and their future, and to 74 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:58,360 be able to give them some guidance and counsel and blessings in their life, it's really daunting. 75 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:03,040 I don't know, you can't describe it. 76 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:08,480 But it changes how I see things. 77 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:12,040 It changes how I have to live. 78 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:19,440 I told the General Authority this past Sunday as I was set apart that I have to give up 79 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:24,820 certain things in my life, simple, small things in my life, small things that make a great 80 00:05:24,820 --> 00:05:30,600 difference in my life that I identified 11 or 12 years ago when I was first set apart 81 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:36,080 as a patriarch and ordained, and now again as I'm set apart to be activated as a stake 82 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,960 patriarch, it changes what I listen to. 83 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:45,840 I told I can't really listen to just sports radio anytime I want. 84 00:05:45,840 --> 00:05:47,680 I can't watch commercials. 85 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:52,760 I can't do some, I have to be careful what I listen to. 86 00:05:52,760 --> 00:06:01,480 I can't, cable news is so contentious that I can't really watch that because of the contention 87 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:04,120 that it raises. 88 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:11,680 And I just have to avoid anything that has anything inappropriate or contentious in it. 89 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:20,600 And I'm thankful to be able to, it says nothing about me as a person really, but I'm thankful 90 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:31,080 and grateful that I have been given this opportunity and responsibility, heavy responsibility really, 91 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:32,720 it's a burden. 92 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:38,840 And I know the Savior helps me carry it when He says, you know, my burden is light. 93 00:06:38,840 --> 00:06:41,560 I think, wow, His burden is light. 94 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:43,640 Think of the burden the Savior had. 95 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:51,320 But He says it's light and it is a burden and it does become light as we trust in Him 96 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,420 and we rely on Him. 97 00:06:54,420 --> 00:07:02,760 But I'm learning, relearning again, how to walk by the Spirit, how to live by the Spirit, 98 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:11,100 how to live and see things differently by the Spirit. 99 00:07:11,100 --> 00:07:18,000 And I'm grateful for the chance we have today to talk about how to identify and recognize 100 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:27,160 the Spirit in our life, how to receive it in our life, how to respond to it and how 101 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:33,600 to retain a remission of sins by receiving the Holy Ghost in our life, how to receive 102 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:35,880 and retain a remission of sins. 103 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:39,240 So I hope that's kind of where we're going today. 104 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:40,280 Yeah, it is. 105 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:44,960 You know, while I'm sitting here listening to you talk about that, I'm amazed because 106 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:51,120 I know you and others who do know you will be also amazed that, you know, the comments 107 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:55,120 that you make about discipleship and consecration and all that. 108 00:07:55,120 --> 00:08:00,120 Because, you know, here we are, we're learning the atonement of Jesus Christ. 109 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:05,000 And Dave, you've influenced countless numbers, probably, countless people in your institute 110 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:10,920 and seminary classes and in many, many, many other ways, your influence through that book 111 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:12,240 and so forth. 112 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:18,280 So you've had that, and I hear you talk about you're applying the atonement of Jesus Christ 113 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:20,800 in your approach on what you're doing now. 114 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:26,360 You know, so often, and I think so many of our listeners tune in and think, I need to 115 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:30,320 apply the atonement of Jesus Christ because of this terrible thing that's happened in 116 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,720 my life, either to me or that because of something I've done. 117 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:36,160 And that's true, we do need that for those types of things. 118 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:42,120 But it is so infinite and so overreaching and overarching everything in our lives that 119 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:48,600 even through our discipleship, we become deeper disciples and more consecrated also through 120 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,840 the atonement of Jesus Christ, Dave. 121 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:59,720 I have really enjoyed this past week studying President Nelson's talk on overcoming the 122 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:08,680 world through, see, I have it right here, overcoming the world and finding rest. 123 00:09:08,680 --> 00:09:11,680 I just have really thrilled in that talk. 124 00:09:11,680 --> 00:09:17,080 It's helped me in my preparation to begin to give patriarchal blessings again. 125 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:23,680 And I'm reading it with kind of a different set of eyes, and I'm outlining it, and I'm 126 00:09:23,680 --> 00:09:29,880 seeing the doctrine and the promises and the principles that he teaches us in that great 127 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:34,080 talk and the invitations that he gives us, Scott. 128 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:45,000 And I just thrill at the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ and how we really can 129 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:47,200 obtain rest. 130 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:55,880 It does take work, it does take extreme effort in repenting and trying to live the gospel 131 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,620 to be able to overcome the world. 132 00:09:58,620 --> 00:10:00,160 But we can overcome the world. 133 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:03,760 We've been commanded by Jesus Christ in the Doctrine and Covenants. 134 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:08,720 He refers to the Scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 64. 135 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:13,840 I will that ye should overcome the world. 136 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:19,200 That's what I say unto one, I say unto all, the Savior tells us in the Doctrine and Covenants. 137 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:26,920 And He's commanding all of us in the church that my will is that you should overcome the 138 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:27,920 world. 139 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:33,600 I know that we can all do better in that, Scott, in overcoming the world. 140 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:42,840 I've become so kind of super sensitized by all of the distractions of the world since 141 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:48,400 my again recent setting apart to be activated as a patriarch. 142 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:58,880 And there are just so many distractions and distortions that keep us from really feeling, 143 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:06,440 qualifying for and receiving, recognizing and responding, retaining the Holy Ghost in 144 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:07,440 our life. 145 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:12,240 And we all face those distractions and distortions regardless of where we are along the spiritual 146 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:13,560 path, right? 