Holy Ghost

The word of the Lord comes to men by the Holy Ghost.¹ Nephi taught that "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do."² There is much to this verse. Does the power of the Holy Ghost give angels what to say, such as it does when a preacher is preaching by the Holy Ghost? In other words, is it the medium by which the words of Christ flow to the recipient through the angel, like a straw is the means whereby liquid travels into the mouth of the user? Or, is it the means by which the individual receives the words of Christ delivered by an angel, just as we receive mortal communications through our eyes or ears? There are scriptures that support both applications.

Moroni teaches that the Lord intends for the content of meetings in the church to be indicated by the power of the Holy Ghost.³ In this sense, the power of the Holy Ghost is able to tell you what to say or do. Therefore, if angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, they are told what to say via the Holy Ghost.

Nephi says that "when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men."⁴ Therefore, the Holy Ghost can be the medium of delivery from the angel to the man.

Nephi also tells us that it was through the power of the Holy Ghost that he received his visions.

And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father...I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men. (1 Nephi 10:17)

His visions were seen not with his mortal eyes, but with his spritual eyes. It was received by the Holy Ghost within him.

The Holy Ghost is the mind of God. "Not a desire, act, wish, or thought does the Holy Ghost indulge in contrary to that which is dictated by the Father."⁵ As symbolically presented in the endowment ceremony, the Lord, through his mind-the spirit of God-transmits messages to and through angels into the spirits of the recipients. Sometimes these messengers are visible, and sometimes they are not. Sometimes they are heard, and sometimes they are felt. Sometimes they come when the recipient is awake, and sometimes when the recipient is asleep. Many times, recipients are not able to receive angels, and so God amply puts to use human messengers.