Still Questing

Years ago I had the fun of doing a religious column in the weekly newspaper.  I had a byline and a lot of allotted space and how it came about is another story for another time.  As a part of doing this project, I visited each Church (seems we had 19), read the doctrinal information that the Pastor gave me and then interviewed the minister after attending one of their worship services.  They were featured that week in the newspaper. 

The Assembly of God pastor had some wonderful children, that were very strong Christians, and gave "God the Glory" by "Praise Jesus" uttered at each event they participated in, be it a trumpet solo in the high school band or whatever.  I was fascinated by their zeal, faithfulness and sincerity.  Especially since the rabble-rousers in our Branch, who were in the "true Church", had horrible reputations and were super juvenile delinquents.


No amount of reaching out had any effect on these 3 boys.  They were sort of scary to me.  They eventually moved away (but they also eventually moved back!)  I always puzzled over...why?- when we have the restored Gospel and the Priesthood and The Book of Mormon and the fullness of it all do our youth not have more faithfulness and Spirit.  They'd been baptized and they had received the Gift of the Holy Ghost, why wasn't that an obvious presence in their life?

When I interviewed the Pastor and his wife, I asked them the question....how do you keep your children so strong in your faith?

The answer has stayed with me....we make sure that they have an experience by the age of 8, to where they feel the Holy Spirit so strong, they can't deny it.

For them speaking in tongues, by 8, was the experience they could not deny and powered them through high school.

The "age of 8".  The age of baptism for LDS boys and girls.  The age of receiving the greatest spiritual witness ever...the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

I think of the miracles of Pentecost in the NT and the Holy Ghost being given at baptism.  I think of Simon the Sorcerer wanting to purchase the power to give the gift of the Holy Ghost and being rebuked.  so interesting.  Luke 2 and Luke 8. (I like thinking of the idea that I have a Gift that cannot be purchased!!)

Personally I feel I have not taken advantage of or enjoyed to the maximum or benefited, with a more constant source of direction, from the gift I was given at Baptism.  Years past the age of 8!  

That is my journey right now.  To figure out how to gain greater spiritual power in order to receive more personal revelation.  Following the whisperings.  I've been reading a lot about the voice of prompting described as a still voice.  And also what it takes to grow spiritually and improve and grow and pick it up a notch or two (or maybe a dozen or oodles?)

today I really savored this talk.  I hope you take a bit of time to read it and think about it.  Enjoy!

https://lds.org/ensign/2003/05/the-sustaining-power-of-faith-in-times-of-uncertainty-and-testing?cid=email-shared&lang=eng