147 00:11:13,560 --> 00:11:21,080 I know that in the beginning as I'm working with a few new folks in our addiction recovery 148 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:29,320 program, anonymous but common and well known, I'm experiencing the same stuff and noticing 149 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:37,640 that they're feeling many of these same things in terms of where we are in, I'm having a 150 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:42,000 difficult time I think articulating this, but what I mean by this is depending on where 151 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:47,160 we are on that spiritual path, whether we're just embarked on it or whether we're way down 152 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:51,920 that path and have had a lot of spiritual experiences and accountability and stewardship 153 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:56,040 put on us because of our discipleship, it doesn't matter where we are. 154 00:11:56,040 --> 00:12:03,220 Our dependency on the atonement of Jesus Christ is equal for those just beginning as it is 155 00:12:03,220 --> 00:12:10,060 for those who are way down that path and living a much higher and holier law already. 156 00:12:10,060 --> 00:12:15,640 And there are dispersions and differences between people all along that path. 157 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:22,720 It's interesting to me though, Dave, how the redemption applies as equally to say me or 158 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:29,080 somebody very beginning on that spiritual path as opposed to, not as opposed to, but 159 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:31,840 in comparison to even a President Nelson. 160 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:37,200 The redemption is just as important for me or them as it is for him, or it's just as 161 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:40,200 important for him as it is for them. 162 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:47,120 And I love that because of the perfect love the Savior has for each of us, He has provided 163 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:53,240 for each of us, regardless of where we stand, an opportunity to be enlightened, to become 164 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:59,400 closer to Him, to have a deeper fulfillment of our spiritual desires and so forth, all 165 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:03,160 because of His atonement and all because we've already been renamed. 166 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:05,560 Amen to all that. 167 00:13:05,560 --> 00:13:06,960 Amen to all of that, Scott. 168 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:15,440 In fact, in President Nelson's talk on overcoming the world, I like to, when I study conference 169 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:20,120 talks, I like to go through it and really write it. 170 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:24,640 I do better when I, well, I listen to them every night before I go to bed. 171 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:29,200 I try to choose and I circulate and I go through and recycle. 172 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:34,400 But I try to listen to the first presidency and their talks first, and I've been doing 173 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:40,800 this now for a few weeks since conference, right, or almost a month now. 174 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:46,480 And I listen to the first presidency and then I go in order of the twelve and I'll listen 175 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:50,400 to their talks at night as I lay down to sleep. 176 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:54,440 That's just kind of a great way for me to relax and focus on this. 177 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:57,920 It makes, I think, my dreams a little sweeter, Scott. 178 00:13:57,920 --> 00:14:01,400 And I love listening to the voice of prophets. 179 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:06,520 I think their voice is powerful and the voice is important. 180 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:13,680 But I personally, I think, get more personal revelation out of studying the word in print. 181 00:14:13,680 --> 00:14:18,680 And so I'll print their talks and I'm working on that now. 182 00:14:18,680 --> 00:14:24,880 And I've started with President Nelson, printed his talk this week, and I love to identify 183 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:35,240 the doctrine, principles, invitations, and especially promises. 184 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:38,920 I'll also identify testimony. 185 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,400 I'll identify questions. 186 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:42,920 I'll circle question marks. 187 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:45,920 I'll circle exclamation marks. 188 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:51,800 When a prophet puts an exclamation mark in a sentence, that gets my attention. 189 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:59,520 I will also identify all the italicized words and I will write in the margin all of the 190 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:05,400 scripture references that they refer to, often in the footnotes, but I want them in the margin 191 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:06,840 so that as I study them. 192 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:13,600 And in the right side of the paper, I will write down personal revelation, promptings, 193 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:17,840 inspiration that I receive as I study these talks. 194 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:26,120 So maybe just, I guess I'm sharing that just as one idea, one way that we can make the 195 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:34,520 most out of the teachings and the prophetic words of prophets, seers, and revelators and 196 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:38,460 how to make the most out of the conference report. 197 00:15:38,460 --> 00:15:45,680 So listening to President Nelson and then studying his talk, I picked up on a few things 198 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:49,520 that really relate to our podcast. 199 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:53,600 And I want to, this is I think my favorite promise. 200 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:57,720 I've put a box around this in his talk. 201 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:03,280 In about the middle of his talk, really, he says, Dear brothers and sisters, this is President 202 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:05,660 Russell M. Nelson. 203 00:16:05,660 --> 00:16:15,040 My message to you today is that because Jesus Christ overcame this fallen world and because 204 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:28,280 he atoned for each of us, each of us, you too can overcome this sin saturated, self-centered 205 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:32,960 and often exhausting world. 206 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:37,400 I love that promise, a promise of a prophet. 207 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,640 This world really is exhausting, Scott. 208 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:49,840 It really is, and I know that we can obtain rest as we, it takes great work and effort 209 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:58,400 to really focus on Jesus Christ and to center our life on him and not center it on ourselves 210 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:03,160 and to be able to repent through his atoning sacrifice. 211 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:05,400 And then just one more paragraph. 212 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:12,960 He says, President Nelson, in the very next paragraph, because the Savior through his 213 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:22,840 infinite atonement redeemed each of us, redeemed each of us, Scott, now I believe that's past, 214 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:25,440 present and future. 215 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:33,280 We are redeemed, we have been redeemed, we were redeemed, and we will be redeemed. 216 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:38,800 I think so many in the church see redemption as something of a future event. 217 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:41,800 Yeah, kind of like a goal, right? 218 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:47,560 Yeah, well, Jesus redeemed us through immortality and eternal life. 219 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:53,040 There is so much more to the plan of redemption and the redemption of Jesus Christ and his 220 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:54,800 atonement than that. 221 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:58,100 He redeemed us in the pre-mortal existence. 222 00:17:58,100 --> 00:18:05,320 It was through Jesus Christ that we overcame the dragon and Satan. 