The burning of the
bosom. Sometimes we tend to take scriptural language literally and this leads
to misunderstanding. Many have assumed that the burning in the bosom describes
an actual, physical heat that we will feel inside our bodies. The Lord
clarifies that phrase by adding, “you shall feel that it is right”
(D&C 9:8) . . . In D&C 8:2-3, we are told that the Spirit speaks to our
mind and to our heart. IN other words, the majority of revelation comes as
thoughts and feelings. So the question is, can this burning of the bosom be a
literal burning, or does it refer to the feelings we have inside of us? It is
possible that for some it might actually come with a sensation of heart. After
all, the Lord can manifest His will to us any way He chooses. But modern
prophets have suggested that it is most often the latter.
President Boyd K.
Packer described it this way: “The burning in the bosom is not purely a
physical sensation. It is more like a warm light shining within your being” (“Personal
Revelation: The Gift, the Test, and the Promise,” Ensign,
November 1994). (Gerald N. Lund, Why Isn't God Answering Me? [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book, 2018], 129)
