When I was in my early 20s, I got a priesthood blessing from my grandpa. I don’t remember why, some of the memory is fuzzy. But there are a few things I remember clear as day. One is the smell of my grandparents’ living room. The other is my grandfather saying, “you have been blessed to walk through this life with your Savior.”
My favorite scripture, for as long as I can remember, has been John 14:18, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” This is why that sentence in that blessing stood out to me, and I’ve never forgotten it. At times when I’ve desperately needed to feel my Savior abiding with me, I’ve remembered that blessing and that scripture, and I call upon that promise.
This has led me to ponder how this actually works. I’ve decided a lot of it has to do with the Holy Ghost.
I feel like often the role the Holy Ghost plays is relegated to that of messenger, or the guy that stands on the corner with a sign that says, “Free Hugs!”
But the truth is that we believe the Holy Ghost is a member of the godhead (See 1 John 5:7). LDS theology teaches that He is on par with our Heavenly Parents and our Savior. This means He is a god. He knows what They know, He sees what They see, and He knows me as They know me.
I think when my grandpa told me that the Savior walks with me, the translation is that through the Holy Ghost, the Savior is there. When the Savior said He would not leave me comfortless and that He would come, what He meant (indeed what He speaks of later in John 14) is that He would send the Holy Ghost to me. The Holy Ghost is unified with the Savior and our Heavenly Parents the way they are unified with each other (See 3 Nephi 9:15).
This is the Holy Ghost’s role, and I don’t think I value it enough. I speak of the gift of the Holy Ghost, but I am too dismissive. Our Heavenly Parents are the gods that are our creators and our Savior is the god that atoned for us. But the Holy Ghost is the god that is with us. A precious gift, indeed.
Leah Marie
Leah Marie earned a BA in Political Science, and a Masters in Public Administration. She is currently working towards her PhD in Public Policy. She is wife to an English professor, and mother to 3 beautiful boys.
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“the Holy Ghost is the god that is with us. A precious gift, indeed.”
Yes. Thank you.
The influence of the Holy Ghost is the single most precious thing in my life.
I think it is for me too. There was a day when I would’ve said the atonement, or grace. But, I don’t think I would know or have access to that if it weren’t for the Holy Ghost.
Love your post, one of my favorite topics. I learned in Pontius’ excellent book, Following the Light of Christ into His Presence, how important it is to listen to him and OBEY him. I hadn’t thought of him as a separate God really until I learned that. I always relegated him to an appendage of the Father and the Son. We know so much about him and his role, yet depend on Him for so much.