How Do YOU Feel the Holy Ghost?

I used to be a crazy good journal-er. I have around 20 journals that are filled- no exaggeration- with my thoughts and experiences. Over the last several years I have filled up probably half of a journal. And these are the years I've been married! So sad. 

A few months ago I read this article in the Ensign, our church magazine. It is entitled, "Helping Children Recognize the Holy Ghost." If you haven't read it, you really should. It helped ME realize how I recognize the Holy Ghost! 

To give you a basic overview of the article (in case you don't read it, although you still should), the mom writes that one of her sons was having a really hard time in school. She realized that his learning style was not meshing with the teacher's homework assignments, so he wasn't getting good grades. As soon as she helped him to learn in the style he was accustomed (auditory/visual/hands-on...), his grades improved! Thank goodness for this mother's wisdom. She didn't stop there- she realized that the same thing applies for spiritual learning. Are you an auditory learner? Perhaps listening to Conference may be the best way to feel the Spirit. Do you learn by Doing things hands-on? Maybe serving others would be a great way for you to feel the Holy Ghost. 

From this article I realized that two of the ways I feel the Holy Ghost the strongest is 

1. When I sing HYMNS, and 

2. When I write my thoughts and feelings about spiritual things. 

I realized that as a teenager, during the time I filled up a journal in a few months, I felt the Spirit more strongly  and consistently during that time than any other. When I testify through writing the Holy Ghost testifies to ME that what I'm saying is true.

So here it is: 

I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that one of my spiritual gifts is having a testimony and faith. I am so grateful for this divine gift God has given me. I know that this life is our time to prepare to meet God, and that we don't have to be perfect right now. We can make mistakes and stumble and fall, and that's okay. As long as we're sincerely trying to do good, follow Christ, and include Him in our decisions, He will make up the difference that we lack. 

I have been contemplating the specific blessings God has grated Joe and I over the past 4 years, and there are a LOT. Seriously, I feel like we have been blessed way more than we deserve. But the thing is that God doesn't keep a tally of how much we owe Him, because that tally would be infinitely in His favor, not ours. He blesses us because He loves and wants to help us. I just want to make sure I always recognize God's hand in our life, because it helps strengthen my relationship with Him. And having a grateful heart makes for a happy person. And I want to be happy. 

It reminds me of this awesome video!

Life is good. God is real. He loves me and you, and wants to help us reach our highest potential. 

Here's my eternal To-Do List:

1. Recognize how YOU feel the Holy Ghost

2. Do things that would invite the Spirit into your life
3. Follow its promptings

4. Be grateful- show your gratitude to God for blessing you

That is all for today.