I studied about the Holy Ghost this week and made a list of (1) What the Holy Ghost does and (2) What the disciples (we) must do to receive The Holy Ghost:

              John 14:15-17 (1) Comforter, spirit of truth, Abide with you forever (2)See and Know Him-in other words, recognize Him

              John 14:26-27 (1)  “Teach you all things”, “bring all things to your remembrance”, peace (2) “let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid”

             John 15:26-27 (1) Testify of Christ (2) Bear witness of Christ

             John 16: 7-8 (1) “Reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement” (2) Allow Christ to be with the Father so the Holy Ghost can come.

             John 16:13-14 (1) “Guide you into all truth”, “shew you all things to come”, “Glorify Christ”

From other resources:

LDS Institute Manual points to ponder- The Holy Ghost Brings Man to His Fullest Potential

“[The Holy Ghost] 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.” (Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology,p. 101.)

LDS Institute Manual points to ponder-As a Messenger of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost Teaches Faithful Members

“The Holy Ghost is a Personage of Spirit, in the likeness of God the Father, in other words a likeness of the Father and the Son. His mission is to instruct and enlighten the minds of those who, through their faithfulness have obeyed the commandments of the Father and the Son. He bears witness of the truth, quickens the minds of those who have made covenant and reveals to them the mysteries of the kingdom of God. He is a special messenger from the Father and the Son and carries out their will. …” (Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 5:134.)

Bible Dictionary-Holy Ghost

The Holy Ghost is manifested to men on the earth both as the power of the Holy Ghost and as the gift of the Holy Ghost. The difference is that the power is what comes as the convincing witness of the truth. It gives one a testimony of Christ and of His work and the work of His servants on the earth. The gift is what is received after proper and authorized baptism, conferred by the laying on of hands. This gift is the right to have as a companion when found worthy, the Holy Ghost which is more powerful than that which is available before baptism. It acts as a cleansing agent to purify one and sanctify him from sin. The Holy Ghost knows all things and can lead one to know future events.

The Holy Ghost helped the Apostles fulfill their missions after the Savior’s death by acting as a messenger from the Godhead and as the Apostles spoke by the spirit or by the power of the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost carried a conviction of the truth to the heart of the hearer. The Holy Ghost also quickened and invigorated all the physical and intellectual faculties of the Apostles as well as inspired, developed, and strengthened them.

The Holy Ghost has inspired me to save the life of my child from drowning by thoughts in my head that became ever more forceful as I tried to brush them aside and ignore them.  He has given me glimpses of the future as choices were made by another that were out of my control and I was lead to take action. He has aroused my intellectual faculties as I have attended college for the past six years. He has been my comforter and giver of peace as my brother died, my marriage fell apart, and my children went to live with their father for a time. He bore witness to me of truth when I needed to read others for their honesty and integrity, when I asked to know Gospel principles to help me, and when I felt I was being deceived. He is the messenger of my elder brother, my Savior when I reach out to Him and He carries me through my pains and suffering. He helps me feel the love of  my Father in Heaven as I feel a warmth surround me when I cry out to Him to hold me. In essence, without the Gift of the Holy Ghost, there could be none of these. He is the reason I am able to communicate with heaven and have a testimony of Christ, Heavenly Father, answers to prayer, Gospel principles, the Book of Mormon and all Holy scripture, Joseph Smith, forever families, patriarchal blessings, Temples, missionary work, kindness, service, generosity, and the power of love to conquer all.

I bear witness and testify by and through the Holy Ghost of the truths I have written and by the power of the spirit-the Holy Ghost, it will be carried to your heart that you may feel the truths I have spoken of and find hope and peace.