President Boyd K. Packer on worthiness for personal inspiration

President Boyd K. Packer (1924-2015) served as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve (a position that no longer exists) from 1961 to 1970, when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.  He served as president of that Quorum from 1994 until his death on July 3, 2015 at age 90.

"That sweet, quiet voice of inspiration comes more as a feeling than it does as a sound. Pure intelligence can be spoken into the mind. The Holy Ghost communicates with our spirits through the mind more than through the physical senses. This guidance comes as thoughts, as feelings through promptings and impressions. We may feel the words of spiritual communication more than hear them and see with spiritual rather than with mortal eyes....

"The Lord has many ways of pouring knowledge into our minds to prompt us, to guide us, to teach us, to correct us, to warn us. The Lord said, 'I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart' (D&C 8:2).

"And Enos recorded, 'While I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind again' (Enos 1:10).

"You can know the things you need to know. Pray that you will learn to receive that inspiration and remain worthy to receive it. Keep that channel—your mind—clean and free from the clutter of the world."

- Boyd K. Packer, "Prayer and Promptings," Ensign, Nov. 2009, pp. 43-46
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So much of our mortal communication with one another depends on our physical senses—hearing speech, decoding nuances and inflections, trying to interpret meaning. Often visual cues become a part of that. But President Packer is teaching us about a different kind of communication, one that comes through our spirits. We experience "pure intelligence" entering our minds. We feel words more than hear them.

The imagery of God "pouring knowledge into our minds" is a powerful one, much to be desired! Our part in this process of divine communication is clear. We must prepare the receptacle to receive that which is to be "poured." Our minds must be clean, worthy, open, and ready!

  

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2022)
March 12, 2016