The Gift of the Holy Ghost

This week I have been studying a lot about the Holy Ghost, my constant companion.  A gift that I am eternally grateful for from my Heavenly Father.  For those who may not know, the Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead.  We learn in D&C 130:22 "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit.  Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us."  The Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit who dwells within someone after they have gone through confirmation to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

I'm always amazed by the qualities of the Holy Ghost as given in the scriptures.  The Holy Ghost is:
Our comforter (John 14:26)
Teaches us things (John 14:26)
Brings things into our remembrance (John 14:26)

The Holy Ghost brings us blessings and helps us make decisions throughout our daily lives.  But we must keep in mind there is a difference between the gift of the Holy Ghost and the power of the Holy Ghost.  Every person is the world is capable of spiritual guidance before being baptized and confirmed.  I strongly believe there are many who have been divinely guided such as the founding father of our country.  Without a doubt in my mind.  But this spiritual guidance is something called the light of christ, something we are all capable of.  As stated in Moroni 7:16 "For behold. the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God."  In my program in school we study a lot about the early years of a child's life.  One major debate that comes up often is whether we are"born good" or not.  They try and do all these studies to see if babies are innately good when first born resulting in nurture being the determining factor of if they are good or evil people.  I'm frateful for the knowledge of knowing this argument is silly, every person is born good.  Every person is born with the Light of Christ and knowing good from evil.

The power of the Holy Ghost is different than the constant companionship of the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  The power of the Holy Ghost comes to sincere investigators as a witness to the truthfulness of the gospel.  From the bible dictionary we learn: "The power [of the Holy Ghost] can come upon one before baptism, and is the convincing witness that the gospel is true.  It gives one a testimony of Jesus Christ and of his work and the work of His servants upon the earth."  Whereas once we are confirmed after baptism we receive a constant companionship dependent upon our righteousness.  What a wonderful gift!  I love this quote from President Hinckley:

"There is no greater blessing that can come into our lives than the gift of the Holy Ghost - the companionship of the Holy Spirit to guide us, protect us, and bless us, to go, as it were, as a pillar before us and a flame to lead is in paths of righteousness and truth.  That guiding power of the third member of the Godhead can be ours if we live worthy of it."