Declaration of Independence

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

Saturday, February 4, 2017

Guided by the Holy Ghost

                The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a Personage of Spirit. His influence can be everywhere and can even dwell in our hearts. I consider Him to be one of my very best friends!

                One week I was preparing to teach a lesson to my six-year-old Primary class on the Holy Ghost. Early that Sunday morning, just as I awoke from deep sleep, I felt the Spirit whisper to me, “The Holy Ghost loves you!” This was a great surprise to me. I know with all my heart that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love me, but I had never thought about the Holy Ghost loving me. I recognized later that this inspiration was given to me in order that I could testify to my little Primary children that they are all loved by Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Again, I was a little surprised. The children seemed to already understand that the Holy Ghost loves them!

                During World War II there was an all-black fighter group known as the Tuskegee Airmen. The job of the Tuskegee Airmen was to protect bombers – “to keep them as safe as possible and giving aid when needed.” Janice Porter Hayes tells a story of her Uncle Ken who flew “more than 50 missions in Europe as a tail gunner on a B-17 for the U.S. military.” She liked his stories, but she particularly liked the story of when the Tuskegee Airmen came to his rescue. 

                … Their help was never more valued than during one hazardous mission over Hungary when things went badly and my uncle’s plane was hit by flak from head to tail, knocking off the nose cone, damaging two of the engines, and wounding most of the crew. In an attempt to stay in the air, they discarded most of their guns, ammo, and anything else they could find. Even so, their situation became dire until at last they were able to make radio contact with the Tuskegee Airmen.
                “`Where are you boys?’ one of my uncle’s crewmen asked. `We can’t see you.’
                “Within seconds of his call, the answer came reassuringly back: `Don’t worry fellas. You can’t see us, but we sure enough can see you!’ With that, the Tuskegee Airmen flew in to help my uncle, his crew, and their damaged B-17 to safety.

                The Holy Ghost is in our lives just like the Tuskegee Airmen were in the lives of the crewmen on that aircraft. We cannot see Him, but He can clearly see us. His mission is to protect us, to guide us, and to help us return home safely.

                On Friday, one week ago, there was a big snow storm in the forecast. I wondered if I should go to the temple that night or stay home. When the Holy Ghost whispered to me that I should stay at home, I asked if I should go on Saturday morning. Once again the answer was no. I felt impressed that I should complete as many of my school assignments as possible, but I still thought I was to stay home because of the “terrible storm.”

                I made plans to stay home Friday night and Saturday morning. I worked on my assignments and completed many of them. I kept watching the weather and thinking that the storm did not seem to be all that bad. Sunday evening my son came over to visit, and I asked when his shoulder surgery was scheduled. He replied that it was scheduled for Wednesday. He would need a ride at 9:00 and another one at 3:00 to come home.

                I thought, “That is the answer to the inspiration to get as many assignments completed as possible.” I had numerous assignments due on Wednesday night, and I knew I would be gone most of Wednesday. I completed the rest of the assignments on Monday and Tuesday, and I was relaxed all the time I was helping my son on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday mornings I did not feel well and had a dull ache or pain in my left side and left back, but I completed more assignments that were due on Monday. I did not feel good enough to go to the temple Friday night.

                Saturday morning I again did not feel well and felt the same pain in my left side, but I continued working on assignments due on Monday. By noon I was getting really sick. About 3:00 in the afternoon I called a substitute for my Primary class on Sunday, wanting the class to be covered even while hoping I would be there. Shortly after 4:00 the pain was so bad that I asked my husband to take me to the hospital.

                We knew that snow was falling, but we did not know of the white out conditions until we reached the freeway. We could see two or three car lengths in front of us, and we had to drive very slowly because of the icy highway. We eventually made it to the hospital where we found no one in the waiting room. I was taken right in, registered and taken to a room. I slipped on a hospital gown, and the nurse was inserting an IV to give me some pain medication. The pain was already an 8 or a 9.

                Suddenly, I felt what seemed like something bursting through a wall and a secondary something nearly as bad. The pain became so great that I started to vomit repeatedly. Finally, the nurse was able to insert the IV and give me some medication for nausea and pain. Gradually, the pain went away. I returned home several hours later with the belief that the pain was behind me.

                Early the next morning the pain came back, and I realized that medication had been masking the pain. I was high on pain pills all day Sunday and Monday. I was either sleeping or so groggy that I could hardly think. I knew that I had one more assignment due Monday night, the final draft of an essay. I was grateful to have it completed before I became ill. I tried to read through it to make sure that it said what I wanted it to say, but I finally just uploaded it and submitted it to my teacher with an explanation of my condition. By Tuesday the pain had decreased enough that I could handle it with Tylenol and gradually get on with my life.


                The whole time I felt great gratitude for the personal revelation given to me by the power of the Holy Ghost. When I thought that I was staying home from the temple because of a great snow storm, the Holy Ghost knew that there was a great health storm in my future. Because He was there to safely guide me, I was able to complete all my assignments in spite of the health crisis.

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