On a social media feed the other day, I came across this quote:

‘I was considering how powerful Truth is, that it is not something intangible like a simple concept or idea. It has a real and substantial impact on people, as impactful as a hurricane or an earthquake. When spoken with pure motive and without corruption, especially when the love and kindness of the Holy Spirit prompts it, truth becomes like a sword. It can be used to break a person’s chains and set them free, but it can also bring great offense. Some prefer to remain slaves to a lie, and anything that challenges those lies is seen as dangerous or heretical. But regardless of the reaction of the person, there is always a reaction, making truth as real as when we are touched by sunlight, wind, or rain. Some people recognize the truth when they hear it, while for others, the realization that it is truth slowly dawns upon them, like a seed growing until one day it bears fruit. Truth is rarely simply disregarded without emotion. When the truth is rejected, it is often done in anger, which has the potential to turn violent. When the truth opposes doctrines inherit to a person’s particular religious belief, people often lash out using harsh words. They may mock or belittling the person speaking the truth as if they are ignorant or stupid. Or they may label the person as deceived or evil. Regardless of how truth is received or rejected, its impact is meaningful and reveals much about the state of a person’s heart. Do they desire the truth above their own comfort, or will they do whatever it takes to find some way to dismiss the very thing that could set them free.’¹

Amongst the comments to this post was one asking about how we determine the truth, given the conflicting messages and voices we hear.

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prepare for the April General Conference weekend, it’s a good time to be reminded of discernment. We live in a time of false prophets, when good is called evil and evil called good, of chaos and uncertainty. About a year ago, I posted an article about taking upon ourselves the name of Christ, and how the general leaders of the LDS church are called as ‘Special Witnesses of the Name of Christ’. I remain of the same general opinion². Men³ who have that calling, then have that responsibility to spiritually develop to the point where they can actually fulfil that charge.

Unfortunately, many are called but few are chosen, and the reason they aren’t chosen is because their hearts are set upon the things of this world and they love and aspire to the honours of men. (D&C 121:34-35) This is why discernment is so critical for each of us.

I don’t need to repeat contradictory statements and doctrines taught by leaders of the LDS church (or probably any church for that matter). Some of those are included in my first three posts about discernment found here, here, and here (plus a supplementary one here). It is pretty much inevitable that things that are said in this weekend’s conference will be contradicted in future conferences. After all, it wasn’t that long ago when President Hinckley gave doctrinal reasons why we don’t use the cross in the church, only for a cross to be placed on Temple Square in the last week or so⁴. Even more recent was the ‘prophetic’ emphasis on the ‘I’m a Mormon’ campaign, only to then be give the ‘prophetic’ message that using the term Mormon was a victory for Satan.

The men at the top of the church are doing the very best they can, but they are no more perfect than the leaders of the Lord’s people in any time of history. Despite statements from church leaders to the contrary, there are plenty of scriptural examples of prophets leading the people astray, and plenty of statements from the Lord that we must not trust in the arm of the flesh. God isn’t equivocal about this.

In my previous posts about discernment, I’ve discussed the core importance of the scriptures as a measuring stick for truth, of the importance of study and using our minds and reason, and the essential requirement of our willingness to let go of false beliefs – no matter how precious those beliefs are to us.

Matthew 24 is a key chapter in understanding how we overcome deception, and the Joseph Smith Translation (JST) has some important additions. When the disciples ask Jesus about the signs of the last days, Christ begins by saying, ‘Take heed that no man deceive you.’ (JST Matthew 24:5) He also says that false saviours will show great signs and wonders that will deceive even the very elect (JST Matthew 24:23).

But Jesus does give some specific instruction on how to avoid being deceived. 

First, he says that, ‘…whoso treasureth up my words shall not be deceived.’ (JST Matthew 24:39) We’ve discussed this already, but it’s worth noting that the very first thing Christ teaches about avoiding deception is that we have ‘treasured up’ the word He has already given us – the scriptures. We can discard anything that contradicts scriptures already given.

We’re a people that believes in continuing revelation and that the canon isn’t closed; but new revelation will always be consistent with previous revelation, and will never, ever add to or take away from the basic essential doctrine or gospel of Christ. Anything that alters the doctrine of Christ ‘…cometh of evil.’ (3 Nephi 11)

The Lord goes on to talk about how we should watch and prepare for His second coming, which I won’t go into here other than to say He cautions us to be faithful (JST Matthew 24:52) and that many believers will lose their faith, thinking that He ‘delayeth his coming’ (JST Matthew 24:55), as I discussed recently.

To finish this short series off, I want to write a few words about the importance of the Holy Spirit guiding us. In a scripture well-known by Latter-day Saints, the Lord teaches us that, ‘…by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.’ (Moroni 10:5)

A scripture I’ve quoted before on this blog, and one which I will no doubt quote again, is Doctrine and Covenants 8:2-3, ‘Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost…. behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.’

