Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Always Have His Spirit to be With You

      I'm going to apologize ahead of time... this is a very wordy post. I just have a lot of thoughts that I want to get down, and not many pictures/videos to share... bear with me!

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 One time that I felt the Spirit very strongly was when I went to EFY. We spent the whole week doing things that would spiritually uplift us. We had lessons and classes, but also played around and made many new friends.

   On the night that we had our testimony meeting, we first listened to and sang many songs. We talked about how we could take home and remember the lessons we had at EFY and also the things we felt there.
   
     Afterwards, we all went into separate rooms and began our testimony meetings. You could feel the Spirit so strongly that it seriously almost felt tangible. It was awesome. As more people got up to bear their testimonies, the Spirit grew and grew until it may have been the strongest I have ever felt.

     One girl got up to bear her testimony and said she knew the Church was true. "How couldn't it be?" she had said.

     I realized then how true that statement was. Sometimes you feel the Spirit so strong that it is impossible to say you don't know the Church is true. Then, in your times of doubt, if they ever come, you can think back on those experiences and remember the truth that was once manifest to you.

     You don't have to be at EFY to have profound experiences and to feel the Spirit. You just have to be living a good life and be doing things that would draw you closer to the Savior. Then, you can have times when you feel the Spirit so strongly that it is impossible to deny. You too, can say that you know the Church is true because, "How couldn't it be?"

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     In my seminary class recently, our teacher asked for us to share about a time when we had felt the Holy Spirit. A few of us shared, but there actually many kids who, when asked, said that they had never felt the Spirit. This is so sad to me! I want people to be able to recognize the Spirit and to have the happiness that the constant companionship of the Spirit brings. 

     My seminary teacher then told us of something that he had heard taught at a fireside... (Jon Schmidt was the one speaking... even better!) :) 
     I loved the piece of information that he shared. He pointed out that we all were blessed, at baptism, with the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. We all feel the Spirit all of the time. Usually when members of our church say that they are feeling the Spirit, what they are really feeling, is an increase of the Spirit. It's the Holy Ghost touching their heart in a special way.
     When you go somewhere that you shouldn't be, or do something that you shouldn't do, sometimes you get a sick feeling inside. That's when you feel the Spirit leaving. This happens because the Spirit cannot dwell in unholy places. 

     You see, even if you don't realize it, as long as you are living your life righteously, you are feeling the Spirit all of the time. It's a gift that was given to you when you were confirmed. 

     I know that the Holy Ghost is real, and a wonderful gift that God has given us. I pray that you never take that gift for granted. Listen to the Spirit. It will give you comfort and testify to you that things are true. Follow it's promptings. I've heard, and I'm sure you've heard, many stories of people who's lives were saved or altered for listening to the Spirit. Never be doing things that might make you unworthy to have the Spirit with you. 



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