Our claim to the Priesthood is unique. I talk to wonderful Christian people every day who assure me that they have been baptized, and that they enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost. I don't question the validity of their experience, but it has made me wonder if there is a real, discernible difference in members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who have received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority.
Case Study #1
Belinda Montoya. Single mother, mid to late thirties. Baptized three months ago. The first time I met her, I didn't know where to perch myself in her cluttery, filthy apartment her hair was unkempt, her conversation was patently negative, and her mannerisms were what my mother calls "unladylike." She tended to display crude humor to lighten the tone whenever the Spirit threatened to bear testimony, and her prayers were a dramatic performance, complete with open eyes and waving arms. We often wondered if she understood the doctrine or if she just enjoyed a weekly visit from friendly people. But she qualified herself for baptism, and so she received the girt of the Holy Ghost.
her progress has been slow, with an occassional relapse in smoking and an unexpected visit from the live-in boyfriend. But Belinda is changing! Her apartment is meticulously clean, her hair is cared for, and she prays with reverence. She hasn't cracked a crude joike in weeks, and her responses to spiritual inquiries are increasingly profound. Her entire appearance has changed, and she is displaying intellect and grace that I didn't know she possessed! Whether it is the Holy Ghost or daily scripture reading or constant prayer, ther is something different about her. The gift of the Holy Ghost has softened her.
Case Study #2
Steve Winder.* Golden investigator from the very first visit. Courteous, spiritual, willing to keep commitments. What could the gift of the Holy Ghost do for such a man?
Brother Winder possesses a keen mind and has a powerful gift for teaching, but he is timid by nature. Since he received the gift of the Holy Ghost, I have observed the development of courage! He welcomes all opportunities to go teaching with the full-time missionaries, and he is now pleading for a calling so he can get more involved. The gift of the Holy Ghost has enabled him.
Case Study #3
Me. When I arrived in the mission field, I was alarmed to discover that the fast pace and relentless demands of missionary work wreaked havoc in my perfectionistic, detail-oriented mind. I sensed urgency about the ever-extending list of things to do, skills to develop, problems to solve, and people to remember. Anxiety was my daily companion.
I started wondering about the Atonement, and about how Jesus Christ might provided solace to my anxiety. Could the gift of the Holy Ghost, with its promise of "peace, love, and joy" (Galations 5) aid me and my crazy mind?
Yes! The Holy Ghost, this marvelous third member of the Godhead, is at my constant beck and call. I am learning that it does not function with crystal-ball specificity, but it does provide patience and a list of inspired priorities each day. Patience and priorities. Just a name or two of people to remember or things to do. And a sense that it doesn't really matter when things go wrong. The gift of the Holy Ghost changes me.
The gift of the Holy Ghost is the agent by which our hearts are changed and purified. it is through the Holy Ghost that we are transformed, converted, and healed by the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
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