Be Thou Humble...

A scripture has been running through my head for the past couple days, and with such came a question. Over and over I have been hearing, "Be thou ^ahumble; and the Lord thy God shall ^blead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers."Doctrine and Covenants 112:10

I love that scripture because it clearly states that the only real requirement for us to be led by our Father in Heaven is to be humble. My question was, "How can I become more humble?" and in an answer to my silent prayer, Heavenly Father blessed me with the opportunity to teach and learn from a very humble man. Yesterday, as we were walking to an appointment, we met Ted, who, when seeing the terrible weather and two missionaries walking around looking like drowned rats, invited us in. He was kind and loving, and we were able to share a message that has blessed our lives. As my companion and I shared truths that we know, he listened intently. In the middle of our very spiritual discussion, Ted shared an experience with us that taught me how I can better receive guidance from my Father in Heaven. We were all equal students of the Holy Ghost trying to help each other as best as possible, none was greater. Needless to say, we all came away from the meeting edified.

In the dictionary, humility is defined as, "marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful." It's not difficult to see why the Lord wants us to be humble. Really, if we aren't humble, He wont be able to show us anything, nor lead us anywhere. Christ gives a wonderful example of the power of a humble life when he says:

"Except ye be converted, and become as little ^achildren, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall ^ahumble himself as this little ^bchild, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 18:3-4

Little children are always the first to ask what and why. They want to learn, and know they can from any source. They are curious, and not haughty. They understand that wisdom can be found from anyone, and find joy in the learning. When we become like little children and humble ourselves, the Lord is able to teach us; to show us a better way. We are able to learn from others and see the beauty in all things. We are more open to the promptings of the spirit, and thus, are more easily led to become more Christ-like. I invite you all to work along side me as I try and humble myself. I know that although the voice of the Lord is still and small, it can be heard from anyone anywhere.

How Can I Know?

I have always been fascinated by the way that Heavenly Father communicates to each of His children differently. No matter who you are, we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father, who knows us better then we know ourselves. We can go to him with anything; any concern, any question, and we can receive guidance and answers. The prophet Joseph Smith laid out the process of how we receive answers from God very simply.

"Yea, behold, I will ^atell you in your mind and in your ^bheart, by the ^cHoly Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart."

Doctrine and Covenants 8:2

In your search for truth, when looking for answers to some of life's hardest questions, remember to ask God. After all, He knows you, me, and everything else better then anyone else around. Why not then go to the source of all light and knowledge? After you ask him to know if something is true, or wait course to take, wait for the answer. Pay close attention because thoughts will come to your mind that "sound right." It will make sense when you think about it. Also, powerful feelings will come to you in your heart, and it will "feel right." That is when you can know through the Holy Ghost that you have received your answer. To further clarify, Joseph Smith later wrote,

"But, behold, I say unto you, that you must ^astudy it out in your ^bmind; then you must ^cask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your ^dbosom shall ^eburn within you; therefore, you shall ^ffeel that it is right.

 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a ^astupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong;"

Doctrine and Covenants 9:8-9

I know this process works! I have tried it out many times, and felt either that 'burning in the bosom,' or the 'stupor of thought.' I have gained a testimony that God is my father in Heaven, and He loves me. He wants me to chose the right. He wants show me all the beautiful things about this world. He knows how I can be most happy, and when I counsel with Him in my decision making, he will guide me correctly. I am so thankful for this process, it truly is one of the greatest blessings from our Father in Heaven.