Chapter 7: The Whisperings of the Spirit “I make a plea that we constantly seek the inspiration of the Lord and the companionship of His Holy Spirit to bless us in keeping our efforts on a high spiritual plane.”

From the Life of Gordon B. Hinckley On June 24, 1995, President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke at a meeting for new mission presidents and their wives, giving them counsel to guide their next three years of service. He told of instruction he received when President Harold B. Lee, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, set him apart as a stake president: “I remember only one thing he said: ‘Listen for the whisperings of the Spirit in the middle of the night, and respond to those whisperings.’ I don’t know why revelation comes sometimes in the night, but it does. It comes in the day as well, of course. But listen to the whisperings of the Spirit, the gift of revelation, to which you are entitled.”1

The Holy Ghost is the Comforter and the Testifier of truth. The Holy Ghost stands as the third member of the Godhead, the Comforter promised by the Savior who would teach His followers all things and bring all things to their remembrance, whatsoever He had said unto them (see John 14:26).4 The Holy Ghost bears testimony in our hearts concerning the Father and the Son.5 (Moroni 10:4–5) Why do we need the Holy Ghost?

We need the Holy Ghost to guide us in our service at home and in the Church. 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 us 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.8 … Sweet are the fruits of teaching done under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They feed the spirit and nourish the soul. When have you felt the Holy Ghost teach and guide you? What have you learned from those experiences?

Revelation almost always comes to us through a still, small voice—the whispering of the Spirit. From time to time, I have been interviewed by representatives of the media. Almost invariably they have asked, “How does revelation come to the prophet of the Church?” I reply that it comes now as it has come in the past. Concerning this, I have recounted to these media representatives the experience of Elijah following his contest with the priests of Baal: 1 Kings 19:11–12. Ps. 46:10, Matt. 11:15. What can we learn from President Hinckley’s explanation about how revelation comes to the prophet? Why is it important to know that the Holy Ghost usually communicates in “a still, small voice”?

The things of the Spirit enlighten, build, and uplift us. D&C 121:26 “The things of God are understood by the Spirit of God. That Spirit is real.” What experiences have you had with gaining spiritual knowledge? How can these teachings help us recognize the influence of the Spirit?

The Holy Ghost will be our constant companion as we live for this blessing. It is the Lord who has said that if we keep the commandments, “the Holy Ghost shall be [our] constant companion” (D&C 121:46) to buoy us up, to teach us, lead us, comfort us, and sustain us. To obtain this companionship, we need to ask for it, to live for it, to be loyal to the Lord.17 D&C 121:46. In what ways have you been blessed by the Holy Ghost?