223 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:06,800 We learned that in Revelation. 224 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:11,960 We read that before, Revelation 12, 9 through 11. 225 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:13,840 It's through Christ we overcame Satan. 226 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:19,080 In the pre-mortal existence, it's through Christ that we were born innocent in the first 227 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:25,360 eight years or until we reach the age of accountability, whatever that is for individuals, and it may 228 00:18:25,360 --> 00:18:30,680 be different for individuals depending on their mental, emotional capacities. 229 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:38,160 We've been redeemed, and we are redeemed as we are striving to follow Jesus Christ and 230 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:46,760 to be disciples of Jesus Christ and come unto him and turn to him, focus on him, remember 231 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:47,760 him. 232 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:55,180 We are redeemed, and we will be redeemed throughout the rest of our life and after we die because 233 00:18:55,180 --> 00:19:01,640 of the resurrection and when we eventually obtain eternal life. 234 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:04,240 Redemption is past, present, and future. 235 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:10,000 So again, President Nelson says, because the Savior through his infinite atonement redeemed 236 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:17,080 each of us from weakness, mistakes, and sin, and because he experienced every—get this 237 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:26,080 doctrine—because he experienced every pain, worry, and burden you have ever had or will 238 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:36,360 ever have, then as you truly repent and seek his help, you can rise above this present, 239 00:19:36,360 --> 00:19:40,040 precarious world. 240 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:48,920 What a promise of a prophet and also teaching the doctrine that anything that we ever suffer, 241 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:56,960 every negative, every negative as a result of the fall and living as a mortal in a fallen 242 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:01,400 world, Jesus suffered it. 243 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:08,560 Because of that, Scott, we have been redeemed, we are redeemed, we will be redeemed through 244 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:13,480 the blood and the atonement of Jesus Christ. 245 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:17,920 And that doctrine should give each of us such relief. 246 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:21,640 I mean, to know that I am redeemed now, right? 247 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:26,520 There's a lot of things in each of our lives, and I can safely, I think, say this because 248 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:32,480 we're all human, and part of the human condition requires us to go through things that are 249 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:35,080 going to require redemption from. 250 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:40,280 And those things can be physical, those things can be attitudes, those things can be experiences, 251 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:43,840 those things can be sin, those things can be things that have been sinned against us 252 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:48,840 or perpetuated against us through abuse, or could be stuff that we've perpetuated. 253 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:51,840 But all of that has already been redeemed. 254 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:58,040 And so as that redemption has taken place, and now as we've talked about in past episodes 255 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:05,280 how to know that that's taken place, how to recognize, how to retain, and how to receive 256 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:11,880 that coming into our lives, I think now we move into even a deeper discussion on those 257 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:13,680 types of things. 258 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:20,080 Dave, do we talk more now about how do we recognize it, how to retain that? 259 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:24,960 We notice that sometimes that redemption, and because of that, and as part of that redemption, 260 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:27,800 we do receive forgiveness of our sins. 261 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:40,840 And we receive a change in our lives that sins have been affected against us. 262 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:46,000 Also things in our lives that come about because of the fall of Adam and Eve, because of the 263 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:47,400 fall of us all. 264 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:50,720 Those things happen to us physically, the physical death we experience, things that 265 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:51,800 happen to us. 266 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:55,000 The spiritual death we experience, things that happen to us. 267 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:58,280 So how do we move more into those types of things? 268 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:07,840 Well one of my favorite chapters in Elder Anderson's book, The Divine Gift of Forgiveness, 269 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:10,720 is chapter 23. 270 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:18,000 And chapter 23 is such an important chapter, and I again am grateful for that experience 271 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:24,520 I had to work with Elder Anderson for some 18 months on the development of this. 272 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:29,440 And this chapter was really precious, and is precious. 273 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:38,080 And it talks, it's entitled, The Holy Ghost, A Messenger of Forgiveness. 274 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:45,640 Elder Anderson did a wonderful job capturing some of the things we discussed, and has written 275 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:48,600 a beautiful chapter here. 276 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:54,840 I'm so thankful for what he said about the Holy Ghost, and how we can receive forgiveness 277 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:59,480 through the Holy Ghost, really the Sanctifier in the Godhead. 278 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:03,600 The Holy Ghost is the Comforter and Sanctifier. 279 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:12,640 And he says a couple things that I want, in fact, Scott, I was grateful that he again, 280 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:20,400 in his conference talk, this past conference, quoted President Nelson again, and it's in 281 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:25,240 this chapter, where President Nelson, so this is Elder Anderson, a prophet, quoting President 282 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:33,880 Nelson, the prophet, when he said, In coming days it will not be possible to survive spiritually 283 00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:40,680 without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence. 284 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,640 Constant influence, Scott, of the Holy Ghost. 285 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:48,560 Wow, what a prophecy, really. 286 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:55,880 That's a prophecy that in coming days it will not be possible to survive spiritually without 287 00:23:55,880 --> 00:24:00,640 the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost. 288 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:06,400 And so we need to talk about that, because all of us need to walk by the Holy Ghost, 289 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:13,200 as Paul gives us that injunction in the New Testament, and we need to live by the Holy 290 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:14,560 Ghost. 291 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:21,880 And Elder Anderson, in that point, says that believe in the Holy Ghost as surely as you 292 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:25,840 believe in the Father and the Son. 293 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:26,840 We need to have faith. 294 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:32,040 I referenced this, I think, in our last podcast, is the first question of the Temple Recommend 295 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:40,440 interview, is do you have faith in God the Father, and His Son Jesus Christ, and in the 296 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:42,360 Holy Ghost? 