The Gift of the Holy Ghost

Before discussing the Holy Ghost, let’s recall what we know from previous lessons…

-He is the third member of the God Head

- He is a “personage of Spirit” (D&C 130:22), doesn’t have a body of flesh and bones

-His influence can be everywhere at once (he is like the sun, having the ability to radiate light to us all at the same time).

-His mission is to bear witness of the Father and the Son and OF ALL TRUTH

-He is the messenger for and the witness of the father and the Son

-“Comforter, a teacher, and a revelator”

-He purifies, or sanctifies, us to prepare us to dwell in the presence of God; he purifies our hearts so we no longer have the desire to do evil

Those are the qualities, the characteristics, of the Holy Ghost. But what is the difference between the Holy Ghost and the GIFT of the Holy Ghost? Aren’t they the same thing?

NO.

(Share 3 personal stories-Discussions with Kaylin, Dad at Work, Mom in the Car)

So how is it that you only receive the gift of the Holy Ghost after baptism, yet it’s the Holy Ghost that helps you know that the Church, Book of Mormon, etc. are true? This is a concept I understood better as I got older…

Answer: The biggest difference between the promptings of the Holy Ghost before baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost received at baptism is TIME, permanence. “A person may be temporarily guided by the Holy Ghost without receiving the GIFT of the Holy Ghost (D&C 130:22). However, this guidance will not be CONTINUOUS unless the person is baptized and receives the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (manual)

The story of Cornelius in Acts 10- Cornelius received inspiration through the Holy Ghost that the gospel of Jesus Christ was true. He didn’t receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. Joseph Smith taught that if Cornelius hadn’t received baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost thereafter, the Holy Ghost would have left him.

“the gift of the Holy Ghost is the privilege—given to people who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ, been baptized, and been confirmed as members of the Church-to receive CONTINUAL guidance and inspiration from the Holy Ghost.” (manual)

RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST

However, it is both interesting and imperative to mention the words spoken when a worthy member of the Melchizedek administers this blessing. He says, “Receive the Holy Ghost.” He does not say “Here’s this gift I bestow unto you forever and ever that you must do nothing to receive or to keep.” The statement uttered is a command of sorts. While a worthy baptized member is confirmed a member of the church and is given the gift of the Holy Ghost by the power of the priesthood, it only opens the door for that permanent companionship. It does not guarantee it. Just like baptism requires continual commitment and perpetual righteousness, so does the gift of the Holy Ghost. It requires you to act (surprise, surprise…the Lord’s gospel is one of action, not just belief).

“…there is no guarantee that the person will receive inspiration and guidance from the Holy Ghost just because the elders have laid their hands on his or her head. Each person my ‘receive the Holy Ghost.’ This means that the Holy Ghost will come to us only when we are faithful and desire help from this heavenly messenger.” (manual)

“The Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, cannot be received through the medium of any other principle than the principle of righteousness” ~Joseph Smith (I would add ‘cannot be received OR maintained)

THE PRINCIPLE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. Let’s expound on this. What was Joseph Smith referring to? What exactly did he mean? If we need to DO, to act, in order to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, what righteous behavior do we need to have part of our daily lives?

Well, lucky for us we have modern day prophets that help with just these kinds of things! In October’s General Conference, Elder David A. Bednar (one of my person favorites) expounded on this principle in list form. Elder Bednar listed three things that will make the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost a reality.

First, we need to have a sincere desire to receive the Holy Ghost.

- Desire, yearn and seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost

- Pray earnestly and consistently for that which we want most, even the Holy Ghost

Second, we need to appropriately invite the Holy Ghost into our lives.

“We more readily receive and recognize the Spirit of the Lord as we appropriately invite Him into our lives. We cannot compel, coerce, or command the Holy Ghost. Rather, we should invite Him into our lives with the same gentleness and tenderness by which He entreats us (see D&C 42:14).”

-Our invitations for the companionship of the Holy Ghost occur through many ways…making and keeping covenants, praying sincerely, diligently searching the scriptures, strengthening family relationships, seeking after virtuous thoughts, actions and language; and worshipping in our homes, temples and churches.

Mosiah 2:36 (if you go against what you know Is right, the spirit of the Lord cannot bless you)

Lastly, we need to obey God’s commandments.

