undefined undefined The Savior Speaks to Us Personally, Uniquely, and in Ways We Will Understand
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The Savior Speaks to Us Personally, Uniquely, and in Ways We Will Understand

Camille N. Johnson
Camille N. Johnson
Primary General President
15 Jun 2022 | 2 min read
President Camille N. Johnson was sustained as Relief Society General President for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 2, 2022.
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How do you #HearHim? President Camille N. Johnson says that we can #HearHim through the comforting words of those around us.
I strive to eliminate the distractions of the world in simple things—prayer, always having a prayer in my heart, daily feasting upon the words of God in the Book of Mormon, and spending time with beloved family members and dear friends. Those are the kinds of things that keep me alert so that I can hear Him as he speaks to me personally, uniquely, and in ways I will understand.

The Savior speaks to us in ways we will understand. He may speak to us in a variety of ways over the course of our lives. There have been only a few occasions in which I have heard a voice in my head utter specific words. That kind of experience is unusual for me. Most often, I have a thought which blossoms into a calm assurance that I am doing what the Lord wants me to do. It is a lifelong pursuit to identify how He speaks to us personally.

I Have Heard Him through the Words of Others

There have been occasions in my life when I have heard Him through the words of another, such as the time several years back when I went to the temple on my dad’s birthday. My dad had passed away the year before, and I went to the temple with the hope that I might feel his presence and be reinvigorated with the confidence my dad always gave me.

While I was there, a lovely temple ordinance worker approached me and whispered something to me that only my dad would have said. It was a beautiful manifestation of the Spirit to me. I did not hear my father’s voice; I heard her voice, but the words were his. On that day, I heard the Spirit testify to me, through the voice of someone I did not know, that my dad was aware of me, that he was available to me, and that he would wrap his arms around me again. The Spirit testified to me of truth—that because of the Savior, my family is indeed eternal.

The Savior speaks to us, personally and uniquely, and in ways we will understand. I am so thankful this dear woman acted on the prompting she received to say what she said to me. That day, I needed that experience with the Spirit. It replenished my spiritual reservoir and gave me renewed assurance in the plan for our happiness.

I believe the Lord wants to give us opportunities to be instruments in His hands. That is one reason He lets other people do the talking sometimes; so that we can all participate in helping one another return to Him.

We Can Help Our Children to Hear Him

We can help our children to hear Him, and we have a sacred responsibility to do so. We expend great effort in our homes and at church to create an environment where the Spirit can be present. But are we taking the opportunity to help our children recognize and understand that what they are feeling is the Spirit? When we think the Spirit is present, we can ask how the children feel. Let the children put words to how the Spirit is expressing itself to them. We frequently, and appropriately, use a warm, comforting blanket as an analogy for how the Spirit makes us feel.

But what about the child who doesn’t feel the Spirit as a warm blanket, but as a tingle or a shiver? We have a responsibility to help our children recognize the diversity of ways in which the Spirit speaks. If we create opportunities for the Spirit to be present and help our children recognize and put a name to what they are feeling, we will provide them with a reservoir of spiritual experiences to draw upon for a lifetime.

I have a reservoir of sweet and tender experiences when the Savior spoke to me through the Spirit. I hope and pray that our children will be blessed with opportunities to recognize the Spirit and identify how they hear Him.


Camille N. Johnson
Camille N. Johnson
Primary General President
15 Jun 2022 | 2 min read
President Camille N. Johnson was sustained as Relief Society General President for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 2, 2022.

Comments

35
Miriana B.
29 Nov 2022
Thank you for sharing the story about the temple ordinance worker. This is a powerful reminder to me to have the Spirit with me so that I may be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to bless the temple patrons whom I serve.
Patrick S.
12 Aug 2022
President Johnson your words and obedience to our father in heaven both teaches and inspire’s me. Thank You, Bless You. Sincerely, Patrick
Goitsemodimo P.
15 Jul 2022
As I prepare to go to the Temple,I hope to learn how to listen more to the Holy Ghost. I am grateful to the Lord for his unstinting love for me.
Heysy L.
8 Jul 2022
Hermoso testimonio <3
Cheryl T.
30 Jun 2022
President Johnson, thank you for reminding me that there is not only one way to hear the Savior speaking to me through the Spirit of the Holy Ghost. How heartening that He uses ways we, personally, will understand. I have learned over the course of my lifetime that I am not left alone; comfort and direction is possible every day.
Bridgit C.
27 Jun 2022
A great uplift for the day
David C.
26 Jun 2022
Thanks for making the teaser title on the home page "how President Johnson...." This is the first time I have seen the church refer to a President of RS, Primary or YW as "President" plus name. Previously, only men are given the honorific "President" plus name. I hope this is a new beginning.
Marcel H.
24 Jun 2022
This article inspired me. My dad was bi-polar and was not always treated well as a boy. He didn’t know how to be a loving father due to his mental illness. But I can be the kind of father that I didn’t have to my son and his children and his wife. I also need to be more caring with those around me. There are so many of God’s children who didn’t have great father figures or didn’t have a father in the home.
Nanci G.
23 Jun 2022
Thank you so much for sharing such a deep and personal experience! it strengthens my personal testimony that our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ love us and are always there for us.
Sierra S.
23 Jun 2022
December 1st is my birthday too! I wish I could know who your dad was.