Before His death, Jesus told His Apostles that after He was gone, the Father would send “the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost” (John 14:26). As promised, the Holy Ghost came to the Twelve Apostles in a miraculous way on the day of Pentecost. The purpose of this lesson is to help you deepen your understanding of ways the Holy Ghost can bless you and help you learn how to invite those blessings into your life.
Recognizing the Holy Ghost. Look for opportunities to help students recognize how the Holy Ghost works in their personal lives. You could use examples from the scriptures and invite students to reflect on their own experiences.
Student preparation: Invite students to discuss with a loved one ways they have noticed that the Holy Ghost is with them in their life. Also invite students to come prepared with any questions they might have about the Holy Ghost.
Possible Learning Activities
Expanding our abilities
Determine how much you agree with the following statement on a scale of one to seven, and record your response in your study journal: I’m confident that I can recognize when I’m feeling the Holy Ghost in my life.
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Diagram with words Strongly Disagree and Strongly Agree.
This could be a good opportunity to invite students to ask any questions they have about the Holy Ghost that came from their student preparation or that have otherwise come to mind.
What questions do you have about the Holy Ghost?
In your study journal, write the heading “Ways the Holy Ghost can help me.” Be ready to add items to the list throughout the lesson.
Consider writing this heading on the board and adding insights under it throughout the lesson.
As you study today, you’ll see examples of how the Holy Ghost works in people’s lives. Think about what you can learn from these examples about how the Holy Ghost can work in your life. One truth these examples emphasize is that through the Holy Ghost, Heavenly Father helps us come unto Jesus Christ.
The Holy Ghost is poured out on the day of Pentecost
Before His death, Jesus taught His disciples that Heavenly Father would send them the Holy Ghost after Jesus departed from the earth. He testified that the Holy Ghost would provide comfort, give direction, and testify of Him (see John 14:16, 26; 15:26).
The teaching ideas listed below present one approach to helping students study and discuss the verses from Acts 2. An alternative approach could be dividing students into three groups and inviting the groups to study the following verses:
After studying the verses, students could discuss the following questions:
In the verses you studied, how did you notice the Holy Ghost helping people?
What do these verses help you understand about Heavenly Father’s desires for us?
How can the Holy Ghost help us in similar ways?
After sufficient time, invite volunteers from the different groups to report their findings and share their answers with the class.
Pentecost is a Jewish holiday that occurs 50 days after the Passover feast. Jews from surrounding countries would travel to Jerusalem for this holiday that celebrated the first harvest of the season (see Guide to the Scriptures, “Pentecost,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Read Acts 2:1–8, looking for how the Savior’s promise about the Apostles receiving the Holy Ghost was fulfilled on this day. (Note that “cloven tongues like as of fire” in verse 3 refers to a visible manifestation of the Spirit’s presence.)
In verses 4–8, the Apostles were experiencing the gift of tongues, “a gift of the Holy Ghost that allows inspired individuals to speak in, understand, or interpret unfamiliar languages” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Tongues, Gift of,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
How did the Holy Ghost bless the disciples and those listening to them?
How do you think the gift of tongues enhanced the Apostles’ ability to help others come unto Christ?
How might we experience this gift today?
Consider adding insights from the verses you have studied so far to the list you created in your study journal.
Peter testifies of Jesus Christ
We can see another way that the Holy Ghost can help us by looking at the boldness with which Peter taught and testified.
Keeping in mind that the events depicted in Acts 2 happened not long after Jesus was crucified, read Acts 2:22–24, 32–33, 36 and look for how the Holy Ghost helped Peter in this circumstance to preach with courage and boldness about Jesus Christ. (See also Acts 3:12–20.)
What did you see?
What do you learn from this account about how the Holy Ghost can help you? (See also Acts 1:8; 4:31.)
Add your thoughts to your list in your study journal.
Consider inviting students to think about and share experiences when the Holy Ghost has helped them teach others about Jesus Christ or testify with boldness. Consider sharing a personal example as well.
