When I was in grade school, I learned about Christopher Columbus. My teacher had the class memorize "In fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue." I imagined how bold and daring he was to sail into the unknown and I wondered how he could have been so brave.
Many years later I learned Columbus did not show the most fearlessness when the Pinta, Nina, and Santa Maria set sail. His courage had been tested daily during the previous six years. He had spent those years trying to convince the kings of Portugal, Spain and England to provide the needed money and ships. Finally in 1486, he returned to the Spanish court of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella trying to convince their educated advisors that he could succeed. These learned men didn't just tell him he was wrong; they laughed, mocked, scorned, and ridiculed him.[1] Finally, he was able to convince the king and queen to provide the money and ships.
Why didn't Columbus give up after three, four, or five years? The obvious answer for us might be that God had a foreordained mission for him. We know this from the Book of Mormon. I would like to suggest an additional reason given by Columbus himself: he recognized and responded to the prompting and knowledge given to him by the Holy Ghost. In a letter to the king and queen of Spain, he wrote, "Our Lord unlocked my mind, sent me upon the sea, and gave me fire for the deed. Those who heard of my emprise[enterprise] called it foolish, mocked me, and laughed. But who can doubt the Holy Ghost inspired me?"[2]
Then in his diary, Columbus added:
It was the Lord who put it into my mind (I could feel His hand upon me) the fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies. All who heard of my project rejected it with laughter, ridiculing me. There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit because He comforted me. . .[3]
This is a further testimony that even though the veil is drawn, Columbus was inspired to fulfill his foreordained mission and he knew the knowledge that he would succeed came from the Holy Ghost. This awareness gave him the perseverance and determination to keep trying--he called the "fire for the deed".
Even though few of us will discover a new world, we each have a mission and purpose to our lives. Have you ever asked what you are being prepared to accomplish? Remember we came to this earth with talents, abilities and gifts, which will be revealed to each of us if we but ask, "What will the Holy Ghost prompt me to do and give me the 'fire for the deed'?" We will be given the courage and perseverance we each need--if we listen to the knowledge given to us by the precious gift of the Holy Ghost.
In his discourses, President Wilford Woodruff stated that while eternal life is the greatest of all the gifts in eternity, the gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest of all the gifts of God in this life.[4] In his book Coming to Know Christ, Brother Robert L. Millet, agrees:
The Spirit in our life is God's sweet certification to us that we're on course, in covenant, and in line eventually to receive eternal life. The Holy Spirit is God's down payment to us, his "earnest money" on us, his indication that he seriously intends to save us with an everlasting salvation.[5]
The terms "down payment" and "earnest money" give us an understanding of God's commitment to us and in turn, why our need to commit to Him is so vital.
When Joseph Smith appeared in a vision to Brigham Young in February, 1847, he could have given any advice to the struggling saints, but he taught them that their commitment was critical:
Tell the people to be humble and faithful, and be sure to keep the spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the still small voice; it will teach them what to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction, so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits; it will whisper peace and joy to their souls; it will take malice, hatred, strife and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the brethren if they will follow the spirit of the Lord, they will go right. . . [6]
May I share with you what three of our modern church leaders have taught that I pray will add to your understanding of the Holy Ghost? Elder Dallin H. Oaks bears witness, "I testify that these things are true. We have the gift of the Holy Ghost, the right to the constant companionship of the Spirit of the Lord to testify of the Father and of the Son, to lead us into truth, to teach us all things, and to bring all things to our remembrance."[7]
President James E. Faust affirms:
The comforting Spirit of the Holy Ghost can abide with us twenty-four hours a day when we work, when we play, when we rest. Its strengthening influence can be with us year in and year out. That sustaining influence can be with us in joy and sorrow, when we rejoice as well as when we grieve.
Then, he makes a bold statement:
I believe the Spirit of the Holy Ghost is the greatest guarantor of inward peace in our unstable world. It can be more mind-expanding and can make us have a better sense of well-being than any other chemical or other earthly substance. It can calm nerves; it will bring peace to our souls.[8]
We are privileged to receive guidance, peace and calmness in a stressful world.
