Talk on the Holy Ghost

 I was invited to give a talk on the Holy Ghost this week, which felt really soon... I gave a talk, like, 6 months ago, and then bore my testimony for ward conference last month, the same Sunday I sang in Sacrament meeting... I figured I would have a little more time before having to get up again. Haha! Aw, well. Brother Howells asked me to prepare to speak for 15 minutes. I waaaayyy over-prepared, which means I'll be picking and choosing what from my talk I'm going to say. But I definitely felt the Holy Ghost directing my thoughts this week. I learned from a ton of different talks and scriptures and had some cool thoughts while I prepared this talk. So, while it's definitely too long, I wanted to preserve the whole thing, just because it was a cool experience to write it.

 I especially loved asking people around me how they hear the Holy Ghost speaking to them. It just made for some really cool, uplifting conversations with people this week. So, without further ado,

For the past few weeks, we have been talking about the Godhead in our Family Home Evenings, just so that our kids have a foundational understanding of who God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Ghost are. A couple of weeks ago, we distinguished the difference between who God is and who Jesus is, and we talked about some of the names of Jesus. This week, we had a discussion about the Holy Ghost, and on our whiteboard at home, I drew a continuum line and tried to explain that the strength to which we feel the Holy Ghost in our lives varies and fluctuates. Feeling the Holy Ghost in our lives is dependent on our choices and actions, of course. But even when we are doing our best, we will feel His influence at times stronger or not as strong.

Everyone can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost in their lives. One of the main jobs of the Holy Ghost is to witness to a person that something is true and right. When investigators are learning the gospel, it is the Holy Ghost that helps them to know it is true and helps them have a desire to be baptized and confirmed. But the GIFT of the Holy Ghost is something more, something special. When a person exercises faith in Jesus Christ to repentance and baptism, they receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and they are promised that they can always have the Holy Ghost with them, assuming they are worthy for his companionship. President Oaks said, “The blessings available through the gift of the Holy Ghost are conditioned upon worthiness. ‘The Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples.’ Even though we have a right to his constant companionship, the Spirit of the Lord will dwell only with us when we keep the commandments. He will withdraw when we offend him by profanity, uncleanliness, disobedience, rebellion or other serious sins.”

So, our actions, our thoughts, our attitudes all influence if and how much we can feel the Holy Ghost with us. But even when we are doing our absolute best, living our lives in harmony with the teachings of the gospel, there will be times when we don’t feel his influence as much. Elder Bednar said, “As we gain experience with the Holy Ghost, we learn that the intensity with which we feel the Spirit’s influence is not always the same. Strong, dramatic spiritual impressions do not come to us frequently. Even as we strive to be faithful and obedient, there simply are times when the direction, assurance, and peace of the Spirit are not readily recognizable in our lives. In fact, the Book of Mormon describes faithful Lamanites who ‘were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.’”

It is our baptismal covenants, and the renewing of our covenants as we take the Sacrament every Sunday, that brings the gift of the Holy Ghost and His presence into our lives. President Oaks said, “When we consciously and sincerely renew our baptismal covenants as we partake of the Sacrament, we renew our qualifications for the promise ‘that we may always have His Spirit to be with us.’” I love this thought from Elder Bednar, speaking of the covenant promise: “Taking ‘the Holy Spirit for our guide’ is possible and is essential for our spiritual growth and survival in an increasingly wicked world. Sometimes as latter-day saints, we talk and act as though recognizing the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives is the rare or exceptional event. We should remember, however, that the covenant promise is that we may always have His Spirit to be with us. This supernal blessing applies to every single member of the Church who has been baptized, confirmed and instructed to ‘receive the Holy Ghost.’”

So, I feel like he’s saying that we are likely feeling the Holy Ghost more than we may think. What does the Holy Ghost feel like? I think everyone is different, and the Holy Ghost speaks to us in different ways. I was in a Stake Women’s Conference lesson last year, and I remember someone saying that the Holy Ghost knows each of us and will speak to a person in a way that jives with their personality or that is especially recognizable to them. For example, someone who may be more in tune with their emotions might feel the Holy Ghost speaking to their feelings and emotions, whereas another person who may tend to be more logical will feel the Holy Ghost speaking to their minds. I love this thought, that the Holy Ghost will speak to each of us in a way that connects the most with us. So, again, what does it feel like?

·       In a general conference talk that I read this week, the general authority who was speaking, I believe it was President Eyring, said that when he is being influenced by the Holy Ghost, it’s simply a feeling of light.

·       Daniel told me that he can just feel when something is right.

