When Christ was preparing to leave His disciples for the final time, He promised them a special gift. This gift, the Holy Ghost, was described by Christ as a Comforter, as foundation of peace, a Teacher, a source of truth and a Testifier, a way for Christ to be with His disciples even when He was removed from their physical presence. It was, in my opinion, the most beautiful gift He could give them.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. . .
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:16-27
The Holy Ghost’s role within the Godhead is to offer a direct connection with our spirits. Our spirits remember and rejoice in truths and recognize our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The spirit within us that remembers and recognizes these things is the very center and core of who we are. We are literal children of a loving Heavenly Father who sent the purest of His children as a Savior for all of us. When our spirit recognizes this, it changes who we are, it awakens our true nature and potential for goodness, it allows us to be disciples of Jesus Christ.
When Christ promised this gift to those who would follow Him, He was promising to keep that line of contact and communication open to us. He was promising that as long as we were living His commandments, we would have access to His loving guidance through the Holy Ghost. The faith we gain because of our connection with the Holy Ghost allows us to take His love into our hearts and trust in it. We can not cast our every care upon someone who we don’t intimately know and trust to comfort and bless us with what we need most. We can not trust in an atoning sacrifice that can relieve us our all our imperfections if we do not know we are loved to such an extent. We can not heed or follow His voice if we do not know what those tender whisperings feel like.
Keep the commandments and live worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost. He is the best friend and companion that Christ can offer His disciples when we need to feel His love and guidance.
