How do I hear the Lord Jesus Christ? I hear Him through the voice of pure reason, through the truths in the scriptures, and through promptings of the Holy Spirit. Because I am imperfect, I need to surrender my very will and ask for spiritual guidance. As Moroni clearly taught, “by the power of the Holy Ghost [we] may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5).
Humbly Ascending the Lord’s Mountain of Truth
Let me commence my description of how I #HearHim with “a mountain' analogy. Seeking the Holy Ghost is like ascending a great mountain of perfection.
I must strive to be “perfect even as [Christ], or [our] Father who is in heaven is perfect” (3 Nephi 12:48). I know that I must avoid confusion, rancor, dissention, or ill feelings toward others. My thoughts must be pure and clean. My heart and mind needs to be centered on Heavenly Father, His Only Begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost. I want to become the kind of person that the Spirit would accept as a friend. As I strive to achieve this spiritual relationship, I am filled with joy and love for everyone.
This leads me to have confidence that answers will come. I have been comforted and nourished by the Spirit. I am made aware that the Lord’s mountain of truth is available to all who have a burning desire to seek it out. The Lord’s “Spirit is sent forth into the world to enlighten the humble and contrite” (Doctrine and Covenants 136: 33).
Sometimes I receive an answer immediately. Other times, they come as I go about my daily pursuits. Oftentimes, I will receive answers when I sleep and have been inspired by dreams. When I do not receive answers, I realize that I need to exercise patience. My heart is full of gratitude for the many enlightening truths that the Lord has seen fit to give me in His “own due time” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:62).
Coming unto Christ
When Adam was driven out of the Garden of Eden, God placed “cherubim and a flaming sword, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life” (Moses 4:31).
In the past, I envisioned an angel guarding the tree of life so that Adam and Eve and their descendants could not partake of it. As I pondered this scripture, however, I began to understand that the Lord was explaining that all mortal beings needed to seek a new way to taste the fruit of the tree of eternal life.
I now see with spiritual eyes that the key lesson offered in that ancient expulsion from the Garden of Eden was divinely couched to impart information on multiple levels. We still need to seek the tree of life, “whose fruit was desirable to make one happy” (1 Nephi 8:10). Heavenly Father is actually encouraging and teaching not only Adam and Eve but also all peoples “to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God” (Jacob 1:7).
Choosing to Live Righteously
Pondering key truths related to cherubim and the tree of life has helped me understand that Heavenly Father has structured the scriptures so that we only understand what we are seeking and ready to receive.
This ensures the preservation of our 'moral agency … that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment' (Doctrine and Covenants 101:78). If we allow our conscience to become seared, and we follow paths that satisfy the lusts of the flesh, we align ourselves with Satan's plan. If we learn to recognize and follow the Spirit, more light is given, and we align ourselves with the Lord's plan. We demonstrate to everyone who we really are by our own free will and choice. The end product will not be by chance. We mold ourselves by our everyday choices.
In order to hear Christ, I must repeatedly ask myself the question: What am I doing to seek the daily guidance of the Holy Ghost? I must strive harder to live my life more in harmony with the Lord's will. I need to be more kind and understanding, to have more patience, and to be more forgiving. As the lyrics of a wonderful hymn encourage, I should more prayerfully sing, 'More Holiness Give Me' (Hymns, no. 131). This is how I have seen and continue to see the light of Christ and to #HearHim.