I will never forget when I heard President Russell M. Nelson proclaim, “...in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost”. [1] The sheer power of the statement seemed to suck the air out of the room. My grad school friends and I, who had gathered to watch that session of General Conference together, exchanged nervous glances and shifted uncomfortably in our seats, soft murmuring emanating from the various couches and beanbag chairs as we tried to digest that statement without interrupting the rest of the address. But as soon as he closed with a heartfelt “amen”, the room erupted. “Did you hear that?!” “This really is the last days…” “Whoa! What are we about to face?” The chatter was a mix of excitement, anticipation, and even some mild concern. This was President Nelson’s first Conference as the newly called President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (CoJC), and there had been a palpable shift in the tempo and temperature of the church under his recent leadership.
Looking back over the course of his presidency and the current state of affairs, I can only shake my head in wonder at just how prophetic that statement has proven to be. Granted, Satan’s games and attempts to lead us astray are nothing new. Still, it feels like in the last several years there have been, if not more instances of people being misled, at least more media attention on the chaotic unfolding of their activities and actions. Consider the number of recent documentaries detailing CoJC-associated individuals going off the rails, from Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow murdering former spouses and children to Ruby Franke emotionally and physically abusing her husband and children under the influence of Jodi Hildebrandt, all while claiming their actions were divinely sanctioned and inspired. [2], [3] Of course, we also have the continuing horror-based fascination with Warren Jeffs’ sexual exploits and his abusive leadership of the Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), while the 2022 FX series Under the Banner of Heaven reintroduced people to the 1984 double homicide committed in the name of God by brothers who also subscribed to fundamentalist beliefs. [4], [5]
These dramatic and violent events aside, consider also the increasing polarization we are seeing among lay members of the CoJC. When the world as a whole and the church as an organization grappled with COVID restrictions and policies, many local congregations appeared divided down the middle in terms of reactions towards directives we received from Church HQ about how to proceed. I remember being particularly shaken by some of my acquaintances’ absolute outrage when the First Presidency publicly supported and encouraged COVID vaccinations. [6] I heard more than one person declare they would not be led astray by the prophet, citing his prior professional medical career as unduly, even inappropriately, influencing his guidance and directives. What perhaps alarmed me the most was how many of these people were individuals I admired and respected, people who I had viewed as unshakeable in their testimonies. I found myself vividly reminded of how Jesus Christ himself pronounced that in the last days even the very elect may be deceived (Matthew 24:24). I felt my heart breaking for these people who were being drawn away from the safety of the fold.
But Christ’s proclamation was given in relation to the false Christs and false prophets who would arise before His second coming…so what if in my steadfast support of the First Presidency of the CoJC I was actually the one being deceived and following a forgery? That question made my blood run cold. I was so certain of myself and where I was choosing to stand, but was that truly justified?
I had similar musings a few years before all of this when I discovered a couple of family friends had left the CoJC to follow Denver Snuffer and join The Remnant movement under Snuffer’s leadership. A former member of the CoJC, Snuffer was excommunicated for apostasy in 2013 after refusing to cease the publication of his book Passing the Heavenly Gift, in which he claimed the CoJC had been acting without divine authority since the passing of Joseph Smith in 1844. [7] While there are many schisms and off-shoots from the CoJC, this one caught my attention because people I personally knew had joined it. [8] It caused me deep personal reflection on my own beliefs and convictions, especially in regards to what voices I was listening to and allowing to influence my journey on the covenant path.
As part of the musings, I found myself reviewing what CoJC-related or associated individuals I was following on my various social media platforms. Besides officially-called members of CoJC leadership, my feed also included therapists, historians, theologians, and social media influencers who repeatedly referenced their association with the CoJC through their own membership. These were lay members, some of whom had made appearances on various church-related publications or programs because of their professional expertise, but who weren’t called or set apart as part of official CoJC leadership. Some were individuals who had made a name for themselves among CoJC membership through their religious or spiritually-focused podcasts or other media channels. Some were pop culture icons whom I’d begun following when I found out they were members. As I scanned through all the different faces and voices, I realized it was quite a range of devotion levels and opinions. On one side of the spectrum were the individuals who were almost alarmingly stringent in their seemingly blind support of anything and everything that has ever been said from the pulpit, while others appeared to be toeing the line of apostasy and priestcraft in the way they addressed their points of disagreement or discontent with certain doctrines, statements, policies, or specific church leaders.
