How can we know???

     Faith is a difficult concept for most people. Depending on their experiences and environment it can mean anything from baseless superstition to powerful force. It can be considered with ridicule or fear or embraced with enthusiasm and gratitude. By definition I guess it would be a belief in something/someone you can not see with your physical eyes. By that definition, most of us have faith in scientists that tell us things are made of atoms, protons and electrons, quarks, and Higgs-Bosun particles. Or we believe there are countless planets and stars beyond what we see when we look at the sky. As far as we know, humans have believed in a force or being beyond their ability to see throughout the history of the earth. Because we are all so different, some people have believed more than others and even among those "believers" there has been conflict as to the nature of whatever power or being exists beyond what we see. As one of the humans who inhabits this earth, I have my own belief- based on my own experiences and things I have read, seen, and heard throughout my 62+ years in mortality.
     As a child, my parents went to a church fairly regularly but I always thought of it as just a society of nice people who meet together to try to feel good about their life choices. As a teenager, I began to question as teenagers do. Is there really a God? What does that mean for me? I had a gut feeling that that God truly exists but had no idea who He really was. I have lived through incredible advances in technology and am awed by how much more we know and what more we can do than my parents' generation or earlier. But I just don't think we are the most advanced intelligence in existence. That, to me, would be hopeless. We are advancing in some areas but totally lost, confused, and regressing in others. We have computers but people still cheat and steal. We have MRI's and CAT scans but people still maim and murder. We can replace a lost limb with a machined part but we cannot fix most mental illnesses and autism, schizophrenia, ADHD, and bipolar disorder are on the rise. We have nearly eradicated many horrible diseases but, out of fear and ignorance, we are hampered in the efforts to totally wipe them out. Are we really the best there is??
     Why can't we see God? Why must we develop and rely on faith? The best, most logical answer I have ever found is taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have not done an exhaustive study of all religions and philosophies but I have studied enough to know there isn't enough information available anywhere else. Just as we learn language by the alphabet then words, then sentences, then whole books, learning about God requires a step-by-step process. God does exist and He does want to share with us everything He knows, but we have to learn it line upon line and precept upon precept. We just aren't up to knowing all He knows in one quick, easy course! People throughout the history of the world have observed and drawn conclusions about what is true and what is folly. The ancient Greek philosopher Aristippus concluded that the only object to life is to achieve pleasure. This doctrine became known as hedonism and has a fairly negative connotation to most people. It represents a self-centered, shallow perspective which is destructive to society as a whole. What brings one person pleasure may be disastrous to other people, other creatures, or the environment of the earth. The German philosopher Immanuel Kant taught that no man has a right to practice that which, if practiced by all, would destroy society. That makes a little more sense but it doesn't allow for undeveloped intelligence and doesn't give guidance under all life circumstances. Ghandi developed the idea of things to avoid which he called the seven deadly sins: Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice, and Politics without principle. Now we're getting closer to a more complete guide to successful living! But, who can teach us character? Whose "morality" do we use when there are so many? What exactly do we sacrifice?
     Over 2000 years ago, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to answer many of those questions. We have the writings of other messengers, called prophets, that can help, too. God wants us to be like His Son because we want to be like His Son, not because we are coerced into it. God wants us to choose what WE want to choose and we could only do that if we feel independent enough to make that choice. If we could see God, could have Him tell us what to do, we would be mindless servants. He wants us to be whatever it is we choose on our own. What He is hoping, just like any good parent, is that we will turn to Him for advice because He really is wiser about absolutely everything. So, if we are willing to ask, He will tell us. If we think we are capable of judging everything for ourselves, then that is what we will choose and ignore His advice. So He's going to be quiet until we ask. All we have to do is care enough about being the best we can be, search what's available to us, then ask in sincerity, "God, if you're there, show me what to do. Show me what is true." He will be happy to do that. Just wait a minute or two, ask again if you don't get an immediate answer. But you have to sincerely want an answer whether it agrees with what you currently think or not. He WILL answer.