The Voices in the World

In the last general conference President Monson said, “We read in 1 Corinthians: ‘There are … so many kinds of voices in the world.’  We are surrounded by persuasive voices, beguiling voices, belittling voices, sophisticated voices, and confusing voices. I might add that these are loud voices. I admonish you to turn the volume down and to be influenced instead by that still, small voice which will guide you to safety” (see here).  In this season of presidential politics with all sides clamoring and sometimes yelling after adherents and against opponents, perhaps it is important for us to remember that it is the world that speaks loudly, but the Lord speaks in a small voice.  The yelling and accusations and contention that we see are after the manner of the adversary, for it was he that gave us such an example during his encounter with Moses: “Satan cried with a loud voice, and ranted upon the earth, and commanded….  And it came to pass that Satan cried with a loud voice, with weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth” (Moses 1:19, 22). 

               We see numerous times in the scriptures that the voice of the Lord to us is not loud but a voice of mildness.  When the Lamanites who had cast Nephi and Lehi into prison were surrounded by darkness, they heard a voice from heaven: “And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul” (Helaman 5:30).  The voice was powerful, but it did not scream at them.  We see something similar in the account of the Father’s voice that was heard among the Nephites at the time of the Savior’s coming: “They heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center” (3 Nephi 11:3).  Again the voice had great force, but it was still a quiet voice that had to be carefully listened to.  When Elijah stood on the mount, the Lord was not in the “great and strong wind” or “an earthquake” or in “a fire”—the Lord was found in “a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-12). 

               The adversary, on the other hand, inspires the use of loud and angry voices.  When Pilate was trying to determine what he would do with Jesus, “the chief priests therefore and officers… cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him….  They cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him” (John 19:6, 15).  They were screaming for violence.  When Korihor was among the Nephite teaching false doctrine, “He did rise up in great swelling words before Alma, and did revile against the priests and teachers” (Alma 30:31).  When Amalickiah tried to inspire the Lamanites to desire to wage war against the Nephites, he likewise used loud voices to proclaim evil in the ears of his people: “He did appoint men to speak unto the Lamanites from their towers, against the Nephites” and “stirred them up to anger” (Alma 48:1, 3).  When the Assyrians who had conquered much of the land surrounding Jerusalem came before the holy city, their emissary “stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.  Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.  Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria” (Isaiah 36:13-15).  He came to the city walls and yelled at the people to not listen to Hezekiah but tried to inspire them to fear the approaching army.  Again and again, wickedness employs loud, angry voices to seek to motivate us. 

               Our difficult task then is to filter out all of those loud, angry voices and hear the quiet word of the Lord.  President Monson invited us this way in the same talk: “Open your hearts, even your very souls, to the sound of that special voice which testifies of truth. As the prophet Isaiah promised, ‘Thine ears shall hear a word…, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.’ May we ever be in tune, that we might hear this comforting, guiding voice which will keep us safe.”