In the scriptures, the Holy Ghost is called by several names, such as: “the Spirit,” “the Spirit of God,” “the Spirit of the Lord,” “the Spirit of Truth,” “the Holy Spirit,” and “the Comforter.” Some of these same terms are also used to refer to the Light of Christ, which may also be called “the Spirit of Christ,” and “the light of truth.” Although the names given them are sometimes the same, the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost are different and distinct.
You need the Spirit of the Almighty to look through a man and discern what is in his heart, while his face smiles upon you and his words flow as smoothly as oil. (3:225) Thrust a man into prison and bind him with chains, and then let him be filled with the comfort and with the glory of eternity, and that prison is a palace to him. Again, let a man be seated upon a throne with power and domin- ion in this world, ruling his millions and millions and with- out that peace which flows from the Lord of Hosts-with- out that contentment and joy that come from heaven, his palace is ap rison; his life is a burden to him; he lives in fear, in dread, and in sorrow. But when a person is filled with the peace and power of God, all is right with him.
He is one of the three characters we believe in, whose office it is to administer to those of the human family who love the truth.
Is it not also your ex- perience that, when you meet persons in the streets, in your houses, in your offices. or in your workshops, more or less of an influence attend them which conveys more than words can? By this the Father knows his children. Jesus knows his brethren, and the angels are acquainted with those who delight to associate with them and with those who hate them. This knowledge is obtained through that invisible influence which attends intelligent beings, and be- trays the atmosphere in which they delight to live. (8:57) Without the light of the Spirit of Christ, no person can truly enjoy life. (8:66)
The Spirit of God: God is here; his influence fills immensity. He has his messengers throughout all the works of his hands. He watches every one of his creatures; their acts, their affections, and thoughts are all known to him: for his intelligence and power fill immensity. Not that his person does, but his Spirit does; and he is here teaching guiding and directing the nations of the earth.
You hearken to that still small voice that whispers eternal truth, that opens the visions of eternity to you that you can discern, understand and follow, and the foul spirits that throng the air, and that fill our houses if we let them in, will not have power over you. (15:7) Every individual that lives according to the laws that the Lord has given to his people, and has received the bless- ings that he has in store for the faithful, should be able to know the things of God from the things which are not of God, the light from the darkness, that which comes from heaven and that which comes from somewhere else. This is the satisfaction and the consolation that the Latter-day Saints enjoy by living their religion; this is the knowledge which every one who thus lives possesses. (16:163) Discourses of Brigham Young, pp. 30-35. Compiled by Elder John A. Widtsoe
The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a personage of Spirit, a Spirit Person, a Spirit Man, a Spirit Entity. He can be in only one place at one time, and he does not and cannot transform himself into any other form or image than that of the Man whom he is, though his power and influence can be manifest at one and the same time through all immensity.
Please note that knowledge is gained by obedience. It comes by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. In the ultimate and full sense it comes only by revelation from the Holy Ghost. There are some things a sinful man does not and cannot know. The Lord’s people are promised: “By the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5). But if they do not seek the Spirit, if they do not accept the revelations God has given, if they cannot distinguish between the revealed word and the theories of men, they have no promise of gaining a fullness of truth by the power of the Holy Ghost.
And the right to the continuous companionship of this Spirit needs to be affirmed each Sabbath as we worthily partake of the sacrament and renew our baptismal covenants of obedience and service.
We are often left to work out problems without the dictation or specific direction of the Spirit. That is part of the experience we must have in mortality. Fortunately, we are never out of our Savior's sight and if our judgement leads us to actions beyond the limits of what is permissible and if we are listening to the still small voice, the Lord will restrain us by the promptings of His Spirit.
The direct, personal channel of communication to our Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost is based on worthiness and is so essential that we are commanded to renew our covenants by partaking of the sacrament each Sabbath day.
In all of these examples—familiar to each of us—the Holy Ghost acts in his office as a teacher and revelator, communicating information and truths for the edification and guidance of the recipient.
Revelation from God serves all five of these purposes: testimony, prophecy, comfort, uplift, and information.
This personal line of communication with our Heavenly Father through His Holy Spirit is the source of our testimony of truth, of our knowledge, and of our personal guidance from a loving Heavenly Father.
The Holy Ghost does not become operative in our lives merely because hands are placed upon our heads and those four important words are spoken.
