Just as educators recognize diverse learning styles in classrooms, our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost understand our individual needs in spiritual learning. They personalize our experiences with divine guidance, offering spiritual promptings tailored to each of us.
When I was invited to deliver this devotional address and given the freedom to choose my topic, I felt genuinely overwhelmed. Seeking counsel, I turned to my friend Peggy Anderson, who had given a devotional address previously. She reassured me that the right topic would emerge. That very evening, as I finished my prayers, the melody and lyrics of the beloved children’s hymn “I Am a Child of God” resonated in my mind. This hymn has always held a special place for me because of its simple yet profound message.
I had always interpreted the chorus—”lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way”—as a child’s plea for direction from parents and teachers. However, that evening, a new understanding dawned on me. These words could also represent the heartfelt prayers we offer as we ask the Lord to lead, guide, and walk alongside us through the Holy Ghost. The connection to Doctrine and Covenants 112:10 became strikingly clear: “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.” This realization humbled me and affirmed that I should share the lessons I’ve learned about heeding the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
The concept that we can be guided, taught, and protected by divine beings throughout our earthly journey is truly remarkable. To some, the idea that God and Jesus Christ love us, watch over us, and communicate directly through the Holy Ghost might seem like something out of science fiction. It’s almost too incredible to imagine, yet I testify that it is a sacred truth. I want to share some of the lessons I have learned about receiving, recognizing, and responding to these promptings and offer suggestions on how we can all refine these vital spiritual skills to better allow the spirit to Lead Me Guide Me.
Patrick’s Story: A Lesson from Elder Kimball on Spiritual Guidance
I was fortunate to grow up in a home filled with faith and inspiration, guided by wonderful parents. My father’s career with Upland Industries, Union Pacific Railroad’s real estate division, is a fitting backdrop to my arrival as the “caboose baby”—the youngest of five, born a decade after my closest sibling. For those unfamiliar, the caboose, the last car on a train, is often considered the most endearing part.
My older brothers were married before my memory truly formed, and my eldest sister married when I was just six. Initially resistant to the idea of her marriage, I made things difficult for my new brother-in-law. However, I eventually grew to love and appreciate him, and he became instrumental in teaching me an early lesson about being led and guided by the Holy Ghost.
My brother-in-law, Patrick Clarke, served a mission in Chile during the mid-1960s. A particularly impactful experience occurred during a two-week period when he and his companion accompanied the mission president and his wife, along with Elder Spencer W. Kimball and his wife, Camilla, on a 3,000-mile journey across Chile. They were conducting branch and district conferences as they traveled.
Their transportation was a ’61 Chevrolet station wagon with three rows of seats, navigating the Pan-American Highway, then a narrow, shoulderless cement road lacking lane markings. Numerous rivers and deep canyons intersected their route, requiring narrow bridges to traverse them.
One late afternoon, after a conference in the southernmost branch of the Church in Chile, they began heading north on the Pan-American Highway. Patrick was at the wheel, his companion beside him, the mission president and his wife in the back, and Elder and Sister Kimball in the middle row.
Approaching a narrow bridge spanning a deep canyon with a rushing river below, Elder Kimball suggested they pull over.
Patrick questioned, “Do you want to stop here where there’s no shoulder, or should we drive on to find a safer spot?”
Elder Kimball firmly repeated, “Stop here.”
Without further hesitation, Patrick pulled the car to a halt. Moments later, a semi-truck appeared at the opposite end of the bridge, heading towards them. As the truck entered the bridge, a front wheel detached, causing it to overturn. Patrick and his companion rushed out to assist the driver.
Once the bridge was cleared and the situation calmed, they proceeded across and continued their journey. Reflecting on the near-miss, it became clear that Elder Kimball’s prompting to stop had averted a potential tragedy. Had they continued, they would have been on the bridge when the truck lost control, with no escape and likely fatal consequences.
Patrick asked Elder Kimball how he knew of the impending danger. Elder Kimball explained that the Holy Ghost had whispered, “Pull over. Pull over.” The young missionaries were awestruck by his inspiration but wondered why they hadn’t received the same warning, considering their own dedication. Elder Kimball clarified that the Holy Ghost hadn’t overlooked them; rather, they hadn’t been listening. They hadn’t yet developed the ability to discern the still, small voice. He encouraged them to sharpen their spiritual senses to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and allow the spirit to lead me guide me in their lives.
My Tonga Experience: Learning to Act on Promptings
Fast forward forty-four years, and I found myself in Tonga with a colleague, Shelly Reed, and eight nursing students. Our purpose was to immerse ourselves in Tongan culture to better understand how to provide culturally sensitive nursing care. On these beautiful islands, I learned a profound lesson about the importance of acting promptly when spiritual guidance is received, trusting the spirit to lead me guide me.
During our stay, a small interisland plane crashed, grounding all other interisland flights pending investigation. Consequently, ferry travel became the only option between islands. We had already taken a ferry from Vava’u to Tongatapu and planned another trip to ‘Eua.