We’re taught in the church that the Holy Ghost touches our hearts – we feel a ‘burning in the bosom’, right? Yes, but that is only part right. Modern advertising is expert at manipulating us using emotions. The right music, the right cadence of speech, the right emotional stories, the right sound waves and more can all contribute to what we feel in our hearts. Science really has taught the manipulation of feelings. So relying on feelings alone will almost certainly lead to deception.

Further, if you’ve ever felt the Holy Spirit tell you off for something, you know the Spirit doesn’t always bring feelings of peace and comfort. The Spirit can convict you too. I’ve had the experience of the Spirit teaching me of the need to repent of something totally unexpected, but it was so clear and so certain in both my heart and my mind that I knew it came from God. It wasn’t a ‘warm, fuzzy’, but it was the Holy Ghost!

And it’s this very spirit that told Moses to part the Red Sea. Now, Moses had already been told by the Lord that he would have power over the waters (Moses 1:25), and I expect this promise came back to his mind when standing before the Red Sea with an expectant Israel behind him. But based on my own experience, he will have had total clarity in mind and heart that the seas would part when he commanded it.

Another scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants tells us that, ‘…they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day.’ (D&C 45:57)

And yet another, Section 50, talks a lot about the importance of the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, it also refers to deception.

‘… that there are many spirits which are false spirits, which have gone forth in the earth, deceiving the world. And also Satan hath sought to deceive you, that he might overthrow you.’ (D&C 50:2-3)

‘But wo unto them that are deceivers and hypocrites, for, thus saith the Lord, I will bring them to judgment. Behold, verily I say unto you, there are hypocrites among you, who have deceived some, which has given the adversary power…’ (D&C 50:6-7)

Elsewhere in this section, we are taught that truth can only be taught or received by the Spirit (D&C 50:17-19), and that the Spirit will edify (D&C 50:22-23). This is so true!

As I said, the Spirit won’t always tell you nice things, because sometimes we need to repent of things we didn’t know about. Sometimes the Spirit will give us warnings. And, if we’re open to it, the Spirit will teach us that things we’ve believed our entire lives are wrong. These can be difficult messages to receive and cause consternation rather than peace and joy. But at the same time our love for God, His son Jesus Christ, and our neighbour will all increase.

Because feeling the Spirit will always encourage you to draw closer to God and to His son, Jesus Christ – in your heart and in your mind. And when you react positively to those feelings, the Spirit will increase the love you feel from your Heavenly Father and to Him. At least, this is my experience. When I am taught something knew by the Holy Ghost, I yearn to reach to my Heavenly Father, to thank Him and to praise Him. Truth will never take you in the opposite direction.

If anyone, ever, tells you not to pray about something, run as far and as fast from that person as you can. ‘For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray, ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.’ (2 Nephi 32:8)

I sometimes come across videos of church leaders telling youth they shouldn’t pray about this thing or that, because the prophet has already made the decision for them, or because being baptised took away their agency to make a decision now. That is false doctrine and comes from the devil. Only an evil spirit teaches a man not to pray.

The Spirit increases light. It edifies – meaning it raises us up, drawing us closer to God. That’s not always comfortable, but it is a blessing. And if we’re to be able to discern between truth and error, between good and evil, between the doctrine of Christ and the doctrines of devils, it is essential that God’s Spirit – the Holy Ghost – guide us.

Whether this weekend we will be watching or listening to LDS General Conference, reading bloggers and teachers, or reading or listening to social commentators and influencers I hope each of us can follow these principles: 1. Use the scriptures as the standard by which we measure the words of others, 2. Study and use both reason and heart, 3. Be willing to sacrifice anything we have previously believed for truth from God, and 4. Have the Holy Spirit guide us and teach us directly.

© Copyright Jeffrey Collyer 2026

1. Quote from Douglas Hatten. Douglas has a Youtube channel if you’re interesting in learning from him: https://www.youtube.com/@TeacherInZion I find he often has some wonderful insights.
2. LDS scholar Hugh Nibley is quoted as saying something like, ‘I refuse to be held accountable for anything I said more than 2 years ago.’ I echo that, although I would probably reduce the time period to 3-6 months! Learning should be an ongoing thing and if you always agree with everything you’ve previously said, you’re probably not learning very much…
3. It’s a pity that all of those we are asked to sustain as special witnesses of the name of Christ are men. There are numerous ancient documents showing that women also carried this sacred responsibility amongst the early Christian community. Hopefully the church will one day make a change here.
4. It’s not that I disagree with the Church now giving emphasis to the cross – I don’t. Indeed, I could never understand the Church’s opposition to it and disagreed with statements from Church leaders about it. In the Book of Mormon, Christ Himself used the cross as the great symbol of His mission: ‘…my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father…’ (3 Nephi 27:14) This is simply an example where current ‘prophets’ appear to fundamentally disagree with even very recent ‘prophets’ on doctrinal issues.