Amazing quote on the Holy Ghost

I was amazed by this quote that I shared with the Teachers Quorum as part of last week’s lesson.  The stage was first set by a small quote from the Prophet Joseph Smith about how the Holy Ghost is essentially “pure intelligence.”

Elder Parley P. Pratt described the effects of the Holy Ghost:

“[His influence] quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections; and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates and matures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation and social feeling. It invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being” (Key to the Science of Theology, 9th ed. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1965], p. 101).

WHOA!  Yeah.  Wow.  Hello…  In other words, there really is nothing that is done in our mortal lives right now by our Father in Heaven or our Savior, Jesus Christ, without going through the Holy Ghost.  I always knew he played an important role in the gospel and in my own life, but I realized after reading this that my understanding was very shallow as this subject has some serious depth I had not considered.

The lesson continues:

We should seek to receive the influence of the Holy Ghost as described by Elder Pratt. Many times the Holy Ghost will act as a comforter, speaking peace to our minds and hearts. Other times the influence of the Holy Ghost will give us sudden bursts of thought or inspiration, as if a light were turned on in our minds and hearts, and in the light we discern some new truth. This is the pure intelligence spoken of by Joseph Smith. It is the still small voice speaking “in your mind and in your heart” (D&C 8:2), the burning in your bosom (see D&C 9:8).