30 Jan
The Holy Ghost
The Holy Ghost is the reason I am a practicing Latter-day Saint. Without Him, the Book of Mormon would be just another book and I would have no testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Each day I strive to feel more of the Spirit of God in my life, and to refine my ability to listen to His promptings that I might not what direction God wants me to take in my life.
I’ve talked a little bit about our pre-earth life, a time when we lived in God’s presence as spirit sons and daughters of God. When we agreed to the The Plan of Salvation, we were agreeing to be placed into a world where our fallen brother Lucifer would have the ability to tempt us to do wrong, thus preventing us from returning to live with God again one day. Our brother Jesus Christ was to be our Savior, and He would atone for our sins. God gave us a marvelous gift when He offered up His Son, but He provided yet another of His sons for us, the Holy Ghost. To put His mission very simply, the Holy Ghost is given to us to bear witness of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and to testify of the truth of all things.
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can saythat Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 1 Corinthians 12:3
1 Corinthians goes on to talk about some of the gifts of the Spirit, including: wisdom, knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophesy, discerning of prophecy, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues. In the Church we are taught that all members given the Gift of the Holy Ghost are blessed with at least one of these gifts, and that we are to work to develop those gifts and use them to bless of the lives of others.
In the Church we make a distinction between what we call the Light of Christ and the Gift of the Holy Ghost. The Light of Christ is available to all men, regardless of their faith. To quote lds.org, “The Light of Christ is the divine energy, power, or influence that proceeds from God through Christ and gives life and light to all things. The Light of Christ influences people for good and prepares them to receive the Holy Ghost. One manifestation of the Light of Christ is what we call a conscience.”
The Light of Christ is like a force or a presence in our lives, unlike the Holy Ghost which is a personage of Spirit. He is the third member of the Godhead. He can only be in one place at one time, though His influence can be felt everywhere at the same time. Those who choose to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ are baptized, and then through the laying on of hands (a priesthood blessing by those with authority directly from God) are given the Gift of the Holy Ghost. If the Light of Christ makes us good, the Holy Ghost makes us great! We can only feel His power and learn from His when we keep ourselves worthy by obeying the commandments of God.
For me, the influence/whisperings/presence of the Holy Ghost feels very warm and a bit tingly. It’s a feeling that originates from the heart and spreads throughout my body. There have been times in my life when I have been doing things that are contrary to the Will of God, and I would spend many nights on my knees begging for the Holy Ghost to come back into my life. It was only when He wasn’t with me that I realized how much I valued His companionship. No matter how hard I tried though, I could never duplicate the exact feeling that I have come to identify as the Spirit of God. It is peaceful and comforting. There are many who speak of a voice testifying to them, particularly in times of distress or danger, but this has not been my experience. The Holy Ghost communicates with me through feelings, and I must listen closely to discern the intended message.
In Helaman 5 we learn of two great missionaries, Nephi and Lehi, who are out preaching the Gospel. They are captured and imprisoned for the things they are teaching, and as they continue to testify while imprisoned the earth begins to shake and a cloud of darkness overtakes their tormentors. A voice pierces through the darkness:
And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul— Helaman 5:30
This is how I think of the Holy Ghost. A still voice of perfect mildness that pierces my soul. That Husband is not comfortable sharing his conversion story publicly, but each time I’ve heard him retell it, he has spoken powerfully of the moment during his lesson with the missionaries that he felt the power of the Holy Ghost speak to his soul. It was something he had never experienced before, and it changed his life forever. Those who are not baptized can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost as they seek for the truth, but it is only after we are baptized that we are given the gift of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. I consider this to be one of the greatest gifts God has given me, next to the Atonement and Free Agency.
“The gift of the Holy Ghost, given to us by our Heavenly Father and administered by one having authority, includes the merciful promise: ‘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). Through the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, every member of the Church can receive ‘the words of Christ’ directly (2 Nephi 32:3), at any time or place. This personal divine guidance helps us to remain valiant in the testimony of Jesus Christ and endure to the end of our days. Isn’t this wonderful! “Have we not reason to rejoice?”
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Have We Not Reason to Rejoice?” Ensign, Nov. 2007, 20
Also:
I'm a farm-raised almost-crunchy stroller-pushing picture-taking lifestyle-blog-writing gastronomy-obsessed divine-seeking thrift-store-combing cheese-inhaling pavement-pounding laughter-sprinkling lover of individuality and taking chances.
