Tonight I feel a need to express what I know about providing and receiving comfort. As a model I will use the perfect comforter, the Holy Ghost.
Jesus Christ said, "The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance." From this portion of a larger statement we can learn several things about the blessings that learning how to be a comfort can provide both to a person and to those who associate with that person. It is significant, I think, to note that our Father in Heaven has chosen the same person to provide both perfect comfort and perfect teaching. Perhaps comfort and teaching work together and strengthen each other.
Luke wrote later in the New Testament that, after the Gospel was taught, "the churches...were edified...and...the comfort of the Holy Ghost [was] multiplied." Elder Bruce R. McKonkie of the Quorum of the Twelve said that being edified is to "be taught by the Holy Ghost." So in other words, what Luke wrote may perhaps be rephrased like this: "After having been taught by the Holy Ghost, the members of the church received a greater feeling of comfort from the Holy Ghost." Personally, I can testify that while I am being taught by the Holy Ghost and after, I feel comforted. They almost come hand in hand. Greater knowledge of truth almost always if not always brings greater comfort. A roller coaster ride changes from a fearful experience to an exciting one after you understand how safe it really is. The difference between fear and excitement in the same situation is always knowledge. Comfort does not seem to bring knowledge but knowledge does seem to bring comfort.
The purpose of the Holy Ghost is to teach us truth directly or to bear witness to truth that we learn from other means. A person might be reading the scriptures and pondering about one certain topic when suddenly they learn something new about a completely unrelated topic. This may be an example of being taught truth directly. Also, a person might read in the Book of Mormon that "whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins." Following this, a conviction comes into their heart and mind that it is true. This may be an example of the Holy Ghost bearing witness to a truth gained from another source.
There is one more important thing to note before I make my final point. A person can have knowledge of something without knowing it. For example, I have heard that if I jump out of an airplane with a parachute and open it properly, I will be alright and not die in a horrible demonstration of physics as I hit the ground. However, if I were to jump out of an airplane right now with a parachute (even with proper training), I would be extremely afraid and uncomforted. This seems to be because I do not really know for sure that I will be alright. However, if I repeatedly leap out of an airplane with a parachute and land safely each and every time, eventually the fear will be replaced by excitement as my experience comforts me. Having a sure witness and knowledge of truth is an important part of being comforted by it.
This is one reason, perhaps, that the Holy Ghost is such a perfect comforter. When He teaches, the lesson is emblazoned on the heart and mind in such a way that the knowledge feels more sure and complete. Thus the knowledge brings almost immediate comfort.
So, what does this teach us about providing and receiving comfort? First and most importantly, it shows us that the most effective way to give comfort to a person is to bear your own personal witness of the knowledge that they need and then encourage them to receive that same witness that you have. That may be best obtained through prayer and revelation from the Holy Ghost. Figure out, if you can, what knowledge will best provide comfort to the person and then pray that the Holy Ghost will attend your words when you share the knowledge that you have with them. Perhaps you will need to gain that knowledge yourself before you can share it with them. Get to work quickly, then - perhaps even make an effort to learn what needs to be learned with the person that needs to be comforted. Perhaps even make it a group effort!
While this is certainly only a brief examination of some of the principles behind comfort, hopefully it will provide us with a powerful weapon to dispel darkness and non-comfort both in our lives and in the lives of those around us (including family, friends, enemies and even those toward whom we might be neutral). Paul calls this weapon the "sword of the Spirit." May we all live in such a way that the Spirit will always attend our words and actions! By so doing, it seems that we will radiate comfort like the sun radiates warmth and light. Surely we will become a light "set on a hill" and our light will "shine before men."
Jesus Christ said, "The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance." From this portion of a larger statement we can learn several things about the blessings that learning how to be a comfort can provide both to a person and to those who associate with that person. It is significant, I think, to note that our Father in Heaven has chosen the same person to provide both perfect comfort and perfect teaching. Perhaps comfort and teaching work together and strengthen each other.
Luke wrote later in the New Testament that, after the Gospel was taught, "the churches...were edified...and...the comfort of the Holy Ghost [was] multiplied." Elder Bruce R. McKonkie of the Quorum of the Twelve said that being edified is to "be taught by the Holy Ghost." So in other words, what Luke wrote may perhaps be rephrased like this: "After having been taught by the Holy Ghost, the members of the church received a greater feeling of comfort from the Holy Ghost." Personally, I can testify that while I am being taught by the Holy Ghost and after, I feel comforted. They almost come hand in hand. Greater knowledge of truth almost always if not always brings greater comfort. A roller coaster ride changes from a fearful experience to an exciting one after you understand how safe it really is. The difference between fear and excitement in the same situation is always knowledge. Comfort does not seem to bring knowledge but knowledge does seem to bring comfort.
The purpose of the Holy Ghost is to teach us truth directly or to bear witness to truth that we learn from other means. A person might be reading the scriptures and pondering about one certain topic when suddenly they learn something new about a completely unrelated topic. This may be an example of being taught truth directly. Also, a person might read in the Book of Mormon that "whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins." Following this, a conviction comes into their heart and mind that it is true. This may be an example of the Holy Ghost bearing witness to a truth gained from another source.
There is one more important thing to note before I make my final point. A person can have knowledge of something without knowing it. For example, I have heard that if I jump out of an airplane with a parachute and open it properly, I will be alright and not die in a horrible demonstration of physics as I hit the ground. However, if I were to jump out of an airplane right now with a parachute (even with proper training), I would be extremely afraid and uncomforted. This seems to be because I do not really know for sure that I will be alright. However, if I repeatedly leap out of an airplane with a parachute and land safely each and every time, eventually the fear will be replaced by excitement as my experience comforts me. Having a sure witness and knowledge of truth is an important part of being comforted by it.
This is one reason, perhaps, that the Holy Ghost is such a perfect comforter. When He teaches, the lesson is emblazoned on the heart and mind in such a way that the knowledge feels more sure and complete. Thus the knowledge brings almost immediate comfort.
So, what does this teach us about providing and receiving comfort? First and most importantly, it shows us that the most effective way to give comfort to a person is to bear your own personal witness of the knowledge that they need and then encourage them to receive that same witness that you have. That may be best obtained through prayer and revelation from the Holy Ghost. Figure out, if you can, what knowledge will best provide comfort to the person and then pray that the Holy Ghost will attend your words when you share the knowledge that you have with them. Perhaps you will need to gain that knowledge yourself before you can share it with them. Get to work quickly, then - perhaps even make an effort to learn what needs to be learned with the person that needs to be comforted. Perhaps even make it a group effort!
While this is certainly only a brief examination of some of the principles behind comfort, hopefully it will provide us with a powerful weapon to dispel darkness and non-comfort both in our lives and in the lives of those around us (including family, friends, enemies and even those toward whom we might be neutral). Paul calls this weapon the "sword of the Spirit." May we all live in such a way that the Spirit will always attend our words and actions! By so doing, it seems that we will radiate comfort like the sun radiates warmth and light. Surely we will become a light "set on a hill" and our light will "shine before men."
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