The Gift of the Holy Ghost
We all have our moments when we think that no one is listening, no one can hear us, or worst of all, no one cares. But in this, we err, because there is always someone watching and engaged in our plight, one who we can always talk to, and one who can always talk to us. God, our Heavenly Father, Who created us and knows our every thought and deed, Who is aware of all that we stand in need of.
The concept of prayer may seem simple enough; we express to our Heavenly Father, either aloud or in our hearts, our gratitude for the blessings He has given us, our hopes, wants, needs, and even our questions. And then these humble, sincere, and patient prayers are answered. But how does God answer our prayers? Surely He doesn't meet face-to-face with each child in prayer and converse the way we do with each other every time we call His name? If so, our Father would be constantly popping in and out of daily life; we would see Him in every classroom they day of a test, personally conducting every church meeting, and leading the team at every sporting event. In a world like this, there would be no need for faith; we would KNOW Him personally, and life probably wouldn't be the test it's supposed to be.
Yet, even though we don't physically see or hear Him every time we open our mouths, He is able to speak with us, and to answer us when we ask Him questions. He is able to do this thanks to another member of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost.
As the gifted speaker, LDS Apostle Boyd K. Packer said in an October 2009 address,
"This process is not reserved for the prophets alone. The gift of the Holy Ghost operates equally with men, women, and even little children. It is within this wondrous gift and power that the spiritual remedy to any problem can be found."
Unlike God and His Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost does not have a physical body of flesh and bone. The Holy Ghost is a being who exists only in spiritual form. Having no body, the Holy Ghost is able to able to converse with us by conversing with our spirits. If we are receptive to spiritual matters, this soul-to-soul communication will manifest itself to us in many possible ways. It may come through a feeling peace, a warmth in the chest, a prompting to make a righteous action, an inspiration accompanied with a sense of rightness, etc.
There are endless ways to experience these divine messages, and anyone can feel them. Being receptive to the Holy Spirit is the reward of righteous living, and the result of consistently exercising the power of prayer faith. The more you put yourself into situations conducive to the Holy Spirit's presence and embrace it, the more receptive you will become.
