The Holy Ghost

1. 1. When Christ was on the earth,
   He promised he would send
   The Holy Ghost to comfort us,
   Our true, eternal friend.
   The Holy Spirit whispers
   With a still small voice.
   He testifies of God and Christ
   And makes our hearts rejoice.
2. 2. And when we are confirmed
   By sacred priesthood pow'r,
   The Holy Ghost is giv'n to us
   To guide us ev'ry hour.
   Oh, may I always listen
   To that still small voice.
   And with his light I'll do what's right
   Each time I make a choice.
3. I read a talk by Elder Bednar for my daily scripture study. The talk was given in April of this year and is called, "Always Retain A Remission of Your Sins". In the talk he reminds us of the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a personage of spirit and bears witness of all truth. In the scriptures, the Holy Ghost is referred to as the Comforter,10 a teacher,11 and a revelator.12 Additionally, the Holy Ghost is a sanctifier13who cleanses and burns dross and evil out of human souls as though by fire. A question came to my mind. Does the Holy Ghost have power to take away sin? Or, instead, because the Holy Ghost testifies of truth, are we then led to know of our sinful nature and we thus bring ourselves to repentance through the redeeming power of the atonement? Further study of the talk taught me how to answer these questions. Although, I am interested to know what others may think. The cleansing power of the Holy Ghost is not something that I have often thought in depth about. My testimony of the Holy Ghost typically revolved around His ability to comfort and warn. I was thankful for this talk as it has taught me more about the third member of the Godhead.
4. When we are baptized, we are baptized first by water, and then by fire, or the gift of the Holy Ghost. I think that at baptism, when we come to covenant with the Lord that we are willing to take His name upon us, the Holy Ghost sanctifies us and makes us clean. He burns dross and evil out of our souls as if by fire. But, because we are imperfect, the perfect cleanliness that we obtain at baptism doesn't remain. Thankfully, we are given the gift of the Holy Ghost. We are blessed to be able to have Him as a constant companion. That's when the second part of my question comes to pass. He testifies of truth which then leads us to recognize our need for repentance and we then employ the saving means of the atonement. 
5. Elder Bednar answers my question in this way (that the Holy Ghost has power to initially cleanse, but that His companionship is required for continual cleansing): Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins “is the introductory ordinance of the gospel”16 of Jesus Christ and must be preceded by faith in the Savior and by sincere repentance. This ordinance “is a sign and a commandment which God has set for [His children] to enter into His kingdom.”17 Baptism is administered in the authority of the Aaronic Priesthood. In the process of coming unto the Savior and spiritual rebirth, baptism provides a necessary initial cleansing of our soul from sin.
   The baptismal covenant includes three fundamental commitments: (1) to be willing to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, (2) to always remember Him, and (3) to keep His commandments. The promised blessing for honoring this covenant is “that [we] may always have his Spirit to be with [us].”18 Thus, baptism is the essential preparation to receive the authorized opportunity for the constant companionship of the third member of the Godhead.
   “Baptism [by] water … must be followed by baptism of the Spirit in order to be complete.”19 As the Savior taught Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” 
6. Perhaps those who read this have already gained a testimony of the cleansing power of the Holy Ghost, but I am thankful that I was able to study it more closely. I am thankful that the Holy Ghost has this sanctifying power.