Intro
Olympics –
staying up late, ice dancing
What is the
Olympic spirit?
The Olympic motto is the hendiatris Citius,
Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for "Swifter, Higher, Stronger".
Practice and dedication to out
perform your competitors
Hard, continuous work. Years of
training.
Know what to do, practice, becomes
automatic.
Not just know, not just do, but ARE
Olympians
Why do we want
spiritual knowledge?
President Ezra Taft Benson emphasized the importance of
spiritual knowledge, saying:
“We should make daily study of the scriptures
a lifetime pursuit. … The most important [thing] you can do … is to immerse
yourselves in the scriptures. Search them diligently. … Learn the doctrine.
Master the principles. …
“You must … see that … searching the
scriptures is not a burden laid upon [us] by the Lord, but a marvelous blessing
and opportunity” (Ensign, Nov. 1986, p. 47).
3 Nephi 27:27 (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/3_ne/27) - What
manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am
Know > Do > Are
John 17:3 (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/john/17)
- And this is life eternal,
that they might know thee the only true God,
and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
D&C 130:18-19 (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/130/18-19#18)
- Whatever principle of intelligence we
attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And
if a person gains more knowledge and
intelligence in this life through his diligence and
obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in
the world to come.
D&C 131:6 - It is impossible for a man to be saved
in ignorance
What is spiritual
knowledge?
D&C 93:12-13, 28, 36 (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/93)
- grace to grace, knoweth all things, glory of God is
intelligence
Milk vs. meat (need scripture) – Trivia, repetition
No “ivory tower” for spiritual knowledge – obtained by
living it!
How do we acquire
spiritual knowledge?
D&C 9:7-8 (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/9/7-14#7)
- Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it
unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I
say unto you, that you must study it
out in your mind; then you must ask 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 11:11 For, behold, it is I that speak; behold, I am
the light which shineth in darkness, and by my power I give these words unto
thee.
D&C 11:12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put
your trust in
that Spirit which leadeth to
do good—yea, to do justly,
to walk humbly, to judge righteously;
and this is my Spirit.
D&C 11:13-14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will
impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind,
which shall fill your soul with joy; And
then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you
desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness,
in faith believing in me that you shall receive.
Analogies with physical light help us understand the power
of spiritual light. A bulb ignited in a dark room overpowers darkness. Yet if
the darkness is too intense, it can overpower light, as with a bulb plunged
into a bucket of black ink. Spiritual light overcomes the darkness of ignorance
and disbelief. When transgression severely clouds a life, the focused spiritual
truths of repentance cut the blackness as a laser penetrates the darkest ink.
1 Cor 2:11, 14 (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/1_cor/2) - For
what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man
which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no
man, but the Spirit of
God. But the natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto
him: neither can he know them, because
they are spiritually discerned.
- Be teachable
Mosiah 3:19 - For the natural man is
an enemy to God, and has been from
the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever,
unless he yields to the enticings of
the Holy Spirit, and putteth off
the natural man and becometh a saint
through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble,
patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit
to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.
- Desire/Seek the Word
Alma 32:27 (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/32) - 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.
Word -> seed
Search for principles
- Apply principles
Keep a "spiritual" journal
President
Hangen’s talk at Stake Conference
Brother
Macinanti’s two six shooters – one says “I love you” and the other “I’m sorry”
Ether 12:6 (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/ether/12)
- And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I
would show unto the world that faith is
things which are hoped for and not seen;
wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until
after the trial of your faith.
Spencer W. Kimball, who at the conclusion of a conference,
taught:
“While sitting here, I have made up my mind
that when I go home from this conference this night there are many, many areas
in my life that I can perfect. I have made a mental list of them, and I expect
to go to work as soon as we get through with conference” (in Conference Report,
Oct. 1975, p. 164).
Elder Scott:
Now I share an experience that
taught me a way to gain spiritual guidance. One Sunday I attended the priesthood
meeting of a Spanish branch in Mexico
City
His sincerity, purity of intent,
and love permitted a spiritual strength to envelop the room. I was deeply
touched. Then I began to receive personal impressions as an extension of the
principles taught by that humble instructor. They were personal and related to
my assignments in the area. They came in answer to my prolonged, prayerful
efforts to learn.
As each impression came, I
carefully 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 on communicating 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 write the
feelings that flooded into my mind and heart as faithfully as possible. After
each powerful impression was recorded, 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 their meaning and
application in my own life.
Subsequently I prayed, reviewing
with the Lord what I thought I had been taught by the Spirit. When a feeling of
peace came, I thanked Him for the guidance given. I was then impressed to ask,
“Was there yet more to be given?” I received further impressions, and the
process of writing down the impressions, pondering, and praying for
confirmation was repeated. Again I was prompted to ask, “Is there more I should
know?” And there was. When that last, most sacred experience was concluded, I
had received some of the most precious, specific, personal direction one could
hope to obtain in this life. Had I not responded to the first impressions and
recorded them, I would not have received the last, most precious guidance.
What I have described is not an
isolated experience. It embodies several true principles regarding
communication from the Lord to His children here on earth. I believe that you
can leave the most precious, personal direction of the Spirit unheard because
you do not respond to, record, and apply the first promptings that come to you.
Conclusion
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