·       I feel the traditional burning bosom, when the Holy Ghost is testifying to me that something is true, and frequently I have what I think of as “ping thoughts”. A “ping thought” is when a thought will suddenly pop into my head unbidden, when I’m thinking about something completely unrelated. These tend to be something like, “Text this person and see how they are.” “Call your mom.” “Go apologize to your child.” “Write a thank you note to such and such a person.”

·       When I asked my kids how they think they feel the Holy Ghost, they seemed unsure at first. But I asked them when the last time they could recognize that they felt the Holy Ghost, and they said in the Saratoga Springs temple, at the Open House. And when I asked what they felt in the temple, they said they felt peaceful and happy.

·       My sister said that when she is in spiritual environments or meetings, and really trying to focus on feeling the Holy Ghost, images will come to her mind. She said that normally her brain is not good at imagining things and images in her mind are never very clear. But when she’s trying to feel the Spirit, the images are clearer than normal.

·       One friend that I asked said this: “If I’m seeking an answer from the Holy Ghost, I feel like that answer is stronger or louder, more persistent than others. It makes the prompting feel important. I have learned over time that if I push that thought away, occasionally I’ll get a second chance, but not always. So I need to respond the first time.” She continues, “If I’m seeking comfort from the Holy Ghost, I have often felt a literal tightness in my shoulders (like receiving a hug, I think, not like her being stressed). Or I have seen Him through others, like ministering from others.”

·       Another friend that I talked to said this: “I kind of feel a calm come over me, like something gently encouraging me to settle my mind as the thought or prompting softly comes in. I often feel it in my chest, like something stirring or lifting, and it sometimes travels to my throat. Sometimes, I tear up. Sometimes it comes a few times, sometimes it comes only once. I’m learning how to act on those things as they come, even if they seem random or small.”

·       This friend’s husband says that his throat gets tight when he feels the Holy Ghost.

·       And one of our sweet primary kids says the Holy Ghost feels “good, happy, warm, calm and peaceful.”

The Holy Ghost is one of the greatest gifts that Heavenly Father has given us. The Holy Ghost has many different and important roles in our lives. I want to talk about some of the ways that the Holy Ghost can and does help us.

·       He testifies of truth, helps us to feel what is true, and is the means by which we gain faith and testimony. Moroni 10:5 “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” I have had many little experiences with this in my life, but one poignant moment that comes to mind if just a simple one. It’s pretty vivid in my mind. We were driving in the car, the whole family, I believe. I can’t even remember where we were coming from… maybe the end of a road trip or back from Daniel’s parent’s house? And we were almost home. Daniel asked me to read the scriptures to him for our couple reading before we got home and became busy with getting kids to bed. I read these scriptures to him, from Alma 7, “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities. Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.” And when I read those words, I felt the Spirit flood my chest, with that warm, light feeling, and I had the most powerful witness that Jesus is my Savior.

·       He brings all things to our remembrance. John 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance.” I love this one, because I can be forgetful sometimes. I know I relied on the gift of the Holy Ghost when I was in the BYU testing center. I’m pretty sure I prayed before every test, so that I could remember all the things I studied. There have also been times in my life when He will help me to remember a prompting He’d already given me. Almost a year and a half ago, during the October session of General Conference, I received a very clear and out of the blue prompting, a “ping” thought, to reach out to one of my sisters. What I felt prompted to do was a little more involved and would have taken effort and planning, and I thought within myself that I needed to think this one over and how best to accomplish it. But over the next few months, life got busy – I went on a girls trip with my mom and sisters, and then it was into the holidays, and the new year. And I didn’t do what I was instructed to do. But midway through January, I remembered that prompting I’d had a few months before, and I went ahead with what I was to do. What’s interesting to me about this instance is that it was several months before I was reminded again. I think sometimes, often, the repeat prompting comes on the heels of the first one. And sometimes we need multiple repeat promptings, right? And if we keep ignoring them, the promptings stop altogether. But this time, the repeat prompting came several months after the first one. I think that is evidence of God’s patience with us, and that He is willing to give us second, third, 100 chances to get things right.

·       He comforts and brings us peace when we need it, when we’re unsettled, when we’re grieving. I think right along with this one is a favorite of mine, which is the feeling that we are acceptable to God, that our lives are right before Him, that our offering, however imperfect, is accepted, and that we are on the right track. The Holy Ghost can help us to feel this. The Savior said, “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” President Eyring teaches this: “The gift of peace is given after we have the faith to keep His commandments.” He says that, “the Holy Ghost will come and abide with us. The Lord says that as we continue to be faithful, the Holy Ghost will dwell in us. That is the promise in the sacramental prayer that the Spirit will be our companion and that we will feel, in our hearts and minds, His comfort.”

