Someone sent me an email which I will share the anonymized essence of below.
Email
Would it be fair to say the degree to which you have the spirit with you is the degree to which you have the priesthood? If that is the case, would a priest be defined as someone who follows the spirit?
I'm trying to see past the blinders that have been put on me through years of <church> cultural experience of what priesthood and the spirit are.
I think something I’m going to do better this time is to do the right thing because it’s the right thing, not lusting after grand spiritual experiences. I’ve always been a crowd pleaser type of guy and wanted the experiences to prove to my friends that the gospel is true. But I’m beginning to realize those experiences aren’t the goal but are evidences that you are on the right path and all of them have a purpose of propelling you forward on the path instead of being the goal itself.
Response
An amplified version of the response I sent him for a general audience follows.
If you more fully understand the purpose of spiritual experiences, you can more directly increase their frequency and intensity by adopting the purpose for which they are given.
"I’m beginning to realize those experiences aren’t the goal but are evidences that you are on the right path and all of them have a purpose of propelling you forward on the path instead of being the goal itself." Exactly. Well done.
The purpose of spiritual experiences is to advance your similitude to Jesus and help others to do the same. If you pursue that path, you will find yourself with more and greater spiritual experiences than one who does not.
To see past the blinders, remove the stumbling stones. Instead of thinking of "priesthood" or "the spirit," which are means to an end, think of the end itself, and you will find and increase in both:
10 And when the disciples had done this, Jesus said unto them: Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you.
11 And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.
12 And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall do these things. And if ye shall always do these things blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock.
13 But whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock, but are built upon a sandy foundation; and when the rain descends, and the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon them, they shall fall, and the gates of hell are ready open to receive them.
14 Therefore blessed are ye if ye shall keep my commandments, which the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you. (3 Nephi 18)
This is the most effective way of finding the best way (which is a process, not an event) and collecting strong evidence of its accuracy and worth:
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:17)
37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (John 17)
The more you live as Jesus would, the more evidences with flow in and through your life to others. Spiritual experiences are certainly one class of evidence, but they aren't the most powerful or greatest reaching by any stretch. Many people are fascinated by spiritual experiences, but very few will change their behavior because of them. Sometimes spiritual experiences teach someone more about Christ or persuade them (or others) to become more like him, but not often. It is more effective to directly try to persuade someone of improvement than it is to share spiritual experiences with the hope that they react to them by improving.
Strong reasoning is the most effective way to share the gospel, and every other effective means is really just another variant of the same. The most persuasive means is the best to use with others.