The Unspeakable Gift of the Holy Ghost

To my son,

                At your brother’s baptism yesterday you got to witness him receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. This week I have been thinking about the Holy Ghost and that great gift that we receive at our confirmation. The scriptures help us to understand the great blessing that this can be in our lives. The Lord said of one missionary in 1832: “And I will send upon him the Comforter, which shall teach him the truth and the way whither he shall go” (Doctrine and Covenants 79:2). The Comforter—which is another name for the Holy Ghost—can help us to know truth and to know the way we should go in life. That name itself also testifies that through the Holy Ghost we can be comforted in our struggles. Nephi wrote this: “For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do” (2 Nephi 32:5). The Holy Ghost will help us to know all the things that we should do in life as we receive it and stay worthy to hear those promptings. Moroni gave us these words of the Lord: “He that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good” (Ether 4:11). Moroni similarly promised at the end of the Book of Mormon about how to know that it is true: “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” (Moroni 10:4-5). The Holy Ghost can help us to know what is true and good. The Savior similarly told Oliver Cowdery after he had learned truth and been led by the Spirit: “Behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit…. I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:14-15). He explained further to Oliver how the Spirit would teach him: “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart” (Doctrine and Covenants 8:2). The Lord also gave this powerful invitation to Martin Harris: “Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:23). As we walk meekly and seek to have his Spirit with us, we shall have peace in the Lord.

              These scriptures testify that through the Gift of the Holy Ghost we can be comforted, learn truth, be led where we need to go, have our minds enlightened, and find peace in Christ. Perhaps this simple statement sums it up best: “The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:46). Isn’t that amazing? No matter where we go in life, we can have the Holy Ghost as our companion to help and guide and bless us. We will never be alone because the Lord has promised us His Spirit, as long as we strive to keep our covenant with Him. I want to encourage you today to do those things which will invite the Holy Ghost to remain with you always. This includes daily prayer, daily scripture study, and weekly partaking of the Sacrament. Another important way that we can ensure that the Holy Ghost stays our companion is to avoid contention. The Savior taught the Nephites when He visited them, “He that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another” (3 Nephi 11:29). If we contend with others, then we can’t have the Spirit of the Lord with us because that spirit that invites contention is that of the devil. I know that as you strive to reduce contention and consistently draw closer to the Lord through prayer and scripture study, and as you in a spirit of repentance partake each week of the Sacrament, you will have the marvelous promise we receive in that ordinance: “That they may always have his Spirit to be with them” (Moroni 4:3). There is no greater gift in this life! It is so incredible that the Lord described it as “the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:26). The word unspeakable means “unutterable, inexpressible, indescribable”—it is so powerful that it cannot fully be described! I hope that you and I can both strive to keep this marvelous gift with us always.

Love,

Dad