How do I study effectively by being taught by the Holy Ghost?

In chapter 2 of Preach My Gospel, we read the simple and direct statement, "Your gospel study is most effective when you are taught by the Holy Ghost." When we take the Holy Ghost as our guide and teacher, an eternity of knowledge opens up to us, beyond what any man can teach us.

If we study the gospel in the same way that we study any other temporal topic, we will have missed the very essence and purpose of gospel study. It is true that there is a certain body of factual knowledge that we need to master, and we need mortal teachers to help us learn and to set us on the path. "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Rom 10:14).

We need to know that there is a Heavenly Father and a Savior. We need to know that they have a plan that is designed to lead us to salvation and exaltation. We need to know the details of that plan, including the principles of the gospel, the commandments, the covenants, and the promises. But knowing all of the facts is not enough to save us. We read that "it is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance" (D&C 131:6), but knowledge of the facts of the gospel are only part of the formula for salvation.

Knowledge alone is insufficient without conversion. Satan has a lot of knowledge, but he is still condemned to perdition because he does not act in accordance with his knowledge.

Scriptures

And again, he that receiveth the word of truth, doth he receive it by the Spirit of truth or some other way? If it be some other way it is not of God. Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth? Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together. (D&C 50:19-22)

To learn from God, we must learn in his way. God teaches by the Spirit, and we must likewise learn from him by the Spirit. This is not to say that intellectual learning is not valuable. The General Authorities are charged with speaking to us and teaching us regularly in General Conference and elsewhere. We are encouraged to listen to and study their words. We are commanded to attend sacrament meeting and other Sunday meetings where doctrines of the Kingdom are expounded for our understanding. We are expected to engage mentally and intellectually with these source of knowledge.

Nevertheless, if we rely solely on intellect and rhetoric, we will miss out on the most important lessons, and we will not gain all that the Lord has in store for us. His way of teaching is through revelation, and our way of learning must be the same. He inspires teachers by his Spirit to say and write the messages he wants us to hear, and we must listen not only to the words but to the Spirit, who expounds on the words and testifies of their truthfulness to us.

Even reading the Holy Scriptures is ineffective if we come at them purely from an intellectual standpoint of facts and history and philosophy. Unless we let the Spirit speak to us through the scriptures, they are of little more value than a good encyclopedia or uplifting literature.

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

When we seek learning by the Spirit, we are not limited in the things that we may know. The Lord is willing to reveal to us the truth of all things. Obviously spiritual truth is of paramount importance. But we can know the truth about any principle that is of concern to us.

Examples

Joseph Smith was the archetype of one who learned by the Spirit. He wanted to know which church was right and which he should join. He read the scriptures, attended sermons, and learned everything he could. But he realized that intellectual understanding was not enough. He was left with too many conflicting opinions and no absolute proof of one church's claim to accuracy of doctrine over another.

Nevertheless, he knew that God knew the truth, and so he went to that source of truth for his answer. True to his word as revealed in James 1:5, God answered Joseph's inquiry with a statement of truth. Once he had the answer directly from God, Joseph was no longer confused. He knew with absolute certainty that none of the church's of his day were approved by God.

There came a time in my life when I needed to know with certainty that the Book of Mormon was true. I had received my mission call and was about to leave home and family and everything I loved for two years to preach the gospel. I had read the Book of Mormon, attended many sacrament meetings, listened to teachers in countless classes, read books and commentaries about the Book of Mormon, and attended three years of early morning seminary. I knew a great deal about the Book of Mormon and its contents. But without the assurance of God that this book was truly his word, all of the intellectual knowledge was not enough.

In my urgent need for a spiritual witness, I began to read the book one more time with sincerity and real intent to learn by revelation of its truthfulness. My sincere and pleading prayers were answered immediately and unmistakably. I had to put in the work, but once I was prepared, the Holy Ghost taught me the truth that I could learn in no other way. For more than forty years I have been able to say with moral conviction that I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. That knowledge, revealed to me by the Holy Ghost, has sustained me through every experience, challenge, and affliction. It is an anchor to my soul. That is what the Holy Ghost can do.

Summary

The Holy Ghost is a living fountain of knowledge. He will not only tells us things, but he will also show us things (see 2 Nephi 32:5). He can teach us facts, but more importantly, he can teach us what to do. Our goal is to return to Heavenly Father. The Holy Ghost can show us the most direct and unerring route back to the presence of the Lord.