this is what i did. according to the earliest accounts of J. Smith, this is not what he did. he changed his story over time; that's historical fact.
but this is what i did. i prayed, much.
i read.
almost immediately, beginning to read the BOM, contradictions with the Torah & the prophets arose in my mind. literally from the first few chapters. and they continued as i continued to read.
God was showing me something - would i deny the very Spirit i'd prayed for, for guidance?
and yes, i felt fire in my belly, seeing the truth.
so what do you make of that, CAH2?
i asked the same question in a post recently. i'd like to ask you directly: i prayed, i devoted myself to God with as open a mind as i could, and devoted myself to hearing Him, and i read the BOM. my testimony is that the Holy Spirit showed me that it is not from God, but from man.
what do you say to that?
and this isn't even about the doctrine of your prophets - it's about that text itself. it's not even a question about origin of it: it's about the validity of the work of the Spirit in my own life experience. shall i blaspheme the Spirit? or will you dare to?
did i hear from the Spirit of God or from a devil when i faithfully prayed to God for understanding, picked up the BOM, and read it?
on what basis would you make your judgement of what happened to me?
Posthuman, I admire your willingness to read the BofM and to get on your knees and pray with an open mind. That means a lot. Not everyone would do that. I am not sure why you feel the way you do. Only God does. The only thing I can tell you is to keep seeking God and His truth and He will guide you as He sees fit. If you continue to accept His guidance then He will lead you to where He wants you to go.
More scriptures that I love regarding seeking God and how he answers us.... I know for me that I struggle to always know how God speaks to me. I think it is a learning process. But the more we strive, seeking, pondering, praying, and testing the answers we believe we receive, God guides us and gives us more and more, ".... here a little and there a little...." until our understanding becomes more complete.
Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.."
John 14:16 states "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."And Galatians 5:22-23 states: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
May God bless us all in our life's journey as we seek Him.