Answers for You

How Can I Know If My Answer Is from the Spirit or Just Me?

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Let the Holy Spirit Guide,” Liahona, May 2017, 95–96.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband

“Remember the words of Nephi. ‘I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the thing which I should do. Nevertheless,’ he said, ‘I went forth’ [1 Nephi 4:6–7].

“And so must we. We must be confident in our first promptings. Sometimes we rationalize; we wonder if we are feeling a spiritual impression or if it is just our own thoughts. When we begin to second-guess, even third-guess, our feelings—and we all have—we are dismissing the Spirit; we are questioning divine counsel. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that if you will listen to the first promptings, you will get it right nine times out of ten.”