297 00:24:42,360 --> 00:24:45,080 I don't think we talk enough about having faith in the Holy Ghost. 298 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:48,640 No, I don't think many of us even really consider that. 299 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:52,400 We understand faith in Jesus Christ, and His redemption, and His atonement. 300 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:53,760 We talk about that all the time. 301 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:59,560 We understand faith in God as our Heavenly Father, and as His sons and daughters. 302 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:07,160 Okay, have we ever really talked about what it means to have faith in the Holy Ghost? 303 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:13,680 Yeah, I think that is something that not many of us really pay much time with, considering 304 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:14,680 that. 305 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:20,360 But, you know, I think it can make all the difference in the world to us. 306 00:25:20,360 --> 00:25:27,960 So let's maybe talk a little bit about that, and about how we can receive Him. 307 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:33,480 When we are baptized and we're confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day 308 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:42,240 Saints, we are commanded by these words in that confirmation and blessing, receive the 309 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:44,440 Holy Ghost. 310 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:46,840 Wow. 311 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:51,640 I don't think any eight-year-old really understands what's going on when they receive that when 312 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:57,160 they're baptized, or maybe even converts may not really understand or appreciate that. 313 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:01,160 But what a command, receive the Holy Ghost. 314 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:03,400 Yeah, a command and an invitation. 315 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:08,520 So let's talk about what does it take to receive the Holy Ghost. 316 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:11,600 Then let's talk about how we can recognize the Holy Ghost. 317 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:16,560 Let's take those two for right now, and what that means. 318 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:23,840 Over and over again, in the Scriptures, it talks about receiving, how to receive. 319 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:29,800 I think that means, at the basic level, that we can't earn it. 320 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:35,440 To receive something, it must be offered as a gift. 321 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:37,000 It must be offered as a gift. 322 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:38,840 You can't go out and earn it. 323 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:40,520 You can't manipulate it. 324 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:44,980 You can't go out and just obtain it. 325 00:26:44,980 --> 00:26:47,720 You must receive it. 326 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:50,440 You must qualify for it. 327 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:53,680 And it comes to us as a gift. 328 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:58,440 So number one, that has to be our approach to receive it, is to recognize that it's a 329 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:01,360 gift, the gift of the Holy Ghost. 330 00:27:01,360 --> 00:27:05,640 It really is a gift that we receive. 331 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:14,560 And it must be received by how we choose what we choose, the decisions and choices that 332 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:24,400 we make in our life, and how to live a life that qualifies us to receive the gift. 333 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:32,680 So as we consider that, again, my recent experience, I think, is being set apart again as a patriarch, 334 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:38,400 has brought to my attention an experience that I had, which I shared several episodes 335 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,920 ago, like 20 episodes ago. 336 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:43,680 I can't believe we've done that many episodes. 337 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:44,680 Unbelievable. 338 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:45,680 Right. 339 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:52,200 But some 20-something episodes ago, I shared the experience when I was first ordained and 340 00:27:52,200 --> 00:28:01,640 set apart as a patriarch, and how I was filled with fear, Scott, and how I was attacked, 341 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:02,640 really. 342 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:10,480 I don't want to sensationalize that, but that's how I came to see it, is that I was attacked 343 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:13,440 by Satan. 344 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:20,920 And how Satan attacked me with all kinds of inappropriate thoughts and inappropriate emotions, 345 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:24,120 which really drove the Spirit from my life. 346 00:28:24,120 --> 00:28:30,840 And so instead of living by the Spirit, walking by the Spirit, receiving the Spirit, I had 347 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:32,440 lost the Spirit. 348 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:36,840 This was just shortly after having been ordained and set apart as a patriarch. 349 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:39,440 And my wife called me out on it one day. 350 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:43,600 And she said, David, why are you so onery? 351 00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:45,920 I mean, I was out of sorts. 352 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:47,680 I was not happy. 353 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:49,760 I was trying hard. 354 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:55,880 I was even reading the Scriptures and doing things, Scott, that I felt I should be doing, 355 00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:58,040 but I wasn't feeling the Spirit. 356 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:06,760 And I was really struggling and wrestling with the world and my weaknesses and my mortal 357 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:10,800 propensities, which we all struggle with. 358 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:15,040 And I finally told my sweetheart, I got to go get away. 359 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:16,800 And I left. 360 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:20,040 And I didn't know if I was going to be gone for a day or two. 361 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:23,280 I just had to get away from it. 362 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:25,080 And I went out. 363 00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:28,800 I drove, got in the car and drove away and drove around. 364 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:33,600 I ended up in some parking lot and weeping and praying. 365 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:39,480 And I felt this impression that my problem was that I was afraid. 366 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:44,760 And I turned to a Scripture and was led to this Scripture. 367 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:50,720 And this Scripture has really, I think, and there are many Scriptures. 368 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:56,520 We talked about, I think, Alma chapter 5 and the importance of reviewing that chapter from 369 00:29:56,520 --> 00:30:02,020 time to time to see where we kind of, where we are spiritually speaking. 370 00:30:02,020 --> 00:30:06,640 And it's a great chapter to kind of see what we need to do to qualify for the Spirit and 371 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:09,000 influence of the Holy Ghost. 372 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:15,640 But I was led to section 30 of the Doctrine and Covenants, verses 1 through 3. 373 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:23,840 Now as I read this, my name is David, of course, and this is a revelation given to David Whitmer. 