The Truth

Step 4 Section 5

By the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5).

Some people have difficulty remembering or acknowledging the painful truth about the past, but the Holy Ghost can help you remember and can comfort you as you take step 4. You can receive these blessings even if you do not have the gift of the Holy Ghost. Write about how the Holy Ghost can guide you in the inventory process.

Hmm…this is a hard question. One that would be easy to just give a regular answer to. I feel the Holy Ghost can help me remember the “why” behind the actual “what” I’ve done in the past. It can bring things back to my memory: feelings, resentments, positive feelings, etc. I also feel the Holy Ghost can give me peace in knowing that this is an important step in my complete recovery from my addictions. It’s fun to know that later on, Step 4 is an ongoing assignment as I assess my life on a day to day basis.

Why is it important to know the truth about your current situation?

The more I know the truth about how I “felt”, not just what I “did”, the better I’ll be able to avoid those negative feelings in the future, thus helping me overcome the addiction for the long-hall.  The more I can recognize the complete truth about my current situation, the more I can confront that truth and move on to bigger and better things.

Why is it important to know the truth that you are a child of God?

It makes so much more sense to understand God’s love for me now that I’m a father too. I can empathize or see more clearly how much God loves His children and how he wants me to succeed, He wants me to be happy, He wants me to do what’s right. However, He can’t force me to do anything – I have to submit my will completely to Him so He can direct my path.

Just as I am happy when my children obey and do what’s right, God is the same way, except multiplied. He’s probably really sad when I don’t speak with Him through prayer. He’s probably frustrated when I don’t read His words in the scriptures and from the latter-day prophets; He’s probably frustrated when I continue to forget over and over again to do the little things that make all the difference. But, He’s still there pulling for me, ready to help me along the way as long as I’m willing to ask for His help and follow His direction.

As I was helping Caleb at the pool tonight, I was frustrated a bit because he wasn’t swimming the way he had been in the past. He was scared or just dinking around. However, eventually he remembered and swam some of his best “laps” across the Springville pool. As I was answering these questions and thinking about being a “child of God”, it made me think how Caleb’s swimming experience is just like my life. If I don’t do the little things like “kicking my legs near the top of the water”, “putting my head down in the water while I hold my breath” and “taking breaths from time to time but not every two seconds”, I’m going to drown. I was so happy with Caleb when he remembered to do these things that I had taught him. I’m sure Heavenly Father is even that much MORE happy when I do the little spiritual things that lead to true happiness in this life and eternal life with Him in the world to come.