Bug vs. Semi

When my wife Teasha was just 17 years old she was driving her beloved Volkswagen Beetle with her mother as the passenger.  As she approached Main Street she was stopped by a red light.  She remembers talking with her mother while they waited for the light to change.  When the light turned green she put her foot to the gas, but suddenly felt like that would be the wrong thing to do.

She hesitated, but realized how silly it was.  When the light turns green you don't sit there.  She inched the Bug forward, but then she distinctly felt like she should stop.  It was as if an invisible voice had told her to stop.  Her mother asked her why she wasn't going.  Then a Semi truck going down main street ran the red light and zoomed through her intersection.  Had Teasha gone her little Bug would most certainly have been demolished.  It turned out the Semi had brake problems and was not able to stop in time.

Inspiration like this makes for a great story, but it's rare for a prompting to be this profound.  I remember one day I was Home Teaching a family, and after giving a lesson in their living room we asked the same question every home teacher always asks, "Is there anything we can do to help your family in any way?"  To our surprise the father said, "Yes!"
He had taught a Sunday School class that week, and one of his students asked him "How do you know if you are feeling the spirit or if it's just your own thoughts and emotions?"
He asked us as home teachers to answer the question.

I thought of Teasha's story of the Bug and the Semi.   Certainly there are times when the spirit is very clear, and there is no mistaking it.  There are other times when it is not so clear.  What I have learned is this:

1) It takes experience, and it's not fair to think you can become an expert in the workings of the spirit without taking time and effort to learn.  To often we look at prophets like Enos who received a tremendous spiritual experience overnight, and we think we can get that with a focused 24 hours of prayer.  But remember Enos "had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart".  (Enos 1:3).  He put in that effort for a long time before his memorable prayer.

2) The effort you must put in is this:  To always act on good promptings, especially when you are most tired.  The spirit likes to give promptings when we are tired.  I'm not sure if this is because the spirit finds it funny or if it's some sort of test, but I can tell you it's true.  If you fail to act you will find yourself in the situation of Laman and Lemuel, "Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you; yea, ye have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words;" (1 Nephi 17:45)

3) Taking time to learn the spirit is hard because we tend to be impatient, but the spirit will work in your life.  Just as it did with Teasha, there will be times when you will know God was directing you.  Remember those times, write the stories in your journal, and they will help you to use those times to grow.  The Savior said, "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." (Luke 12:6-7).   The Lord will be there for you when you need Him the most, and He has promised that you will come to know Him if you seek Him and do His will.