The Holy Ghost

1.     As you study the following verses, make a list of what the Savior taught about (1) what the Holy Ghost does and (2) what disciples must do to receive the Holy Ghost:

·         John 14:15–17-If we keep the commandments then we will be blessed with the Holy Ghost who is a comforter.

·         John 14:26–27-The Holy Ghost which is sent to us from our Father in Heaven through the Savior is a comforter, he will teach us all things, and bring all things our Father has taught us to our remembrance. The Holy Ghost gives us peace from the Father.

·         John 15:26–27-The Holy Ghost testifies of truth and testifies to us when we hear truth. He testifies of our Savior.

·         John 16:7–8-Having the Holy Ghost with us is having our Savior with us. The Holy Ghost testifies to us what our Savior would have us know.

·         John 16:13–14-The Holy Ghost shows us of things to come.

2. Add to your list above as you study the following resources:

Institute student manual Points to Ponder, “The Holy Ghost Brings Man to His Fullest Potential” (pg. 168)

Institute student manual Points to Ponder, “As a Messenger of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost Teaches Faithful Members” (pg. 168)

The Holy Ghost testifies to us of truth. He is a personage of Spirit in the likeness of the Father and the Son. He is a special messenger from the Father and Son and carries out their will. He quickens the minds of those who have made covenants with Heavenly Father and makes truths known to us.

Bible Dictionary, “Holy Ghost” (pg. 704)

-The Holy Ghost has been manifest in every dispensation of the gospel since the beginning. The gift of the Holy Ghost comes only after proper and authorized baptism, and is conferred by the laying on of hands. The Holy Ghost can come upon you in two forms: in the power and in the gift. You can be given the power of the Holy Ghost before baptism, but you do not have it to be with you always until you are baptized by the proper and authorized authority and confirmed by the laying on of hands. That is when you are given the “gift” of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost knows all things and can lead one to know of future events. Other names for the Holy Ghost are: Holy Spirit, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord, Comforter, and Spirit.

3. Review your list of what the Holy Ghost does. Then write responses to the following tasks:

Describe how the Holy Ghost helped the Apostles fulfill their missions after the Savior’s death and resurrection.

Without the Holy Ghost the Apostles would not have been ready for their ministry after the death of the Savior. How could they have acted as the Savior without His instruction from the Father through the Holy Ghost? They could not have done it because they would have been acting as man, and not as Apostles of God.

Write a paragraph about a time when the Holy Ghost blessed you in one of the ways you listed above. Give an example of how the Holy Ghost has inspired you.

 The Holy Ghost has been a huge blessing in my life. I will share a personal story of a time when I was first beginning to drive. I had recently gotten my driver’s license and was very new at the whole driving alone thing. When I would switch lanes I would not use my mirrors but would turn my whole head around to look back to see if I could switch lanes. One day when I was driving I got the impression that what I was doing was really dangerous, because I wasn’t looking at the road for a long period of time. I really recognized this as the Holy Ghost because He made me aware of a danger I had no idea I was doing. It was a clear thought that came to my mind and it was for my safety and for the safety of those who are around me. The Holy Ghost inspires me, because without that inspiration I would make so many mistakes. I would have taken a far different path in life then where I am at now. I was impressed to apply for BYU-Idaho when I had absolutely no plans of attending this school. This is where I was supposed to be all along. That is a huge blessing, because it has changed my life for the better in a million ways. 

New Commandment

According to John 13:34-35 others can know we are Disciples of Christ, by if we show love unto one another.

List some specific ways a disciple of Jesus Christ might respond in the following situations (in accordance with John 13:34–35):

*Someone you know is ridiculed or made fun of because of the way he or she dresses. 

-In this situation I would show love to this person, by sticking up for them. I would refute what the person was saying, and direct the attention elsewhere. I wouldn’t want to put the person making fun of them down because then I am just acting like the person who is being unkind, but I would want to be a support to the person being made fun of. I would very much make it known, that it is not ok to say things like that to someone and would help to change the subject.

*You see a new person at church.

-The way to show love in this situation is really simple. Introduce yourself and invite them to come sit with you.

Ponder the question, “Do people know that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ by the way I treat them?” Select a family member, coworker, or neighbor and make a short list of things you can do during the coming week to show him or her kind of love the Savior would show. Then follow through with what you wrote down.

-I can choose to show love to my roommates by doing dishes that are not mine, picking up after them, and helping them with little needs I hear them speak about. I know personally when people do this for me it makes a world of difference.