HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEK! I am indeed very grateful for you! We are so blessed to have each other and be blessed in each other’s lives.
Today we had a wonderful lesson by Sister Sarah Udall on the Holy Ghost. She broke down the Roles of the Holy Ghost into 8 things:
1. To Bear witness of the Father and the Son
2. Testify of Truth
3. Purify and Sanctify
4. Reveal Future
5. Comfort
6. Guide
7. Reprove Sin
8. Prepare you for things to come
President Brigham Young said:
“We want to live so as to have the Spirit every day, every hour of the day, every minute of the day, and every latter-day Saint is entitled to the Spirit of God, to the power of the Holy Ghost, to lead him in his individual duties. (In Tabernacle, May 15, 1864)
She reminded us that we all have the chance to have the spirit with us 24 hours and 7 days a week. But that we have to work on being worthy of it. Several sister’s shared personal experiences as to how the spirit has blessed them through different means. Sister Jean Urry shared a beautiful experience when she was PREPARED by the spirit for a HARD conversation was to be coming. She was told what was going to happen and so when the conversation came, she was able to handle in a calm matter rather than out of control.
The memory that I had going through my head through this lesson was feeling Holy Ghost so strong when I received my Patriarchal Blessing. I was 16 when I chose to get it. I was spiritually immature and frankly the reason that went in for my blessing (which I never divulged to anyone) was because I had a friend that had just been killed in a horrible drunk driving accident. Weeks before her death, Kim and I had this conversation that we always wondered if we may die young. We talked about different experiences that we had to maybe feel that way. So when she REALLY did die, I was so freaked out! I felt like I NEEDED TO KNOW if I was going to have the same fate. Unfortunately I felt that a Patriarchal Blessing was the way to find it out. I breezed through my interviews and had an appointment with the stake Patriarch.
The morning of my blessing I was not kind to my Mother. I was grumpy and had a chip on my shoulder. Mostly I was suffering great anxiety as to what the blessing might say. The sweet Patriarch welcomed my family into his home in the wee 6 am hours. He talked to me about linage and what it meant. (I wish now that I would have listened to a word he said, cause I would really like to hear it now). At the conclusion of his thoughts he asked me to offer the prayer so that the Holy Ghost could attend his words.
After saying the prayer he placed his hands on my head and he sat there. He sat there for a VERY LONG, awkward space of time. I even opened my eyes and looked at my Mom who too was looking up wondering what was happening. After what seemed like 5 minutes of silence the Patriarch removed his hands from my head and scooted a stool right up to me so close that he was touching my knees with his knees. I was thinking to myself, “ I HAVE NO FUTURE! That is what he is going to tell me! He is going to say, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE!” (Yes, I am a little dramatic, but that is really the thoughts that came to me.)
Patriarch McKinnley looked deep into my eyes and said, “Megan, I cannot tell you whether you are going to live or die. That is not the purpose of a Patriarchal Blessing. We are not fortune tellers. We are Men appointed by God to tell you the blessings that you will receive IF you are righteous and make wise choices.” At this statement the spirit FLOODED the room and I started sobbing. My Mom looked at me as to say, “What is going on?!” I just kept sobbing. I couldn’t believe it! He knew what I was thinking. The spirit helped him perceive my very deep thoughts.
He then looked at me and said, “ The Lord desires you to have a Patriarchal blessing as a Liahona in your life if you desire to have it for the right reasons. Would you like me to give this blessing to you now?!” I wanted it now more than ever, because I understood that It was given with such power and inspiration, that I wanted that guidance in my life.
That experience with the Holy Ghost, through someone else was one I will not soon forget. It has been an anchor to me at times when I might doubt or might want to choose a wrong direction. It steers me back to safe waters.
Sisters, the Lord is in the details of our lives! He has given us such great tools to use in our journey back to him. The Holy Ghost is one of those tools. It is a constant guide and compass to us if we choose to follow. Hold tight to that power and guidance and your life will be full of understanding and peace.
I love you. I am grateful for my friendships with you and the love I feel! Enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving with those you love this year!
Meg
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