These are incredible gifts, but I think one of the most precious blessings from the Holy Ghost is that he gives us knowledge and understanding. When the Holy Ghost teaches us, we know it is true. Brigham Young declared:
There is no doubt, if a person lives according to the revelations given to God's people, he may have the Spirit of God to signify to him His will, and to guide him and direct him in the discharge of his duties, in his temporal as well as his spiritual exercises. I am satisfied however, that in this respect, we live far beneath our privileges.[9]
I would like to illustrate an example of living up to our privileges. I have permission to share a valuable insight a friend gained from a conversation with Elder Bednar when he was president of Ricks College as it developed into Brigham Young University-Idaho. She asked him, "How did you handled the stress of having the prophet say, 'You are the president of a two year school. Now figure out how to make it a four year university'?"
He responded, "You are looking at that really funny. What I heard was 'You are the president of the Lord's two year college. Now He wants you to be the president of His university. Ask Him how and He will tell you'--and He did".
He shared with her a valuable pattern for receiving answers to prayer that he had been taught by Elder LeGrande Richards, and he told her that he had done this for 30 years. He opened his planner to a page with questions listed on one side. Those were the questions he needed to answer. During the day he would do everything he could to find the answers. Then, when he would pray at night, he would bring those questions to Heavenly Father. He would ask Him for the answers and promise that tomorrow he would give Heavenly Father his first and his best. Then in the morning, he would write down the answers that would come to him.[10]
How do we fail to be blessed by this greatest gift of inspiration from the Holy Ghost in this life? One way is that we compare our challenges with others and begin to doubt that we are loved, that we will be given our desires, or that we are worthy of blessings. We ask why our desires aren't being granted if we are living the commandments and being obedient. It is the reality of life, that you won't always get that dream job, or the young man or woman you deeply love may not return that love, or the young woman you wish to spend eternity with may gently say no to your proposal. You may find yourself alone in those golden years and all of the plans for retirement vanish in an instant.
A friend told me a Relief Society sister was complaining to her that life was too hard. One of her five children refused to attend church and her husband was making life difficult. My friend confided to me, "Do you know what I would give to have her trials? That would mean I had a husband and a family."
I testify to you today that such negative thoughts will drive away the Holy Ghost. As Brigham Young University's 2013 Women's Week speaker, Lori Rosenlof explained, "While Heavenly Father and our Savior love us no matter what, the Holy Ghost cannot accept invitations to personal pity parties. He cannot."[11] C. S. Lewis understood our desire for our lives to be happy:
We want, in fact, not so much a Father in Heaven as a grandfather in heaven--a senile benevolence who, as they say, 'liked to see young people enjoying themselves', and whose plan for the universe was simply that it might be truly said at the end of the day, 'a good time was had by all'. . . . I should like very much to live in a universe which was governed on such lines. But since it is abundantly clear that I don't, and since I have reason to believe, nevertheless, that God is Love, I conclude that my conception of love needs correction.[12]
I know that in any circumstances, when the Holy Ghost gives you the knowledge that you are loved, worthy, and entitled to blessings, you cannot doubt it.
A second way we fail to feel blessed is by giving God a timeline. I have a darling three-year-old grandson named Dalan. His family arrived at my home late one night after a seven hour drive. My exhausted daughter wanted to sleep in the next morning, but Dalan did not. He jumped on her bed very early and said, "Wake up mommy; I'm hungry."
She opened one eye and said, "Oh, Dalan, I am so tired. Just give me five more minutes."
To her surprise, he said "Ok." Then he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "one, two, three, four, five. I did it mommy. I gave you five minutes."
He was so cute she just had to get up with him. I think that sometimes our perception of time is close to Dalan's. We tell God that we have waited for five, ten, or even twenty years and that is long enough. We think God asks too much of us. What if Columbus had finally told God that he knew he was inspired with the idea to sail west and he knew he had been told he would succeed. However, he had been doing everything he could to accomplish this for almost six years--and that was long enough. We need to be faithful, patient and know that we will be blessed.
A third way we deny ourselves the blessings of the Holy Ghost is that we listen when the prompting and revelation deals with serving someone else, but fail to listen when it requires a change in our lives. Years ago I was serving in a stake Relief Society here on campus. I was driving home late one Sunday afternoon when I noticed a young woman standing on the sidewalk and received the strong prompting to pull over and offer her a ride. I pulled over, rolled down the widow and asked her if she would like a ride. She looked at me for a minute, then she said yes. She told me where she lived and I drove her to the steps of her apartment. She thanked me but didn't say more.
