A Still Small Voice

Fact: Heavenly Father loves us. He literally is our Father, and He wants nothing but the best for us. He wants us to be able to learn, grow and progress in this life. He gave us this time when we are separated from Him and His presence for our good. He knew it would be hard for us, but He gave us tools and resources to help us recognize truth. One of the most powerful resources that our Heavenly Father has given to us is the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost testifies of truth, and bears witness of the Father and of the Son. It's really cool to think that the Holy Spirit, a member of the Godhead, is there to teach us and to help us learn. The scriptures describe the way that the Holy Ghost speaks to us as a "still, small voice." One prophet wrote, "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 perfct mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul." (Helaman 5:30).

I've seen in my life, that the Holy Ghost can be an invaluable resource, but also something incredible hard to interpret. So many times in my life I pray and I have a really hard time trying to figure out what my Heavenly Father is trying to tell me. I have learned a few things though:

1. The Holy Ghost is always there to edify. The Holy Ghost is not there to make us feel terrible about ourselves. There are times when he tells us that we have done things wrong, and that we need to repent. That feels saddening, but it is a feeling that moves us to draw closer to the Savior. Satan is the only one who wants us to feel miserable.
2. The feelings that come are very mild. For me, they are feelings of peace and of joy. Sometimes, they are even feelings of pure gratitude for my Heavenly  Father and everything that He has done for me. These feelings can be overwhelming sometimes, but I have often found that if I am not paying attention, I can completely miss them.
3. The Holy Ghost moves us to act. Our Heavenly Father wants us to act. When we make decisions, we are able to learn and improve, and continue to progress. The Holy Ghost will never lead us to do something against the will of God. When we make those good decisions, we are blessed, and we feel joy and happiness.
4. Following the prompting received leads to more promptings. When we listen to the counsel that our Heavenly Father sends to us, we are more likely to receive more counsel! And for me, most of those promptings come as ideas or thoughts that pass through my mind. If they are good, and don't go against the teachings of the Savior, I usually try to follow them. They are probably inspired by a Heavenly Being who wants me to go about doing good.
5. The Holy Ghost is a friend. The Savior sent the Holy Ghost as the Second Comforter. Although the Savior is no longer here on earth, we can feel His love and influence through the power of the Spirit. He loves us, and is always longing for our success. When we are hurt, tired and struggling, we can turn to our Heavenly Father, and He will send His Spirit, and we can receive comfort.

I love my Heavenly Father, and my Savior, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. United in purpose, these three beings work tirelessly for our success and salvation. The odds are in our favor; "If God be for us, who can be against us" (Romans 8:31). And the Holy Ghost is there to help us as we learn to recognize truth, and live what the Savior taught. I know it, and I'm so grateful for it!

Christmas Time is Here!

With only 18 more days til Christmas, let me tell you, I am super excited! Christmas time is one of my favorite times of the year. It is a time when we have the opportunity to reflect on the year, and set goals for the next one. And even more importantly, it is the time that we have to be with friends and family celebrating the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

This time truly is a time to honor Him, and to remember Him, and everything that He did for us. From a humble birth, the Son of God grew and became the master teacher, showing us the way back to our Heavenly home, and dying a worthy sacrifice for the sins of the world. In an act called the Atonement, he suffered and died for every sin, pain and sorrow that every child of God has experienced since the creation of the earth. He did so as an act of pure love for His Father, and for each and every one of us. He asks that we have faith in him, repent of our sins, and are baptized and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands in order to have full access to the cleansing and healing power of His Atonement. As we live the Gospel as He taught it, we will be blessed with a lasting sense of peace and happiness. It has brought me so much personal happiness. I know that I am imperfect, but as I live the doctrine that He taught, I can feel my Heavenly Father help me as I strive to overcome my weaknesses and become more like the Savior. May we all remember the real reason why we celebrate Christmas, and strive to come unto Him, and accept and live His Gospel. Merry Christmas!