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
