"In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions," of virus and death numbers, media images, uncertainties in the economy, business losses, Dr.'s whose experiences with the people contradict the gov't authority... "I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?" ~ Joseph Smith Jr.
Today, "if any person needed wisdom from God," it is us.
Let us determine to use our God-given receiving and discovering skills and abilities and ask of God to find the truth.
Observe the many statements you've heard. Is there anything you've heard that seems to contradict? Explore more. Notice the small wonderings which come, and the questions you are asking yourself: What about...? When does this...? Why does that....? Ask more.
What do you notice?
Compare what you are finding back to what you already know to be true. If you feel you already have a full conclusion, could there be room for more truth? Keep that "file" open in your mind and keep observing, exploring and asking! As you do, the truth will be made manifest to your heart and mind and eventually, if not right now, you will know the truth.
This process is the first step of The Hebrew Way of learning and it is foundational to all discovery of truth. It is also the original way, symbolic way, natural way, unseen way, artistic way, organic way, universal way, and the way God made our brains to be able to weed through the many unknowns and obstacles we find here.
Resources to learn more:
-Read Joseph's Smith's full canonized account here, and all four accounts here
-See these Ask, Seek, Knock verses in the New Testament Book of Matthew 7:7
-Learn more about Hearing the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit
-To get more practice in understanding these God-given skills, read my Nurturing Our Skills of Discovery article
- "While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.
At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to “ask of God,” concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture." Joseph Smith - History