Dear brothers and sisters, I can’t believe I am here at this pulpit this morning; I am pinching myself to know that this moment is real. What a treat it is to be with the risen generation, you who are the best of the best. Our dear prophet refers to you in this way: “You are among the best the Lord has ever sent to this world. You have the capacity to be smarter and wiser and have more impact on the world than any previous generation!”[1]
On Sunday night, I felt how much President Nelson loves you guys. You matter to him and all of us. We love you. He gave you, the university-age people, three absolute truths to make the foundation of your spiritual education. Each of us will die. Because of Jesus Christ, each of us will be resurrected and become immortal. And we will each be judged for the choices we make now.[2]
The prophet encourages you with three more fundamental truths: Know who you are. “Child of God” is the most important label that a human being has. For Latter-day Saints, the next most important are "child of the covenant" and "disciple of Jesus Christ." Know what Heavenly Father and His Son have offered you. In short, they have offered you everything! God will do everything He can, short of violating your agency, to help you not miss out on the greatest blessings in all eternity. Know the truth related to your conversion. Learn all you can about the gospel and be sure to turn to truth-filled sources for guidance. We live in the dispensation when nothing shall be withheld. Thus, in time, the Lord will answer all our questions. [3]
My wife, Pilar, and I are very grateful for the assignment to participate in this devotional at BYU-Idaho. We are pleased to be in the company of Elder Henry J. Eyring and his wife, Kelly. Elder Eyring and I served in the North America Central Area together. Thank you, Elder Eyring, for your leadership among these great people and of this university. Months ago, I came to tour the campus and to visit with Elder Eyring, and as we spoke of the spirit that I felt here, he stood up and looked at the campus through his office window. He wept as he explained to me what it means to him to preside over BYU-I.
This morning, I would like to speak to you on following the promptings of the Holy Ghost in your daily lives. I will start with a quote from President Russell M Nelson.
You can learn for yourself— right now at your age—how to receive personal revelation. And nothing will make a bigger difference in your life than that! . . . I promise you,” he said, “wherever you are in the world, wherever you are on the covenant path—even if, at this moment, you are not centered on the path—I promise you that if you will sincerely and persistently do the spiritual work needed to develop the crucial, spiritual skill of learning how to hear the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, you will have all the direction you will ever need in your life. You will be given answers to your questions in the Lord’s own way and in His own time.[4]
The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a personage of spirit without a body of flesh and bones. He is often referred to as the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, or the Comforter. He “witnesses of the Father and the Son”[5] and reveals and teaches “the truth of all things.”[6] We can receive a sure testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ only by the power of the Holy Ghost. His communication to our spirit carries far more certainty than any communication we can receive through our natural senses. As we strive to stay on the path that leads to eternal life, the Holy Ghost can guide us in our decisions and protect us from physical and spiritual danger.
When I finished my mission more than 40 years ago, I came to the United States to work and save money to start college at BYU. As I was working and preparing to start college, I had a strong impression of returning to my country in Mexico to study. The impression was so strong that I didn't hesitate to return.
When I arrived in Chihuahua, Mexico—my home state—to enroll in college, they informed me that since I had graduated from the Juarez Stake Academy—a Church high school in Mexico— which was not incorporated at that time into the Mexican educational system, it would not be possible to enter the university where I was applying.
I moved to Mexico City to explore other possibilities at other universities, but unfortunately, none accepted my application. Disappointed by the impossibility of entering the university, I asked them what their recommendation would be. I was told that I had two options: the first was to move back to the United States, where my high school studies were accepted, or to study high school again. Guess what I decided? Yes, I decided to take the hardest decision of my life, stay in Mexico, and start all over again.
Due to the strong impression from the Spirit that came to me days before of returning to my home country, I did not hesitate to stay in Mexico and go back to high school. That meant that I would have to study another three years before starting university. On the first day of school, I burst into tears in the back of the classroom. Those moments were challenging, as you can imagine. Now, I have two high school certificates. That makes me proud; I don’t think any of you are likely to have two high school certificates.
At that time, I met my wife, Pilar, and while I was attending high school for the second time, I proposed to her. I think she must have loved me very much in order for her to agree to marry a student not in college but in high school.
After many years, I recognized that the impression I had to come back to Mexico came from the Spirit. The Lord helped me make the right decision. I met my wife, one of the greatest blessings of my life, I had adequate academic preparation, and got an excellent job that would allow me to raise a family in the gospel and provide them with everything they needed.