The impact of Peter’s teachings on others
The Holy Ghost had an impact on those who heard Peter’s teachings about Jesus Christ. Read Acts 2:37–38, 41, looking for how the Holy Ghost helped these people. The word pricked from verse 37 means to cause grief or remorse and suggests that the people desired to change.
What stood out to you in these verses?
How did being “pricked in their heart” help these people come closer to Jesus Christ? ( verse 37).
Compare what happened to the people Peter taught to the promise God made to His servants in Doctrine and Covenants 100:5–8.
What are some examples of changes the Holy Ghost might inspire us to make that would help us come closer to Jesus Christ?
Invite students to think about and share experiences when the Holy Ghost inspired them to make changes that brought them closer to Jesus Christ. Encourage them to share examples that are not too personal. Consider sharing a personal example as well.
If possible, it might also be beneficial to invite a recent convert to class and ask them to take a few minutes to share their experiences with how the Holy Ghost helped them come closer to Jesus Christ and His Church. Remember to get approval from the local S&I coordinator as well as the person’s local priesthood leader before doing so.
Consider adding your insights from Acts 2:37–38, 41 to the list in your study journal.
Reflecting on what you studied
Invite students to review the list they created in their study journals. The following questions might help students discuss and internalize what they learned. Testify of the truths that have been discussed in this lesson.
Which blessing from the Holy Ghost impressed you most?
Why is the Holy Ghost essential to help us come to Jesus Christ and bring others to Him?
What steps could you take to more fully enjoy the blessings of the Holy Ghost?
Commentary and Background Information
How does the Holy Ghost help us come closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?
President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency taught:
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President Dallin H. Oaks
The mission of the Holy Ghost is to testify of the Father and the Son (see John 15:26; 2 Nephi 31:18; 3 Nephi 28:11), to guide us into truth (see John 14:26; 16:13), and to show us all things we should do (see 2 Nephi 32:5). This personal line of communication with our Heavenly Father through His Holy Spirit is the source of our testimony of truth, of our knowledge, and of our personal guidance from a loving Heavenly Father. It is an essential feature of His marvelous gospel plan, which allows each one of His children to receive a personal witness of its truth.
President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified:
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President M. Russell Ballard
When individuals … feel the Spirit working with them, or when they see the evidence of the Lord’s love and mercy in their lives, they are edified and strengthened spiritually and their faith in Him increases.
(M. Russell Ballard, “Now Is the Time,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 75)
What does the Holy Ghost feel like, and how can you invite it?
The video “Feeling the Holy Ghost” (3:17) gives examples of ways people feel the Holy Ghost. This video is available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
The video “Having the Holy Ghost” (2:56), located on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, gives examples of how to invite the Holy Ghost.
Supplemental Learning Activities
Alternate way to begin the lesson
In his April 2017 general conference talk, Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles told a story about a time he joined a young family for home evening. Show the video “How Does the Holy Ghost Help You?” from time code 0:00 to 1:15. This video is located on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
After watching the video, invite students to think about how they would answer the young boy’s question.
Finding time for the Holy Ghost
With the busyness of life, it can be difficult to set aside the time to let the Holy Ghost bless us with inspiration. Watch the video “The Soul’s Sincere Desire” (3:28), and see how one young woman dealt with this challenge. This video is available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
The doctrine of Christ can help me receive the Holy Ghost and come unto Christ
Students could be invited to read Acts 2:38, looking for Peter’s response to the crowd who asked, “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). Consider asking the following:
How do those steps apply to someone who has already been baptized?
To help students better understand the answer to the second question, consider using the following statement by Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: “We may be perfected by repeatedly … exercising faith in [Christ], repenting, partaking of the sacrament to renew the covenants and blessings of baptism, and receiving the Holy Ghost as a constant companion to a greater degree. As we do so, we become more like Christ and are able to endure to the end, with all that that entails” (“Latter-day Saints Keep on Trying,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 56).