Transcript of Sister Thomas' talk
Develop the talent of spirituality, Sister Carol B. Thomas, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, counseled March 24 during the Young Women General Meeting.
Speaking in the Conference Center, she said: "Spirituality is learning how to listen to the Spirit and then letting it govern our lives. So how do we learn to listen to the Spirit? Well, first of all, we need to understand what the Spirit is. Second, we'll look at young women who have learned how to recognize the Spirit. As members of the Church, we are given two spiritual gifts: the Light of Christ given to all men at birth and the special gift of the Holy Ghost given after our baptism."
Sister Thomas ex-plained that learning to recognize the Spirit is the hardest part. "The Spirit doesn't always give us warm, fuzzy feelings. Most of the time, the voice of inspiration is a quiet voice, a still, small voice."
She continued by relating the contents of a letter from a young woman named Katie who wanted to know if the Church was true. For five months, the young woman read her scriptures and prayed. But she thought she wasn't receiving an answer. Then one night, close to tears, she pleaded with the Lord. "I didn't hear a loud voice or see an angel, but I felt Heavenly Father telling me, 'Sweet Katie, you've known all along.' "
Sister Thomas said: "One of the main functions of the Holy Ghost is to testify of truth. The Spirit testified to Katie that the gospel is true. Katie had paid the price. As the Savior said, she went to her home, studied His words and prayed — for five whole months. Katie is developing her talent for spirituality. She can use this gift to govern her life.
"Talents are meant to be shared," Sister Thomas continued. "As you learn to play the piano, you can bless others with your music. As you develop your talent for spirituality, you can use this gift to bless your family. Did you know you have some responsibility for the happiness in your family?"
She then related the account of another young woman, Brooke, who helped her little sister not be afraid during the night by urging her to pray for comfort. Another little sister heard the conversation and was also helped. "There are lots of ways you can bless your family," Sister Thomas said. "Brooke did three important things: she bore her testimony, she prayed for her sister and she was an example to her other sister. . . . This strengthened her own spirituality as well.
"You can help your family remember to pray. And you can pray for your family. If there is contention, pray for a spirit of peace. No matter what, Heavenly Father will bless you with peace in your heart. Prayer is a miracle; it can help develop spirituality in your home.
"You may never see angels descending out of heaven," Sister Thomas said in concluding remarks, "but I can promise you as your bear testimony and pray in your families, unseen angels will minister to you. As you share your talent for spirituality, you will feel the warmth and power of the Spirit governing your life."