The Holy Ghost “Giveth Utterance”

One blessing the Holy Ghost provides is to help you know what to say.

When God called Enoch to preach the gospel, he protested that he was not qualified, because he was “slow of speech.” What did he mean by that? One possible meaning is that he took time to formulate his ideas, and he often didn’t know what to say. The Lord responded with a promise: “Open thy mouth, and it shall be filled, and I will give thee utterance” (Moses 6:31-32).

The prophet Nephi later decried future religious leaders who would try to do God’s work on their own. They would “teach with their learning,” he wrote, “and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance.” These leaders would not believe that God is actively involved in our lives. “The Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work,” they would say, “and he hath given his power unto men” (2 Nephi 28:4-5). These leaders are certainly able to formulate words and speak persuasively, but they lack the power of God because they don’t believe that He will influence what they say.

In contrast, on the day of Pentacost, shortly after the ascension of the resurrected Jesus Christ, a group of his disciples gathered “with one accord.” They were “filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). They hadn’t planned to do this, and they presumably didn’t even know what they were saying, but visitors to Jerusalem from other nations were amazed to hear these locals speaking in their native languages. (See Acts 2:5-8.) Because they were willing to follow the guidance of the Holy Ghost, they were able to speak in a way that transcended their own knowledge.

In a June 1829 revelation, the Lord promised David Whitmer:

If you shall ask the Father in my name, in faith believing, you shall receive the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance, that you may stand as a witness of the things of which you shall both hear and see, and also that you may declare repentance unto this generation.

Doctrine and Covenants 14:8

What does that look like in practice?

A few weeks ago, I was assigned to deliver a talk to a Spanish-speaking congregation. Feeling a bit self-conscious, I read most of the talk word for word as I had prepared it. But at the end, I felt prompted to set the talk aside and simply share my testimony of the gospel spontaneously. It felt awkward, and I stumbled a bit over my words, but after the meeting, I spoke with a man who is new to the church. He told me that the ending of my talk really spoke to him, and he mentioned something I said in particular which really resonated with him. What felt awkward and uncomfortable to me was in fact exactly what he needed to hear.

Today, I will trust in the Spirit that giveth utterance. As I participate in conversations and meetings, I will trust God to help me speak in a way that is productive and inspiring.