Through the Holy Ghost, we can receive gifts of the Spirit for our benefit and for the benefit of those we love and serve.[7] To some, it is through the Holy Ghost “to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world. To others it is given to believe on their words.”[8] The voice of the Lord came to Alma saying, “Blessed art thou, Alma, and blessed are they who were baptized in the waters of Mormon. Thou art blessed because of thy exceeding faith in the words alone of my servant Abinadi. And blessed are they because of their exceeding faith in the words alone which thou hast spoken unto them.”[9]
President Nelson said in the April 2022 general conference to you young men who have not decided yet to go on a full-time mission, “Today I reaffirm strongly that the Lord has asked every worthy, able young man to prepare for and serve a mission. For Latter-day Saint young men, missionary service is a priesthood responsibility. You young men have been reserved for this time when the promised gathering of Israel is taking place. As you serve missions, you play a pivotal role in this unprecedented event! For you young and able sisters, a mission is also a powerful, but optional, opportunity. . . . Pray to know if the Lord would have you serve a mission, and the Holy Ghost will respond to your heart and mind.”[10] I had my own and personal experience listening to the Spirit to go and serve a full-time mission. My life was changed by my mission experience.
“To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know the differences of administration, as it will be pleasing unto the same Lord.”[11] Moroni exhorted us saying, “My brethren, . . . deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God . . . and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.”[12]
“And again, it is given by the Holy Ghost to some to know the diversities of operations, whether they be of God, that the manifestations of the Spirit may be given to every man to profit withal.”[13]
He is the Comforter.[14] As the soothing voice of a loving parent can quiet a crying child, the whisperings of the Spirit can calm our fears, hush the nagging worries of our life, and comfort us when we grieve. The Holy Ghost can fill us “with hope and perfect love”[15] and “teach [us] the peaceable things of the kingdom.”[16] Through His power, we are sanctified as we repent, receive the ordinances of baptism and confirmation, and remain true to our covenants.
King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon taught us on how to put off the natural man and become saints through the Atonement.
"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."[17]
“Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.”[18]
It is vital to our physical and spiritual safety that we keep the gift of the Holy Ghost. We begin to do so by striving to keep the commandments, having individual and family prayer, reading the scriptures, and seeking loving and forgiving relationships with family and loved ones. We should keep our thoughts, actions, and language virtuous. We should worship our Heavenly Father in our homes, at church, and, whenever possible, in the holy temple. Stay close to the Spirit and the Spirit will stay close to you.
He is the Holy Spirit of Promise.
Verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them–Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths–then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.[19]
In this capacity, He confirms that the priesthood ordinances we have received and the covenants we have made are acceptable to God. This approval depends on our continued faithfulness.
All honest seekers of the truth can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost, leading them to Jesus Christ and His gospel. However, the fulness of the blessings given through the Holy Ghost are available only to those who receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and remain worthy. After receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, a person has the right to the constant companionship of that member of the Godhead if he or she keeps the commandments.
I would like to close with my testimony after you see this video.
Brothers and sisters, I know that Jesus Christ is the Beloved Son of Heavenly Father. He is my Savior and Redeemer and yours too. I know that the Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead with a specific assignment to testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of Heavenly Father, and guide us in our decisions in our journey on this earth. I bear witness of living prophets, seers, and revelators. President Russell M. Nelson is a prophet of God. This church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is His church. The Book of Mormon is a miracle in my life. This book is true. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Russell M. Nelson, “Hope of Israel,” Worldwide Youth Devotional, Jun. 3, 2018.
[2] See Russell M. Nelson, Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults, May 15, 2022.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Russell M. Nelson, “Hope of Israel,” Worldwide Youth Devotional, Jun. 3, 2018.
[5] 2 Nephi 31:18.
[6] Moroni 10:5.
[7] See Doctrine and Covenants 46:9–11.
[8] Doctrine and Covenants 46:13–14.
[9] Mosiah 26:15–16.
[10] Russell M. Nelson, “Preaching the Gospel of Peace,” Liahona, May 2022.
[11] Doctrine and Covenants 46:15.
[12] Moroni 10:8.
[13] Doctrine and Covenants 46:16.
[14] See John 14:26.
[15] Moroni 8:26.
[16] Doctrine and Covenants 36:2.
[17] Mosiah 3:19.
[18] 3 Nephi 27:20.
[19] Doctrine and Covenants 132:19.