I have watched over the years as several of these individuals have either voluntarily removed themselves from membership or been excommunicated after years of struggling with a back-and-forth pull between what they felt the church was asking of them or representing and their own personal convictions and beliefs. It is an emotional, tumultuous experience, witnessing another person’s faith crisis in nearly real-time, as many of these folks were actively sharing their thought processes and experiences through their social media accounts. I found myself shaken by how many of these once staunch supporters suddenly became some of the most vocal opponents of the church to which they once belonged. And once again, I found myself wondering if maybe I was missing something, if maybe I was the one not seeing clearly, especially considering many of these people had raised valid questions and concerns, or had experienced heartbreaking insensitivity, even at times cruelty, at the hands of their former congregational members or leadership. I couldn’t simply discount all of these accounts as the ravings of bitter or deranged individuals, not only because they had been studious in documenting the evidence of what was happening to them, but also because that response felt distinctly un-Christlike.
So, how could I come to know for myself that I was standing where God would actually have me stand? By taking to heart exactly what President Nelson had warned us about during his first conference address as the Lord’s prophet and learning how to truly maintain the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and specifically how to call upon Him for the gift of discernment during these confusing and chaotic times.
The Companionship of the Holy Ghost
Striving for the companionship of the Holy Ghost is a primary principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is foundational to the basic framework we have been given for avoiding deception in our lives. So, before we can utilize the framework itself, we should pause to evaluate our current understanding of and relationship with the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead, a personage of spirit, and serves as a witness and testifier of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. [9] He also serves several other roles, including as the vehicle for the sanctification process (see 3 Nephi 27:20), the confirmer of heavenly blessings as the Holy Spirit of Promise (see D&C 132:7), the comforter and divine instructor for us in mortality (see John 14:26), and the distributor of spiritual gifts (see D&C 46:9-11). This last role will be of particular interest to us when we dive further into the gift of discernment, but more on that later.
When we are baptized into the CoJC, our baptism is not complete without the bestowal of the gift of the Holy Ghost. The prophet Joseph Smith taught emphatically and repeatedly that a person must be born of both water and spirit to enter the Kingdom of God. [10] While we are baptized with water only once, we are promised that the Holy Ghost can be our constant companion, continually renewing us spiritually, helping us be sanctified and become like Jesus Christ, if we strive to remain worthy of His presence. [11] It is important to note that the specific wording of the confirmation ordinance is: “receive the Holy Ghost.” [12] We may miss the directive inherent in the confirmation due to the simplicity of the command, but there is a call for us to be proactive in welcoming the Holy Ghost into our lives; we must work to maintain a relationship with Him. The Holy Ghost will not force Himself into places where He is not invited, so doing all we can to indicate and prove our desire for His presence is what is meant by the action word “receive” in the ordinance.
President Dallin H. Oaks warned that it is not enough that we participate in the saving ordinances, checking them off our to-do list, but we must intentionally and repeatedly take the Holy Spirit for our guide. [13] We do so by repenting of our sins, partaking of the sacrament each week, following the Spirit’s promptings as we receive them, and avoiding anything (whether activities, environments, or people) that would drive Him away. He further emphasized how Satan will try to deceive us with “the idea that it is enough to hear and believe without acting on that belief,” knowing that when we fail to act, our spiritual capacities weaken and our ability to feel and recognize the Spirit is diminished. [14] Just as with all relationships, our connection to the Holy Ghost will weaken and fade if we neglect Him. We are negligent when we fail to invest the time to nurture our relationship with Him by proactively spending time with Him, seeking His promptings, learning to recognize how He speaks to us, and doing what He instructs.
