Random Thoughts and Ponderings 2

    

Light of Christ and the Gift of The Holy Ghost 

    In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints one of the things we talk about- that I feel is unique to or doctrine- is what is called the Light of Christ, and the Gift of the Holy Ghost. In very simple terms one can call the Light of Christ the innate conscience we all are born with. That which leds one to right and wrong decision. It's what one speaks of when they say "trust your gut".  These examples are very very simple representations.

  The gift of the Holy Ghost on the other hand is far more. We speak of it as having a member of the Godhead with you constantly, leading you and guiding you the more you heed his promptings. It is received after an individual enters the waters of baptism. It's what the scriptures call a "baptism of fire" after a baptism of water. 

    Now, I was pondering on how one could explain the differences of these two great gifts. When the idea of software came to mind. I thought back to when I received my very first PC. I remember when I turned it on and it booted to life, the operating system flashed on the screen and there were a hand full of application or programs that had been pre-installed. spending a few hours exploring the new system I came to realize that some of the applications were not fully functional. They could still be used for various things, and were very useful in what they could do. but the full functionality was held back. In order to access the more advanced features the manufacture required a subscriptions. A price to be paid to gain access to all the features and benefits the software could offer when fully unlocked.  

    I feel this is a good analogy for the The Light of Christ and The Gift of the Holy Ghost. The Light of
Christ is like the pre-installed software on a PC. All people who walk on the earth have it. It is freely given to discern right from wrong. Some people chose to ignore it and see it as a waste of space on there system. Others have done amazing thing with it and created beautiful lifes by accessing it constantly. they have even bless the life of others and advanced the human race by listening to that voice of inspiration. on its own The Light of Christ is extremely powerful. But there are features and benefits not fully accessed. 

    Just as with my first PC there needed to be a price paid to unlock the software, sometimes called the Pro version. The same is true about The Light of Christ. There need to be a price paid to unlock or install what  gamerse world call a DLC pack "Downloadable content" which gives the user more content, features, tools, equipment, and levels. In this case to download of unlock these features the price we pay is to take the name of Jesus Christ upon us and giving up our old life for a new one. Being baptism by immersion by one having the authority is the physical witness of an inward commitment. Then we receive The Gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands. We renew our subscription to retain access To the Gift each week by partaking of the Sacrament or Lord's supper. By partaking of the the screament we are reaffirming our pledge to the user agreement to alway remember our savior that we might have his spirit to be with us.                    

On a sunday Afternoon 

On a Sunday in July, during the administration of the sacrament, my mind was drawn to the utter quiet that prevailed in the chapel on that day. The priesthood seemed to me as if they moved in the same manner of pallbearers, caring the emblems of the body of Christ. They did nothing different of any note but I was drawn to their actions in a way I have never been before. I was then drawn back to the quiet that prevailed in the chapel, It was still and reverent. The only sound was that of the mechanical system and the normal sounds of bodies shifting in their seats, as well as an occasional cough which we as humans are prone to do. But in that moment of quiet reverence, I could almost imagine the same quite falling over a far more vast congregation. It’s as if in my imagination I was in a sacred solemn gathering, in an exceedingly large place. I could not make out the boundaries or location of this gathering. The finer details of the seen were not clear to me. All was obscured as if I was looking through frosted glass. But what I could make out was, the vast congregation extended all directions. All were focused on the center point of the space, where a robed figures stood. Peace filled the vast place all were fixed on the loving figure of the Lord Jesus Christ. Dressed in white He slowly turned take in all that surrounded him. Standing before them, His arms outstretched at his sides lovingly looking upon those in attendance. No one moved, all could see him and all needed nothing more than to be there with him. Not a word spoken just reverent quiet, every person content to just rest in his presence. His peace and His love were conveyed to all in attendance, not in words but in that reverent silence.

HE IS COMING AGAIN!