"Shhhh. The Spirit Whispereth."

Let the Holy Spirit guide;

Let him teach us what is true.

He will testify of Christ,

Light our minds with heaven's view.

Let the Holy Spirit guard;

Let his whisper govern choice.

He will lead us safely home

If we listen to his voice.

Let the Spirit heal our hearts

Thru his quiet, gentle pow'r.

May we purify our lives

To receive him hour by hour.

(LDS Hymns, Hymn 143, "Let the Holy Spirit Guide",

Text: Penelope Moody Allen, b. 1939. (c) 1985 IRI)

The students in my class who chose this hymn to sing this morning were inspired.  How interesting that the hymn prompts us to "let or allow" the Spirit to guide us. As we covered The Words of Mormon today, I was touched by the examples 3 members of our class gave of times they were prompted by the Holy Ghost to DO something, without knowing why.   How awesome that they are able to recognize what a prompting from the Spirit feels like. 

Nephi was prompted by the Spirit to prepare a set of smaller plates, without knowing why at the time.   The Lord commanded Nephi "to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not. But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men" (1 Nephi 9:5-6)

Mormon, centuries later, was prompted to include these small plates of Nephi along with his abridgement of the large plates of Nephi, again, without knowing why.   He says, "And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will." (Words of Mormon 1:7)

Both of these prophets were not aware WHY they were moved upon by the Spirit to do what they did except that the Lord had commanded it.  They were both willing to be instruments in the hand of the Lord, without knowing why.  The Prophet Joseph Smith understood WHY.  In 1828, when the 116 pages of manuscript were lost, Joseph Smith was able to begin translation of the small plates of Nephi which covered the same period of time the lost manuscript covered.  The Lord's work was not going to be frustrated; all things in their proper order. 

I was impressed by the word "whispereth" that Mormon uses.  As if in order to hear the Spirit, we must be still; quiet. There are times when the Spirit will caution us, protect us, teach us, inspire us, and move us to DO something.  And sometimes without knowing why.   We don't need to know why.  We need to be good about not needing to know why.   We only need to be ready to DO when He prompts us.