374 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:26,800 And so it really got my attention when I read it. 375 00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:32,560 I was sat in my car in a parking lot somewhere and it says, 376 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:42,040 Behold, I say unto you, David, that you have feared man and have not relied on me for strength as you ought. 377 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:47,640 I just, I knew he was talking to me as I read that. 378 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:50,360 This was a revelation to me personally. 379 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:59,240 But your mind has been on the things of the earth more than on the things of me, your maker. 380 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:03,160 And the ministry, whereunto you have been called. 381 00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:05,640 We've all been called. 382 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:12,240 And you have not given heed unto my spirit and to those who were set over you, 383 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:16,880 but have been persuaded by those whom I have not commanded. 384 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:23,800 I can think about all the individuals and things in my life that have distracted me in the world. 385 00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:33,480 Verse 3, Wherefore, you are left to inquire for yourself at my hand and ponder upon the things which you have received. 386 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:34,760 Wow. 387 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:40,600 So I sat there and I did inquire and I did ponder. 388 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:46,320 And many things came into my mind about things that I needed to eliminate from my life. 389 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:48,320 And things that I needed to do in my life. 390 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:55,720 And the one thing I needed to learn to do in my life was how to control my emotions. 391 00:31:55,720 --> 00:32:05,520 And I really, I really know, Scott, I don't want to, I don't want this to come across as being overbearing or, 392 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:08,680 or I don't know, I don't know how to put this. 393 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:11,240 I don't know what our listeners think or feel. 394 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:12,520 And they're all on different levels. 395 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:23,760 But I, I just want to again bear witness that we have to not only be concerned about where we are spiritually, 396 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:28,720 but we have to pay more attention to how we're doing emotionally. 397 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:35,440 Because there is this connection between our spiritual well-being and our emotional well-being. 398 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:39,560 And if we have not learned, and I know that we don't have perfect control over this, 399 00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:47,640 and I know there's some emotional states and some emotional challenges that individuals don't have control over 400 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:56,080 and need to seek professional help or other means to try to, to try to gain control over it. 401 00:32:56,080 --> 00:32:57,960 But there is this connection. 402 00:32:57,960 --> 00:33:04,840 And I learned by searching the Scriptures primarily and the words of the prophets, 403 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:13,120 that I was responsible for my emotional state and that my emotional state would affect my, 404 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:18,880 my ability to receive the Spirit and my spiritual state. 405 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:25,400 And interesting that in President Nelson's talk again that he just gave on overcoming the world, 406 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:27,880 listen to this paragraph in Promise. 407 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:35,400 He says, you can overcome the spiritually and emotionally. 408 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:37,960 Notice how he puts those two together. 409 00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:43,240 That's not by, that's not by coincidence or mistake, because the prophets have learned this, 410 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:48,200 the connection between our spiritual state and our emotional state. 411 00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:49,280 So let me start over. 412 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:56,920 You can overcome the spiritually and emotionally exhausting plagues of the world, including, 413 00:33:56,920 --> 00:34:12,440 here's a list, Scott, of emotional plagues of the world and that we all suffer in our lives from time to time, 414 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:25,680 including arrogance, that's an emotional state of self-righteousness, pride, anger, 415 00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:37,880 immorality, which is an emotional state of lust, hatred, greed, always wanting more and more and more and more, 416 00:34:37,880 --> 00:34:43,280 always wanting to compare ourselves, always wanting to be somebody else. 417 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:45,400 That's an emotional state. 418 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:49,440 Jealousy and fear. 419 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:51,080 Yeah. 420 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:52,640 Oh, man. 421 00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:54,560 That's such a big one for me, Scott. 422 00:34:54,560 --> 00:34:56,400 Me too. 423 00:34:56,400 --> 00:35:03,560 I have found that fear and pride and anger and insecurities are all connected. 424 00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:10,520 In fact, all these inappropriate emotional plagues, which President Nelson calls them, 425 00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:18,720 can really keep us from receiving the Holy Ghost in our lives. 426 00:35:18,720 --> 00:35:28,360 And then he ends that paragraph by saying, despite the distractions and distortions that swirl around us, 427 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:35,960 you can find true rest, meaning relief and peace, even amid your vexing problems. 428 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:45,000 I've always thought when it comes to recognizing the Holy Ghost, there's one emotion that Satan cannot counterfeit, 429 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:47,960 and that's the emotion of peace. 430 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:49,200 I know peace. 431 00:35:49,200 --> 00:35:53,360 I know when I am emotionally at peace. 432 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:57,440 And I know when I am, I am feeling the Holy Ghost. 433 00:35:57,440 --> 00:36:02,960 And when I am feeling the Holy Ghost, I know I am receiving Him. 434 00:36:02,960 --> 00:36:11,960 And I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is working in my life and that I'm being forgiven of my sins, 435 00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:15,960 or I am retaining of forgiveness of my sins. 436 00:36:15,960 --> 00:36:20,320 So it's all connected, Scott, our lives. 437 00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:23,720 We can never compartmentalize our lives. 438 00:36:23,720 --> 00:36:32,880 We must understand that our spiritual well-being and receiving the Holy Ghost is connected to our emotional well-being. 439 00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:36,800 I would even say it's connected to our physical well-being. 440 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:42,600 It's connected to our mental well-being, our social well-being. 441 00:36:42,600 --> 00:36:57,360 All of our life, Scott, must be examined, and we must understand the role that each part of our life plays in receiving, 442 00:36:57,360 --> 00:37:03,320 in keeping the command to receive the Holy Ghost. 443 00:37:03,320 --> 00:37:11,440 I invite all our listeners to examine their lives as Paul invites us to do, 444 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:17,320 to examine their lives and to see, as Elder Bednar has invited us to do, 445 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:26,080 to see what we need to stop doing or what we need to start doing to receive the Holy Ghost in our life. 446 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:31,240 Back episode 21, so several weeks ago, a couple months ago, 447 00:37:31,240 --> 00:37:39,160 actually we did a complete podcast or an entire podcast on the emotions of fear and pride and how that can affect us, 448 00:37:39,160 --> 00:37:45,320 how that can stop us from feeling the effects of the atonement in our lives. 449 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:55,520 And that's really what we're talking about, David, is you're reading this wonderful talk that President Nelson gave just recently in conference. 