Manifestations of the Holy Ghost

Other God-given helps for making right choices are the manifestations of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. His function, defined in scripture, is to testify of the Father and the Son, to teach us, to bring all things to our remembrance, and to guide us into all truth. The scriptures include many descriptions of the manifestations of the Holy Ghost, such as a spiritual witness in response to an inquiry about the truth of the Book of Mormon. A manifestation is not to be confused with the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is conferred following baptism.

One of the most significant of God’s helps for His faithful children is the gift of the Holy Ghost. The importance of this gift is evident in the fact that it is formally conferred after repentance and baptism by water, “and then [the scriptures explain] cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost” (⁠2 Nephi 31:17⁠). Persons who have this remission of sins—and then regularly renew their cleansing by daily repentance and living according to the covenants they make through the ordinance of the sacrament—qualify for the promise that the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of the Lord, “may always … be with them” (⁠Doctrine and Covenants 20:77⁠).

Thus, President Joseph F. Smith taught that the Holy Ghost will “enlighten the minds of the people with regard to the things of God, to convince them at the time of their conversion of their having done the will of the Father, and to be in them an abiding testimony as a companion through life, acting as the sure and safe guide into all truth and filling them day by day with joy and gladness, with a disposition to do good to all men, to suffer wrong rather than to do wrong, to be kind and merciful, long suffering and charitable. All who possess this inestimable gift, this pearl of great price, have a continual thirst after righteousness. Without the aid of the Holy Spirit,” President Smith concluded, “no mortal can walk in the straight and narrow way.”

Dallin H. Oaks

"Divine Helps for Mortality", General Conference April 2025

ignoring His will in our lives

Perhaps the more insidious form of rebellion against God, however, is the passive version—ignoring His will in our lives. Many who would never consider active rebellion may still oppose the will and word of God by pursuing their own path without regard to divine direction. I am reminded of the song made famous years ago by singer Frank Sinatra with the climactic line “I did it my way.” Certainly in life there is plenty of room for personal preference and individual choice, but when it comes to matters of salvation and eternal life, our theme song ought to be “I did it God’s way,” because truly there is no other way.

Take, for instance, the Savior’s example regarding baptism. He submitted to baptism as a demonstration of loyalty to the Father and as an example to us:

“He showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments. …

“And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?”

There is no “my way” if we are to follow Christ’s example. Trying to find a different course to heaven is like the futility of working on the Tower of Babel rather than looking to Christ and His salvation.

D. Todd Christofferson

"Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion", General Conference October 2024

Alan’s boys

One bishop taught his new deacons quorum presidency these duties. So the young presidency began to talk about what that might look like in their quorum and in their ward. They decided they should start visiting elderly ward members to see what they needed and then do that.

Among those they served was Alan, a rough, often profane, and sometimes hostile neighbor. Alan’s wife, Wanda, became a member of the Church, but Alan was, as we say, something of a piece of work.

Still, the deacons went to work, comically ignoring his insults, while they shoveled snow and took out trash. Deacons can be hard to hate, and Alan eventually began to love them. At some point they invited him to church.

“I don’t like church,” he responded.

“Well, you like us,” they said. “So come with us. You can just come to our quorum meeting if you want.”

And with the bishop’s approval, he came—and he kept coming.

The deacons became teachers, and as they continued to serve him, he taught them to work on cars and to build things. By the time these deacons-turned-teachers became priests, Alan was calling them “my boys.”

They were earnestly preparing for missions and asked him if they could practice missionary lessons with him. He swore that he would never listen and never believe, but, yeah, they could practice at his house.

And then Alan got sick. And he softened.

And one day in quorum meeting, he tenderly asked them to pray for him to quit smoking, and so they did. But then they followed him home and confiscated all of his tobacco stash.

As his failing health put Alan into hospitals and rehab centers, “his boys” served him, quietly exuding powers of priesthood and of love unfeigned (see Doctrine and Covenants 121:41).

The miracle continued when Alan asked to be baptized—but then he passed away before it could happen. At his request, his deacons-turned-priests were the pallbearers and the speakers at his funeral, where they—fittingly—warned, expounded, exhorted, taught, and invited all to Christ.

And later, in the temple, it was one of “Alan’s boys” who baptized that erstwhile deacons quorum president in proxy for Alan.

Everything John the Baptist said to do, they did. They did what deacons, teachers, and priests do all over this Church and all over this world.

Steven J. Lund

"Divine Authority, Sublime Young Men", General Conference April 2025

you are helping to gather Israel

Anytime you do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel. It is as simple as that.

Russell M. Nelson

"Hope of Israel," Worldwide Youth Devotional. June 3, 2018. As found in "Safely Gathered Home," by Quentin L. Cook. General Conference April 2023

this life - a hopeful context

The Book of Mormon teaches that “this life is the time for [us] to prepare to meet God.” Alma 34:32 But that challenging limitation to “this life” was given a hopeful context (at least to some extent for some persons) by what the Lord revealed to President Joseph F. Smith, now recorded in Doctrine and Covenants section 138. “I beheld,” the prophet wrote, “that the faithful elders of this dispensation, when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead.