"The standard is clear. If something we think, see, hear, or do distances us from the Holy Ghost, then we should stop thinking, seeing, hearing, or doing that thing."
The commandments from God we obey and the inspired counsel from Church leaders we follow principally focus upon obtaining the companionship of the Spirit.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the Holy Ghost is a spirit man, a spirit son of God the Father. It is a fundamental Church doctrine that God is the Father of the spirits of all men and women, that Jesus is literally God’s Son both in spirit and in the flesh, and that the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit separate and distinct from both the Father and the Son.
“… And the Lord said unto him: I will forgive thee and thy brethren … but thou shalt not sin any more, for ye shall remember that my Spirit will not always strive with man; wherefore, if ye will sin until ye are fully ripe ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.” (Ether 2:13–15; italics added.)
Modern scriptures indicate that having a body is necessary for a fullness of joy (DC 93:33). It is assumed by some Latter-day Saints—but not known by revelation—that it will be necessary for the Holy Spirit to receive a body at some point, but the timeframe in which He does so is not particularly important. (To travel overseas to another country, one needs both a passport and an airplane ticket. It doesn't matter in which order one gets the passport or the ticket, but one must eventually have both in order to reach one's destination.)
Well, let me tell you, the Holy Ghost is a man; he is one of the sons of our Father and our God; and he is that man that stood next to Jesus Christ, just as I stand by brother Brigham.
“Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven."
As you live worthy of the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Lord can direct you to safety even when you cannot see the way. For me, He has most often shown the next step or two to take. Rarely has He given me a glimpse of the distant future, but even those infrequent glimpses guide what I choose to do in daily life.
Now I testify it is a small voice. It whispers, not shouts. And so you must be very quiet inside. That is why you may wisely fast when you want to listen. And that is why you will listen best when you feel, 'Father, thy will, not mine, be done.' You will have a feeling of 'I want what you want.' Then, the still small voice will seem as if it pierces you. It may make your bones to quake. More often it will make your heart burn within you, again softly, but with a burning which will lift and reassure.
We all know that human judgment and logical thinking will not be enough to get answers to the questions that matter most in life. We need revelation from God. And we will need not just one revelation in a time of stress, but we need a constantly renewed stream. We need not just one flash of light and comfort, but we need the continuing blessing of communication with God.
“Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.
Prayer and fasting will allow us to be susceptible to spiritual promptings. Communicating with Heavenly Father while purposefully abstaining from food and drink allows us to “loose the bands of wickedness [and] to undo the heavy burdens.”18 Prayer, combined with fasting, will provide so that when we “call, … the Lord shall answer; … [and when we] cry, … he shall say, Here I am.”
With all his scientific knowledge man knows but little respecting the enginery of creation; and yet the few forces known to him have brought about miracles and wonders, which but for their actual realization would be beyond belief. These mighty agencies, and the mightier ones still to man unknown, and many, perhaps, to the present condition of the human mind unknowable, do not constitute the Holy Ghost, but are the agencies ordained to serve His purposes.
He will reveal all things necessary for the soul'sadvancement.
Time would fail us to speak of the thousands of other examples in both the Old and New Testaments, where God manifested His blessings through obedience to some simple ordinance or requirement. The means ordained, through which many blessings were given, were in many instances entirely arbitrary, and apparently had no con- nection, as a cause producing the effect: in most instances, these arbitrary means were instituted to try the faith of the people; for if they had not faith sufficient to obey any command, however simple, God would not bestow the blessing. What could have been more simple than the means referred to in the last two paragraphs? And yet. how great were the blessings which followed these simple acts!
Moses was baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire, so that when he came down from mount Sinai, after being with the Lord many days, his face shone with that brilliancy that the children of Israel could not endure the brightness and intensity of the light, but fled and stood afar off. Moses was obliged to veil his face to hide the glory of his countenance from Israel. It is this same fire that has so often been exhibited by holy angels, when they have appeared in their glory to mortals. It was this same fire that rested upon the tabernacle and camp of Israel, for forty years in the wilderness. It was this same fire that broke forth among the rebellious ones, and consumed them by thousands. It was this same fire that consumed the sacrifice offered by Elijah, and even consumed the stones of the altar and great quantities of water, poured upon the same. It was this same fire that filled the temple of Solo- mon at the time of its dedication. It is this same fire that surrounds the Holy One of Israel: hence, Paul calls Him. "a consuming fire." It was this same fire which all who sincerely received John's baptism, had the promise of being baptized with. It was this same fire and Holy Ghost that descended from heaven like a rushing mighty wind, on the day of Pentecost-that was seen in the form of cloven tongues that controlled the tongues of the disciples to speak in many languages unknown to themselves.
