Gospel Doctrine Commentary
Lesson No. Forty-Eight

The Ministry of the Holy Ghost - Moroni 10

Introduction – Modern revelation teaches us important truths about the Godhead:

“The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit.  Were it not so, the Holy host could not dwell in us” (D&C 130:22).  The true knowledge of the Holy Ghost and his power “has been manifest in every dispensation of the gospel since the beginning, being first made known to Adam (1 Nephi 10:17-22; Moses 6:51-68)” (LDS Bible Dictionary, Holy Ghost, p.704).

The true knowledge of the Holy Ghost was lost for over 1400 years during the great apostasy.  The restoration of knowledge about the Holy Ghost and His mission is a very important part of the restoration of the Gospel in our dispensation.  If we understand the mission of the Holy Ghost it will increase our desire for His constant companionship.

“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” (Ibid).

The Power of the Holy Ghost – “The power can come upon one before baptism, and is the convincing witness that the gospel is true.  It gives one a testimony of Jesus Christ and of his work and the work of his servants upon the earth…. When a person speaks by the power of the Holy Ghost that same power carries a conviction of the truth into the heart of the hearer (2 Nephi 33:1)” (Ibid).

However, when someone does not act on the witness or prompting after it is received the Holy Ghost will withdraw.  In this situation, the person often forgets how he felt when he received a witness from the Holy Ghost.  It is as if it never happened.

The gift of the Holy Ghost – “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.  For those who receive this gift, the Holy Ghost acts as a cleansing agent to purify them and sanctify them from all sin.  Thus it is often spoken of as ‘fire’ (Matt. 3:11; 2 Nephi 31:17; D&C 19:31)” (Ibid).

The Mission of the Holy Ghost – There are many ways the Holy Ghost ministers to men and women on the earth.  These ways include the following:

  1. Teacher – He “shall teach you all things” (John 14:26; Moroni 10:5). 
  2. Witness – He shall testify of [Jesus]” (John 15:26) and of the Father (2 Nephi 31:18)
  3. Guide – He “will guide you into all truth…
  4. Cleanser – “cometh a remission of your sins by fire and the Holy Ghost” (2 Nephi 31:17)
  5. Sanctifier – We are “sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost” (3 Nephi 27:20).
  6. Revelator – “by the...Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5).

The gifts of God come from Christ, by the power of the Holy Ghost (See Moroni 10: 7-18) –  In other words, the gifts of the Spirit come by the power of the Holy Ghost, but the Spirit of Christ (or Light of Christ) is the medium through which the Holy Ghost operates. These gifts will be with the righteous as long as the world shall stand. (See Moroni 10:19)

We should pray for the gift of the Holy Ghost – The Holy Ghost is part of all things of an eternal worth.  It is no wonder that the twelve Nephite disciples of Jesus “did pray for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them” (3 Nephi 19:9).  Like the Nephite disciples, we should desire and pray to be worthy so that the gift of the Holy Ghost will be given to us.  This gift is the greatest gift of God that is given and received while we live in mortality.