Teachings of the Prophets Joseph Fielding Smith Lesson 14: The Holy Ghost Preparations: Read through and pray about Lesson 14 entitled The Gift of the Holy Ghost in the Teachings of the Prophets, Joseph Fielding Smith manual. Read and pray about the scriptures listed below as well as the lesson out line below. Adjust the outline as necessary to meet the needs of your class. Also, as part of the lesson outline I created, I constructed a door that opens and closes on hinges made out of cardboard, painted white. I also made a window that Velcro s on and two removable gold knobs. To redo the lesson, the door can be as simple or as complex as you d like. I also created handouts, as shown on the last page of the lesson. Scriptures: Pray about and read the following scriptures in advance: John 1:9 John 14:26-27 Ephesians 6:11-18 2 Peter 1:21 1 Nephi 13:37 2 Nephi 31:17-18 Alma 34:37-39 Moroni 10:5 D&C 1:30 D&C 33:11,15 D&C 46:7-8 D&C 49:26-27 D&C 50:21-22 D&C 84:44-46, 88 D&C 88:3-13 D&C 93:2 D&C 123:11-17 D&C 130:22 Bible Dictionary: Holy Ghost Scripture 1: Teacher- Introduction: Teacher - Writing Activity: Column 1: Column 2: Column 3: D&C 50:21-22 It is my prayer that we may all be edified here today as we learn about the Holy Ghost. Now, we have all had spiritual experiences involving promptings from the Holy Ghost, which we should treasure up in our hearts and share when appropriate. However, many of these experiences are too sacred to share and should be kept locked up in our hearts until such time as we feel impressed to share them with those we love. We could spend an entire lesson and uplift one another through the precious stories of faith we could tell. However, today I feel impressed to focus more on these three areas as pertaining to the Holy Ghost. Divide the board into three columns. At the top of each column write the questions. What blessings do we receive when we have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion? What can we do every day to prepare to receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost? In what ways would your life be incomplete without the Gift of the Holy Ghost?
Throughout the lesson we are going to be answering these important questions, so when you have something to add to one of the columns, let me know and I will add it. Together we will discover how vitally important and precious the gift of the Holy Ghost is. Lets start by clarifying what we already know. Who is the Holy Ghost and what is his mission and purpose? (D&C 130:22, 2 Nephi 31:18) Quote 1: Scripture 2: The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a Spirit, in the form of a man. The Father and the Son are personages of tabernacle; they have bodies of flesh and bones. The Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit, and has a spirit body only. His mission is to bear witness of the Father and the Son and of all truth. He partakes of the things of the Father and the Son and reveals them to those who serve the Lord in faithfulness. It was through the teachings of the Comforter, of Holy Ghost, that the teachings of Jesus Christ were recalled by the apostles. It is through the teachings of the Holy Spirit that prophecy comes. Joseph Fielding Smith So the primary mission of the Holy Ghost is to bear witness of the Father and the Son, to testify of the divinity of Christ, and to testify of all truth. He is also called the Comforter, the Testator, Revelator, and Sanctifier. Because of the unique office that he holds in the Godhead, His companionship is the greatest gift that man can enjoy. Who has scripture 2 and question 2? 1 Nephi 13:37 What is the difference between the POWER of the Holy Ghost and the GIFT of the Holy Ghost? Wait to allow the class time to answer, and then move on to quote 2. Quote 2: Teacher Only: The Holy Ghost is manifested to men on the earth both as the power of the Holy Ghost and as the gift of the Holy Ghost. The power can come upon one before baptism and is the convincing witness that the gospel is true. By the power of the Holy Ghost a person receives a testimony of Jesus Christ and of His work and the work of His servants upon the earth. The gift can come only after proper and authorized baptism and is conferred by the laying on of hands. The gift of the Holy Ghost is the right to have, whenever one is worthy, the companionship of the Holy Ghost. (Bible Dictionary, Holy Ghost) Hold up the door you made in advance, draw one on the board, or ask the class to close their eyes and picture it in their heads.