The baptism of fire, without doubt, had reference to the purifying qualities of the Holy Ghost, which, like fire, consumes or destroys the unholy affections of those who are made partakers of it. Those portions of the Holy Ghost which assumed the form of tongues, and were rendered visible had the appearance of fire.
That is the explanation, a spiritual light and power that is divine proceeds forth from the presence of God and fills the immensity of space; that is how you reconcile the personality of God with God's everywhereness.
There is no forgiveness for denying the First Comforter. But if a man received honor enough to have the presence of the Son, he would also have the knowledge of theFirst Comforter and should he turn away, his sin wouldbe unpardonable. A man could not deny the Second Comforter any more than he could the first. If a man getsknowledge enough to have the companionship of the Sonof God, the chances are his call and election would be sure.
The inspiration which was promised to all flesh bvethe Lord through the prophecy of Joel, is not the promiseof the Holy Ghost, but the promise of the guidance of theLight of Christ, or the Spirit of Truth, which is given toevery man who comes into the world. It is through thisSpirit that the inspiration comes to those who are not members of the Church. This Spirit has been poured out andis the active agency by which the great discoveries in thesemodern times have been accompished. It is this Spirit whichthe Lord declares he will withdraw from the world, andwhich he said to Noah would "not always strive with man,"and not the Holy Ghost which they never had. It is thisSpirit which led Columbus in his discoveries.
THE LIGHT OF CHRIST. The Holy Ghost shoulda not be confused with the Spirit which fills the immensity of space and which is everywhere present. This other Spirit is impersonal and has no size, nor dimension; it proceeds forth from the presence of the Father and the Sonand is in all things. We should speak of the Holy Ghost as a personage as "he" and this other Spirit as "it", although when we speak of the power or gift of the Holy Ghost. we may properly say "it".
All who partake of this, the greatest of sins, sell themselves as did Cain to Lucifer. They learn to hate the truth with an eternal hatred, and they learn to love wickedness. They reach a condition where they will not and cannot repent. The spirit of murder fills their hearts and they would, if they had the power, crucify our Lord again, which they virtually do by fighting his work and destroy it and his prophets.
A man may receive manifestations of the Holy Spirit.and then he may sin and the Spirit withdraws. He is left to himself, and he will forget, to a very large extent the things he learned before. But when a man has known the power of God, and partaken of it and then turns away, knowingly defying the truth, there is no forgiveness for him.
If we are humble, if we are diligent in the service of the Lord, if we seek to serve him with an eye single to the glory of our Father in heaven (keeping in mind that he has asked for that service with a full heart, with all our might, with all our mind, and with all our strength), we will not go astray. We will not be seduced by evil spirits nor by the spirits of men, but we will be led and directed by the Spirit of God.
Now if we find ourselves in this condition of unbelief or unwillingness to seek for the light and the knowledge which the Lord has placed within our reach, then we are liable or in danger of being deceived by evil spirits, the doctrines of devils. and the teachings of men. And when these false influences are presented before us, we will not have the distinguishing understanding by which we can segregate them and know that they are not of the Lord. And so we may become prey unto the ungodly, to the vicious,to the cunning, to the craftiness of men.
Every man may receive such a manifestation from the Holy Ghost when he is seeking for the truth, but not the power to call upon the Holy Ghost whenever he feels he needs the help, as a man does who is a member of the Church.
