The Role of Feelings in Confirming LDS Belief

Feelings play a central role in Mormon belief and practice. One of the LDS church’s core teachings is that God reveals truth through feelings. While Christians often talk about the Holy Spirit working through God’s word, Mormons frequently describe spiritual communication as something they “feel more than hear.”

The LDS booklet True to the Faith explains it this way:

“Although we often describe communication from the Spirit as a voice, that voice is one that we feel more than we hear” (p. 144).

LDS members frequently describe receiving “promptings” to act—strong feelings or impressions they believe come from the Holy Ghost. For example, a missionary might say, “I had a prompting to visit a friend, and when I got there, I found out he was struggling and needed someone.”

In Mormonism, feelings don’t just guide decisions—they confirm truth. According to Moroni 10:4 in the Book of Mormon, those who sincerely pray about its truthfulness will receive a “burning in the bosom,” which they interpret as confirmation from the Holy Ghost. This concept is reinforced in LDS missionary lessons and literature.

One key resource—the pamphlet The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (sometimes the first lesson missionaries share)—includes a section titled “You Can Know This Message Is True.” It reads:

“The Holy Ghost confirms the truth through feelings, thoughts, and impressions” (p. 16).

Because of this, missionaries will often ask how you feel about what they’ve shared. Even a polite or positive-sounding response may be interpreted as the Holy Ghost confirming that their message is true.

Their personal testimonies are also rooted in this framework. When missionaries bear their testimony, they usually say they know the LDS church is true, that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that the Book of Mormon is true—not based on study, but on the feelings they have received. Be prepared for these testimonies to be emotional, especially if they feel their beliefs are being challenged.

For Christians, this can be both confusing and frustrating. You may feel tempted to explain that feelings can be misleading or unreliable. But keep in mind that most LDS missionaries have been taught to trust their emotions above all else. Simply telling them that feelings can sometimes mislead us may not resonate right away.

Instead, gently contrast their method of confirming truth with yours. Explain that Christians test truth by comparing it to God’s word—the Bible. This idea will feel just as foreign to them as their feelings-based approach feels to you.

Expect to repeat this often. Missionaries may struggle to grasp why you place such weight on the Bible rather than on emotional experiences. Be patient. The more you refer to what God has said in Scripture, and the more you model your own confidence in what he has promised, the more opportunities they’ll have to reconsider the foundation of their own beliefs.