Praying, studying, gathering, worshipping, serving, and obeying are not isolated and independent items on a lengthy gospel checklist of things to do. Rather, each of these righteous practices is an important element in an overarching spiritual quest to fulfill the mandate to receive the Holy Ghost. The commandments from God we obey and the inspired counsel from Church leaders we follow principally focus upon obtaining the companionship of the Spirit. Fundamentally, all gospel teachings and activities are centered on coming unto Christ by receiving the Holy Ghost in our lives.

RECOGNIZING THE INFLUENCE OF THE HOLY GHOST

-He USUALLY communicates quietly, “still small voice”

-“The Holy Ghost speaks with a voice that you feel more than you hear…While we speak of ‘listening’ to the whisperings of the Spirit, most often one describes a spiritual prompting by saying, ‘ I had a feeling…’…This voice of the Spirit speaks gently, prompting you what to do or what to say, or it may caution or warn you.” Boyd K. Packer, October 1994 General Conference

ONE OF GOD’S GREATEST GIFTS

Through the Holy Ghost we may:

-Know that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, and that His Church has been restored to Earth

-Have promptings to show us all things we should do (2 Nephi 32:5)

-Be sanctified in preparation to be in God’s presence

-Enjoy gifts of the spirit

-Have peace in our hearts

-Have an understanding of the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:9-12)

Kathleen H. Hughes describes the Holy Ghost and his promptings as a sweet gift to unwrap and remember when life is difficult:

(This quote comes after she relays the story of losing her own mother-as she was a young mother herself-and the yearning she felt for her..)
"One night as I was praying and crying (which I did often then), I felt comfort fill my body—suddenly and powerfully. The feeling restored me; it gave me peace. It did not last long physically, yet it was immensely comforting. I knew what it was—the Lord’s love encircling me and granting me peace and strength. But just as important, that moment has remained in my memory as a sweet gift to unwrap and remember when life is difficult."

What a blessing it is to have the GIFT of the Holy Ghost help us recall such tender experiences. As I bear testimony of the truthfulness of this gospel, I experience again and again the Lord's witness of truth. That sweet, gentle nudging of the Spirit. What a blessing it is to receive guidance and comfort when needed and then to recall those feelings and experiences time and time again. What a loving Father in Heaven we have!

I'd like to close with another quote from Kathleen,

"As faithful women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have been blessed with the Holy Ghost. As we invite the Savior into our lives, the Holy Ghost will bear witness to us of the love which the Father and His Son, our Savior, have for each of us. But feeling Their love is dependent not only on our desire but upon our actions as well. And the actions we need to take are known to us: genuine prayer that is specific and humble, followed by quiet listening for the Lord’s answers; regular scripture study and time to ponder what we read; and, finally, a willingness to be introspective about ourselves and to trust in the Lord’s promise that He will “make weak things become strong unto [us]” (Ether 12:27). As we study and ponder, we are entitled to the promptings of the Spirit, and as we grow more attentive to these promptings, we come to recognize each day the workings of the Lord in our lives. We will find Him, as Elder Neal A. Maxwell stated, “in the details of our lives” (“Becoming a Disciple,” Ensign, June 1996, 19). And when that recognition comes, we feel His peace and recognize that we are truly encircled in the arms of His love."

In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, Amen.

My Sources:

Gospel Principles Chapter 21
David A. Bednar's October 2010 General Conference Address
Kathleen H. Hughes's October 2006 General Conference Address

Baptism

It's Saturday night as this is what I have prepared for tomorrow. Let's hope it goes well!

(One the board)Define:
Ordinance-a rite or ceremony (baptism is the first)
Gospel Principle-a true belief or teaching (first two are faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and repentance)
Covenant-a two way promise between you and the Lord

Intro:

(Last year, I taught plenty of lessons about baptism…but to six, seven and eight year olds...we'll see how this goes!)

I was that pain-in-the-rear-end kid, and teenager, that always wanted to know why…why, why, why, why? I suppose nothing has changed because that's what came into my mind when I looked at the title of this lesson.

As sisters attending RS, the vast majority of us are baptized already. We’ve both been taught about, and made the commitment to, the covenant of baptism. So why are we learning about it all over again? And what are we supposed to be learning now-post baptism- that we don’t already know? How should my lesson today differ from those I taught the children in Primary?

Between my own thoughts and the thoughts of modern day prophets I’ve come up with a few reasons why we should continually learn about and ponder our baptism. What reasons can you come up with?