·        He warns and prepares us.

·       And he sanctifies and cleanses us. This sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost is fascinating to me. There are a few different definitions for the word sanctify: “1) to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use; 2) to free from sin; 3) to make productive of holiness or piety”. I love the thought that as we invite the Spirit to be with us more, and as we are sanctified by the Holy Ghost, we are being “set apart to a sacred purpose” and we are being “made productive of holiness”. The gift of the Holy Ghost is described in the scriptures sometimes as the “baptism by fire”. Fire is a purifier. In ancient times, fire was used to purify gold and caused impurities to rise to the surface, making them easier to remove. I have this symbolic image in my head of the Holy Ghost bringing all of our imperfections, our impurities, our weaknesses and our sins to the surface of our souls, or bringing them to the front of our minds, so that we can repent and work on removing them from our characters. As we live our whole lives striving to invite the Holy Ghost to be with us constantly, He changes us. We become something new and better.

A couple of random thoughts to end with:

1)      The voice of the adversary: We know that there is a Holy Ghost. We need to also know that there is, what President Boyd K Packer called “a spirit of opposition and evil.” He quoted the scripture Moroni (7:17), which says, “Whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.” Then President Packer says, “The spiritual communications from the Holy Ghost can be interrupted by the promptings of the evil one. You will learn to recognize that. We must be able to detect the opposing influence.”

2)      As I’ve been learning how the Holy Ghost works with me and speaks to me, I’ve learned, in rather painful ways, that revelation is not something that we can force or expect. We CAN expect the Holy Ghost to always be with us, if we are striving to keep our covenants and repenting daily. That is God’s promise to us. But when we are seeking answers to questions, or guidance on what to do in our lives, we don’t always get answers exactly when and how we want them. Elder Stevenson said in the most recent general conference, “Spiritual matters cannot be forced. You can cultivate an attitude and an environment that invite the Spirit, and you can prepare yourself, but you cannot dictate how or when inspiration comes. Be patient and trust that you will receive what you need when the time is right.”

3)      President Oaks says: “If we are practicing our faith and seeking the companionship of the Holy Spirit, His presence can be felt in our hearts and in our homes. A family having daily family prayers and seeking to keep the commandments of God and honor His name and speak lovingly to one another will have a spiritual feeling in their home that will be discernible to all who enter it.”

Preparing for this talk has been a kind of educational experience with the Holy Ghost. It’s been really cool, actually. At first, the topic of the Holy Ghost felt SO broad. Usually, I like to do some study in the scriptures and general conference, and ruminate for a few days about the topic, see where my thoughts lead me. And then, as thoughts come, or an outline forms, I’ll start making notes and writing a talk. I used this pattern again, but it was so interesting to watch the evolution of my thoughts. At the beginning of the week, when I started my research phase, I had the impression to stop listening to my book. I listen to books a lot, when I’m getting ready or doing dishes and laundry, and I am currently listening to kind of a dark book. I felt like I should use this week to listen to conference talks and focus on spiritual things as I prepared for this talk. I just felt like this would be important to do, so I followed that prompting and started listening to other things. And I did the other things this week that would prepare me and bring the Spirit. The thoughts about this topic and this talk were slow in coming, at the beginning. I had a hard time knowing what I should specifically talk about. But as I started actually writing down some thoughts and quotes, it was amazing to see how my mind would turn to specific quotes or talks or scriptures or conversations I’ve had with people. One day, this week, as I was working on my talk, I felt flooded with thoughts, they were so fast in coming, and I barely had time to work through one thought or paragraph before another one was crowding in. I learned so much about the Holy Ghost and how He works in our lives, and I’ve been reminded of how vastly important He is in our development and growth in the Gospel. I’m still learning about His role in my life, how He speaks to me personally, and how I can increase His influence in my life. But here’s what I do know:

·       I know that He’s real. I have felt His influence many times for various reasons. I know that he testifies of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

·       I know that He is one of the greatest gifts that Heavenly Father has given us, to assist us in returning to live with Him again. It is another evidence of God’s love for each of us, that He provided the Gift of the Holy Ghost to guide, direct, encourage, and give peace to us in this life.

I have a testimony of the gospel. I believe in Jesus Christ and I know He knows us and loves us, that He Atoned for us and was resurrected. I know God lives and loves each of you, and there is a purpose to this earth life. I love the gospel and the plan of salvation.