The Manifestations of the Spirit of God

Yesterday I wrote about the theme of enduring to the end that we see throughout the book of Moroni. One other theme that is prevalent through these chapters is the importance of the Holy Ghost. Moroni is of course well known for his witness of the power of the Holy Ghost given in the final chapter: “I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things…. And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost.” His testimony was that through the Holy Ghost we can learn of the things of God and know of their truth. He bore witness that we could each have spiritual gifts given to us “by the manifestations of the Spirit of God.” Through the Holy Ghost the faithful can “teach the word of wisdom” and “teach the word of knowledge” and have “the gifts of healing” and develop many other important spiritual gifts (Moroni 10:4-17). Though Moroni wandered alone without mortal friend, he had the companionship of the Holy Ghost and testified that we too could have the manifestations of the Spirit of God in our lives through faith in His Son.

                Many of the other passages in the book of Moroni similarly focus on the Holy Ghost. In the second chapter we have the Savior’s instructions to the Nephite disciples on how they could give the gift of the Holy Ghost: “After ye have done this ye shall have power that to him upon whom ye shall lay your hands, ye shall give the Holy Ghost; and in my name shall ye give it.” Moroni recorded that indeed “on as many as they laid their hands, fell the Holy Ghost” (Moroni 2:2-3). He described as well how when the disciples ordained priests and teachers, “they ordained them by the power of the Holy Ghost, which was in them” (Moroni 3:4). The prophet also recorded for us the Sacrament prayers giving us in both the glorious promise that we can “have his Spirit to be with [us]” (Moroni 4:3, 5:2). As he wrote about those who were baptized into the church, he described how they “were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost.” He described the essential part the Holy Ghost played in directing their meetings as congregations in the church: “And their meetings were conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing, even so it was done” (Moroni 6:4,9). They were directed by the power of the Holy Ghost to know how to worship together, and surely the same should be for us as well.

            Mormon similarly testified of the importance of the Holy Ghost in his teachings that Moroni recorded at the end of his record. He described how for those who “have faith in Christ… the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts.” Mormon testified boldly that God has not “withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from [us]” unless we have rejected it through wickedness. Most importantly, it is “by the power of the Holy Ghost” that we can declare “that Jesus is the Christ” (Moroni 7:32,36,44). In his letter about the baptism of infants, Mormon described how “the Holy Ghost [did] manifest the word of God unto [him]” to know the truth. He promised those of us who would repent “the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love.” He warned of the dire consequences, on the other hand, of those who would not repent and how the “Spirit hath ceased striving with them” (Moroni 8:9,26,28). He mourned the depravity of his people, saying again, “I fear lest the Spirit of the Lord hath ceased striving with them” (Moroni 9:4). His implicit invitation for us is to not follow suite but to instead let the Holy Ghost have power in our lives to fill us with the hope and love of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Both Mormon and Moroni were able to receive the purifying companionship of the Holy Ghost even at a time when all around them had rejected the Spirit of the Lord. We too in our day, no matter what the world does, can receive these manifestations of the Holy Ghost to guide and comfort us through all our trials.