Why we need to learn about baptism long after we exit the waters ourselves:

-So we can teach our children
-So we can review and recommit to the covenants we’ve made
-So we can make the sacrament we partake of each week more meaningful, as it was intended to be
-To help us more fully live the gospel
-To remind us of the importance of baptism for the dead (give ourselves a kick in the pants and remind us to reach whatever person goal we have set for the temple-to help those who are waiting for us to do their work)

‘When we understand our baptismal covenant and the gift of the Holy Ghost, it will change our lives and will establish our total allegiance to the kingdom of God. When temptations come our way, if we will listen, the Holy Ghost will remind us that we have promised to remember our Savior and obey the commandments of God.” Elder Robert D. Hales


So let’s start at the basics...
Why is it imperative that we be baptized?

-For the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38, 22:16)
-To become members of the Church (D&C 20:37)
-To receive the Holy Ghost (Moses 6:52)
-To show obedience (Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness, Matthew 3:15, 2Ne 31:12-13)
-To enter the Celestial Kingdom

What are a few key ingredients to baptism?

-Correct mode of baptism-by immersion (D&C 20:73-74...Paul taught that it is symbolic of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection-Romans 6)
-By those who have proper priesthood authority (so as to not mock God? Done in right spirit for the right reason? So God can covenant with us?)
-Age of accountability (Mormon said it was a mockery to baptize children because they aren’t capable of sinning, Moroni 8:9-22, Matthew 19:14)

Why is authority to perform a baptism important (my thoughts?-Again, so you’re not mocking God, so it’s done in the right spirit for the right reason, because if one isn’t authorized of God, God cannot make a covenant with them)
What might you say to a friend who believes that infants need to be baptized? (We believe that man will be punished for his own sins, not for Adam’s transgressions…Jesus spoke of little children saying “of such is the kingdom of heaven”-Matthew 19:14)

What covenants/promises do we make?

Alma explained that we must WANT to be called the people of God, to help and comfort each other, to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places. When we have the desire to do these things, we should be baptized. When we do, we make a covenant with him. We promise to:

-Repent & Come into the fold
-Bear one another’s burdens
-Stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all places
-Serve God and keep his commandments
(Mosiah 18)

President Brigham Young said: “All Latter-day Saints enter the new and everlasting covenant when they enter this Church. They covenant to cease sustaining, upholding and cherishing the kingdom of the Devil and the kingdoms of this world. They enter the new and everlasting covenant to sustain the Kingdom of God and no other kingdom. They take a vow of the most solemn kind, before the heavens and earth, … that they will sustain truth and righteousness instead of wickedness and falsehood, and build up the Kingdom of God, instead of the kingdoms of this world” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young [1997], 62–63)

What does the Lord promise?

-Forgive our sins (Acts 2:38, D&C 49:13)
-Pour out His Spirit more abundantly upon on us (Mosiah 18:10)
-Give us daily guidance and the help of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38, D&C 20:77)
-Let us come forth in the First Resurrection (Mosiah 18:9)
-Give us eternal life

When we make this covenant with the Lord we are instantly blessed. We start anew. We often hear about “Gateway” drugs or “Gateway” behavior. The term is typically used negatively. Well here’s where we’re going to give “Gateway” a new meaning…Baptism is a “gateway” to a new beginning; the unlocking of a door that will lead us to where we need to be in order to receive exaltation. A “gateway” we get to re-enter into each week as we partake of the sacrament.

2 Ne 31: 17-18
17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and a baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
18 And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.

(If time, read…)
We cannot take lightly the law given to us to teach our children the doctrine of repentance; faith in Christ, the Son of the living God; and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands when eight years old, which is the age of accountability appointed by God. We need to do a better job of teaching our children and our grandchildren to understand what it means to enter the kingdom of God, for we will be held accountable. Many members of the Church do not fully understand what happened when they went into the waters of baptism. It is very important for us to understand the marvelous gift of the remission of sins, but there is much more. Do you understand and do your children understand that when they are baptized they are changed forever? …

When we are baptized, we take upon ourselves the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Taking upon us His name is one of the most significant experiences we have in life. Yet sometimes we pass through that experience without having a full understanding.

How many of our children—how many of us—really understand that when we were baptized we took upon us not only the name of Christ but also the law of obedience?