“The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God,

“And after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation.” D&C 138:57-59

In addition, we know that the Millennium, the thousand years that follow the Second Coming of the Savior, will be a time to perform the required ordinances for those who have not received them in their mortal lives. D&C 29:11

Dallin H. Oaks

"Kingdoms of Glory," General Conference October 2023

we can remain clean

The Savior has given us many ways to focus on Him intentionally, including the daily opportunity to repent. Sometimes we undervalue how great this offered blessing is. When I was eight years old, I was baptized by my father. Afterward, I held his hand as we were going to cross a busy street. I was not paying attention and stepped from the curb just as a big truck came rumbling by. My father jerked me back, out of the street and onto the curb. Had he not done so, I would have been hit by the truck. Knowing my own mischievous nature, I thought, “Maybe it would have been better for me to be killed by the truck because I’ll never be as clean as I am now right after my baptism.” 

As an eight-year-old, I had mistakenly presumed that the water of baptism washed away sins. Not so. In the years since my baptism, I have learned that sins are cleansed by the power of Jesus Christ through His atoning sacrifice as we make and keep the baptismal covenant. Then, through the gift of repentance, we can remain clean. I have also learned that the sacrament brings a powerful virtuous cycle into our lives, enabling us to retain a remission of our sins.

Dale G. Renlund

“Jesus Christ is the Treasure” General Conference October 2023

an office in a kingdom

W.W. Phelps had been both called and chosen, but it was also his duty to be baptized in water and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands. There is no other entrance to the Kingdom of God.

One who wants to hold an office in a kingdom must take upon himself certain obligations as a citizen. He must be naturalized, if his citizenship is not one of birthright. He must enter into certain covenants as to loyalty, morality, etc. The rule is the same in the Kingdom of Heaven. We enter it through baptism and the laying on of hands, taking upon us the obligations of citizens in that Kingdom, and receiving the Holy Spirit which permeates it. Then we are qualified for appointment for such offices as the King may call us to take charge of.


Doctrine and Covenants Commentary by Hyrum M. Smith and Janne M. Sjodahl. Deseret Book. 1965. p.318

Baptism as a symbol is first a physical witness of the faith and repentance of the candidate. Second, it is the signature to a covenant with God to accept and to obey the divine plan of salvation. Third, the mode of baptism, by immersion, is an acceptance of the leadership of Jesus the Christ, for the temporary burial in the water symbolizes the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ and becomes also a promise of man's resurrection from the grave. Fourth, baptism has a cleansing effect. As water is a cleansing agent, so baptism, with all that has preceded it, will prevent past errors of the candidate from standing in the way of his future progress. He may have to pay the physical price for his errors, but they will not hence-forth handicap him in his battle for celestial glory. Fifth, baptism is the authorized mode of entrance into the Church of Jesus Christ.


John A. Widtsoe, Joseph Smith: Seeker After Truth - Prophet of God. By John A. Witdsoe. 1951. P.164

received unto baptism

And now I speak concerning baptism. Behold, elders, priests, and teachers were baptized; and they brought forth fruit meet that they were worthy of it.

Neither did they receive any unto baptism save they came forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto the church that they truly repented of all their sins.

And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end.

And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.


Moroni 6:1-4

For, by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified; and by the blood ye are sanctified.


Moses, Genesis 5:63. Joseph Smith's 'New Translation' of the Bible. 1970. Herald Publishing House. Independence, MO. P.48

any other name

In the former ages of the world, before the Savior came in the flesh, 'the saints' were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to come, because there never was any other name whereby men could be saved.


Joseph Smith, Jr., Ensign June 1994 p.8, originally quoted in Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.266 Moses 6:59

Real repentance requires the emancipating effects of baptism; it washes us clean. Think about it: how merciful when our yesterdays no longer hold our tomorrows hostage!


Neal A. Maxwell (1926 – 2004) was an apostle and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1981 until his death. "Testifying of the Great and Glorious Atonement," Ensign, October 2001, 11

keeping faithful track of each member

Keeping faithful track of each member you are called to home teach is essential. The Book of Mormon beautifully teaches this principle. In the sixth chapter of Moroni we read:

"And after they had been received unto baptism, ... they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith" (Moro. 6:4).

Brethren, may we remember all of our individuals and families and "number" them each month and nourish them by the good word of God to keep them in the right way.

Ezra Taft Benson, "To the Home Teachers of the Church," Ensign, May 1987, 48

take upon us the name

...we see that we take upon us the name of Christ when we are baptized in his name, when we belong to his Church and profess our belief in him, and when we do the work of his kingdom.

There are other meanings as well, deeper meanings that the more mature members of the Church should understand and ponder as he or she partakes of the sacrament.

It is significant that when we partake of the sacrament we do not witness that we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. We witness that we are willing to do so. (See D&C 20:77.) The fact that we only witness to our willingness suggests that something else must happen before we actually take that sacred name upon us in the most important sense.

What future event or events could this covenant contemplate? The scriptures suggest two sacred possibilities, one concerning the authority of God, especially as exercised in the temples, and the other—closely related—concerning exaltation in the celestial kingdom.

...by partaking of the sacrament we witness our willingness to participate in the sacred ordinances of the temple and to receive the highest blessings available through the name and by the authority of the Savior when he chooses to confer them upon us.

...our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ affirms our commitment to do all that we can to be counted among those whom he will choose to stand at his right hand and be called by his name at the last day. In this sacred sense, our witness that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ constitutes our declaration of candidacy for exaltation in the celestial kingdom. Exaltation is eternal life, “the greatest of all the gifts of God.” (D&C 14:7.)


Dallin H. Oaks, “Taking upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ,” Ensign, May 1985, 80