Elder David A. Bednar, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, reminds us that "the sacred responsibility to proclaim authoritatively the gospel and administer the saving ordinances has been in operation since Adam was driven from the Garden of Eden and will continue until 'the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.'"
With this sacred responsibility in mind, he goes on to say, "You and I are much like the long, thin strands of glass used to create fiber optic cables through which light signals are transmitted over very long distances. Just as the glass in these cables must be pure and conduct the light efficiently and effectively, so we should become and remain worthy conduits through whom the Spirit of the Lord can operate. But elders and sisters, we must be careful to remember in our service that we are conduits and channels; we are not the light. 'For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you'....The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead, and He is the witness of all truth and the ultimate and true teacher."
We have been given the promise of the Holy Ghost's help when teaching the gospel. What comfort it brings to know that it is not up to us alone but that the Holy Ghost will prick the hearts of those whom we teach just as he pricked our own hearts.
The Savior taught, "Take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost" (Mark 13:11).
Elder Bednar tells us, "This same pattern for preaching was reiterated repeatedly by the Savior in the early days of this dispensation as He instructed missionaries to 'open your mouths and they shall be filled' (D&C 33:8, 10) and to 'lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men; for it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say' (D&C 100:5-6)."
"Please notice in these scriptural instructions the important sequence of first acting in faith ('open your mouths' or 'lift up your voices') before receiving a promised blessing ('they shall be filled'; 'you will not be confounded'). Interestingly, many of us routinely seek for precisely the opposite; we pray and ask for the blessing so we can act in faith (first fill our mouths so we can open them). But that is not the Lord's way or pattern. Faith precedes the miracle, and 'ye receive no witness until after the trail of your faith' (Ether 12:6)."
May we all show our faithfulness by being worthy conduits and opening our mouths to those around us so that the Holy Ghost will testify to them the truthfulness of our words.
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