Teacher- Door Activity: Lets say that this door symbolizes the veil that was placed over all of God s children at birth between earth and the Spirit World. The window (hold up the window) represents the Light of Christ given to every man that comes into the world. This first doorknob represents the POWER of the Holy Ghost (hold up the POWER doorknob) and the second doorknob represents the GIFT of the Holy Ghost (hold up the GIFT doorknob). To understand more fully the Holy Ghost and his role in our eternal progression, we need to first understand the Light of Christ and it s role in the Savior At birth, every child is given the Light of Christ, which is a portion of Christ s spirit. (Place the window on the door.) It is NOT to be confused with the Personage of the Holy Ghost. (D&C 93:2, John 1:9) The Light of Christ is our conscience. It is what guides men and women everywhere in their actions and their knowledge between right and wrong. (D&C 84:44-46) To clarify this, lets read quote 3. Quote 3: Quote 4: To describe the Light of Christ, I will compare or liken it to the light of the sun. Sunlight is familiar to everyone; it is everywhere present and can be seen and can be felt. Life itself depends upon sunlight. The Light of Christ is like sunlight. It, too, is everywhere present and given to everyone equally...this Light of Christ, which gives life, is within you. The evil one will attempt to obscure it. It can be so clouded with confusion so far as to convince you that it does not even exist. Just as sunlight is a natural disinfectant, the Spirit of Christ can cleanse the spirit. President Boyd K. Packer (The Light of Christ, Ensign, April 2005) The Light of Christ is different from the Holy Ghost. It is an actual portion of Christ s Spirit. The Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost act in concert with each other, but they are not the same power. It is through the Light of Christ by which all things are made, it fills the immensity of space, it governs all things in nature and in the heavens. (D&C 88:5-13) Who has quote 4? Most members of the church have a basic understanding of the Holy Ghost...They know the Holy Ghost...is a personage of Spirit and a member of the Godhead. But many do not know that there is another Spirit the light of Christ another source of inspiration, which each of us possesses in common with all other members of the human family. If we know about the Light of Christ, we will understand that there is something inside all of us, and we can appeal to that in our desire to share truth. The Holy Ghost and the Light of Christ are different from each other. While they are sometimes described in the scriptures with the same words, they are two different and distinct entities. It is important for you to know about both of them President Boyd K. Packer (The Light of Christ, Ensign, April 2005)
Quote 5: Teacher Visual Aid: Quote 6: Teacher Visual Aid Scripture 3: Scripture 4: Everyone is given the Light of Christ equally, but the power of the Holy Ghost only comes to those who truly seek to know the eternal truths learned through the Light of Christ for anyone who chooses to follow that Light. The Light of Christ helps people who are searching for the truth to recognize it when they hear it. The power of the Holy Ghost builds upon this recognition until a testimony is formed. Let s read quote 5. Regardless of whether this inner light, this knowledge of right and wrong, is called the Light of Christ, moral sense, or conscience, it can direct us to moderate our actions unless, that is, we subdue it or silence it...this Spirit of Christ [or Light of Christ, as it is also referred to as] fosters everything that is good, every virtue. It stands in brilliant, indestructible opposition to anything that is coarse or ugly or profane or evil or wicked...it is important for a teacher or a missionary or a parent to know that the Holy Ghost can work though the Light of Christ. A teacher of gospel truths is not planting something foreign or even new into an adult or a child. Rather, the missionary or teacher is making contact with the Spirit of Christ already there. The gospel will have a familiar ring to them. Then the teaching will come to the convincing of [those who will listen] that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations President Boyd K. Packer (The Light of Christ, Ensign, April 2005) Anyone can feel the power of the Holy Ghost, but the decision of who receives of this power is solely up the Lord. The power doorknob is only on the side where Christ dwells. (Place POWER knob on the inside of the door.) Who has quote 6? We believe the Holy Ghost is a revelator and that he will bear testimony to honest people everywhere that Jesus is the Son of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this church is the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth. (D&C 1:30) There is no need for anyone to remain in darkness; the light of the everlasting gospel is here; and every sincere investigator on earth can gain a personal witness from the Holy Spirit of the truth and divine nature of the Lord s work...every man can receive a manifestation of the Holy Ghost, even when he is out of the church, if he is earnestly seeking for the light and for truth. Joseph Fielding Smith What about the gift doorknob? (Hold up the gift doorknob) Who can obtain the gift of the Holy Ghost and when? In order to answer this, can the people who have scripture 3, scripture 4 and quote 7 read them in that order? D&C 33:11,15 2 Nephi 31:17
