The Gift of the Holy Ghost

By Margaret Lifferth

“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moro. 10:5).

What happens when you turn eight? That’s right! You can be baptized. A glorious part of your baptismal day or of a day soon after is to be confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That ordinance gives you the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. Unlike Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost does not have a body of flesh and bone (see D&C 130:22). The Holy Ghost is a spirit personage who will speak to “you in your mind and in your heart” (D&C 8:2) and will show you “what ye should do” (2 Ne. 32:5).

The Holy Ghost will help you keep your baptismal covenant and guide you to choose the right. He bears witness of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ (see 3 Ne. 28:11). The Holy Ghost can give you comfort and guide you away from danger.

When you are baptized and when you take the sacrament, you promise to take the name of Jesus Christ upon you, to always remember Him, and to keep His commandments. Then Heavenly Father promises you that the Holy Ghost may always be with you (see D&C 20:77).

You will know the Holy Ghost is with you by the way you feel. President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) taught, “When you do good, you feel good, and that is the Holy Ghost speaking to you” (“To the Children of the Church,” Ensign, May 1989, 82).

Truly, the Holy Ghost—who is also called the Spirit—is a wonderful gift from a loving Heavenly Father.

Gifts of the Holy Ghost

Use these gift cards to remind you of the gift of the Holy Ghost. Decorate a box or bag to look like a gift. Attach page F4 to heavy paper. Cut out the gift cards on the page; then put them in the box or bag. Every day this week, choose a card. Then look up the scripture, and fill in the blanks.

Illustrated by David Meikle

“And by the _____ of the _____ _____ ye may know the _____ of all _____” (Moro. 10:5).

“_____ _____ in God, the _____ _____, and in His _____, _____ _____, and in the _____ _____” (A of F 1:1).

“And I will pray the _____, and he shall give you _____ _____, that he may _____ with you for ever” (John 14:16).

“Yea, behold, I will tell you in your _____ and in your _____, by the _____ _____, which shall come upon _____ and which shall _____ in your _____” (D&C 8:2).

“For there are many _____, and to every man is _____ a _____ by the _____ of _____” (D&C 46:11).

“Verily, I say unto thee, put your _____ in that _____ which leadeth to do _____—yea, to do _____, to walk _____, to judge _____; and this is _____ _____” (D&C 11:12).

“_____ _____ that the first _____ and _____ of the _____ are: first, _____ in the _____ _____ _____; second, _____; third, _____ by _____ for the _____ of sins; fourth, _____ on of _____ for the _____ of the _____ _____” (A of F 1:4).

Note: If you do not wish to remove pages from the magazine, this activity may be copied, traced, or printed out from the Internet at www.lds.org. For English, click on “Gospel Library.” For other languages, click on the world map.

Sharing Time Ideas

Put Gospel Art Picture Kit 602 (The Gift of the Holy Ghost) in a wrapped box or gift bag. Write the following clues on strips of paper: “I cannot be bought with money,” “I speak with a still, small voice,” “I teach the truth,” “I am a guide,” “I give comfort,” “I testify of Jesus Christ,” “I am a member of the Godhead.” Place the clues in a container. Have the pianist play as you pass the container. Stop the music; then let a child read a clue and try to guess the gift in the box. Explain that several clues may be necessary, and continue. Post and review all the clues to help the children understand the work of the Holy Ghost. Open the gift box, post the picture, and ask, “What steps do we take to be able to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost?” Review Articles of Faith 1:4.
On the board write the parts of the sacrament prayers (see D&C 20:77, 79) that explain the covenant we make: (1) “willing to take upon them the name of thy Son,” (2) “always remember him,” and (3) “keep his commandments which he has given them.” Divide the children into three groups, and give each group a line to memorize. Hold up one, two, or three fingers to signal to the groups to stand and recite their line. After a couple of recitations, switch parts. Then begin erasing words from the board. Repeat until the parts are learned. Explain that if we keep our part of the covenant, we “may always have his Spirit to be with [us].” Ahead of time invite four adults to prepare to tell scriptural or personal accounts of the influence of the Holy Ghost. Station the presenters around the room. Divide the children into four groups, and invite them to move from station to station to learn about the Holy Ghost.