If truth is spoken, but a listener does not sense the Spirit testifying of it, what can that mean? Especially if the listener can acknowledge it was truth?
One of the titles the Spirit holds is Spirit of Truth (John 15:26; D&C 6:15). This is related to the role of testifying of truth (John 16:13; Moroni 10:5). The scriptures appear to show truth is inextricably related to Spirit (Ephesians 5:9; 1 John 5:6; Jacob 4:13; D&C 84:45; D&C 91:4).
Does the Spirit always testify of truth? Or does it pick and choose truths of which it will and will not testify, at which times, and to which people? If the Spirit does not testify to some truths, sometimes, to some people, on what basis does it decide when to testify and when to withhold? Why would it refuse to testify of truth? If it occasionally refuses, how would it qualify for the Divinely granted title "Spirit of Truth," rather than "Spirit of Appropriately Occasional Truth"?
If the Spirit is to testify of truth, can it fail in this duty? Could that be why a listener doesn't perceive the Spirit accompanying a truth? Joseph Smith defined the Spirit as "the mind of God." (Lectures on Faith 5:2). Does God's mind fail?
If the Spirit of Truth consistently and reliably testifies of truth, did the speaker of truth perhaps fail to contact the Spirit and let it know when and where truth would be spoken, so the Spirit would show up to testify? Or did the speaker fail to infuse their true words with enough of the Spirit to be perceived? Can a speaker infuse their words with the Spirit? If so, how? Does a speaker get to determine which words the Spirit of Truth will testify of, and which it will not? Does the truthfulness of their words depart if they are not infused with Spirit? Even if they are the exact same words?
If infusing the words with the Spirit is within the capacity of the speaker, can a speaker with this skill then infuse untrue words with the Spirit?
Does the Spirit of Truth consider the channel through which true words flow as part of determining whether or not to testify of a truth? Does the Spirit of Truth withhold testimony of truth to make a statement about the speaker of the truth? What happens when someone wicked precisely repeats a true message, given by God through a prophet? Will the Spirit refuse to testify of God's truth because it is being repeated by a less-desirable mouth? Is that truth not useful to any faithful who might hear it? Is the channel through which truth flows more relevant to the Spirit's testimony than the truth flowing through it? If so, why is it titled the Spirit of Truth, and not the Spirit of the Channel Through Which Truth Flows?
Or, are the truthfulness of words, and the relationship of the Spirit to truth, independent of the speaker?
If the truthfulness of words is not reliant upon the speaker, and their words are true, and the Spirit consistently testifies of truth, but it is not sensed by a listener, is it possible that this is a failure on the part of the listener? A failure to recognize or discern the Spirit of Truth properly? Is it possible that they have certain expectations for how the Spirit must manifest itself, which are perhaps incorrect? Does a certain feeling have to accompany truth for the Spirit to be bearing witness of its truthfulness? Fuzzy, peaceful happy feelings? Or a physical burning sensation within the bosom? Are those the best indicators of truth?
How does a listener know when the speaker is speaking truth by the Spirit of Truth, and when they are speaking truth in absence of the Spirit of Truth? Can that even be done? Or is this skill of the listener imagined? An illusion by which they believe they can separate truth into Spirit-approved truth and Spirit-unapproved truth, when such a distinction doesn't actually exist? Are they perhaps instead simply perceiving their own confirmation bias, and calling it "The Spirit"?
What if you reject God-given truth because it isn't accompanied by the sense or feelings you'd like to think the Spirit manifests to testify of truth? With whom does fault lie for your rejection of that truth? The Spirit? For not meeting your imposed expectations?
Is it possible that the very recognition of a thing as true is, in and of itself, the Spirit testifying of the truth of that thing? Is it possible that this is a gift of the Spirit of Truth, and that is how it manifests? So simply? Regardless of other expectations?