As members of the CoJC, we can unintentionally dilute the power and reality of the third member of the Godhead by failing to see Him as a person and instead viewing the Spirit as a mere feeling or emotional response. Michael Cevering discussed similar concerns when he noted:
“Two typical phrases I hear: ‘We’re at church to feel the Spirit’; ‘The Holy Spirit is our companion; it guides and teaches us.’ I note first that the Holy Spirit is not an ‘it’. Chairs are ‘its’ and blades of grass are ‘its’. Inanimate things are ‘its’. Not even our pets are ‘its’ (usually). Yet ‘it’ is the pronoun we so frequently assign to the Holy Spirit. We refer to Him as a mere thing. In doing so, we demean the Holy Spirit, which is a terrible irony. After all, we call Him the Holy Spirit – a significant and worshipful title! To call Him an ‘it’ is thus to irreverence Him, particularly by demeaning Him in our minds to a mere object.” [15]
When we truly recognize and respect the Holy Ghost as a real, albeit somewhat intangible, person, it will help us find more productive ways of developing an actual relationship with Him. As a young missionary, I sent a letter home to my family recounting how I had come to a startling conclusion about my own need to adjust how I viewed the Spirit, writing that,
“You cannot teach in unity with someone you have/are not studying with. That is why companionship study is so important. But even more than that, that is why it is so important to invite the Holy Ghost to be part of your daily study. If you study with Him, you will be better able to teach with Him!”
Once I came to see Him as another person actually present in the room with us as a missionary team, I started to be much more mindful of how I was treating Him, whether or not I was making Him comfortable. Was I listening for and yielding to His input or talking over Him? I realized I needed to be as concerned about His feelings and experience in our teaching scenarios as I was about my physical, mortal companion. While I could hear my companion’s tone of voice, as well as read her body language and facial expressions for insights into how things were going for her, I had to learn how to identify the less immediately accessible cues the Holy Ghost would give me about His current state. I was not perfect at this, and it is something I am still striving to be sensitive about to this day, but that mindset shift has made a world of difference in how I perceive and approach my relationship with the Holy Ghost.
A strong, personal relationship with the Holy Ghost will allow Him to support us and guide us as we navigate interacting with all of the deception, lies, and nasty influences present in our fallen world today.
Beyond Just Feelings
Having clarified that the Holy Ghost is not a mere feeling, it is still important to note the relevance and significance of “feelings” in recognizing and receiving truth from God. Our theology clearly teaches that the Holy Ghost can, and often may, speak to us through our hearts. This is why we associate the Spirit with peace, comfort, and joy. However, we must never mistakenly rely solely on our feelings or emotions when determining whether something is true or right. The Lord indicated that the Holy Ghost will also work with our logic: “I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost” (D&C 8:2, emphasis added).
Anthony Sweat speaks about the “Tripod of Truth” to “balance any true revelatory influence from the Spirit.” [16] The Tripod of Truth is the stabilizing combination of inspired thoughts (the mind), edifying feelings (the heart), and righteous results (the fruits of the Spirit), all working in tandem to confirm the divine nature of a piece of information or revelation when acted upon. If any one of these components is missing, the information or supposed revelation is suspect.
Frameworks for Avoiding Deception
Since I was a child, I was taught to use three points of reference, or spiritual resources, to determine if what I was seeing, hearing, learning, or feeling was spiritually sound: the scriptures, modern-day prophets, and the Holy Ghost. When presented with information or a question, I was encouraged to compare it against what I found in the Word of God, meaning the holy scriptures. Had this been addressed previously in any of the standard works? If so, what did they say? Some questions may be a little too modern or time-specific to find directly in there, but many of the overarching concepts are timeless and can be found with some effort. And for those questions that really are a truly modern concern, as well as the timeless inquiries, what do modern-day prophets, apostles, and leaders teach us? Their words can be found in General Conference addresses, various devotionals, or other church-related publications. Finally, what does the Holy Ghost teach me through personal revelation? I do not remember where I first learned about specifically using these three resources for avoiding spiritual deception, but I’ve seen similar frameworks repeated with some slight variations and clarification in many different church publications and addresses throughout the years.
For example, Elder Dale G. Renlund spoke a few years ago about a framework specifically for receiving and verifying personal revelation, citing four key components: utilizing the scriptures as a source of inspiration, recognizing we will not receive revelation outside our purview or stewardship, ensuring our supposed revelation is in harmony with the Lord’s commandments, and acknowledging previous revelation we have already received while being open to additional insights moving forward. [17] For our discussion, as the fourth component is more in terms of our ability to receive revelation, rather than verifying the validity of revelation, we will only focus on the first three components.