I won’t be a Mormon, now or ever, because I believe the full truth is in the Bible only, but I do find your Sunday series on the LDS faith very interesting. Thanks.
Jenna Reply:
January 30th, 2011 at 10:17 am
Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me this. It really means a lot.
I’m confused. Is the Holy Ghost a person in the pre-mortal existence like you believe Jesus and all human beings were? Or is he something else? Was someone chosen to be the Holy Ghost?
Jenna Reply:
January 30th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
I’m sorry, this post was kind of hard for me to write because I wasn’t sure how to convey everything and I think I left things kind of convoluted. I was actually taught as a child that the Holy Ghost was once like the rest of us in the premortal life, but reading as an adult I realize that is just speculation. My salvation doesn’t depend on where He came from or what He will do at the end of the world. He is the communication mode I use to converse with God and remaining worthy to have His constant companionship is what’s important for me.
Any LDS person who says they know the answers to your questions is misinformed.
Kelli Nicole Reply:
January 30th, 2011 at 10:37 pm
Ha! I was wondering how you were going to answer this because I sure didn’t know the answer!
So can the gifts of the Spirit only be given to those who are members according to the LDS Church? Or is that something separate?
I had never heard about the Holy Ghost being a companion but I guess it’s different from the interpretation in the Catholic Church.
I really like what you said about your feelings and experience with it as well as TH.
It sounds like a very important part of your belief system and the whole idea of testimony I hear LDS members talk about.
Jenna Reply:
January 30th, 2011 at 1:19 pm
Well some of the Gifts of the Spirit are like talents, proficiency at languages is a good example. Missionaries who are called to serve foreign missions frequently speak about how dedicating themselves to the work helped them learn the language faster than they might have otherwise. Two other gifts I listed include wisdom and knowledge, which obviously aren’t exclusive to baptized members. These are areas where I think the promise of the companionship of the Spirit means that you will have a bit of a “boost” in that area that you might not otherwise. I believe that one of my gifts is my ability to write about the Gospel, and when I write these posts I try to listen to what I think the Holy Ghost is trying to tell me.
Then there are other gifts, like the gift of healing, that could be interpreted as something a bit more secular (studying to become a doctor and having God help you be better at it than you could on your own) or it could be more like miracles of healing, bestowed upon you when you need it most and given through the authority of the priesthood.
I guess a simple way to put it would be, everyone has talents, but we believe that God has given us the Holy Ghost to help enhance those talents through His power.
I read on Wikipedia to try to understand the Catholic view of the Holy Ghost and His purpose, but I’m not sure I understand what it is. Would anyone like to explain? (Don’t just paste the passage from the Catechism, that’s what I read and I don’t understand it).
Someday I need to write about our use of the word “testimony”. I’m slowly understanding how different it is than a lot of other faiths!
Anna Reply:
January 30th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
I’d like to answer.
The Catholic church believes the Holy Spirit is the 3rd person of the Trinity- fully God, fully Jesus, but a Spirit in an of itself. The Holy Spirit gave guidance to prophets, apostles, etc. and still gives guidance today. That’s the short version, anyway. 
Hope that helps!!
Anna
Jackie Reply:
January 30th, 2011 at 3:47 pm
I can try! First, it’s important to remember that Catholics believe very strongly in the idea of mystery. So, not everything is explainable in words. The Holy Spirit definitely falls into that category!
We believe in a triune God, meaning there is one God in three persons. How that works exactly is again, a mystery. It’s different than the concept of one God playing three different roles, or three separate Gods, etc. So just as we believe that Jesus is one with the Father, we believe that the Holy Spirit is one with God, and one with Christ as well.
While the Trinity isn’t just three separate roles of God, we do see the three personages in different ways. God the Father is the creator of life, Christ is the savior and redeemer, and the Holy Spirit (more or less) the one who gives us life, and gives us the ability to live a Christian life. We initially receive the Holy Spirit through baptism. Confirmation is essentially the perfection of our baptism, where we receive the mark of the Holy Spirit. Receiving the Holy Spirit at baptism allows us to participate in a Christian life, to receive God’s grace through the sacraments (which LDS ordinances are similar to, I think), to receive the Eucharist, etc, but in Confirmation we say that this is what we choose, a life in Christ and receive more gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are similar those in LDS beliefs: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord. It’s not like it means just those 7 things, but more those gifts are from the Holy Spirit.
The Catechism lists these as what the Holy Spirit does: inspires scriptures, assists in Tradition and the teachings of the Church, puts us into communion with Christ through the sacraments, intercedes for us in prayer, builds the Church through ministries, and witnesses through saints and continues the work of salvation in people.
