LISTEN TO THE HOLY GHOST - by J'net Johnson

LISTEN TO THE HOLY GHOST

Twenty five years ago, boy that is long time, I would jog three miles early in the morning with my neighbor and good friend, Janet Jurgens. We always did the same run which we did east of our homes.
One morning we had jogged about one mile and were just starting into the area where the homes were few and far apart. This had never bothered us in the past, but this morning we stopped, looked at each other and said that we felt we should not go up there this morning. We never hesitated but turned around and finished our three miles in town. I know that the Holy Ghost spoke to each one of us and we heeded his counsel. To this day, I do not know if there was danger up ahead or maybe it was a test to see if we would obey. I know that as we trust in the Spirit we will be strengthened and protected in our daily lives.
I am reminded of a true story of President Wilford Woodruff how was told to move his carriage and mules minutes before a tornado hit.
The following story is paraphrased from Woodruff, Wilford, “Leaves from my Journal.
Salt Lake City, 2nd ed., 1882 (pg 339):
“Get up and move your carriage!” In the middle of the night these words beat upon the eardrums of Wilford Woodruff. Wilford knew that tone from a lifetime of experience. It was the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. He awakened his wife. “I must get up and move the carriage!”
“What for?”
“I don’t know, only the Spirit has told me to do so.”
Wilford strode into the Indiana night. He harnessed his mules, brought them back to the wagon where his wife and children were sleeping, hooked them up, and dragged his Wagon from its location in the barnyard to a spot near the house. Then he went back to bed.

The still small voice came back: “Go and move your mules away from that oak tree!” Obediently, Wilford dressed and took his mules and tied them a safe distance from the tree. Less than thirty minutes later a tornado struck the oak tree where the mules had been tied, uprooted it, carried it a hundred yards through the air, and laid it in the barnyard at the exact spot where Wilford’s wagon had stood.


Heavenly Father has given us the gift of the Holy Ghost. If we listen to His promptings he will strengthen our testimonies and our relationship with God. He will help us to fulfill responsibilities in this life and return home to Heavenly Father when we have finished our work on the earth. We need to be consistent, show great effort and to trust in the Lord.
We are on the path home to God, and we can make it. Because the path may be steep and sometimes rocky we may feel discouraged and even stumble, but we can arrive back home with Heavenly Father as we are guided and corrected by the Spirit of God.
Some things that we need to do are:
1. Pray for the gifts of the Spirit.
2. Ponder in the scriptures and in the words of our living prophets.
3. Keep our promises to the Lord
As we draw closer to the Holy Spirit, He will help us arrive at our final destination….HOME….with our Heavenly Father & the Savior, to live with our families in joy forever.