We never need to feel alone

Sharing Station PresentationBYU Women’s Conference

May 2008

As women, we have an innate desire to surround ourselves with loved ones; family, friends, fellow church members and neighbors.

And yet, at times in our lives, we find ourselves feeling lonely, friendless and even abandoned.

The Lord has given us the

gift of the Holy Ghost to help us rise above the despair we feel.

Elder Boyd K. Packer

taught,You need never

to feel or be alone.”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks reminds us that weekly, we can renew our baptismal covenants through worthily partaking of the sacrament.

If we do so, we will have the constant companionship

of the Spirit.

“That they may

always have

His Spirit to be with

them.”D&C 20:77

“When the multitude

had all eaten and drunk, behold,

they were filled with

the Spirit.”

3 Nephi 20:8-9

“The Holy Ghost is the

most precious possession we can

have in mortality.” Elder Dallin H. Oaks

How do we qualify to have His Spirit with us always?

By turning our thoughts and lives to our Savior. Becoming in tune with the Spirit is attainable by everyone and is a matter of choice. Remember that we do not have to be perfect.

The Spirit is the refining process

that will lead us to perfection as we seek, invite, listen

and act upon the promptings

we receive.

To have the Holy Ghost

with you always,

seek his influence by

preparing your home home and soul.

Prepare your home,

Spiritually and Physically.

“Organize yourselves…

establish a House of

Prayer, a House of

Fasting a House of

Learning a House of Glory a House of Order a House of God.” (D&C

88:119)

As we try to be good stewards of all the Lord has blessed us with, our homes will become a refuge of …

Peace

Prepare your Soul to

receive the Holy Ghost“Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly.”

(D&C 121:45)

Know ye not that Know ye not that your body is the temple your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?of the Holy Ghost? (1 Corinthians 6:19)(1 Corinthians 6:19)

Choose carefully the media you view. Opposite from it’s harmful effects, media offers much that is positive and

productive… our biggest challenge is to choose wisely.Elder M. Russell

Ballard

Keep the Word of Wisdom (see D&C 89)

Keeping our bodies healthy, helps our Spirits to be in tune with the Lord. Further defining the Word of Wisdom, President Heber J. Grant taught,“The Lord does not want you to use any drug that creates an

appetite for itself.”

Daily invite the Holy Ghost,

through prayer, to be your constant

companion

Like the Sons of Mosiah,“do we really want to be instruments in God’s hands? If so, our desires will permeate our prayers and be the focus of our fasts.”

Elder Don R. Clarke of the Seventy

Listen and act upon the promptings of the Holy Ghost The Lord will prepare the way

Don’t “Don’t “over over thinkthink””

inspiration.inspiration. If it’s a good If it’s a good

idea,idea,just do it!just do it!

To be an accomplished musician, we

must practice. Likewise, the more we act

upon the Spirit’s

promptings, the more we

will recognize them.

How can we know when we have the Spirit with us?

When you have the Spirit:

1. You feel happy, calm, and clear-minded.2. You feel generous.

3. Nobody can offend you.4. You wouldn’t mind everybody seeing what you’re doing.

5. You are eager to be with people and want to make them happy.

6. You are glad when others succeed.

7. You are glad to attend your meetings and participate in church activities.

8. You feel like praying.

9. You wish you could keep all the Lord’s commandments.

10. You feel in control—you don’t over eat or sleep too much; you don’t feel uncontrollably drawn to sensational entertainment, lose your temper,or feel uncontrollable passions or desires.

11. You think about the Savior often and lovingly; you want to know him better.

12. You feel confident and are glad to be alive.

When you don’t have the Spirit1. You feel unhappy, depressed, confused, and frustrated.

2. You feel possessive, self-centered, or resentful of demands made on you.

3. You are easily offended.

4. You become secretive and evasive.5. You avoid people, especially members of your family; and you are critical of family members and Church authorities.

6. You envy or resent the successes of others.

7. You don’t want to go to church, go home teaching, or take the sacrament. You wish you had another church job or no job at all.

8. You don’t want to pray.

9. You find the commandments bothersome, restricting, or senseless.

10. You feel emotions and appetites so strongly that you fear you cannot control them—hate, jealousy, anger, lust, hunger, fatigue.

11. You hardly ever think of the Savior; he seems irrelevant to your life, or worse, part of a confusing system that seems to work against you.

12. You get discouraged easily and wonder if life is really worth it.

When you have the Spiritothers can see the Light of Christ

in your eyes

The Holy Ghost can

help us decipher between

good choices and

the best choices.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Cherish the Gift of

the Holy Ghost

We testify that our Savior

did not leave us

comfortless. He sent us the Holy Ghost to bless our lives.

As we seek, invite, listen and act upon the

promptings that we receive, we can enjoy

this precious possession, the

Gift of the Holy Ghost.

Barb Bennett & Cheryl Bishop