Whispers of the Heart

By Laurel Rohlfing

No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 12:3).

Five-year-old Sean snuggled up to his grandma as they read in the Book of Mormon about Jesus blessing and ministering to the people. Sean looked at his grandma and said, “My heart whispers to me.”

“What does it say, Sean?” Grandma asked.

“It says, ‘Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father live.’”

“What are you going to do because of what you know?” questioned Grandma.

“I’m going to do what is right!”

Seven-year-old Emily trudged home from school. Her friends had been unkind to her, and she was feeling sad. But that night as her mother came to tuck her into bed, her face glowed with excitement. “I said something different in my prayers tonight, Mom. After I thanked Heavenly Father for my blessings, I told Him that I loved Him. And I felt a happy feeling that told me that He loves me too.”

In a town in Brazil, the missionaries were teaching Helvécio Martins, now a member of the Seventy, and his wife that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was His church on the earth. Elder Martins said, “A marvelous feeling that we never before had experienced filled our hearts, certifying the truthfulness of the message.” (See Ensign, November 1990, page 26.) Soon afterward, they were baptized.

In Doctrine and Covenants 8:2 [D&C 8:2], it says, “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.” The peaceful, reverent, joyous feeling that Sean, Emily, and Elder and Sister Martins experienced was the Holy Ghost testifying to them.

The whisperings in Sean’s heart helped him want to keep the commandments. Emily’s witness helped her to know that she was loved and important. Elder and Sister Martins knew that they must be baptized into the true Church. When the Holy Ghost testifies to you that Jesus and Heavenly Father live and that the gospel is true, you, too, will have a peaceful, reverent, joyous feeling and a greater desire to follow Jesus and keep His commandments.

Instructions

Read each of the stories below about the Holy Ghost testifying to people, then look up the scriptures and fill in the blanks to tell what happened next.

King Benjamin and His People

King Benjamin called his people together and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to them. When he finished, he saw that the people had fallen to the earth to ask the Lord for forgiveness. The Spirit of the Lord came upon them. What happened next? (See Mosiah 4:3.) “They were filled with ______________, having received a ______________ of their sins, and having ______________ ___________ ____________.”

Peter on the Day of Pentecost

After Peter and the other Apostles received the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, Peter testified of Jesus’ resurrection and of the gift of the Holy Ghost. The people felt great joy in their hearts and wondered what they should do about it. What happened next? (See Acts 2:41.) “Then they that ____________ received his _______________ were ____________.”

The Baptism of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery

Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood by John the Baptist. Joseph baptized Oliver, and then Oliver baptized Joseph. No sooner had they been baptized than the Holy Ghost fell upon them and they stood up and prophesied. What happened next? (See JS—H 1:74.) “Our minds being now __________, we began to have the __________ laid open to our ___________.”

Elizabeth and Mary

When Mary found out that she was to be the mother of the Son of God, she went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was also expecting a baby, who would be known as John the Baptist. At the sound of Mary’s voice, Elizabeth’s baby leaped inside her and she was filled with the Holy Ghost. What happened next? (See Luke 1:42–43.) “And she spake out with a loud __________, and said, _________ art thou among _________, and blessed is the _________ of thy womb.

“And whence is this to me, that the mother of my ____________ should come to me?”

Sharing Time Ideas

Divide children into groups and have them read the scripture stories listed, or have teachers tell the stories. Then have each group pantomime the story to the other groups to guess what is happening. Afterward, have the children tell the story.
Have children read and discuss Moroni 10:3–5 [Moro. 10:3–5]. Write on paper hearts the things the scriptures say that one must do to gain a testimony—i.e., ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ. Encourage the children to memorize the scripture and recite it to each other.
Invite Primary teachers to share with the children how the Holy Ghost testified to them of Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of His gospel.
Have a scripture chase in which children find stories about people testifying of the divinity of Jesus Christ through the Holy Ghost. (See Matt. 16:16–17, Alma 5:45–46, Hel. 5:45–47.) Use words from these scriptures in crossword puzzles or word searches.
Discuss other ways the Holy Ghost helps us, such as guiding us to choose the right, comforting us when we are sad, revealing to us what Heavenly Father wants us to do.
Sing “I Know My Father Lives” (Children’s Songbook, page 5), “The Holy Ghost ” (Children’s Songbook, page 105), “Testimony” (Hymns, 1985, no. 137), “The Still Small Voice” (Children’s Songbook, page 106), and “Listen, Listen” (Children’s Songbook, page 107).

Illustrated by Scott Greer