Anthony Sweat has also laid out three litmus tests for detecting truth or error in personal revelation, which he referred to as “the Stewardship Test, the Brethren Test, and the Edification Test”. His definitions for each of the tests are as follows:
“The Stewardship Test is that God will not give you revelation commanding someone outside your defined realm of responsibility. … The Brethren Test is that you will not receive direction from the Spirit to act contrary or in opposition to accepted Church covenants, revelations, or teachings from the united voice of the current First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. … The Edification Test is that spiritual phenomena will lead us to understand truth and light, bring us closer to God to comprehend Him, and lead us to make and keep sacred covenants.” [18]
As points of overlap, the Stewardship Test would coincide with Elder Renlund’s point about receiving only revelation within our purview, the Brethren Test connects to double-checking our revelation against the words of the modern-day prophets and apostles (and could be extended to include verification through the scriptures as well), and the Edification Test can be associated with our personal experiences with the Holy Ghost in relation to the revelation or information we are considering. By combining these frameworks and litmus tests, we can create a robust methodology for reviewing and verifying not only our own personal revelation but the teachings, statements, actions, and opinions of others. When faced with information we are unsure about, we can apply those three tests (Stewardship, Brethren, and Edification) and ensure we are utilizing the three spiritual resources (scriptures, modern-day prophets, and the Holy Ghost) during our inquiry.
Satan’s Subtleties
The above framework and resources are incredibly helpful, but what about when things don’t appear quite so clear-cut? This may be the case more often than not because Satan, the master deceiver, works in all sorts of subversive ways, not just in direct, blatant, or overt opposition to God (see Alma 12:4 and 2 Nephi 28:19-24 for some references to his subtleties). There are times when people are under his influence without even knowing it, so their unintentional deception of others may be even less obvious to outside observers because there are no hints of malicious or ill intent on their part. On the other hand, some individuals are so deep under his influence that they no longer recognize the darkness for what it is, even as it permeates every facet of their lives to the point of being immediately obvious to others.
Keep in mind the Lord operates through multiple channels and never relies on only one means of communication or one witness: remember Sweat’s Tripod of Truth and recall the promise of two or three witnesses to establish the words of the Lord (see D&C 6:28). Satan can and will attempt to blind us by taking one of the spiritual resources or litmus tests and having us focus only on the seemingly positive results of that sole aspect for our confirmation. We must be diligent and never allow our own natural laziness to prevent us from digging deeper and looking further into what may or may not be the truth.
Misuse of the Scriptures
We have seen scriptures being used as justification for appalling behaviors and actions. Referring back to Lori Vallow, she had appeared to reference D&C 98:23-31 when defending her desire to murder her former husband. [19] And while awaiting her sentencing, Jodi Hildebrandt compared herself to those who are prosecuted for the gospel message. [20] What’s interesting is these scriptures were being used in conjunction with intense emotional feelings to justify a range of seemingly indefensible thoughts and actions, so technically the individuals can claim they had two of the three spiritual resources on their side. However, the scriptural support is detrimentally weakened when one realizes these sayings are being taken out of context. Reliance on a single verse or section of scripture, without the historical and cultural context of its original reception being considered, leads to faulty and potentially dangerous reasoning.
Over-reliance on Feelings
There are countless examples of people relying only on their positive emotional reactions to influencers, ideas, or movements, believing that the intensity of the feelings must be indicative of divine sanction. But emotions are fickle things, subject to change on a whim or at the slightest provocation. That is again why the Lord never operates solely through our feelings. The Lord recognizes the power of our emotions and can use them for our spiritual progression and enlightenment, but will only do so in conjunction with other sources of support, such as our logical reasoning and the words of His servants.
