STOP. Don't Knock on that Door!

A couple of nights ago Sister Wright, Sister Karony, and I were out checking up on people.  As a group, we decided we should check up on a person that none of us had met, and whom we knew nothing about.  (No, this is not abnormal.  We're missionaries, we do this every day.)  We parked the car and got out, laughing and talking with each other.  After double checking the address, we headed off to meet this friend we hadn't met yet.

We spotted the house and headed towards it.  The moment I stepped up onto the stairway I stopped.  I looked up, surprised.  I looked up and had this feeling...I wish I could describe it, but it simply felt like I should not go up and knock on that door.  Sister Wright was ahead of me, so I looked to Sister Karony to see if I was the only crazy one.

She had stopped too, and she looked at me and said, "Do you feel that?" I nodded.  "It's creepy." I quickly looked to my companion who was at the front doorstep.  She stopped just before she grabbed the door handle, and Sister Karony and I whispered for her to come back down.  She did so with much speed.  Once we had regrouped, Sister Wright shared her feelings that just before she touched the handle, she got this strong feeling of "No!"

The three of us looked up at the door, each wondering what had caused the prompting, and then walked back to the car.  We don't know what would have happened if we had knocked on the door, perhaps something, perhaps nothing.  We just know that we were warned ahead of time by the gift that we have all been given.

What gift is that?  The gift of the Holy Ghost.  He is the third member of the Godhead, and is given to all those who have been baptized and confirmed by priesthood authority.  He has many roles, but in summary His role is to communicate with us the things that God wants us to know.  Whether that is guidance to know which college we should go to, intelligence and understanding as we read the holy scriptures, or warning when there is unknown danger ahead.

He spoke to us through our thoughts and feelings.  We all made the decision independent of each other, but we all came to the same conclusion to not knock on that door.  He spoke to us in different ways because we are all individuals and unique.

How can we receive the Holy Ghost?  While we can feel his influence in our lives, the only way we can have him with us always is by confirmation.  By being confirmed by men holding the priesthood authority of God and living up to the covenants we make at baptism.

I'm grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost, he has blessed my life in the past and I trust he will continue to help guide me to make good decisions in the future.  As I live righteously and keep the covenants I've made at baptism, I can have his influence with me always.