From: Grandpa Richard M. Pratt
To: All Pratt Family Adults & selected others
Re: The Holy Ghost
“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”
(Moroni 10:5)
What a power! Who is and what is the Holy Ghost and how can we tap into this great power and avoid being deceived???
Over the centuries many words have taken on a totally new meaning, such is the case with the word “Ghost”. When the King James version of the Bible was printed in 1611 the translators used the word “Ghost” with the meaning that it or He was a person of Spirit as we all were before our mortal birth. Today we think of a Ghost as some eerie thing without form or shape, and it does anything but verify the truth.
So the Holy Ghost is a spirit man and a member of the Godhead and hence is Holy. The Godhead is one God comprised of three persons of Deity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Remember from memo #3 that “God” means Good and is not the name of deity but refers to the office of deity.
“The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of spirit. Were it not so, The Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.” D. & C. 130:22
In modern English “The Father is President of the corporation of worlds etc. Jesus is the First Vice President or Councilor in Charge of Creation, Maintenance and Salvation. The Holy Ghost is second Vice President or Councilor in charge of Communications between God and man, A Testator of Truth, and a verifier of all Godly things.
The Holy Ghost will not dwell in unclean tabernacles. Hence the necessity of keeping a clean body undefiled by the various poisons ingested by the world and one must be morally clean.
“We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith (belief) in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost.” (4th Article of Faith.)
One who has sincerely complied with these four steps has “been born again” meaning that with the reception of the Holy Ghost they are alive to that Holy Spirit and are in a position to receive communication and revelation from God.
However, sincere people who are seeking for Godly truth, who have not been baptized, may have the Holy Ghost testify to them of truth but he will not abide with them unless they act upon that revealed truth and comply with faith, repentance and baptism and the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost.. Hence, Moroni’s promise that anyone can know that the Book of Mormon is true by reading it believing it, and asking God if it is true and he will receive from the Holy Ghost the verification that it is indeed the Word of God along with the Holy Bible and that it is a Second Witness that Jesus is the Savior and there is no other.
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The next Question, How does the Holy Ghost communicate with the Sincere seeker of truth? (He will not work with the insincere, the curious or the thrill seeker. Hence they are spiritually dead which is the case with most of the world and even many who are members of his Church.) Like modern man the Holy Ghost has many ways of communicating with man. Some of which are as follows. The one most frequently used is just a feeling as a person is pondering a problem of any kind, and most of you have experienced this, a feeling or thought will come into your mind with such assurance that you know you have the answer to whatever it was that you were meditating on and if you act on that feeling good consequences always result. It may be such a simple thing as finding something you have lost or making a business decision or how to discipline an unruly child etc.
If one needs a stronger assurance of truth; words, phrases, and or sentences may suddenly sound within their brain, sometimes with such clarity that the receiver is startled and looks around to see who is there as I did when a voice, in answer to my prayer, said, “Sell your Farm.” I didn’t want to sell my farm, but I obeyed that voice and it turned out to be one of the best things I ever did.
Messages are also given thru dreams and visions. A vision may be like a T V or it may be immense like one of those wrap-around theaters where you are right in the center of the action.
Or an often used method, when one is a scripture reader, is to find answers in the scriptures. Remember most scriptures can be likened to letters from a parent to his children. In fact many of the scriptures are letters and all of them are from our Heavenly Father.
Currently there are four scriptures, The Holy Bible, The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants and The Pearl of Great Price. All four testify that God lives, we are his children and that salvation comes thru Jesus Christ and no one else.
And in great times of importance the Holy Ghost sends an Angel or Angels or even the Savior Jesus Christ and about five occasions that we have recorded of even The Father has appeared.
For as the Prophet Joseph Smith said, “I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.....I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other---”This is My Beloved Son, Hear Him!”
It is TRUE! God bless you all, my wonderful family.
Grandpa Pratt
The following is in hopes that it will encourage you young families as you struggle to make ends meet. Submitted by Rose and Roger
20 plus years ago we lived in Mead, Washington and we enjoyed a beautiful new home. Roger was running an insulation business and things just seemed as if they could not be any happier. We were expecting our 6th child and had wonderful new friends and life was so good. Then suddenly the business closed and we thought, “not to worry! Roger would surely get a new and even better job!” But the job was not forth coming at least not a permanent job. We relied on our food storage and savings. (Grandma and Grandpa were in the Gilbert Islands then) Roger would find a two week harvesting job or some other temporary work but no real employment and things
~3 ~
seemed tough. I can remember pouring over the bills and wondering how to juggle to make things work. At one point the Bishop told Roger not to pay tithing tell we got on our feet and Roger’s reply was, “Do you want us to fail completely!” The bishop apologized and said he was sorry to have been a tempter! Well this test went on and on and lasted 9 months! Near the end of the time Julieannn needed shoes and being in 4th grade she was growing and the need was desperate. We paid our tithing and bills and had nothing left to work with. Roger had assured me that the Lord would help us figure it all out. One morning up drove Sister Perrins and she asked if I could use some hand me downs she had a large family and had way too many things given to her. I happily said yes and then when she brought them in on the top was a brand new pair of shoes just the size we needed and also really in style. The Lord does know about us and does answer prayers and is ready to help us When we place our trust in him and follow his commandments he stands ready to pour out the blessings we need most. I look back on that time and now realize how happy we were and that it, the hard time, was in fact a blessing to draw us closer to Heavenly Father and each other. All of you take courage in your struggles and know from the ones of us up the line that as we struggle we do become stronger and we are a family and can gain strength to face any trial from each other.
NEW YEARS DAY 2013!
It is a joy to re read and post Dad’s memos. If you have mom’s book turn to page 121 and re read her letter to her Children. It was part of memo #6 at Dad’s request. It’s fun to feel her love again.
At this writing, our dear Brother Richard Stephen Pratt has “graduated” from this life. He battled with cancer for seven months. He died at home December 28, 2012 and was buried in his family cemetery on their farm in Cove Fort, Utah. He IS an amazing man. He did wonderful things for his family, for the church and for his country. If you chance to go to a visitor center for the Church of Jesus Christ of Later day Saints, the covered wagons, odometors and many other things were hand crafted by him. He and his son Ben have made printing presses and many other amazing things. His four children along with his wonderful wife have stood by his side in this latest test. A book I recommend to all of you is by Carol Lynn Pearson, The Lesson. It is a fable of hope and comfort. It is a fast 20 minute read and so worth the time! I can imagine the happy reunion that Steve is having with our parents and with our sister Kay and her husband Vern and all those who have gone before. The gospel of Jesus Christ is True the plan of happiness is real and families can be forever. There will be a memorial service for Steve, January 19, 2013 at
1:00 PM at 500 East 200 North (Grandpa’s old church) Provo, Utah