450 00:37:55,520 --> 00:38:01,480 As we're reading that and you go through there and where it talks about, I lost it, 451 00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:04,440 you can overcome the spiritual and emotional exhausting plagues. 452 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:08,080 He calls them plagues. You just read this, plagues of the world. 453 00:38:08,080 --> 00:38:15,280 You know, when we think of plagues, I think back biblical, you know, back in the days of Moses, you know, those were plagues. 454 00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:21,560 Yeah. And we have plagues that are very just as serious and in some ways maybe arguably even more serious. 455 00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:29,920 And he lists those and I'm just going to read them again, including arrogance, pride, anger, immorality, hatred, greed, jealousy and fear. 456 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:33,280 And I'm sure it could go on and on in any extension of any of those. 457 00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:42,520 Well, we talked in episode 21 about fear and anger and how really they're the primary emotions and all these other things really fall under that. 458 00:38:42,520 --> 00:38:55,880 You just made a comment, though, that I think is so powerful and so beneficial and one in which that we one that one which we all need to grasp a hold of a deep understanding of this, 459 00:38:55,880 --> 00:39:00,920 because this is the answer. You know, how do we know that we have received forgiveness? 460 00:39:00,920 --> 00:39:04,760 How do we retain that forgiveness? How do we recognize all those things? 461 00:39:04,760 --> 00:39:16,480 Well, in a word, peace, you know, you said it in its doctrine that Satan cannot he cannot duplicate or replicate that feeling in us. 462 00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:25,160 And it's peace. And so any time that we're feeling peace, when we're feeling Heavenly Father's peace, when we're feeling the spirit, 463 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:34,760 we know that that peace is coming from the spirit. And we also know that the atonement is then working in our lives because it's being administered to us. 464 00:39:34,760 --> 00:39:39,480 You we talked about having faith in the Holy Ghost. That's where that's going to come from. 465 00:39:39,480 --> 00:39:46,320 That peace that we feel will come through the administration of the Holy Ghost administering the atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives. 466 00:39:46,320 --> 00:39:48,720 And that's how we feel that that's how we come by it. 467 00:39:48,720 --> 00:39:54,840 And I think that's what President Nelson's referring to when he talks about receiving rest. 468 00:39:54,840 --> 00:40:02,400 The rest of the world, how to rest from the world is is to have that that feeling of of peace. 469 00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:13,600 I've always loved the revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith to Oliver Cowdery, his newly acquired scribe. 470 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:21,080 This was given just a few days in April 1829 after Oliver Cowdery had made the journey, 471 00:40:21,080 --> 00:40:33,960 the just over 100 mile journey from Palmyra down to Harmony, Pennsylvania, now called Oakland, Pennsylvania, to help the to learn for himself. 472 00:40:33,960 --> 00:40:42,280 If Joseph Smith was a prophet, he had heard about all the all the rumors in Palmyra and he'd stayed a little bit with the Smith family. 473 00:40:42,280 --> 00:40:49,080 And Oliver Cowdery was a school teacher and and he was interested in truth and he wanted to find out for himself. 474 00:40:49,080 --> 00:40:53,520 And he prayed the night before he made that journey to Harmony. 475 00:40:53,520 --> 00:40:56,440 He knelt down and prayed God fearing man. 476 00:40:56,440 --> 00:41:00,200 And he had a witness. He felt peace. 477 00:41:00,200 --> 00:41:07,800 And he knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet even before he made the journey down there to to meet him for the first time. 478 00:41:07,800 --> 00:41:13,120 And he goes and he shared that, by the way, in a detailed letter to David Whitmer, his friend. 479 00:41:13,120 --> 00:41:22,120 David Whitmer was a good friend of his and he David Whitmer had kind of told him about Joseph Smith a little bit about what was going on around Palmyra. 480 00:41:22,120 --> 00:41:27,120 And and Oliver Cowdery said, well, I'm going to go meet him and I'll let you know what I find out. 481 00:41:27,120 --> 00:41:33,680 And so he he offers that prayer, receives peace as an answer, goes down to meet Joseph Smith. 482 00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:45,440 After being there for just a couple of days, he inquires if if Joseph Smith would let him receive or or 483 00:41:45,440 --> 00:41:55,520 Oliver Cowdery requests Joseph Smith to pray and to find out the will of God for Oliver. 484 00:41:55,520 --> 00:42:00,960 And Joseph Smith does so and receives this revelation in Doctrine and Covenants, Section 6. 485 00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:07,080 And this is so, I think, enlightening and applicable for all of us. 486 00:42:07,080 --> 00:42:16,000 And Joseph Smith says this in in what he he the revelation he received, starting with verse 14. 487 00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:24,920 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Oliver, blessed art thou for what thou hast done, for thou hast inquired of me. 488 00:42:24,920 --> 00:42:32,880 And behold, as often as thou hast inquired, thou hast received instruction of my spirit. 489 00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:38,400 Now, I don't know if Oliver always recognized that instruction of his spirit, but I think this is interesting. 490 00:42:38,400 --> 00:42:46,840 And as often as you've inquired, I wonder if that's true for you and me and others, Scott, that as often as we inquire, 491 00:42:46,840 --> 00:42:59,040 we should have, could have, would have received instruction of his spirit if we would have recognized it in our life. 492 00:42:59,040 --> 00:43:09,040 He goes on, if it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time, to Harmony, Pennsylvania. 493 00:43:09,040 --> 00:43:14,520 Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me, and I did enlighten thy mind. 494 00:43:14,520 --> 00:43:23,680 One way to recognize the spirit. And now I tell thee these things, that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the spirit of truth. 495 00:43:23,680 --> 00:43:34,440 Yea, I tell thee that thou mayest know that there is none else save God, that knowest the thoughts and the intents of thy heart. 496 00:43:34,440 --> 00:43:37,880 Then listen to verse 23. 497 00:43:37,880 --> 00:43:48,240 Oh, I better read 22. Verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, meaning a further witness than I gave you the night before you came down here, 498 00:43:48,240 --> 00:43:57,600 cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. 499 00:43:57,600 --> 00:44:06,360 Verse 23. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? 500 00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:14,840 What greater witness can you have than from God? End of quote. 501 00:44:14,840 --> 00:44:26,320 Now, Scott, the way I read that and paraphrase that, the Lord is saying by revelation through Joseph Smith, a prophet to all of our country, 502 00:44:26,320 --> 00:44:34,400 what greater witness can you have from the Holy Spirit than peace? 503 00:44:34,400 --> 00:44:49,560 When we feel peace, we know that we're not only feeling the Holy Ghost, but the atonement of Jesus Christ is working in our life and we're being forgiven of our sins. 504 00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:59,840 We're being sanctified, justified, that we're being redeemed as we have been redeemed and as we will be redeemed. 505 00:44:59,840 --> 00:45:05,600 And it sounds like when he says, and what greater witness can you have than from God? He's talking about peace. 506 00:45:05,600 --> 00:45:14,880 And so the greatest witness, according to the scripture, the greatest witness from God through the Holy Ghost is peace. 507 00:45:14,880 --> 00:45:21,200 It's the only emotion that again, Satan can't counterfeit. Maybe he can't counterfeit joy. 508 00:45:21,200 --> 00:45:37,600 True, true joy, Scott, true joy, I think if our listeners and if we individually can identify the difference between joy and exhilaration and happiness even, 509 00:45:37,600 --> 00:45:47,280 and true, deep, serious spiritual joy is also, I know, an emotion that Satan can't counterfeit. 510 00:45:47,280 --> 00:45:57,840 And sometimes that's harder for me to discern. I don't know if it's harder for me to discern, but I know when I feel peace. 511 00:45:57,840 --> 00:46:10,960 And when I feel peace, I immediately, I think about receiving the Holy Ghost and receiving redemption in the atonement of Jesus Christ in my life. 512 00:46:10,960 --> 00:46:22,240 I have an experience with peace on October 26, 1998. It was a rainy night. It was dark at 8pm. Darkish. It was dark at 8pm. 513 00:46:22,240 --> 00:46:31,360 And I was at the end of my rope. I had had it. I was done. I needed a big change. I didn't know how that was going to happen. 