As the ‘Eua trip approached, it was evident that flights remained grounded, necessitating ferry travel—this time on a smaller ferry than before. An unsettling feeling began to grow within me about this trip. It became increasingly clear that I shouldn’t go. I didn’t understand why, and the prompting seemed personal, not for the entire group. Furthermore, I felt responsible for the students, and staying behind meant spending my birthday alone in Nuku‘alofa, which didn’t appeal to me. Yet, the promptings persisted. Foolishly, I decided to go to ‘Eua anyway, resolving to be extra cautious.
The two-hour ferry ride to ‘Eua was uneventful, thankfully without seasickness. We visited the local clinic and explored the island that evening. Consider Tonga’s isolation—and ‘Eua’s isolation within Tonga. It felt incredibly remote, and the night darkness was profound, deeper than I had ever experienced. We stayed just one night, but I was eager to return to Nuku‘alofa, feeling apprehensive for having disregarded the heavenly warning and not allowing the spirit to lead me guide me.
The ferry back departed before sunrise. We traveled to the dock in two groups due to limited transport. I volunteered to go with the first student group. Arriving at the dimly lit dock, with light only emanating from inside the ferry, I worried about securing enough seats for our group. I thanked the driver, hurried out, and rushed towards the ferry, focused on finding seats.
Unbeknownst to me, there was no walkway plank between the dock and the ferry. My attention fixed on the interior, I stepped where I expected a plank to be and felt the sickening sensation of falling. Arms flailing, I instinctively grabbed for the ferry’s side to prevent falling into the ocean. I failed to stop my fall but managed to severely scrape my arms and legs against the ferry.
As I plunged into the water, the realization hit me: this was the reason for the warning against going to ‘Eua. I descended deep into the dark water. Even submerged, I began praying, apologizing for my disobedience while pleading for help, asking to be led and guided. Struggling in the disorienting darkness, I somehow found the narrow gap between the ferry and the dock wall and surfaced. Looking up, illuminated by the ferry light, I saw horror turn to relief on my students’ faces. Gasping for air, I thanked Heavenly Father for my survival, so far.
But the ordeal wasn’t over. I was still trapped in the dark, cold water, unsure of how to get out. Treading water until exhaustion set in, I looked up again. A Tongan man lay prone on the dock, reaching his arm down. Wedged against a large tire on the dock wall, I could just grasp his hand. His firm grip was incredibly comforting—symbolically, how vital it is to look upward in times of need and allow the spirit to lead me guide me! My students shouted encouragement, but my arthritic hand weakened.
Suddenly, a young Tongan man was beside me in the water. I don’t know how he got there, but overwhelming gratitude flooded me for his bravery. He guided me to the ferry’s front where the dock was closer to the water. Two large Tongan men reached down, each seizing an arm, and swiftly pulled me to safety.
Tongan women gathered around, comforting me and recounting what had just happened. They called it a miracle, explaining the ocean’s unusual calmness that morning. Any wave action would have crushed me between the ferry and dock. Realizing the extent of divine mercy, I felt Heavenly Father’s love despite my disobedience and failure to let the spirit lead me guide me. Unseen and seen angels had aided me through self-imposed danger, teaching a lesson I deeply hope to never repeat.
Interestingly, this experience left a constant, gentle reminder of the need to obey the Holy Ghost’s promptings. Being hauled out of the ocean by two strong Tongan men is a forceful event. The strain wrenched my right shoulder, causing discomfort that persists to this day, years later. This pain serves as a constant reminder to not just listen to the still, small voice, but to obey, allowing the Holy Ghost to lead me guide me through my mortal journey.
Jane H. Lassetter
Promptings Beyond Life and Death: Everyday Guidance
While these stories highlight dramatic instances of divine intervention, most promptings are less about life-threatening peril and more about daily guidance. Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are deeply invested in the details of our lives. What matters to us, matters to Them. This next story illustrates Heavenly Father’s watchful care and the subtle, yet powerful, promptings of the Holy Ghost, guiding us in everyday situations and helping the spirit lead me guide me.
After my parents retired, they moved to St. George. I loved visiting, escaping the cold and smog of the Wasatch Front. After one visit, my daughter Laura and I were driving home. Just past the fourteen-mile marker on I-15 north of St. George, we had a flat tire. Pulling onto the shoulder, I reached for my phone to call my dad for help. He was at a neighbor’s, but Mom went to tell him.
Meanwhile, two kind men stopped and began changing the tire. They were finishing as my dad arrived. He thanked them and chatted briefly before we said goodbye again.
I got back in my car, started it, and tried to pull away, but couldn’t. Something was wrong. Dad, still behind us, hadn’t moved. We got out, and he quickly inspected the tire. He went to his trunk, retrieving a two-by-four and a hammer. Something was lodged under my car, blocking the tire. Placing the two-by-four on top of the tire, he hammered the other end, dislodging the obstruction.
