Our Father in Heaven knew that in mortality we would face challenges, tribulation, and turmoil; He knew we would wrestle with questions, disappointments, temptations, and weaknesses. To give us mortal strength and divine guidance, He provided the Holy Spirit, another name for the Holy Ghost.
Have you ever wondered why the Holy Ghost is so important? If you have, you are not alone. We often hear about the many different missions of the Holy Spirit, but what can the Spirit really mean for each of us individually in our daily lives? In this article, we will examine three of the most important ways the Holy Ghost can help us each and every day.
1. The Holy Ghost Testifies Of Truth
And when ye shall receive these things, 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.
We often hear this promise from the Book of Mormon. It is important to remember that we are promised here that the Holy Ghost will testify to us the “truth of all things”.
Do you have questions about the Book of Mormon?
Are you unsure about the truth of the First Vision or the testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith?
Do you have doubts about the teachings of our current prophet or the apostles?
What other parts of the gospel do you not fully understand?
The Holy Ghost will testify the truth of all of these things.
You still have to do your part. You need to pray and “ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ”. When we ask with faith, the Holy Ghost will testify the truth to you.
By following this pattern, we can obtain answers to all the questions we have about the gospel. The Lord doesn’t expect us to follow Him with blind faith. He has sent the Holy Ghost to teach us the truth and help us to have faith.
2. The Holy Ghost Leads Us On The Path Of Truth
The journey of discipleship is not an easy one. It has been called a “course of steady improvement.” As we travel along that strait and narrow path, the Spirit continually challenges us to be better and to climb higher. The Holy Ghost makes an ideal traveling companion. If we are humble and teachable, He will take us by the hand and lead us home.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, each of us must work every day to follow the example of our Savior. This involves hundreds of decisions each day. We must strive to become like Jesus with everything we do.
Because we are imperfect, we all need to regularly look inward and find areas where we need to improve.
Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ knew we would be imperfect. They know we need help to become better. They want to help us, but they cannot be here to pick us up and take us by the hand. So they sent the Holy Ghost to do that for each of us.
As we repent and strive to be like Jesus, we allow the Holy Ghost to take us by the hand and guide us on the path of discipleship. He will help us know what we need to improve and he will help us have the strength to be better.
3. The Holy Ghost Confirms To Us That We Are Accepted By The Lord
In our efforts to live, learn, and teach the gospel, we should first and foremost seek the companionship of the Spirit. This goal should govern our choices and guide our thoughts and actions. We should seek after whatever invites the influence of the Spirit and reject whatever drives that influence away—for we know that if we can be worthy of the presence of the Holy Ghost, we can also be worthy to live in the presence of Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
We are taught that in the final judgement we will be brought before Jesus Christ and judged for how we lived our lives. If you are like most people, the thought of this probably makes you feel anxious and might even fill you with dread. You may doubt that you will ever be worthy enough to not feel completely inadequate when compared to the Savior.
Our Savior loves each and every one of us. He came to this world not only to teach us how to live but to provide a way for us to follow His example.
Our Heavenly Father did not send us to this life to watch us fail. He also didn’t send us here with all of our imperfections to destroy our self-confidence.
One of the missions of the Holy Ghost is to comfort us and help us know when we are living a life that is acceptable to Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
This confirmation requires that we are doing our best to follow the commandments. It also requires us to repent and try again when we fall short. But as we repent and do our best, it will allow the Holy Ghost to be our constant companion.
The great blessing here is that we don’t need to reach perfection to know that the Lord is accepting our efforts. He sends the Holy Ghost to comfort and lift us as we are working out our salvation and striving to be better, not just when we arrive at our destination.
When we are worthy enough to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion we are on the right path to return to our heavenly home and to feel at home when we are there.
Conclusion
As we pursue the journey of life, let us learn the language of the Spirit. May we remember and respond to the Master’s gentle invitation: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him.” (Rev. 3:20.) This is the language of the Spirit. He spoke it. He taught it. He lived it. May each of us do likewise.
The Holy Ghost is the testifier who will teach us truth. He is our guide through the obstacle course of life who will show us the way. He is the comforter who helps us have faith that our efforts are recognized and accepted.
May each of us try our best every day to invite the Holy Ghost to be our constant companion. When we do our Savior stands ready to bless us with testimony, help, and comfort.