Knowing God Personally: A Lesson in Divine Presence

Brothers and sisters, if there’s one thing I wish I could bottle up and send back to my younger self, it would be the quiet confidence that comes from knowing the Atonement of Jesus Christ is always available. It’s a deep, abiding peace that nothing—not the hardest mission call, not a confusing doctrinal question, not even the quiet moments of doubt—can shake.

Sometimes, the study of scripture feels like a checklist: read this passage, memorize that verse, understand this covenant. And while those things are vital for our missionary preparation, sometimes the *feeling* of God’s presence is what anchors us. It’s the difference between knowing *about* the Spirit and actually feeling the Spirit guiding your hand as you share the gospel.

The recent study of Moses 7:4 really brought this home for me. It’s a small passage, but the weight of what it implies—the covenant relationship with the Lord—is immense. When the Lord is with us, what does that *look* like in our daily lives? Is it just a feeling, or is it something tangible we can learn to recognize?

The Power of Being With Him

When I was first in the field, I thought that being "spiritual" meant knowing all the answers to every investigator's tough questions. I felt like I needed to be the expert. I remember feeling completely overwhelmed during a missionary discussion when someone brought up a philosophical challenge I hadn't prepared for. I was ready to recite scripture, but I was also terrified of sounding hollow.

But then I remembered what the brethren teach us: it’s not about having the perfect answer; it’s about having the perfect companion—the Spirit—with you. The Lord doesn't ask us to be perfect; He asks us to be *willing* to be taught and guided. That’s the heart of being a disciple, whether you're in the MTC, serving in a stake center, or right here in your living room as an internet missionary.

This podcast episode really helped frame that for me. Listening to the discussion around what we can expect when the Lord is with us, it shifts the focus from *our* performance to *His* sustaining power. It reminds us that our primary work isn't just reciting doctrines; it’s cultivating that deep, personal relationship with Him so that when the opportunity comes—whether it’s a planned lesson or an unexpected encounter—we can draw upon that wellspring of divine companionship.

If you’re feeling the weight of the work right now, or if you’re prepping for a big transfer, I encourage you to listen to the full episode. Let the discussion on Moses 7:4 settle in your heart. Don't just read the verse; meditate on the *implication* of it.

A little nugget for your preparation: When you feel the Spirit prompting you to share something personal—a testimony, a story, a feeling—don't filter it through what you *think* they want to hear. Filter it through what you *know* to be true, and let the Spirit polish the words. Vulnerability, anchored in truth, is magnetic.

If you want to keep deepening this understanding of scripture-discipleship, I highly recommend checking out the Iron Rod authors available in LivingBook. There are some fantastic insights on building personal revelation that complement this study perfectly.

For those of us who are ready to move from passive listening to active discipleship, I invite you to join a Book Club or a Bible Study Group in HolyPlaces. We can dig into these deeper concepts together, and we can even use Davee to walk through some of the tougher theological questions that might arise!

Let’s keep building Zion, one inspired conversation at a time. The work is too important to do alone!