Looking at Dad, I saw tears in his eyes. He explained, “There’s something you need to know. As I went to the garage to get my car, I felt prompted to take a two-by-four and a hammer. I wondered why I’d need them for a flat tire, but I grabbed them anyway.”
Tears welled in my eyes too. A loving Heavenly Father had prompted my dad through the Holy Ghost to provide for a need neither of us knew about when the prompting came. My heart overflowed with gratitude for Heavenly Father, my earthly father, and the Holy Ghost. I felt deeply loved, protected, and safe, knowing that the divine is concerned with every detail and ready to lead me guide me.
Cultivating Sensitivity to Spiritual Promptings: Learning to Listen
How do we become more attuned to the promptings of the Holy Ghost? It’s often challenging to distinguish between spiritual guidance and our own strong desires. Elder Boyd K. Packer observed, “The spiritual part of us and the emotional part of us are so closely linked that it is possible to mistake an emotional impulse for something spiritual” (“The Candle of the Lord,” Ensign, January 1983, 56). As we actively seek and act upon promptings, we refine our ability to differentiate true spiritual guidance from mere emotional impulses, allowing the spirit to more clearly lead me guide me.
Promptings manifest in diverse ways, varying for individuals and at different life stages. Just as learning styles differ, our spiritual learning is personalized. Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost customize our experiences with spiritual promptings to meet our unique needs. For me, promptings often arrive as sudden thoughts or feelings, like the unexpected insight into “I Am a Child of God.” These impressions are often novel and create an “aha” moment. Crucially, promptings from the Holy Ghost are always consistent with gospel principles and always edifying, guiding us to learn, remember, be warned, be encouraged, or serve others, helping the spirit lead me guide me in righteous paths.
These promptings are often described as still and small. Yet, our lives are often filled with noise and busyness, far from stillness and quiet. Preparing this devotional, I felt Satan’s temptations to anger and irritation over minor inconveniences, hindering the stillness needed to receive desired promptings.
Studying and praying, I recalled Joseph Smith’s inability to translate one morning due to arguing with Emma. Only after prayer, calming himself, and seeking Emma’s forgiveness could he resume translating. Similarly, we must avoid contention and anger to be receptive to quiet promptings.
Inspired by Joseph Smith’s experience, I’ve consciously tried to reduce irritability to minimize contention and enhance my ability to recognize spiritual promptings, allowing the spirit to lead me guide me. Now, when irritation arises, I mentally say “Cancel, cancel,” a reminder of contention’s cost, helping me let go and refocus. This simple signal helps, even when facing unexpected challenges like a burst water heater flooding my basement.
Creating time and space for stillness and quiet is essential for sensing promptings. For everyone, this should include daily prayer, specifically asking for the Holy Ghost’s guidance and companionship and for help recognizing His promptings. Scripture study focuses our minds on spiritual matters, providing a channel for revelation as the Holy Ghost confirms scriptural truths and applies them to our lives. Temples are also sacred spaces for pondering eternal truths, praying, and listening intently. Doctrine and Covenants 97:16 refers to temples as places where the Lord promises, “Yea, and my presence shall be there, for I will come into it.” Temples are ideal environments for communion with the Divine and allowing the spirit to lead me guide me.
Each Sunday, partaking of the sacrament renews our baptismal covenant to take Christ’s name, always remember Him, and keep His commandments. The promised return is profound: His Spirit to be with us. Imagine the blessing of constant companionship with a member of the Godhead. Striving to keep our covenants and listening for promptings enhances our sensitivity to the still, small voice, allowing the spirit to lead me guide me more effectively.
Finally, remember promptings are often subtle, making recognition challenging. They usually come as gentle nudges suggesting a course of action. Rarely does the Holy Ghost persistently urge until we comply. Because inspiration often comes quietly, we shouldn’t passively wait for explicit direction. Nephi said, “I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Nevertheless I went forth” (1 Nephi 4:6–7). Nephi acted in faith, even without complete clarity, trusting the spirit to lead me guide me.
The hymn “Lead, Kindly Light” echoes this need to “go and do,” like Nephi:
Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom; Lead thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home; Lead thou me on! Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene—one step enough for me.
Reflect on your own experiences with the Holy Ghost and consider how to enhance your sensitivity to His promptings. Remember, you are a spiritual being having a mortal experience. In the right context, your spirit can understand the Holy Ghost as He leads, guides, and walks beside you. Live in a way that invites His presence and allows you to discern His gentle whispers, trusting Him to lead me guide me.
I testify that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost know and love each of us deeply and are intimately aware of our challenges. I am grateful to be part of this university where we can openly discuss eternal matters. I express my love and gratitude to each member of the Godhead and bear witness to the truthfulness of the gospel. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
© Brigham Young University. All rights reserved.
Jane H. Lassetter was an assistant professor in the BYU College of Nursing when this devotional address was given on March 4, 2014.
See Also
Holy Ghost
Speeches from 2014
Related Speeches
The Light Through the Dark Glass by Gary C. Barton, July 23, 2013
Recognizing and Understanding the Spirit at BYU by Michael Orme, June 5, 2018
