Cleansing Effects of Fire

      Growing up I learned the importance of opposition in all things. I have learned that opposition is all around us. When you start to get on top someone decides it is time to try and knock you down. When you try to do what is right, the doors open for you to do wrong and you have to make a choice. There are things in our lives that can be used for good and bad depending on how we want to use them. For instance Fire. Fire has been a blessing to man from the beginning of time. It gives us light. It gives us a way to sustain life through warmth and cooking food. I remember sometimes during the spring we would use fire to burn grass in the ditches or the lawn, to clean any impurities from it. This would allow the water to run freely through the ditches and the grass to grow greener. Whenever I had a sliver I was taught to burn the end of a needle to clean it before useing it. So many times fire can be used for great purposes. However, in opposition to those uses come consequences if used wrongly. If we let the fire burn the grass too much it wouldn't grow back. If I touched the fire it would burn me which has no possitive effect. Careless use of fire can cause great destruction in wildlife and communtities.

                                                                              

      Recently I learned of a fire burning out of control near my home in Arizona. Supposedly the fire was started by careless campers who left their fire to go on a walk. The winds caught some embers and caused the surrounding area dry from lack of rain to catch fire. It took no time for the heavy spring winds to quickly spread the fire.

       Currently the fire has burned 339,000 arcres and has 0% containment. Over 8,000 people have been forced from homes with over 3,000 people being prepared to evacuate. There are over 2,500 people along with many pieces of machinery fighting the fire. It is crazy to think how something so useful as fire can yet be so destructive. It can be a great aid to humanity, yet it can be a great downfall. There are things in life that we must learn to control and use for the purposes they are intended for.

        There is another type of fire that is talked about in the scriptures, and that is the baptism by fire or the Holy Ghost. Just like fire, the Holy Ghost has many uses in our lives. Just like fire the Holy Ghost works in ways of opposition as well. He works in our lives according to our obedience and ways that we live our lives. Just like we must be careful when using fire we must be careful to never lose the fire of the Holy Ghost. If we follow the teachings of the scriptures and modern day prophets we will have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. So what does the Holy Ghost do for us, and what specificaly must we do to have him with us all the time?

The Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead, along with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Ghost is one in purpose with the Father and the Son, but is a separate being. Through Joseph Smith, the Lord revealed:(2)

  

The special mission of the Holy Ghost is to testify of the Father and the Son, to reveal the truth (Book of Mormon, Moroni 10:4,5), to comfort us (John 14:26), and to sanctify us. He is a divine guide and teacher.

"Almost everyone has felt the Holy Ghost at some time. But there is a difference between experiencing the occasional influence of the Holy Ghost and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Although the Holy Ghost may temporarily comfort someone or reveal truth to them, the gift of the Holy Ghost is reserved for those who have been baptized and confirmed into Christ’s Church. This gift is the privilege of enjoying the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost conditional upon keeping the commandments.
The gift of the Holy Ghost is given when a person is confirmed a member of the Church after baptism by someone having priesthood authority from God. It is given by the person having authority laying their hands upon the head of the person who was baptized and giving them a blessing to receive the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:14-18). Whether or not we then receive this great gift depends on our keeping the commandments of God."(3)

    Like fire, the Holy Ghost has a cleansing effect on us. Just like we must be careful when using fire we must be careful to never lose the fire of the Holy Ghost. When we sin the spirit is driven away from us because it cannot be in unholy places, but when we repent and live the gospel standards we feel clean and pure. I know that through repentance we can receive the fire or feelings that the Holy Ghost gives us. When we do what is right we receive feelings in our heart.
       The Scriptures Teach:

  But, behold, I say unto you, that you must ^astudy it out in your ^bmind; then you must ^cask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your ^dbosom shall ^eburn within you; therefore, you shall ^ffeel that it is right.

  But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a ^astupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is ^bsacred save it be given you from me. (Doctrine and Covenants section 9:8-9)

      I know how much the Holy Ghost can and will help us in our lives if we will take the time to allow him to. God works in us through the Holy Ghost. As we strive to be obedient to God's commandments we can have the "burning" feelings of the Holy Ghost at all times to lead us to always make the right choices and do the right things.