Each week in sacrament meeting we promise to remember the atoning sacrifice of our Savior as we renew our baptismal covenant. We promise to do as the Savior did—to be obedient to the Father and always keep His commandments. The blessing we receive in return is to always have His Spirit to be with us.

The gift of the Holy Ghost, given to us when we are confirmed, gives us the ability to discern the difference between the giving ways of the kingdom of God and the taking practices of the world. The Holy Ghost gives us the strength and courage to conduct our lives in the ways of the kingdom of God and is the source of our testimony of the Father and the Son. As we obey the will of our Father in Heaven, this priceless gift of the Holy Ghost will be with us continually.

We need the Holy Ghost as our constant companion to help us make better choices in the decisions that confront us daily. Our young men and women are bombarded with ugly things of the world. Companionship with the Spirit will give them the strength to resist evil and, when necessary, repent and return to the strait and narrow path. None of us are immune from the temptations of the adversary. We all need the fortification available through the Holy Ghost. Mothers and fathers should prayerfully invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in their dedicated homes. Having the gift of the Holy Ghost helps family members make wise choices—choices that will help them return with their families to their Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, to live with Them eternally.

The scriptures confirm that the truly converted do more than just forsake the enticements of the world. They love God and their fellowmen. Their minds and hearts are centered on the Savior’s atoning sacrifice. From the moment of their respective conversions, Enos, Alma the Younger, Paul, and others turned wholeheartedly to the task of bringing themselves and their fellowmen to God. Worldly power and possessions lost their former significance. The sons of Mosiah refused an earthly kingdom and risked their lives for the sake of others. These faithful sons were driven by the hope that they might be able to help save even one soul—thus winning for themselves and their brethren a place in God’s eternal kingdom.

By choosing to be in His kingdom, we separate—not isolate—ourselves from the world. Our dress will be modest, our thoughts pure, our language clean. The movies and television we watch, the music we listen to, the books, magazines, and newspapers we read will be uplifting. We will choose friends who encourage our eternal goals, and we will treat others with kindness. We will shun the vices of immorality, gambling, tobacco, liquor, and illicit drugs. Our Sunday activities will reflect the commandment of God to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. We will follow the example of Jesus Christ in the way we treat others. We will live to be worthy to enter the house of the Lord.
We will be examples “of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12).
We will receive “a mighty change … in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” We will keep our “covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things … all the remainder of our days” (Mosiah 5:2, 5).
We will demonstrate that we “are desirous to … be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
“Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort” (Mosiah 18:8–9).
Elder Robert D. Hales

Elder Robert D. Hales October 2000 General Conference Address "The Covenant of Baptism: To Be in the Kingdom and of the Kingdom"
Gospel Principles Chapter 20: Baptism

A Reason for Another Blog

As of a couple months ago, I'm a newly called Relief Society teacher. I'm not going to lie, I was scared to accept the call and was more than a little unsure how it would all go. But alas, teaching RS has been quite enjoyable. In fact, I would venture as far as saying that it has been a great blessing in my life. I hope the sisters are learning as much as I am!

A couple weeks ago my computer got a virus. I lost the two lessons I had prepared and given in the past months. It's no big deal but I thought it might be nice to keep my lessons online in an effort to preserve them.

I have no expectation that many people will read my lesson plans. I don't know that I would mind if they did, but it's not my intention. I hope that one day, my kids will get something out of them. I hope that one day, I'll look back and be reminded not only of these spiritual principles but of the memories I have with the sisters I have taught. I hope that one day, the preservation of these lessons will be of some value to someone, somewhere.

In the event that someone should actually read these lessons, there is something you should know:
-I aim to be a "discussion leader" rather than a teacher. I believe people have the potential to teach each other far more than I can teach them on my own. Thus, my lessons are quite frequently far different than my outline...and much, much better. The comments of the sisters take over, bringing in a powerful spirit and teaching lessons I couldn't possibility teach on my own, let alone write in an outline-no matter how detailed.
-I teach by outline...I never cover all that is in my lesson plan, it's just a detailed outline created to stimulate conversation while providing plenty of material that will allow me to talk for the entire allotted time (just in case nobody feels the need to comment).
-I actually try not to read many things verbatim from my lessons
-I use a lot of conference talks. While I draw great quotes from them, I always recommend reading the yourselves. The words of the apostles in their entirety are far better than my abridged version.