It is a mistake, when we are called upon to confirm a someone a member of the Church, to say. "Receive ye the gift of the Holy Ghost." We should say. "Receive the Holy Ghost.That covers everything and they get the gift.What is the gift of the Holy Ghost? Nothing more nor less than the right to the companionship of the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead.He is a Spirit, in the form of a man. The Father and the Son are personages of tabernacle; they have bodies of flesh and bones. The Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit, and has a spirit body only. His mission is to bear witness of the Father and the Son and of all truth. (P. 38.) As a Spirit personage the Holy Ghost has size and dimensions. He does not fill the immensity of space, and cannot be everywhere present in person at the same time.He is also called the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of Truth, and the Comforter.38.) His mission is to teach us all truth. He partakes of the things of the Father and the Son and reveals them to those who serve the Lord in faithfulness. It was through the teachings of the Comforter, or Holy Ghost, that the teachings of Jesus Christ were recalled by the apostles. It is through the teachings of the Holy Spirit that prophecy comes. (P. 38.)
The authority to so bestow the Holy Ghost belongs to the higher or Melchizedek Priesthood, whereas water baptism may be administered by a priest officiating in the ordinances of the lesser or Aaronic Priesthood. This order of authority, as made known through revelation, explains that while Philip had authority to administer the ordinance of baptism to the converted Samaritans, others who held the higher Priesthood had to be sent to confer upon them the Holy Ghost.
Not a truth has ever been made the property of humankind except through the power of that great Spirit who exists to do the bidding of the Father and the Son.
The power of the Holy Ghost then, is the spirit of prophecy and revelation; His office is that of enlightenment of the mind, quickening of the intellect, and sanctification of the soul.
Much of the confusion existing in human conceptions concerning the nature of the Holy Ghost arises from the common failure to segregate His person and powers. Plain ly, such expressions as being filled with the Holy Ghost. and His falling upon persons, have reference to the powers and influences that emanate .. Chost may in this God, and which are characteristic of Him: for e way operate simultaneously upon many persons even though they be widely separated, whereas the actual per oom of the Holy Ghost cannot be in more than one place at a time. Yet we read that terough the power of the Spirit. the I Father and the Son oprate in their creative acts and in their general dealings with the human family. The Holvi Ghost may be regarded as the minister of the Godhead. carrying into effect the decisions of the Supreme Council.
As the conducting medium in an electric circuit is capable of conveying but a limited current, the maximum capacity depending upon the resistance offered by the conductor and, as separate circuits of different degrees of conductivitv may carry currents of widely varying intensity, so human souls are of varied capacity with respect to the higher powers. But as the medium is purified, as obstructions are removed, so resistance to the energy decreases, and the forces manifest themselves with greater intensity.
Trust the guides you have been given from Him, rather than turning solely to the world to measure your personal worth and find your way.
The Holy Ghost is not a personage with a body of flesh and bones, and in this respect differs from the Father and the Son. The Holy Ghost is not a woman, as some have declared, and therefore is not the mother of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Ghost as a personage of Spirit can no more be omnipresent in person than can the Father or the Son, but by his intelligence, his knowledge, his power and in- fluence, over and through the laws of nature, he is and can be omnipresent throughout all the works of God. It is not the Holy Ghost who in person lighteth every man who is born into the world, but it is the light of Christ, the Spirit of Truth, which proceeds from the source of intelli- gence, which permeates all nature, which lighteth every man and fills the immensity of space. You may call it the Spirit of God, you may call it the influence of God's intel- ligence, you may call it the substance of his power. No matter what it is called, it is the spirit of intelligence that permeates the universe, and gives to the spirits of men understanding just as Job has said. (Job 32:8; Doc. and Cov., Sec. 88:3-13.)
The question is often asked, is there any difference he. tween the Spirit of the Lord and the Holy Ghost? The terme are frequently used synonymously. We often say the Spirit of God when we mean the Hoy Ghost; we likewise save the Holy Ghost when we ve meane Spirit of God. od. The Holy Ghost is a personage in the Godhead, and is not that which lighteth every man that comes into the world. It is the Spirit of God which proceeds through Christ to the world, that enlightens every man that comes into the world, and that strives with the children of men, and will continue to strive with them, until it brings them to a knowledge of the truth and the possession of the greater light and Holy Ghost. If, however, he receives that o testimony of the then sin against it, the Spirit of God At greater light, and with him, and the Holy Ghost will wholly depart from will cease to strive him. Then will he persecute the truth: then will he seek the blood of the innocent; then will he not scruple at the commission of any crime; except so far as he may fear the penalties of the law, in consequence of the crime, upon himself.
