How I #HearHim: Pres. Michael Beach

I hear my Savior best through His words in scripture, worthy music, and from His chosen Prophets.

From the time I was a teenager, I have sought peace and calming through inspired music. I developed a sensitivity toward good music that invited the influence of the spirit into my life; and found that loud music or songs with inappropriate lyrics were distracting, offended the spirit, and left me void of the Holy Ghost. I realized it was in these moments of listening to or singing worthy music and especially the hymns of the church that I felt the peace, love, and the assurance of my Savior. I felt the enabling power of His grace and that succored me through my trials and difficulties.

Since that time, I’ve continued to go to the hymns in times of anxiety, questions, or simply wanting to feel the spirit and receive inspiration. One of my favorite hymns that sums up the virtue of His Word through music, is “I Need Thee Every Hour”.

I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord. No tender voice like thine can peace afford.
I need thee every hour stay thou nearby, temptations lose their power when thou art nigh.
I need thee every hour in joy or pain; come quickly and abide or life is vain.
I need thee every hour, most holy one; oh make me thine indeed thou blessed son.

I need thee, oh, I need thee; every hour I need thee; oh bless me now my Savior, I come to thee.

In the words of this powerful hymn I have felt peace and the loving embrace of my Savior; I have received inspired thoughts; and I have found rest during troubled sleepless nights. When I sing this sacred hymn or recite the words in my mind, I hear Him as he pours His guiding light and knowledge out upon me.

It is during moments of peace and quiet that comes through sacred music, that even amidst anxiety and the worries of the world, I can clear my mind and hear my Savior’s voice.

Another way in which I hear Him, is through His spoken word by those called to bear witness of Him. I receive great inspiration from the Lord when I listen to General Conference and study the conference talks. I also hear him as I daily reflect on and recite the words to The Living Christ. I have come to truly appreciate the words of our living Prophets, and more specifically the Lord’s chosen Prophet and President of the Church.

I reflect regularly on 2 Nephi 7:10-11. In these verses of scripture the Lord asks a question. “Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light? In other words, is there be anyone who listens, harkens, and heads, the voice of the Lord through His Holy Prophet that walks in darkness? Of course the answer to this question is no. When we hear the voice of the Lord through his chosen Prophet, we will always be in the light.

However, there is also a warning in verse 11… Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand – ye shall lie down in sorrow.

This verse teaches two profound principles; 1) the very best we can do when we chose to not follow the Prophet, and attempt to walk in our own light, is to only make sparks. Consequently, we will never have sufficient light to navigate through the mists of darkness that engulfs us and partake of the fruit of the Tree of Life; and 2) We can never know true happiness and will only know sorrow all our life.

As so simply stated in a wonderful song often sung by dear primary children; Follow the Prophet, follow the Prophet, follow the Prophet, he knows the way.

I bear you my testimony that we can Hear the voice of our Savior and feel is peace and love through the scriptures, the hymns and other sacred music of the church, and by listening to his chosen Prophet’s voice. I testify that President Russell M. Nelson is the Lords chosen Prophet, and receives direct communication from Him. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.