Faux Fruits of the Spirit
I recently even heard an example of Satan mimicking the sensation of peace through false comparison. Satan cannot truly make us feel peaceful, but he can deceive us into thinking we are experiencing peace if we are not careful. As explained by Brian K. Ashton, former Second Counselor in the General Sunday School Presidency,
“Satan offers counterfeit alternatives to all that God does in an attempt to confuse and deceive us. Despite Satan’s attempts to convince us otherwise, the Savior teaches us that “a corrupt tree [cannot] bring forth good fruit” (3 Nephi 14:18). Because Satan is a corrupt tree, he cannot cause us to feel “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, [and] temperance” (Galatians 5:22–23).” [21]
In the story I had heard from a friend, she believed Satan had stirred up so much chaos in her friends’ lives in other ways (unrelenting schedules, financial strain, familial discord, etc.) that when they had even a moment of quiet, they believed they were experiencing the peace of the Spirit. It just so happened that these quiet moments seemed to only come when they were with a group of people who were actively apostatizing and preaching false doctrine. However, in reflecting on their experiences, my friend came to realize that they mistook the mere absence of noise and outside distractions as genuine peace, which it was not.
Beware of how Satan will try to mimic the fruits of the Spirit in other ways, such as making us confuse pleasure with happiness or joy, or condoning sin with acting in humility or compassion.
Growing into the Gift of Discernment
First of all, what is the gift of discernment? It is a spiritual gift that is available to us through the Holy Ghost (see 1 Corinthians 12:10 and D&C 46:23). As summarized in the June 2018 issue of the Ensign, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has taught that the gift of discernment can help us (1) “detect hidden error and evil in others,” (2) “detect hidden errors and evil in ourselves,” (3) “find and bring forth the good that may be concealed in others,” and (4) “find and bring forth the good that may be concealed in us”. [22]
The mere presence of the Holy Ghost in our lives, through our righteous strivings, is not the same as having the full gift of discernment. Grant Von Harrison explains,
“As a member of the Church, you are given the basic gifts of discernment – the Light of Christ and the Gift of the Holy Ghost. (Moroni 7:12-18; D&C 63:41) … If you are desirous and earnestly seek it, if you strive to cultivate the spirit of discernment, you will be endowed with even greater powers of discernment. If you are successful in cultivating this keener discernment, ‘the thoughts and intents of the heart[s]’ of people will be revealed to your mind. (D&C 33:1; Hebrews 4:12)”. [23]
In order to receive the gift of discernment, we must be doing all of those “Sunday School answers” (praying, reading our scriptures, attending church), keeping our sacred covenants, and also proactively seeking the gift from our Father in Heaven. Von Harrison goes on to declare that “you must request the gift and tell the Lord why you want the gift, as well as explain what you will do with the gift if He bestows it on you.” [24] Each of us should be earnestly seeking this gift, as we will need it to spiritually survive moving forward.
In the meantime, we can demonstrate our genuine desire for this gift by continuing to apply the litmus tests and using those spiritual resources to study things out in our own minds as we wait upon the Lord for further enlightenment and direction (see D&C 9:7-8). We must also continue to strengthen and deepen our relationship with the Holy Ghost, learning how He speaks to us and working in tandem with Him daily. As we come to understand Him more fully, the gift of discernment can be a natural progression in our spiritual capabilities, capabilities which we receive only through His presence in our lives.
Conclusion
President Nelson was absolutely right that we must have the Spirit with us to navigate this increasingly perilous time. By striving to develop and deepen our personal relationship with the Holy Ghost, utilizing our spiritual resources and litmus tests, and striving to qualify for and appropriately use the gift of discernment, we can move through our lives with peace and assurance that we are on the right path, regardless of all the voices, influences, and opinions we are bombarded with every day.
NOTES:
[1] Nelson, Russell M. “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives” (April 2018) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints General Conference address accessed at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2018/04/revelation-for-the-church-revelation-for-our-lives on 9 October 2025are. [Back to manuscript].
[2] Documentaries on Daybell and Vallow include, but are not limited to, Sins of Our Mother (Netflix, 2022) and Doomsday: The Missing Children (HBO Max, 2020).
[Back to manuscript].
[3] Documentaries on Franke and Hildebrandt include, but are not limited to, Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke (Hulu, 2025) and Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence (HBO Max, 2025). [Back to manuscript].
[4] Documentaries on Jeffs and the FLDS include, but are not limited to, The Doomsday Prophet: Truth and Lies (Hulu, 2024) and Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey (Netflix, 2022).
[Back to manuscript].
[5] The FX series was a dramaticization and adaptation based on Jon Krakauer’s 2003 book Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith. [Back to manuscript].