If a man is baptized and ordained to the holy priest- hood, and is called upon to perform duties which pertain to that priesthood, it does not follow that he must always have the Holy Ghost present with him when he performs his duty, but every righteous act which he may perform legally will be in force and effect, and will be acknowl- edged of God, whether he hath much or little of the Holy Ghost, but the more of the Spirit of God he possesses in ministrations, the better for himself, and those will not suf- fer any loss unto whom he administers.
Therefore, the presentation or "gift" of the Holy Ghost simply confers upon a man the right to receive at any time, when he is worthy of it and desires it, the power and light of truth of the Holy Ghost, although he may often be left to his own spirit and judgment.
The spirit of revelation is in connection with these blessings. A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, so that by noticing it, you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; (i.e.) those things that were presented unto you minds by the Spirit of God, will come to pass; and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow in the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus.
After a person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of his sins and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the laying on of hands), which is the first Comforter, then let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, Son, thou shalt be exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his calling and his election made sure, then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints”
The Holy Ghost is now in a state of probation which if he should perform in righteousness he may pass through the same or a similar course of things that the Son has.
Our efforts should not be to perform nor to conform but to be transformed by the Spirit.
The Prophet Joseph Smith explained: All things whatsoever God in his infinite wisdom has seen fit and proper to reveal to us, while we are dwelling in mortality . . . are revealed to our spirits precisely as though we had no bodies at all; and those revelations which will save our spirits will save our bodies. [Teachings, p. 355]
The Spirit communicates our prayers to Heavenly Father. Paul taught the Romans this principle when he said, “The Spirit also helpeth . . . : for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26).
It is by means of the Holy Ghost that personal revelations are received. It is the Spirit that communicates with our spirit in receiving revelation. The Savior promised, “God shall give unto you knowledge by his Holy Spirit” (D&C 121:26).
Statements in the scriptures such as “the Holy Ghost fell on [him]” (Acts 11:15), “filled with the Holy Ghost” (Luke 1:15), “the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38), “receive … the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22), baptized by “fire and the Holy Ghost” (D&C 20:41) do not always refer to his person, but to his power, influence, and gifts.
This tremendous truth—that every soul is enlightened by the spirit of Christ and endowed with the ability to respond to its guidance—is perfectly understandable when we remember that mortals are, by inheritance, spirits. They are the natural-born spirit children of God. It is, therefore, natural that there persists in every human soul, form antemortal spirit life, the capacity to instinctively respond to the promptings of the Spirit.
Personally I am not disheartened. I am concerned, but I do not live in terror. It has been said that the late President J. Golden Kimball once attended a stake conference session in which the speaker who preceded him occupied nearly all the time with a scorching call to repentance and that when Brother J. Golden followed him, he simply said, “Well, brothers and sisters, I suppose the best thing for all of us to do is to go home and commit suicide.”
With the Holy Spirit as our guide, our conscience stays vibrant and alive. Things which we had never supposed come into view. Seeming routine turns out to be resplendent. Ordinary people seem quite the opposite. What we once thought to be the mere humdrum of life gives way to symphonic strains. Circumstances or a mere conversation which look quite pedestrian nevertheless cause a quiet moment of personal resolve, and a decision affecting all eternity is made.
Jesus himself, though the Son of God, and possessed of all power in heaven and on earth, did not generally exer- cise his power without an ordinance. Hence, we read of great multitudes of the sick and afflicted being healed by the laying on of his hands. He also put his hands upon little children, and prayed for them, and blessed them. At one time he went up into a mountain, and called "unto him whom he would; and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach." (Mark iii. 13. 14.) He laid his hands upon a woman who had been bound by Satan eight- een years, and she was delivered from the evil spirit. (Luke xiii. 13-16.) Jesus said that all believers in his Gospel should receive certain signs, among which it was promised that "they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall re- cover." (Mark xvi. 18.) Jesus put his hands upon a blind man and he was partially healed; and he put his hands again upon his eyes, and he was fully restored.
Do not deceive yourself, and suppose that you can receive this pre- cious gift, by merely asking for it, when you are not willing to obey the ordinances which God has ordained through which you are to receive this blessing. Do not flatter your- self that God will hear your prayers when you ask for His Spirit, if you do not obey. Your prayers will be a mockery. unless you are willing to obey whatever is required, how- ever simple the ordinances may be.
