The LDS Daily WOOL© Home Page
(12/3/04)
"Joseph Smith has given us not only the message of the divine
Restoration but also the practical how-to steps to obtain personal
and divine communication. The young Joseph tells us of the confusion
in his life. Said he, 'I was laboring under... extreme difficulties'
(JS-H
1:11). He was driven to the scriptures to seek
guidance, which he found in the epistle of James: 'If any of you lack
wisdom, let him ask of God' (James
1:5). The young Joseph said, 'At length I came
to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion,
or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God' (JS-H
1:13). Joseph no doubt also read the following
words given by James: 'But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For
he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and
tossed' (James
1:6). Joseph knelt to offer up the desire of
his heart. Then came a wrestling and darkness. This was followed by
the light of the divine message. The answer and the instruction were
complete and full. Is not this the instruction, the how-to we need to
obtain divine answers to the confusion and to the vexatious problems
in our lives?" - James E. Faust, "He
Restoreth
My Soul," Ensign, October 1997, p. 2
(12/4/04)
"Brothers and sisters, as we go forward in our lives, let us never
forget to pray. God lives. He is near. He is real. He is our Father.
He is accessible to us. He is the author of eternal truth, the Master
of the universe. The handle is ready, and the door can be opened to
His abundance. 'If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.' (James
1:5-6.)" - Gordon B. Hinckley, "Pillars
of
Truth," Ensign, January 1994, p. 2
(12/5/04)
"Take time to meditate. Meditation on a passage of scripture-James
1:5-led a young boy into a grove of trees to commune with his
Heavenly Father. That is what opened the heavens in this
dispensation." - Ezra Taft Benson, "Seek
the
Spirit of the Lord," Ensign, April 1988, p. 2
(12/6/04)
"Sometimes we may feel that our spiritual edge has grown dull. On some
very trying days, we may even feel that God has forgotten us, has left
us alone in our confusion and concern. But that feeling is no more
justified for the older ones among us than it is for the younger and
less experienced. God knows and loves us all. We are, every one of us,
his daughters and his sons, and whatever life's lessons may have
brought us, the promise is still true: 'If any of you lack wisdom, let
him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not;
and it shall be given him.' (James
1:5.)" - Howard W. Hunter, "Blessed
from
on High," Ensign, November 1988, p. 60
(12/7/04)
"Some of the most remarkable personal revelations have been directly
related to individual study of the scriptures. For example, the vision
of the degrees of glory recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76 came to
the Prophet Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon after the Prophet had been
studying the translation of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John. (D&C
76:headnote, D&C
76:15-24.) Joseph Smith's First Vision came after he had
reflected on James
1:5 'again and again.' (JS-H
1:11-17.) And President Joseph F. Smith's vision of the
redemption of the dead came as he pondered over questions related to 1
Peter 3:18-20 and 4:6 [1
Pet. 3:18-20; 1
Pet. 4:6]. (D&C
138:1-11.)" - Joe J. Christensen, "Toward
Greater
Spirituality: Ten Important Steps," Ensign, June 1983, p. 8
1/19/17
Joseph Smith’s actions when he was seeking for wisdom are a perfect
example of what it means to have an honest heart. He said he wanted to
know which of the sects was true so “that [he] might know which to
join.” Even before he prayed, he was ready to act upon the answer he
would receive.
We must ask in faith and with an honest heart. But that is not all. We must also believe that we will receive the revelation. We must trust the Lord and have hope in His promises. Remember what is written: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” What a wonderful promise! – Marcos A. Aidukaitis, “If Ye Lack Wisdom,” Ensign (CR) May 2014