How to Access Absolute Truth

Last week I wrote about absolute truth. This week I read in the scriptures and was reminded of how we can access that truth. The “formula” is quite simple, but there are tricks in the execution.

The Formula

The way to gain absolute knowledge is to ask God. The scriptures say:

For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.

The formula works like this:

1. 

   You have an honest disposition to find the truth. It doesn’t mean a biased truth, it means you want to find the truth, whatever it is.

2. You are ready to act on the truth. Whatever it is, you will apply the truth you discover, even if it means you need to change your life.
3. You live a clean, moral life. Nobody is perfect. But striving to live a good life helps us tune in to the spirit. It is not about where you are, but more about where you are headed.
4. You ask God in prayer for answers to your question
5. You receive inspiration.

It is easy to discount or even dismiss the spirit as a source of proof. It can’t be measured or observed from outside. All evidence of the spirit is empirical. For the people who have felt it, though, it is a real source of proof. For those who have not felt it, all this sounds silly. It is like Elder Wilford W. Andersen said:

“There are those who ridicule members of the Church for the things we do. That is understandable. Those who dance often appear strange or awkward or, to use a scriptural term, ‘peculiar’ (1 Peter 2:9) to those who cannot hear the music. Have you ever stopped your car at a stoplight next to a car where the driver was dancing and singing at the top of his lungs—but you couldn’t hear a sound because your windows were rolled up? Didn’t he look a little peculiar?”

The people who have felt the spirit, hear the music.

Spirit as a Source of Proof

There are two principles of scientific research that we can loosely apply to this philosophical discussion of the spirit as proof for absolute truth; external and internal validity.

External Validity

According to Wikipedia external validity is:

“External validity is the validity of generalized (causal) inferences in scientific research, usually based on experiments as experimental validity. In other words, it is the extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other situations and to other people.”

When it comes to using the spirit as proof, there are millions of examples of people replicating the steps and validating that it works. It can be replicated.

I don’t think this is the failure point for the people who don’t receive an answer. Internal validity might be.

Internal Validity

According the Wikipedia, internal validity is:

“Internal validity refers to how well an experiment is done, especially whether it avoids confounding (more than one possible independent variable [cause] acting at the same time). The less chance for confounding in a study, the higher its internal validity is.”

This principle deals with the way the people apply the formula. I think this is the reason why some people say that praying for answers doesn’t work. They fail in execution of the steps.

1 Kgs. 19:11–13 says:

“And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

“And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

“And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?”

We need to calm down, and find inner peace to hear the voice of the Spirit. We need to be free of distractions, and physical and mental noises. It comes as a clear feeling of peace, a conviction that proves the truth about the issues we are concerned about.

Receiving the answer might take a while. We need to keep on asking.

I think one of the most important points is that we need to be willing and ready to act on the proof we receive. Otherwise there is no point in even asking.

Try It

I have done this, and I have personal experience of prayers working. I believe there is a God, a Supreme Being. He is in charge. He wants us to progress. He will give us answers if we ask.

I want you to try praying for answers. If you need guidance on how to do it, contact me. We can video chat. I would like to hear about your experiences, whether if it worked for you or not.