[6] Newsroom of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (January 2021) “The First Presidency and Apostles Over Age 70 Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine”, newsoffshoots release accessed at https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-leaders-covid-19-vaccine on 9 October 2025. [Back to manuscript].
[7] Stack, Peggy Fletcher. “Controversial Mormon writer gets the word: He’s out of the church” (12 September 2013) The Salt Lake Tribune online article accessed at https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2013/09/12/controversial-mormon-writer-gets-the-word-hes-out-of-the-church/ on 9 October 2025. [Back to manuscript].
[8] Stack, Peggy Fletcher. “An offshoot of the Mormon church is drawing away members. But what does the ‘Remnant’ believe — and will it last?” (27 August 2017) The Salt Lake Tribune online article accessed at https://www.sltrib.com/religion/local/2017/08/27/denver-snuffers-offshoot-is-drawing-away-mormons-with-the-mantra-god-can-talk-to-you-too-but-will-these-freewheeling-fellowships-last/ on 9 October 2025. [Back to manuscript].
[9] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Topics and Questions, “Holy Ghost”, online resource accessed at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/holy-ghost?lang=eng on 15 October 2025. [Back to manuscript].
[10] Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2011), Chapter 7: Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost, online edition accessed at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-joseph-smith/chapter-7?lang=eng on 15 October 2025. [Back to manuscript].
[11] These promises can be found in the sacramental prayers as recorded in D&C 20:77, 79. See also Elder David A. Bednar’s April 2006 General Conference address “That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be With Us”, available online at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2006/05/that-we-may-always-have-his-spirit-to-be-with-us?lang=eng --- [Back to manuscript].
[12] General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2025), Section 18: Performing Priesthood Ordinances and Blessings (18.8.2), accessed at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook/18-priesthood-ordinances-and-blessings?lang=eng on 15 October 2025.
[Back to manuscript].
[13] Oaks, Dallin H. “Be Not Deceived” (October 2004). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints General Conference address accessed at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2004/10/be-not-deceived?lang=eng on 15 October 2025. [Back to manuscript].
[14] Ibid. [Back to manuscript].
[15] Cevering, Michael. Three Spheres: Short Thoughts About Worship (Independently published, 2022), 49-50. [Back to manuscript].
[16] Sweat, Anthony. Seekers Wanted: The Skills You Need for the Faith You Want (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2019), 87. [Back to manuscript].
[17] Renlund, Dale G. “A Framework for Personal Revelation” (October 2022). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints General Conference address accessed at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2022/10/14renlund?lang=eng on 15 October 2025. [Back to manuscript].
[18] Sweat, Anthony. Seekers Wanted: The Skills You Need for the Faith You Want (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2019), 89-94. [Back to manuscript].
[19] FAIR. “Scriptural Justification for Violence” (no date available) Online article accessed at https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/home-page/current-events/the-vallow-daybell-trial/scriptural-justification-for-violence on 15 October 2025.
[Back to manuscript].
[20] Means, Sean P. “Ruby Franke case: Jailhouse calls show how Franke turned against Hildebrandt, as both women blamed ‘the devil’ for their arrests” (25 March 2024) The Salt Lake Tribune online article accessed at https://www.sltrib.com/news/2024/03/25/ruby-franthat ke-case-jailhouse-calls/ on 15 October 2025. [Back to manuscript].
[21] Ashton, Brian K. “Three Lessons on Love, Joy, and Peace” (April 2019) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Ensign article accessed at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2019/04/three-lessons-on-love-joy-and-peace?lang=eng on 15 October 2025. [Back to manuscript].
[22] Bednar, David A. “Quick to Observe” (10 May 2005) BYU Devotional accessed at https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/david-a-bednar/quick-observe/ on 15 October 2025. [Back to manuscript].
[23] Von Harrison, Grant. Drawing on the Powers of Heaven (Sandy, Utah: Sounds of Zion, 1979), 28. [Back to manuscript].
[24] Ibid, 29. [Back to manuscript].
Full Citation for this Article: Alley, Ashley B. (2025) "Discernment," SquareTwo, Vol. 18 No. 3 (Fall 2025), http://squaretwo.org/Sq2ArticleAlleyDiscernment.html, accessed <give access date>.
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