To know good from evil

In my studies lately I came across these two quotes about an event in the prophets life that I had never known about before. This is one of the instances where Joseph goes to look at the plates and is given instruction by Moroni. This struck me because this is something I have been thinking a lot about lately; one of the primary purposes of our mortal lives is to learn to distinguish between the good and the evil, by our own experience. This is part of becoming like God (see for example Alma 12:31, Moses 5:11, 2 Ne. 2:18, 26, and so on).

"Repentant, Joseph humbly sought the Lord in prayer and was filled with the Spirit. A vision was opened to him, and the 'glory of the Lord shone round about and rested upon him.... He beheld the prince of darkness.... The heavenly messenger [Moroni] said, "all this is shown, the good and the evil, the holy and impure, the glory of God and the power of darkness, that you may know hereafter the two powers and never be influenced or overcome by that wicked one." ... You now see why you could not obtain this record; that this commandment was strict, and that if ever these sacred things are obtained they must be by prayer and faithfulness in obeying the Lord. They are not deposited here for the sake of accumulating gain and wealth for the glory of this world: they were sealed by the prayer of faith, and because of the knowledge which they contain they are of no worth among the children of men, only for their knowledge.' Moroni concluded by warning Joseph that he would not be allowed to obtain the plates 'until he had learned to keep the commandments of God - not only till he was willing but able to do it....'"

The above was taken from the institute manual on church history, and the first quote within it was by Oliver Cowdery, and the second is from History of Joseph Smith.

"While Joseph remained there, the angel told him, 'Now I will show you the distance between light and darkness, and the operation of a good spirit and an evil one. An evil spirit will try to crowd your mind with every evil and wicked thing to keep every good thought and feeling out of your mind, but you must keep your mind always staid upon God, that no evil may come into your heart.' The angel showed him, by contrast, the difference between good and evil, and likewise the consequences of both obedience and disobedience to the commandments of God, in such a striking manner, that the impression was always vivid in his memory until the very end of his days;"

This was taken from the history written by Lucy Mack Smith.

When we obviously recognize something to be evil, it is easy for us to choose the right path, but it seems that it is more common for people to be confused about what is evil. President Monson said it in a different way: "I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not." (Finding Joy in the Journey, Oct. '08)

What a gift it would be to be so spiritually sensitive that we could see things as they really were, and then have the wisdom to choose accordingly.