514 00:46:31,360 --> 00:46:41,280 I had received some direction from a loving stake president to go to an addiction recovery meeting, and I did. 515 00:46:41,280 --> 00:46:46,560 And that night, Dave, when I walked in, and I'll never forget this, when I walk in, I've had other experiences. 516 00:46:46,560 --> 00:46:53,760 I've had them in the church, too. But this one was a really a life changing experience for me as I walked in there that night. 517 00:46:53,760 --> 00:46:57,760 It was my first meeting and it was an alcoholic synonymous meeting. I'll just say it. 518 00:46:57,760 --> 00:47:08,560 And so when I went in there and I sat down, there was at the front of the room a facilitator and a chairperson and a co-chairperson. 519 00:47:08,560 --> 00:47:18,960 Behind them were the steps and the traditions written on the wall. And there was a lot of things being said and a lot of laughter and a lot of confusion going on inside of me. 520 00:47:18,960 --> 00:47:28,160 But what I did notice, and I don't remember one thing that was said that night, but I will never forget the peace that I felt inside of me that night. 521 00:47:28,160 --> 00:47:35,520 And that was that peace was the Spirit of Heavenly Father. That was the Holy Ghost confirming to me in retrospect. 522 00:47:35,520 --> 00:47:45,520 And I knew it then, too. But I know it deeper in retrospect as I look back on that. That was the Holy Ghost confirming to me, Scott, this is the beginning of your new path. 523 00:47:45,520 --> 00:47:51,520 This is where we will be able to re-embark and bring everything back together for you. 524 00:47:51,520 --> 00:48:00,160 But it was through and it was only through not the words I heard, not the inspiration I received, but the peace I felt that night. 525 00:48:00,160 --> 00:48:06,640 And I have felt it since many, many, many, many times. But I will never forget the depth of that peace that night. 526 00:48:06,640 --> 00:48:12,240 Yeah, that's really sweet. Thank you for sharing that. 527 00:48:12,240 --> 00:48:30,080 So, to receive that peace and to receive the Holy Ghost, I just want to maybe identify and share with our listeners some ways that we can receive that. 528 00:48:30,080 --> 00:48:47,920 We need to, maybe number one, identify our fears and other negative emotions and learn to replace them with faith and love. 529 00:48:47,920 --> 00:48:58,160 I have learned that you cannot, as we discussed in the earlier podcast you referenced, you cannot stop negative emotions from coming into your life. 530 00:48:58,160 --> 00:49:01,920 It's part of living in a fallen world and being mortal. 531 00:49:01,920 --> 00:49:11,280 You have to learn how to replace them, how to choose to not be acted upon, but how to choose to act through the atonement of Jesus Christ. 532 00:49:11,280 --> 00:49:28,080 And by praying with all energy of heart to be filled with His love, and you need to replace, learn how to replace negative emotions with the, and I believe these are emotions, faith and love. 533 00:49:28,080 --> 00:49:32,400 So, that's number one. 534 00:49:32,400 --> 00:49:42,400 Number two, many years ago, President Eyring gave a talk called, Pavilions. I can't remember the whole title of the talk. 535 00:49:42,400 --> 00:49:52,560 But it was about pavilions that keep us. It's referencing when Joseph Smith was in Liberty Jail, and he cries out, 536 00:49:52,560 --> 00:50:00,960 Where art thou, and where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? In other words, how come I can't feel your love? 537 00:50:00,960 --> 00:50:11,840 This is Joseph Smith crying out in his pain and agony and suffering in Liberty Jail in the middle of the winter of 1838-1839, and he cries out, 538 00:50:11,840 --> 00:50:22,080 Where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? In other words, what pavilions do we have in our life that keep us from feeling the presence and love of God in our life, 539 00:50:22,080 --> 00:50:28,400 or in other words, from feeling the Holy Ghost? And President Eyring gave a wonderful talk on that. 540 00:50:28,400 --> 00:50:34,800 And that talk was October 2012, and it is entitled, Where is the Pavilion? 541 00:50:34,800 --> 00:50:43,840 Thank you. That talk, I still think about it, and invite our readers to, you gotta make a deep study of that sometime. 542 00:50:43,840 --> 00:51:04,880 So, this is number two. Remove the pavilions of selfish, inappropriate motives and prideful desires by replacing them with not my will, but thine, be done. 543 00:51:04,880 --> 00:51:32,160 So, number one, we can't stop, but we have to replace inappropriate emotions. Number two, we can't stop, but you have to learn how to replace inappropriate motivations, motives, selfish motives, by seeking the will of God and carrying it out. 544 00:51:32,160 --> 00:51:38,720 That's real faith, Scott. Yeah, and that's actually, we talk about that as part of the broken heart and contrite spirit. 545 00:51:38,720 --> 00:51:48,560 I mean, that is the alignment, or having our will swallowed up with his, or in his, and so that's where we're finding that. 546 00:51:48,560 --> 00:52:10,160 Number three, in receiving the Holy Ghost, I refer to these as instruments of grace. Number three is learn to use the instruments of grace which God has given us, including repentance. 547 00:52:10,160 --> 00:52:34,080 That's an instrument of how to receive grace in our life. Reading the Scriptures, prayer, sacred art and music, ordinances, especially the sacrament and going to the temple, fasting, magnifying callings, and rendering service. 548 00:52:34,080 --> 00:52:49,360 I call those instruments of grace, and if we want to receive the Holy Ghost, we should use the instruments of grace which the Lord has offered us in receiving his Spirit. 549 00:52:49,360 --> 00:53:03,360 We should really focus on that. I'm telling you, Scott, to prepare to give patriarchal blessings, I have to be careful what I look at, what I see, what I watch. 550 00:53:03,360 --> 00:53:18,880 I can't watch commercials, I can't watch things that are inappropriate. It affects me, and my ability to receive the Spirit for maybe only a few moments or a few hours, or if it's bad enough, for a few days. 551 00:53:18,880 --> 00:53:34,160 Or I have to really be careful what I listen to, what music I listen to. These are all instruments of grace, and if we want to receive the Spirit, we have to use the instruments of grace God has given us. 552 00:53:34,160 --> 00:53:57,760 Number four, we have to eliminate distractions and distortions from our life by learning to focus on Jesus Christ and his Atonement. 553 00:53:57,760 --> 00:54:08,240 So, I think part of this, Scott, is we need to become deprogrammed from some technology. 554 00:54:08,240 --> 00:54:19,520 I know there are so many things that are distractions in our world, and I know the blessings and the power and gifts and good things that come out of technology. 555 00:54:19,520 --> 00:54:38,400 But there is so much distraction and distortion in technology, and we need to learn to control that in our lives in order to receive the Spirit and gift of the Holy Ghost as our constant companion. 556 00:54:38,400 --> 00:54:50,240 Dave, you talk about distraction and distortion, and in preparation for what we were going to talk about today, we did talk about this, and I asked you the question, and I think I'm going to ask it again, because if I wondered, I'm wondering if others may as well. 557 00:54:50,240 --> 00:54:55,200 Distraction, I think, is fairly easy for us to wrap our heads around. What do you mean by distortion? 558 00:54:55,200 --> 00:55:19,680 Well, all of the untruths, all of the lies in our life, not only that we hear or see, but the things I have taken into my life, such as false traditions, false practices, false routines that take me away from the Spirit. 559 00:55:19,680 --> 00:55:33,200 Those are all distortions. Anything where it's living and making a lie, anything that keeps us from the truth, is a distortion. 560 00:55:33,200 --> 00:55:47,920 There's lots of little distractions that aren't necessarily evil or a lie. Lots of those we need to eliminate, distortions as well. 561 00:55:47,920 --> 00:55:52,640 And President Nelson talks about that. Did I read that? Did I share that with you? 562 00:55:52,640 --> 00:55:53,680 I don't think we read that part. 563 00:55:53,680 --> 00:56:07,360 Okay, well, let me just find that really quickly here. He says in here, I guess I added it, what does it mean to overcome the world? 564 00:56:07,360 --> 00:56:20,480 And he responds to that, his own question, by saying, it means overcoming the temptation to care more about the things of this world than the things of God. 565 00:56:20,480 --> 00:56:25,120 It means trusting the doctrine of Christ more than the philosophies of men. 566 00:56:25,120 --> 00:56:36,400 It means delighting in truth, denouncing deception, and becoming humble followers of Jesus Christ. 567 00:56:36,400 --> 00:56:44,400 It means choosing to refrain from anything that drives the Spirit away. 568 00:56:44,400 --> 00:56:53,520 Well, I love that. And I know that it's true that the deceptions and distortions, I think that's maybe those are maybe two synonyms. 