Alma used the concept of taste to describe the growth of testimony. The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–44) also used taste to teach about discernment of true doctrine: “This is good doctrine. It tastes good. I can taste the principles of eternal life, and so can you. … I know that when I tell you these words of eternal life as they are given to me, you taste them, and I know that you believe them. You say honey is sweet, and so do I. I can also taste the spirit of eternal life. I know that it is good; and when I tell you of these things which were given me by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, you are bound to receive them as sweet, and rejoice more and more” (History of the Church, 6:312; italics added).
Sister Janette Hales Beckham, former general Young Women president, spoke of the feelings associated with scripture reading: “Learning to discern the teachings of the Spirit is an important part of helping faith become a reality. My daughter Karen shared her experience. She said: ‘When I was just a little girl, I started reading the Book of Mormon for the first time. After many days of reading, I came one night to 1 Nephi 3:7. … I didn’t know this was a famous verse, but as I read that verse, I felt strongly impressed. I was impressed that Heavenly Father would help us keep His commandments, but the deep impression was really more of a feeling. I had seen my parents mark verses in their scriptures with red pencils. So I got up and searched through the house until I found a red pencil, and with a great sense of solemnity and importance, I marked that verse in my own Book of Mormon.’ Karen continued: ‘Over the years as I read the scriptures, that experience was repeated time and time again—reading a verse and feeling deeply impressed. In time I came to recognize that feeling as the Holy Ghost’” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1997, 104; or Ensign, Nov. 1997, 75).