Growing up I was fascinating by the D&C section that talked about how to discern the differences between resurrected people, righteous spirits, and evil spirits. Since I have grown up and learned quite a bit more about Mormon history and theology, I thought I would make a short document that compiled a bunch of teachings of Joseph Smith on this subject. Below are the resources referenced and the document itself.
Resources
Revelation, June 6th, 1831 (1, 2, 3)
Discourse, June 27th, 1839 (1, 2, 3)
Discourse, between June 26th and August 4th, 1839 (1, 2)
Discourse, December 1840 (1, 2)
Discourse, January 5th, 1841 (1, 2, 3)
Discourse, March 21st, 1841 (1)
Discourse, May 16th, 1841 (1, 2, 3)
Discourse, December 26th, 1841 (1, 2)
“Try the Spirits” April 1st, 1842 (1)
Minutes and Discourse, April 28th, 1842 (1, 2)
Discourse, May 1st, 1842 (1, 2)
Instruction, February 9th, 1843 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
King Follett Discourse, April 7th, 1844 (1)
1. Not every visitation is from a righteous being. The devils are cunning, skilled orators, and speak all languages. Therefore, there is a great benefit to possessing the gift of discerning spirits. If you desire to develop this gift, the following are keys by which spirits may be tried and detected.
2. There are three beings who may appear to you as messengers: angels, who are resurrected personages who have bodies of flesh and bones and inherit celestial glory; spirits of just people who have been made perfect and also inherit Celestial glory, but who are not yet resurrected; and devils.
3. If any of these come to you as messengers, it may be difficult to discern which they are. An angel, having a body, may hide their glory; a righteous spirit cannot hide their glory; and a devil will do their best to imitate the appearance and glory of a righteous messenger. Nevertheless, there are multiple ways of detecting which they are.
4. First, ask them to shake hands with you. If they are an angel, they will shake your hand and you will feel their substance. If they are a righteous spirit, they will not shake your hand, because a good spirit will not deceive, but they will still deliver their message. If they are a devil, they may try to shake your hand, but you will not feel any substance; by this you may detect them.
5. Secondly, there are certain tokens, names, and signs by which false messengers may be detected from the true. The devil knows many signs, but does not know them all; these keys are given that the Saints may prevent deception and imposition.
6. Third, messengers may be known by their fruits. Those who are contrite, meek, edify, and bring forth praise and wisdom according to revealed truth is of the Gods. Those who are attended by a dove may also be known as pure. Conversely, messengers who advocate for bitterness or is not of the Gods, but of the devil.
7. Fourth, the appearance of a messenger may contain signs by which they may be detected. Angels appear in the form of people and never have wings. Angels and righteous spirits will always have white hair, while devils may have hair of any color.
8. Beings with bodies have power over those who do not. Therefore, no evil spirit can involuntarily possess or control a person’s body, for devils have no power over us except as we permit them. All people have power to resist evil spirits, for neither the Gods nor the devils can compel a person to act.
Some notes:
In verse 7 the source material just says that angels/righteous spirits don’t have sandy hair.
I took it a step further to say that they have white hair.
I don’t believe in the supernatural; I think this is just fun myth/lore.
The people who do have visitations I think are experiencing a mental health event.