569 00:56:53,520 --> 00:56:54,800 Yeah. 570 00:56:54,800 --> 00:57:01,680 We need to eliminate those deceptions, distortions, and even distractions from our life. 571 00:57:01,680 --> 00:57:06,480 Yeah, those distractions can create deceptions and distortions a lot of times in our lives too. 572 00:57:06,480 --> 00:57:07,200 Absolutely. 573 00:57:07,200 --> 00:57:13,120 Those distractions, if they own us enough, can definitely mold the way we see ourselves and others. 574 00:57:13,120 --> 00:57:23,680 And I think one of the biggest distortions after we discussed that this morning, one of the biggest distortions that, and we dealt with this early in the podcast series, is how we see ourselves. 575 00:57:23,680 --> 00:57:34,560 One of the great distortions that is happening among us now, perpetuated, propagated obviously by the enemy, is who are we? Who are we really? 576 00:57:34,560 --> 00:57:42,160 And that distortion, that single distortion alone can derail us permanently if we were to allow it. 577 00:57:42,160 --> 00:57:44,800 It's huge. Identity is everything. 578 00:57:44,800 --> 00:57:46,640 Yeah, identity is our eternity. 579 00:57:46,640 --> 00:57:50,080 Not only knowing who we are, but whose we are. 580 00:57:50,080 --> 00:57:50,800 Right. 581 00:57:50,800 --> 00:58:04,320 And that we've been purchased, not only that we are literally sons and daughters of God, but that we have been purchased by Jesus Christ, and that we are children of Christ as we have taken upon ourselves His name. 582 00:58:04,320 --> 00:58:14,000 Well, I think fifth and finally, because of time, there are probably many, many points of doctrine here that could be discussed about how to receive the Spirit. 583 00:58:14,000 --> 00:58:17,360 It would be wonderful to have a discussion about this with all of our listeners. 584 00:58:17,360 --> 00:58:18,720 I'd love that. 585 00:58:18,720 --> 00:58:28,400 But fifth and finally is we need to learn how to listen and to receive revelation. 586 00:58:28,400 --> 00:58:44,640 I know that we don't spend enough time meditating and pondering upon the things of the Spirit, and we need to learn to know how by the Spirit to pray. 587 00:58:44,640 --> 00:58:56,960 I've always loved the Scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants in describing the gifts of the Spirit in Doctrine and Covenants, Section 46. 588 00:58:56,960 --> 00:59:09,040 By the way, Section 50 is also a wonderful revelation on about how to recognize the Spirit in our life, as well as Doctrine and Covenants, Section 11, Revelation given to Hiram Smith. 589 00:59:09,040 --> 00:59:25,920 But and maybe I'll end by reading a verse from Section 11, but in Section 46, it says this at the end of this wonderful revelation on how to receive the gifts of the Spirit or the gifts of the Holy Ghost in its fullness. 590 00:59:25,920 --> 00:59:41,440 Verse 30 says, He that asketh in the Spirit asketh according to the will of God, wherefore it is done even as he asketh. 591 00:59:41,440 --> 01:00:00,160 And again I say unto you, all things must be done in the name of Christ whatsoever you do in the Spirit, and ye must give thanks unto God in the Spirit for whatsoever blessings ye are blessed with. 592 01:00:00,160 --> 01:00:08,000 And ye must practice virtue and holiness before me continually. 593 01:00:08,000 --> 01:00:21,280 I've always loved that injunction and principle taught in Doctrine and Covenants 46, verses 30 through 33 about how to receive the Spirit. 594 01:00:21,280 --> 01:00:30,720 We need to ask in the Spirit. We need to learn how to listen by the Spirit. We need to learn to ponder what is the will of God. 595 01:00:30,720 --> 01:00:47,760 What should I ask for? Learn to ask the right questions. Learn to, words are important and asking the right questions in our prayers is important in order to receive real revelation in our life. 596 01:00:47,760 --> 01:00:53,840 So many people want forgiveness of their sins, but they've never confessed them out loud in prayer. 597 01:00:53,840 --> 01:01:02,880 And they've never out loud pleaded and cried out for forgiveness. 598 01:01:02,880 --> 01:01:11,840 It's amazing to me how many have never done that and the sanctifying experience that can result from that. 599 01:01:11,840 --> 01:01:29,120 So I think it's just really critical that we ponder some of those principles about how to receive the Spirit, messenger of forgiveness in our lives. 600 01:01:29,120 --> 01:01:37,760 And maybe I'll wait because I think we're out of time, but maybe we'll talk next time then, Scott, more about how to recognize. 601 01:01:37,760 --> 01:01:43,200 We've talked today about how to receive the Holy Ghost and much more could be said about that. 602 01:01:43,200 --> 01:01:58,640 But let's talk next time about how to better recognize that peace in our life, that joy in our life, and how to recognize revelation and the Holy Ghost in our life. 603 01:01:58,640 --> 01:02:03,280 I think that's a good plan. I think that's exactly what we will do. 604 01:02:03,280 --> 01:02:09,200 It's been a great podcast today, though, as we've talked about how to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 605 01:02:09,200 --> 01:02:23,760 And so important because as we talked about the Atonement, remember our objective here is to help each of us to come more fully under the Savior through a deeper understanding and a real understanding of His Atonement administered through the Holy Ghost. 606 01:02:23,760 --> 01:02:38,880 And as we understand better how to receive that Spirit in our lives, as we understand better what peace means and why that's so important to us in our lives, I think that we begin then to have a better experience with the Atonement of Jesus Christ as well. 607 01:02:38,880 --> 01:02:40,320 Dave, do you have any final thoughts? 608 01:02:40,320 --> 01:02:55,040 I just one more thing just comes to my mind, Scott, and as we will talk more about this in detail, but as we partake of the sacrament every Sunday, we're actually in the sacrament prayers. 609 01:02:55,040 --> 01:03:00,320 If we listen carefully and we so we seek to apply those in our life. 610 01:03:00,320 --> 01:03:08,160 And it's not just a priest right up there kneeling down, saying the prayer, but it's actually a prayer that we're offering in our hearts. 611 01:03:08,160 --> 01:03:21,280 And as we listen carefully to the words, I mean, we really need to concentrate on the words of the sacrament prayers as they're being spoken by a 16 to 18 year old priest. 612 01:03:21,280 --> 01:03:26,080 I think it's just really important that we feel it in our hearts as it's spoken. 613 01:03:26,080 --> 01:03:27,600 We repeat it in our minds. 614 01:03:27,600 --> 01:03:32,960 Right. I was going to say that repeating it in our minds really helps us to stay laser focused with that. 615 01:03:32,960 --> 01:03:39,680 And in those prayers, it's a formula about how to receive his spirit to always be with us. 616 01:03:39,680 --> 01:03:56,640 So listen, study, focus on the sacrament prayers as we partake of it to know how to receive the Holy Ghost to always be with us as a constant companion. 617 01:03:56,640 --> 01:03:59,600 I think that's an important part of receiving the Holy Ghost. 618 01:03:59,600 --> 01:04:03,840 And when we have that, then he fulfills one of his names, which is the Comforter. 619 01:04:03,840 --> 01:04:07,920 We're comforted. We're comforted as we come more fully under unto him. 620 01:04:07,920 --> 01:04:18,640 We're comforted in the effects of sin and the fall of Adam and Eve in our lives, whether they be spiritual or physical death types of experience, regardless of any of that. 621 01:04:18,640 --> 01:04:21,440 Then we get to have the spirit and feel his peace. 622 01:04:21,440 --> 01:04:27,760 We're justified. We're sanctified. We're we're forgiven. 623 01:04:27,760 --> 01:04:29,360 Thanks for being with us. 624 01:04:29,360 --> 01:04:34,880 We appreciate your listening and again invite you to invite others to do the same. 625 01:04:34,880 --> 01:04:38,880 Please send us your experiences, your questions and so forth. 626 01:04:38,880 --> 01:04:48,240 And as an invitation today, I just want to ask each of us if we'll just take a minute and maybe do this each day and kind of assess. 627 01:04:48,240 --> 01:04:57,040 We talk so much in this podcast about personal inventories and taking an assessment or an inventory of where we currently are with certain things in our lives. 628 01:04:57,040 --> 01:04:58,480 We don't need to wait till Sunday. 629 01:04:58,480 --> 01:05:00,480 We don't need to wait till next conference. 630 01:05:00,480 --> 01:05:03,600 We don't need to wait till any big event. 631 01:05:03,600 --> 01:05:05,520 It is today that matters. 632 01:05:05,520 --> 01:05:25,040 I invite each of us to get on our knees today to do a inventory of where we are in terms of how do I receive the gift of the Holy Ghost or the spirit of the Holy Ghost in my life so that I can feel the effects of the atonement in every aspect of my life is is our wish and desire for today. 633 01:05:25,040 --> 01:05:27,040 May you all have a great week. 634 01:05:27,040 --> 01:05:31,600 Remember that you have been redeemed through his blood and may God bless you. 635 01:05:31,600 --> 01:05:58,160 We'll see you next week.