Quote 7: Teacher Only - Group Activity Instruction: Group 1: Supporting Scriptures: Supporting Quote: Teacher Only: You cannot get the gift of the Holy Ghost by praying for it, by paying your tithing, by keeping the Word of Wisdom not even by being baptized in water for the remission of sins. You must complete that baptism with the baptism of the Spirit...You might as well baptize a bag of sand as not confirm a man and give him the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of hands. You cannot get it any other way...it is my judgment that there are many members of this Church who have had hands laid upon their heads for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but who have never received that gift that is, the manifestation of it. Why? Because they have never put themselves in order to receive these manifestations. They have never humbled themselves. They have never taken the steps that would prepare them for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Therefore they go through life without that knowledge; they are lacking in understanding. Joseph Fielding Smith So we learn that the GIFT of the Holy Ghost is given to one who faithfully and earnestly seeks entrance into the Lord s kingdom and has been baptized properly by one of the Lord s authorized servants. Then he or she is given the GIFT of the Holy Ghost, through the administration of the priesthood by the laying on of hands. This gift is not an automatic in into the Celestial Kingdom. In the confirmation prayer we are told, to receive the Holy Ghost. To receive, in this sense, means to react in a specified way or to act as a receptacle or container for. We must live our lives in such a way as to be worthy of this gift that has been offered to us. The GIFT of the Holy Ghost is like having a doorknob on your side of the door. Through the GIFT of the Holy Ghost, you now have access to the POWER of the Holy Ghost, as long as we remain worthy of this gift. Divide the group into 3 groups, if possible, or go through each section as a class. The 1st group reads section 4, the 2nd group reads section 5, and the 3rd group reads section 6. You may want to write down their answers to each of the focus questions in the appropriate columns What blessings do we receive when we have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion? 2 Peter 1:21, Moroni 10:5, 2 Nephi 31:18 What a glorious privilege this is to be guided constantly by the Holy Ghost and to have the mysteries of the kingdom of God made manifest. Some answers may include: Messenger of all truth, Comforter, revelation, guidance, walk in light and truth, individual revelation, minds enlightened, desire to seek for knowledge and understanding, teach us the ways of the Lord, quicken our minds, help us understand truth, bear witness of Christ.
Group 2: Supporting Scriptures: Supporting Quote: Teacher Only: What do we have to do to prepare to receive this companionship? Alma 34:37-39, D&C 46:7-8, Ephesians 6:11-18 We invite the Holy Ghost into our lives through meaningful personal and family prayer, feasting upon the words of Christ, diligent and exacting obedience, faithfulness and honoring of covenants, and through virtue, humility, and service. Elder David A Bednar Some answers may include: humble ourselves, read & study the scriptures diligently, pray often, attend the temple often, keep a current Temple Recommend; don t be indifferent, wayward, or rebellious; obedience, diligently seeking to know the truth, read and ponder the truths contained in the Ensign and at General Conference Group 3: Supporting Scriptures: Supporting Quote: Opt Videos: (show while groups are separated and discussing) Conclusion: (pass out handouts) In what ways would your life be incomplete without the Gift of the Holy Ghost? D&C 88:3, John 14:26-27, D&C 49:26-27, D&C 84:88, D&C 123:11-17 It is the privilege of every member of the Church to know the truth, to speak by the truth, to have the inspiration of the Holy Ghost; it is our privilege, individually,... to receive the light and to walk in the light; and if we continue in God, that is, keep all of His commandments, we shall receive more light until eventually there shall come to us the perfect day of knowledge. Joseph Fielding Smith Having the Holy Ghost & Comfort in Trials If you take just one thing from this lesson, it should be this, and understanding than the truth contact even with heavenly beings. is woven into the very fibre and Bear Testimony
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