Hence, it is infinitely important that the affections and desires should be, in a measure, changed and renewed, so as to cause him to hate that which he before loved, and to love that which he before hated: to thus renew the mind of man is the work of the Holy Ghost
Faith in a divine message is one thing, but knowledge is another. Faith leads to obedience, but knowledge follows obedience. Faith is the result of evidence presented to the mind from without; but knowledge is the result of the operations of the Holy Ghost directly upon the mind, which gives greater certainty than can be obtained in any other way
The Holy Ghost communicates important information that we need to guide us in our mortal journey. When it is crisp and clear and essential, it warrants the title of revelation. When it is a series of promptings we often have to guide us step by step to a worthy objective, for the purpose of this message, it is inspiration.
First, yielding to emotions such as anger or hurt or defensiveness will drive away the Holy Ghost. Those emotions must be eliminated, or our chance for receiving revelation is slight.
Some of us unwisely seek the Holy Ghost’s direction on every minor decision in our lives.
In the coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.
We live in a time prophesied long ago, when “all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.”13 That was true before the pandemic, and it will be true after. Commotion in the world will continue to increase. In contrast, the voice of the Lord is not “a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but … it [is] a still voice of perfect mildness, [like] a whisper, and it [pierces] even to the very soul.”14 In order to hear this still voice, you too must be still!
Simply said, a place of security is anywhere you can feel the presence of the Holy Ghost and be guided by Him.15 When the Holy Ghost is with you, you can teach truth, even when it runs counter to prevailing opinions. And you can ponder sincere questions about the gospel in an environment of revelation.
That admonition given to Joseph is for each of us. We are to seek, in every way we can, to hear Jesus Christ, who speaks to us through the power and ministering of the Holy Ghost.
But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.
I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that "if thou shalt see, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things - that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth eternal life.
The term "Second Comforter" refers to Jesus Christ in his role of ministering personally to his faithful followers (John 14:21-23; D&C 93:1;130:3). Jesus taught his disciples that the Holy Ghost was a comforter (John 14:26), but he also spoke of a second comforter (John 14:16-21). Latter-day Saints have been given additional understanding about the Second Comforter by the Prophet Joseph Smith: 'After a person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of his sins and receives the Holy Ghost (by the laying on of hands), which is the first Comforter, then let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, Son, thou shalt be exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then the man will find his calling and his election made sure, then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints, as is recorded in the testimony of St. John, in the 14th chapter, from the 12th to the 27th verses'. Now what is this other Comforter? It is no more nor less than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself; when any man obtains this last Comforter, he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him from time to time, and even He will manifest the Father unto him, and they will take up their abode with him, and the visions of the heavens will be opened unto him, and the Lord will teach him face to face, and he may have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God; and this is the state and place the ancient Saints arrived at when they had such glorious visions-Isaiah, Ezekiel, John upon the Isle of Patmos, St. Paul in the three heavens, and all the Saints who held communion with the general assembly and Church of the First Born [TPJS, pp. 150-51]. The Lord has counseled his Saints to "seek his face" (D&C 101:37-38). No sinful person can endure his presence, and hence will not obtain the blessing (D&C 67:10-13; JST Ex. 33:11, 20). In God's wisdom, some faithful individuals are blessed with the Second Comforter while remaining in mortality. [See also Calling and Election; Jesus Christ: Latter-Day Appearances of Jesus Christ.]
Every man or woman that has ever entered into the church of God and been baptized for the remission of sins [and received the gift of the Holy Ghost] has a right to revelation, a right to the Spirit of God, to assist them in their labors. This Spirit reveals, day by day, to every man who has faith, those things which are for his benefit. The Holy Ghost will not dwell in an unholy tabernacle. If you would enjoy the full powers and gifts of your religion, you must be pure. If you are guilty of weaknesses, follies and sins, you must repent of them, that is, you must thoroughly forsake them." (D&C 59:9-12).
In the scriptures, the Holy Ghost is called by several names, such as: “the Spirit,” “the Spirit of God,” “the Spirit of the Lord,” “the Spirit of Truth,” “the Holy Spirit,” and “the Comforter.” Some of these same terms are also used to refer to the Light of Christ, which may also be called “the Spirit of Christ,” and “the light of truth.” Although the names given them are sometimes the same, the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost are different and distinct.