Welcome to Gaia! ::

Hey everyone, this will be our second meeting over Gmail. If you don't have one I highly recomment you do. Mine is mormoneagle86@gmail.com and Lucentas's is surfersquid@gmail.com. Look us up. Add us. And then we'll invite you.

Elder Garcia: I guess today we'll talk about Identifying the Spirit

Sister Lucentas: That's a great topic.
I think that's something I have a hard time with.

Sister Gryphex: Yeah, same her.
*here

Sister Lucentas: Like, a lot of the time I find myself wondering whether an idea I got was my own or the Spirit's, so I don't know whether or not to act on it.

Elder Garcia: First of all, what does identifying the Spirit mean to you two?

Sister Lucentas: Being able to tell if an impression you're getting is coming from the Holy Ghost.

Sister Gryphex: It's like... a sixth sense, if you will.
Almost.
It can warn you of oncoming danger and will confirm truth when you hear it.'

Elder Garcia: See, to me, I thought it meant learning all the differen ways the Spirit speaks to you
We are all right
Identifying the Spirit should be voicing that you feel the Spirit guiding and directing your actions, words, feelings, impressions, etc etc
You can't identify the Spirit unless you know that it is the Spirit that's directing you
The Spirit is like a sixth sense cause He is a gift that is given to worthy members of the chuch
What are the ways the Spirit communicates with us?

Sister Lucentas: Feelings and impressions.

Sister Gryphex: Thoughts and... it will confirm truths and sometimes testimonies.
Had to think about it for a second.
smile

Elder Garcia: What kind of felings, impressions, and thoughts?

Sister Gryphex: Let's say you're giving a talk. Sometimes it'll inspire you on what to talk abut.
*about
And sometimes, it will let you know to get out of an area, or to do something.
Like once...
My cousin was in her house when she was a teenager and was in the kitchen doing dishes. She got the thought that she should leave the kitchen. She ignored it at first, but when she heard it the second time, she left.
Seconds after she left, a Big Rig came right through the tiny kitchen window.

Elder Garcia: So my question was, what kind of feelings, impressions, and thoughts does the Spirit speak to us with?

Elder Garcia: Anyone?

Sister Lucentas: Well, I know you can feel the Spirit in varying degrees depending on where you are and the situation you're in.
So that can tell you a lot about a place or a person.

Elder Garcia: I know that sometimes I feel like I've run a marathon without even moving

Sister Gryphex: Yeah, I know the feeling.

Elder Garcia: Sometimes you will feel a burning in the bossom
You might feel excited
Or you might feel a sense of dread
Like Sister Gryphex stated

Sister Gryphex: And sometimes, it's a combination of excitement and dread.
It's hard to describe.

Elder Garcia: What about impressions? It's very similar to feelings
Sometimes you can get the impression to talk to someone
Or to not talk to someone

Sister Lucentas: Yep.

Elder Garcia: Was it you Sister Lucentas who asked if the Spirit can direct thoughts?

Sister Lucentas: Wasn't me.
Or maybe it was and I just forgot.
That tends to happen a lot.

Elder Garcia: Understandable
Sister Lucentas: Like, a lot of the time I find myself wondering whether an idea I got was my own or the Spirit's, so I don't know whether or not to act on it.

Sister Lucentas: Ah-ha.

Elder Garcia: I'm pretty sure that our thought are our own. The Spirit can testify whether our thoughts are good or not though

Sister Lucentas: Okay.

Elder Drake: hello everyone

Elder Garcia: Finally

Sister Gryphex: Yes!!!

Elder Drake: Natalie is a genius!

Sister Gryphex: smile

Sister Lucentas: Lol.
Indeed.

Sister Gryphex: I'm just computer savvy.

Elder Drake: I always knew it

Elder Garcia: So we were talking about identifying the Spirit

Elder Drake: That's funny Tim...Identifying the Spirit was what I wanted to talk about tonight

Elder Garcia: Oh really?

Elder Drake: yep

Elder Garcia: I guess I identified that that's what the Spirit wanted me to discuss

Elder Drake: I feel the Spirit right now!

Elder Drake: So Tim...Tell me how to identify the spirit and why is it important?
or did you all go over that already

Elder Garcia: We went over identifying it
But not why it's important

Elder Drake: well, tell us why

Elder Garcia: We were also going over how the Spirit speaks to us

Elder Drake: Hi Teresa

Sister Lucentas: Hi Elder.

Elder Drake: We haven't chatted in awhile

Elder Garcia: We identify the Spirit by verbally saying that we feel the Spirit guiding or directing us

Elder Drake: Can't we just say...I feel the Spirit right now?

