Tuesday, April 5, 2016

David A. Bednar on receiving guidance from the Holy Ghost

Elder David A. Bednar (b. 1952) was serving as the president of BYU–Idaho when he was called and sustained as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in October 2004.
"As we each press forward along the pathway of life, we receive direction from the Holy Ghost just as Lehi was directed through the Liahona. 'For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do' (2 Ne. 32:5).
"The Holy Ghost operates in our lives precisely as the Liahona did for Lehi and his family, according to our faith and diligence and heed....
"The Spirit of the Lord can be our guide and will bless us with direction, instruction, and spiritual protection during our mortal journey. We invite the Holy Ghost into our lives through meaningful personal and family prayer, feasting upon the words of Christ, diligent and exacting obedience, faithfulness and honoring of covenants, and through virtue, humility, and service. And we steadfastly should avoid things that are immodest, coarse, crude, sinful, or evil that cause us to withdraw ourselves from the Holy Ghost."
- David A. Bednar, "That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us," Ensign, May 2006, pp. 28-31
Click here to read the full talk

Elder Bednar discusses what is, to me, one of the most hopeful promises of the Book of Mormon. Lehi received life-saving guidance from the marvelous gift of the Liahona; the parallel for us is the gift of the Holy Ghost, which will "show unto you all things what ye should do."


I appreciated Elder Bednar's list of suggestions about how to "invite the Holy Ghost into our lives":
  • meaningful personal and family prayer
  • feasting upon the words of Christ
  • diligent and exacting obedience
  • faithfulness and honoring of covenants
  • virtue, humility, and service
That's a great list of things to focus on in our lives, along with the caution to avoid the "things that are immodest, coarse, crude, sinful, or evil that cause us to withdraw ourselves from the Holy Ghost."

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