I spoke in stake conference the next Sunday and I received a card from her during the week. She said she didn't share her experience with me that day because she didn't know who I was. She had had knee surgery and as she was walking home, her knee began to hurt so terribly she knew she would be unable to make it to her apartment. She prayed and asked Heavenly Father to either lessen the pain so she could stand to walk on her leg, or to send someone to give her a ride. She said, "I opened my eyes and there you were. You are the fastest answer to a prayer I have ever had." I was grateful I had been blessed to receive that prompting.
However, I also received some direction from the Holy Ghost that was not as easy to follow. I had developed the habit of turning on the television at night and I was watching more than I should. The words came into my mind very clearly telling me to turn off the television and to be wise in the way I used my time. That was not as easy for me to follow. The importance of responding to guidance was emphasized by former General Relief Society President Julie B. Beck, "The ability to qualify for, receive and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be obtained in this life."[13]
Understanding this concept, we need to ask ourselves how can we continuously invite the Holy Ghost into our lives? We need to acknowledge that God is guiding us with love. We need to following the counsel in D & C 101:16: "Therefore let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God."[14]
In addition, we need to live our lives so that our priorities are clear and we don't get distracted. Church President Ezra Taft Benson was asked by the President of the United States to greet the president of one of the newest republics of 88 million people scattered on some three thousand islands a thousand miles long. He greeted the guests and visited with them, but looking out the window he said, "I could see the soft lights around our glorious Los Angeles temple. . . I pointed it out. . . and thought, much of what goes on tonight is simply the froth of life. The things that are important are those things represented in the temple of God."[15]
We must not get too caught up in the froth of life and become casual about the important things that keep this precious gift of God in our lives.
May I leave you with the testimony of President Boyd K. Packer given in the last April conference? He counseled:
Each of us must stay in condition to respond to inspiration and the promptings of the Holy Ghost. The Lord has a way of pouring pure intelligence into our minds to prompt us, to guide us, to teach us, and to warn us. Each son or daughter of God can know the things they need to know instantly. Learn to receive and act on inspiration and revelation.[16]
Both President Packer and Sister Beck emphasize that this is a skill which we must develop.
I pray that we may all show our gratitude for the gift of the Holy Ghost by following President Packer's admonition to learn to receive and act on the personal inspiration we are blessed to receive.
Notes
[1] "An Inspiring Testimony: from the Diary of Christopher Columbus from Columbus's Book of Prophecies, excerpts translated by August J. King, qtd. in "The Presbyterian Layman", Oct. 1971
[2] http://endtimepilgrim.org/columbus.htm
[3] Wendy Seal Manazanares, "Heroes and Heroines: Christopher Columbus, Inspired Seaman", Friend, Oct. 1992. pp. 38-39
[4] qtd. in Robert L. Millet, Coming to Know Christ, Deseret Book, 2012, p. 55
[5] Robert L. Millet, Coming to Know Christ, Deseret Book, 2012, p. 55
[6] Joseph Smith, comments expressed in a vision given to Brigham Young in February, 1847. See Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1846-47 (Eldon J. Watson, 1971), pp. 528-30
[7] Dallin H. Oaks, "In His Own Time, in His Own Way, Ensign, August 2-13, p. 27
[8] James E. Faust, "The Gift of the Holy Ghost-A Sure Compass, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/print/1989/04/the-gift-of-the-holy-ghost
[9] Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 75
[10] Personal communication
[11] Lori Rosenlof, BYU Women's Conference, 2013, "Define Ourselves by Divine Qualities: Measuring Our Worth the Lord's Way"
[12] C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain. http://ayearwithylewis.blogspot.com/2013/a-goodtime-was-had-by-all.htm
[13] Julie B. Beck, Relief Society General President. "And Upon the Handmaids in Those Days will I Pour Out my Spirit" http://www.ids.org/ensign/2010/05/and-upon-the-handmaids-in-those-days-will-I-pour-out-my-spirit.htm
[14] D & C. 101:16
[15] (God, Family, Country, p. 85.) Ezra Taft Benson. The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson. P. 244-245
[16] Boyd K. Packer, "These Things I Know", Ensign, May 2013, p. 8