We don’t believe that the Holy Spirit can only be in one place at one time. Rather, Catholics believe that he dwells in our hearts. There is a prayer that is popular in Catholicism that goes, “Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.”
The Holy Spirit is often depicted in different ways through different symbols, such as water (like in baptism), anointing with oil (done in Confirmation), fire (like when fire appeared to the disciples after Jesus ascended into Heaven), clouds and light, as a seal, a hand or finger (as in when someone is blessing someone with a hand outstretched), or, my favorite, the dove (like Noah and the ark, or when Christ was baptized. In Catholicism, by the way, you’ll often see a dove with a branch in its mouth as a symbol of social justice and peace.
The Nicene Creed says much less about the Holy Spirit than the Father and Jesus, because he is more of a mystery. It says, “We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.”
As a kid, the simplest version of what we are taught about the Holy Spirit, is the best version I think. In Matthew 28:20, Christ says, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” What he leaves us with is the Holy Spirit, to fill our hearts, guide us, and never leave us alone.
Jenna Reply:
January 30th, 2011 at 10:15 pm
Jackie this was very helpful, thank you! Your answer reminds me of a book I read last year, http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4543971-know-your-religions-vol-1-mormonism-catholicism. The premise behind the book is that Catholocism and Mormonism really are more similar than we sometimes think, and that’s what I kept thinking while reading your answer.
Katy Reply:
January 30th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
I’ve sure learned this with some of my closet friends being Catholic. It seems we have much more that unites us than what we differ in.
What a beautiful presence to have in your life! Thank you for sharing this - it sounds like a deeply personal experience.
4Reading through some of these topics and then the questions from others that follow, I’m often surprised by the aspects of our religion that I think I know very well - only to find out I perhaps can’t explain it as well as I thought! That just means I need to research and read more so I have more than just a rudimentary understanding of the Holy Ghost.
You are doing a great job Jenna. You handle the topics and questions from others well.
Jenna Reply:
January 30th, 2011 at 11:22 pm
I do a lot of reading before I write these posts. There is a whole lot I don’t know as well! I just try to make sure I double-check everything I say before I type it. What you say on the internet sticks around forever!
I love that you’re not afraid to share your beliefs. I am a Christian, and don’t subscribe to the Mormon belief, but admire people who stand up for their beliefs, and belief absolutely in something. Rather than believing in absolutely nothing, we do believe in a God that is absolute and the absolute truth!:) Post on!!
6Hi Jenna,
I’m curious, what is the LDS stance on those who commit suicide?
7Hi Jenna!
Like your first commenter, I’m not Mormon, not will I ever be, but I truly find your writings fascinating and love hearing your first-hand explanations of LDS things I’ve often wondered about. On that note, I can’t wait to hear what you have to say regarding use of the word “testimony” and the differences (I’ve thought so many times myself!).
Do you believe that the Holy Ghost is the only way to communicate with God? Or do you believe Jesus Christ is also an intercessor for Believers? When you mention that you feel the Spirit even more when you’re more worthy, do you find that once you’ve repented of anything keeping you from that, you have more of His presence? Or do you need to “do” more and “earn back” some of the worthiness? For example, if you fail to keep the Word of Wisdom and you feel that it’s to a point that it’s keeping more of the Spirit from you, can you pray and repent of it and feel the Spirit soon after or do you find that you need to pray, repent, and go for a longer period of time while keeping the WoW and earn some of that connection back? (Asking purely out of curiousity, with no disrespect.)
Thank you!!! I always love your answers…
Jenna Reply:
February 6th, 2011 at 9:17 pm
Hi Amy, sorry it took me a little bit to answer these.
I think that the Holy Ghost (and the prophets and scriptures of course) is how God talks to us, but we talk to God directly through prayer. When we pray we address God (I use Heavenly Father, Our Heavenly Father, Father in Heaven, or something similar), ask for the things we need and thank him for our blessings, and then close in the name of Jesus Christ. It is in this way, and of course through the Atonement that cleansed us through our sins, that I consider Him to be an intercessor. We also believe that He will be our intercessor at the Judgement Day. I am sure there are other roles as well, I am certainly no biblical scholar!
In regards to your last few questions, which seem to be pretty similar, I think it makes the most sense if the Spirit is compared to a radio. The signal might always be there, but there are ways (repentance) to fine tune it so the message is clearer. Sin adds more fuzz and makes the message difficult to understand.