Joseph Fielding Smith taught:
The Spirit of God speaking to the spirit of man has power to impart truth with greater effect and understanding than the truth can be imparted by personal contact even with heavenly beings (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, Chapter 14: The Gift of the Holy Ghost).
The Gift of the Holy Ghost is bestowed only after baptism by the laying of hands by those holding the Melchizedek Priesthood and provides the opportunity for us to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion, not just temporarily as it was before our baptism.
There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the convincing power of God unto him of the truthfulness of the gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. Had he not taken this ordinance upon him the Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God, would have left him (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, Chapter 7: Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost).
There are special times in my life when I have felt the Holy Ghost so powerfully that I knew, with no doubt, the source of that sweet inspiration. Those are, indeed, special experiences. Today, I will express gratitude for the gift of the Holy Ghost and seek to live so to enjoy that great gift and those experiences more consistently in my life.
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