Elder Garcia: We can

Elder Drake: Elder Garcia...are there any scriptures that come to mind that help identify the Spirit?

Elder Garcia: KTC

Elder Drake: What are those?

Sister Gryphex: I know of one. I'm not exactly sure where it is, but I think it's in the 40's in D&C.

Elder Drake: what does it say...roughly

Elder Garcia: John 14: 26, John 15: 26, John 16:13, and Gal. 2: 22-23?

Elder Drake: Galations 5:22-23

Elder Garcia: Doh!

Elder Drake: pretty close though

Sister Gryphex: That there are three ways to tell. You'll get a burning in your boosom, you could be confused, or you won't feel anything at all.
I thhink that's what it says.

Elder Drake: did you tell these wonderful sisters what KTC stands for?

Elder Garcia: I think I did in one meeting. KTC stands for Keys to Conversion. It would be important to read these scriptures first before you start a discussion so that they investigator knows how to feel the Spirit

Sister Lucentas: Ah.

Sister Gryphex: I'll remember that.

Elder Garcia: Or that the Spirit is testifying to them the truthfulness of your words
(As long as you're speaking the truth) smile

Elder Drake: Sister Natalie...in D&C 9 it says 7 Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.
8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.
9 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me.

Sister Gryphex: That's the one!
Boy, was I off...

Elder Drake: don't worry...at least you knew what it said

Sister Gryphex: Well, it's been a year... but I won't forget now!
biggrin

Elder Drake: It is definitely an important one

Elder Garcia: You still there Sister Lucentas?

Sister Lucentas: Yep.

Elder Garcia: Why do you think it's important that we identify the Spirit?

Elder Drake: John 14:26 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
15:26
26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
and 16:13
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Galations 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Those are the Keys To Conversion

Sister Lucentas: I see.

Elder Drake: It is also part of the "Come To Know" challenge, which I didn't get a chance to teach you Elder Garcia

Elder Garcia: Three weeks was never enough time to learn everything

Elder Drake: Well put
Sisters, are you both doing ok?

Sister Lucentas: Yep!

Sister Gryphex: How do you mean?

Elder Drake: In life...
Do you feel that the Spirit is with you?

Sister Gryphex: Quite a bit.
And I'm glad every second for it.

Elder Drake: That is wonderful to hear from both of you
Elder...are you on pace for the Temple?

Elder Garcia: As much as I can be

Sister Gryphex: smile

Elder Drake: I can only be your escort if you get those papers in
and I certainly want to be

Elder Garcia: You can only be my escort if I'm working towards getting my papers in
There's no way I can get them in by the end of the week

Elder Drake: How about you Sister Lucentas...Still trying to decide which course is best?
The Spirit will guide you
and a good friend in Utah smile

Sister Lucentas: Actually, I got my answer last week.

Elder Drake: smile
really

Sister Lucentas: Yep.

Elder Drake: wow

Elder Garcia: So why is it important to identify the Spirit?

Sister Gryphex: If we don't know what it is or how to identify it, we won't know when it's there. It guides us and teaches us and confirms what is true, or will say otherwise.
smile
How'd I do?

Elder Garcia: Good

Elder Drake: But I like Sister Lucentas's answer

Sister Lucentas: Thank you.

Elder Drake: it was very well put
Group chat is a much better format for our MTC time

Sister Lucentas: Yep.

Elder Garcia: Once we all join that is
Heh heh heh

Elder Drake: yeah...once this old geezer gets in

Sister Gryphex: Hey hey, at least we got it working.

Elder Drake: thanks to you

Sister Gryphex: smile
No problem.
anytime.
biggrin

Elder Garcia: Is there anything anyone else would like to add about identifying the Spirit?

Elder Drake: razz

Sister Lucentas: Nope, not really.

Elder Drake: It is one of the most important things we will ever learn here on earth

Elder Garcia: How about you Natalie?
Sister Gryphex?

Sister Gryphex: Yes?

Elder Drake: surprised

Elder Garcia: Anything to add

Sister Gryphex: Nope, I think I'm good.

Elder Garcia: A personal testimony perheaps? biggrin
I just kidding
You don't need to do that

Elder Drake: Well...once on my mission, identifying the Spirit was the difference between a man and his wife getting baptized in my 3rd area
they are now sealed in the temple

Elder Garcia: I know that if I hadn't identifyied the Spirit towards the end of staying with Garett, I could have seriously screwed stuff up

Elder Drake: that is true
but you did marvelously!