I Love MoTab!

Listening to The Mormon Tabernacle Choir always calms my mind and helps me to concentrate on things that are important to me or that trouble me.

Sometimes, I get on a kick where a certain gospel topic or question is my focus for weeks or months. We should always continuously be striving to learn as much as we can. We will never stop learning. So I've been thinking about this: What is a stupor of thought? And how do you know when you've had one?

I've been delving back into the recesses of my brain and trying to compare experiences that I've had to see if I've ever had a stupor of thought. I do know in one instance that I completely forgot to look for a new apartment or send in an application. I have forgotten the importance of praying when deciding my major because I felt and still continue to feel that I will do much good in the world with my chosen major. The Lord has never guided me in another direction.

With relationships, the Lord has told me at least a few days into talking to someone when something is wrong.... in most instances, I refuse to listen until my brain can comprehend what the Spirit has been telling me. The Lord must be up there saying, " I told you so. If you had only acted two days earlier."

In Doctrine Covenants Section 9, verses 8-9, the Lord gives instruction on how to discern if a decision is right or wrong by confirming it with a "burning in the bosom" if it is right or a "stupor of thought" if it is wrong. Authorities of the Church have said that the "burning in the bosom" comes as a feeling, not a literal burning or feeling of heat. It is more like a peace that comes to your heart and your mind. If you read the reference to a "stupor of thought" Doctrine and Covenants 10:2, you will see it refers to your mind as being darkened.

Hint-- I am not an impatient person when it comes to the Lord's timetable. But I would consider myself more patient than I was last year. I have learned that the Lord wants me to do things on my own without his help for a while so I can think about things and make my own decisions. He always steps in and intervenes when he sees fit. I think we always second guess ourselves and think, "Was that really the spirit giving an answer, or was it just my little brain?" As we were at institute tonight I was thinking about the Spirit of Christ and the Gift of Discernment. "All good things come from God." So when someone or something inspires me to think of Christ, to praise him for his mercy, to go to the temple, to speak of Gospel topics and share my personal testimony and refer to the scriptures, I know it comes from God.

In the end, I would describe as stupor of thought as darkness. When I no longer have the spirit with me. I can't see which direction to go, I forget what the issue is and my brain is all over the place. Instead of a straight line, I get this huge crooked zig-zag line that leads to no where. My will is not aligned with God's and my mind is numb. Normally I always have this uneasy feeling that something isn't right and it's this huge red flag. Whatever is going on in my life right now, I see no red flags but green lights. Smooth sailing. Patience is required.