My mind is caught up in a discussion I had with one of my children over clothing styles. Being a concerned parent for the future of my children, I pulled this child aside and we talked. We read "For the Strength of Youth" and with laughter this child began to assure me of their safety from evil and harm. It took a few minutes to finally gather my feelings into words and then the inspiration came. Our conversation was good and inspired.
That was couple days ago. The next day, I sat to study and found my inspiration the day before was in this weeks study. Mosiah not only had his own kids to raise, he also raised a kingdom like a father raises a child. His expertise on character and spirit and righteous living exceeds my own and really, any expert on earth right now. He knew the type of living that would raise children on a foundation of truth and righteous living on a macro and micro scale.
Just before this speech, he had been visited by an angel and told his righteousness and prayers were enough to send the angel to him and Mosiah's kingdom to bring"glad tidings of great joy." Christ was revealed to him also. He has God's seal of approval in what he was doing.
Having walked the path, he gave a sermon on that path. This is the second part of it and it concerns withdrawal from the Spirit. (The first part was the revelation of Jesus Christ who would atone for everyone)
Some background first. In a hotel bed with children on both sides of me I found I couldn't sleep. That was the most uncomfortable bed I have been in. I sat up, the kids moved in closer and I knew I was doomed to lay awake all night. It was 3 a.m. so I reached for my phone and decided to study. I prayed first and my prayer was like this, "Heavenly Father, I need the Holy Ghost. Send thy spirit to me to comfort me and help me while I study." I got a direct and immediate answer, "The Holy Ghost is a person." The understanding that came with this message was I was demanding this person, this good all knowing, all powerful person, be with me whether He wanted to or not. As though God would force him to do my bidding. I shrunk from my demands. I didn't realize how impersonal I had been. So I prayed again, asking that I would be the kind of person that would invite the Spirit and entice Him to be with me this night that I may be His companion if He wanted. I also prayed for forgiveness of my offenses to him."
This new perspective for me changed a lot of things. It changed how I pray, how I view my actions, and what I expect from my obedience. I began to focus on myself more than on the blessings due to me for what I have done as promised by laws given by God. Mosiah had a few words concerning this...
With this understanding, what does it mean to withdraw ourselves from the Spirit?
The discussion I had with my child was concerning clothing that was chaste, moral, and reflected the sacredness of the body. The discussion was something like this:
Me: "You shouldn't wear that."
Child: "Why dad? (make sure to include a high to low pitch drop and a heavy breath out while saying this :) I'm still a good person. I'm not doing anything bad."
Me: "I know you aren't doing anything bad. But what does this attract? What are you holding onto so tightly that this is required of you to do? Where will this take you?"
Child: "My friends aren't bad. My life isn't bad. I just really like it. I think it looks good."
Me: "Have you considered what the Spirit thinks? He is a person who has tastes and values and ethics. Would he wear something like this? Would he be comfortable supporting this?"
Child: ---silence---
Me: "It's not that you will are doing something wrong, it's that you are removing those people in your life who are doing things right. They will feel uncomfortable around you. They hold a standard that does not allow for (specific explanations of clothing issues). So, they will leave. The people that will gather to you are the people that enjoy these things. What path are they walking? Where are they heading? Can you hold onto their hands and still walk your path that you know you must follow?
Child: "No. I can't. But they aren't bad friends. They aren't going to take me away from the church or you guys."
Me: ---we discussed specifics of her friends showing how already a number of them are uncomfortable with the church, testimony, and the scriptures. They don't like seminary, going to church, or discussing these things.---
Me: "This is not just about your friends. You know that we walk among spirits. Those unborn and those who have died. And the greatest Spirit of them all, The Holy Ghost. They are people and they also have ethics and values that they follow. They are attracted to people who share their values and walk the paths they have or desire to walk. So who is this attracting?"
Child: "OK. OK! But we are stuck at home. It's not hurting anything at home right?"
Me: "Pay attention to the Spirit and find that out for yourself. You will know."
Withdrawing from the Spirit is not just about the most evil of people. It's about deciding to swear, watch an offensive video, laugh at rude jokes, telling a little lie, or whatever offense is made that causes those who would help you most to turn away, "that [they] may have no place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths that ye may be blessed, prospered, and preserved." And it is not they who withdraw, it is me! I am deciding to become dull to these feelings. To hide shame and guilt under laughter and revised reasoning. It is listing to obey the evil spirit that attracts evil spirits (people who desire to see and be a part of such things), The good Spirits are dismissed and this leads to contentions which lead to rebellion which lead to rejecting the Savior and all His teachings. It is a path as vivid and plainly laid out as the path of salvation is. We know the path of salvation, we cannot deny we know it, therefore, we are bound to it. If we turn from it, we get the full force of the law and we are left alone.
