Editor’s note: To support elders quorum and Relief Society classes, the Church News is publishing lesson resources on messages from October 2024 general conference. These are meant to be a starting point and not a strict lesson plan.
About this talk
- “Seeking Answers to Spiritual Questions”
- by Sister Tracy Y. Browning | Second counselor in the Primary general presidency
- Sunday morning session of October 2024 general conference.
- Theme: Sincere gospel questions give Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ the opportunity to help seekers of truth grow.
Read the full message here.
Read a summary of Sister Browning’s message here.
Outline
- The dwarf planet Pluto, discovered in 1930, was thought to be the most distant object in the solar system. Many scientists believed the outer solar system consisted of empty space. In the intervening decades, with significant technological advances, the planetary zone was reconfigured, resulting in Pluto being rehomed to a new region of space and the solar system consisting of eight planets.
- What is striking about this period of space exploration are parallels and key distinctions between the pursuit of expanding scientific horizons and the journey that children of God undertake to seek answers to spiritual questions. Specifically, how they respond to limits in spiritual understanding — and where they turn for help.
Line upon line
- Asking questions and searching for meaning are natural and normal. Not readily having answers can bring one to the edge of understanding, resulting in feeling frustrated or overwhelmed. Heavenly Father’s plan is designed for one to progress despite limitations, even without a knowledge of all things. God’s plan is merciful toward the limitations of humanity, provides a Savior and inspires agency to choose Him.
- Forming narratives to fill in perceived gaps in knowledge may be incomplete on its own when discerning things pertaining to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. God the Father and His Son’s way of imparting wisdom prioritizes inviting the Holy Ghost as one’s personal teacher; centering one’s life in Jesus Christ; spending time in the scriptures, including Latter-day revealed truth; spending regular time in the house of the Lord; and kneeling in prayer.
Obedience
- A key principle taught in the Book of Mormon is that when God’s children choose obedience and keep their covenants, they receive spiritual guidance and direction. Through obedience and diligence, one gains knowledge and intelligence. An interaction in Moses 5 between Adam and an angel of the Lord teaches that humble obedience will pave the way for spiritual discernment.
- Fidelity to knowledge and wisdom one has already inherited is crucial preparation for readiness to receive and be stewards of communications from the Holy Spirit. And understanding that personal knowledge is not independent of God helps one to know whom to turn to and where to place primary trust.
Profound trust
- The Old Testament account of Naaman, the military leader healed of leprosy by the prophet Elisha, illustrates how some spiritual petitions have reasonable discernible answers or, like in Naaman’s case, may be more challenging and complex. Relying exclusively on one’s own limited understanding may lead one away from the covenant path. Some questions may persist until God provides enlightenment through belief on His name.
- One significant caution is that resisting obedience to God’s laws and commandments may prolong or delay growth. Obedience to God’s laws and commandments can open the way for the Savior to provide understanding and healing.
Closing testimony
- Those with sincere gospel questions can provide Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ with opportunities to help them grow. Placing one’s trust in Heavenly Father and in His prophets will help one to spiritually elevate and push one forward toward God’s expanded horizon.
Discussion questions
How can asking questions and searching give Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ the opportunity to help us grow?
When have you used your agency to choose Christ, despite limitations and without a knowledge of all things?
Why is it important to invite the Holy Spirit, study the scriptures and the words of modern-day prophets, attend the temple and pray when seeking answers to spiritual questions?
Why is obedience and keeping our covenants important when seeking spiritual guidance?
As we learn “line upon line, precept upon precept” (2 Nephi 28:30), how can we “wait upon the Lord” (Isaiah 40:31) in the space between our current line of understanding and the next yet to be delivered?
Notable quotes
- “Wondrously, Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness for all of us is designed to help us progress despite our limitations and accomplish what we cannot accomplish on our own, even without a complete knowledge of all things.”
- “The Lord’s method of teaching is ‘line upon line, precept upon precept’ (2 Nephi 28:30). We may be required to ‘wait upon the Lord’ (Isaiah 40:31) in the space between our current line of understanding and the next yet to be delivered. This sacred space can be a place where our greatest spiritual conditioning can occur — the site where we can ‘bear with patience’ (Alma 26:27) our earnest seeking and renew our strength to continue to keep the sacred promises we have made to God through covenant.”
- “God’s laws and commandments are not designed to be an obstacle in our life but a powerful gateway to personal revelation and spiritual education.”
Key scriptures
- “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
- “For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.”
- “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.”
Invitations and promises
- “God the Father and His Son’s way of imparting Their wisdom to us prioritizes inviting the power of the Holy Ghost to be our personal teacher as we center Jesus Christ in our lives and in our faithful seeking for Their answers and Their meaning. They invite us to discover truth through devoted time spent studying holy scripture and to seek for latter-day revealed truth. ... They entreat us to spend regular, worshipful time in the house of the Lord and to take to our knees in prayer ‘to access information from heaven.’”
- “Our humble obedience will ... pave the way for our spiritual discernment of God’s ways and His divine purpose for each of us. Reaching to elevate our obedience brings us closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ, because obedience to His laws and commandments is effectually reaching out to Him.”
- “Placing your trust in Heavenly Father and in His prophets ... will help you to spiritually elevate and push you forward toward God’s expanded horizon. Your vantage will change because you will change. God knows that the higher you are, the farther you can see. Our Savior invites you to make that climb.”
Stories
- The dwarf planet Pluto, discovered in 1930, was given its name by 11-year-old Venetia Burney of Oxford, England. Until 1992, Pluto was believed to be the most distant object in the solar system. Scientists believed that beyond the edge of earth’s solar system, the outer solar system consisted of empty space. In the intervening decades, with significant technological advances, the earth’s planetary zone was reconfigured, and Pluto was rehomed to a new region of space. A leading planetary scientist said: “We thought we understood the geography of our solar system. We didn’t.”
- Moses 5 teaches about an interaction between Adam and an angel of the Lord. Adam and Eve were commanded by the Lord to “offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord.” Adam was “obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.” After many days, “an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me” (Moses 5:5-6). Adam’s obedience preceded his understanding and prepared him to receive sacred knowledge that he was participating in a sacred symbol of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
- The Old Testament account of Naaman, the military leader healed of leprosy by the prophet Elisha, illustrates how the faith of a “little maid” altered the course of one man’s life and revealed the reach of God’s mercy to those who place their trust in Him and His prophet. Naaman’s response to the prophet’s instructions to wash in the river Jordan was at first skeptical and indignant. An invitation for him to be obedient to the prophet’s counsel made way for his healing. (See 2 Kings 5:1-15.)
Additional resources
- Related image: “Women of Covenant: The Importance of Seeking and Acting on Revelation”
- Related video: “Asking, Seeking and Knocking”
- Related hymn: No. 123, “Oh, May My Soul Commune With Thee”
Recent conference talks on seeking answers
- President Russell M. Nelson: “The Answer Is Always Jesus Christ” (April 2023)
- Elder Dale G. Renlund: “A Framework for Personal Revelation” (October 2022)
- Elder Mathias Held: “Seeking Knowledge by the Spirit” (April 2019)
Who is Sister Browning?
- Sister Tracy Y. Browning was sustained on April 2, 2022, as second counselor in the Primary general presidency. She was baptized as a teenager when her mother ordered a free copy of the Book of Mormon after seeing a late-night television infomercial.
