What is reality and truth?

The societal tide is surging around the globe, with a myriad of opinions, persuasions, and perceived realities. Each of us navigates mortality based on what learn from our own personal experience and information we consume from a variety of sources. We are wise to develop and maintain an informed perspective of our world, yet we must also recognize that some of our interpretations may be incomplete or incorrect. True success and joy comes from growing our perception of truth and reality through humble awareness and study, nourishing our perception through personal prayer and revelation, and then pruning our perception based on divine guidance from the living prophet.

While serving as a counselor in the First Presidency, President Harold B. Lee explained the value of heeding the prophet’s counsel, even when our own views may differ from that counsel: “The only safety we have as members of this church is to do exactly what the Lord said to the Church in that day when the Church was organized. We must learn to give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord shall give through his prophet, ‘as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me; … as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.’ (D&C 21:4–5) There will be some things that take patience and faith. You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may contradict your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life. But if you listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord himself, with patience and faith, the promise is that ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.’ (D&C 21:6)” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1970)