"Our Constant Companion" Talk Outline

General Conference Applied

“Our Constant Companion” by President Henry B. Eyring; October 2023 General Conference

Corresponding General Conference Applied episode show notes: S2 E3

Talk Outline

Invitations

None.

Though I did not identify an explicit invitation in this talk, I did develop an implicit invitation: Invite the Holy Ghost to be our constant companion.

Directives (“an official or authoritative instruction”)

“Think about and pray about Helaman’s sons, Nephi and Lehi, and the other servants of the Lord laboring with them.”
“When I feel distant from the Lord, when answers to my prayers seem delayed, I have learned to follow the counsel of President Nelson to review my life for opportunities to repent… If you find yourself having difficulty in feeling the Holy Ghost, you might ponder whether there is anything for which you might repent and receive forgiveness. [footnote 8 – see below] You can pray with faith to know what to do to be cleansed and thus more nearly qualify for that constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.”
“If you want to receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost, you must want it for the right reasons. Your purposes must be the Lord’s purposes. If your motives are too selfish, you will find it difficult to receive and sense the promptings of the Spirit. The key for me and for you is to want what the Savior wants. Our motives need to be driven by the pure love of Christ. Our prayers need to be ‘All I want is what you want. Thy will be done.'”
“I try to remember the Savior’s sacrifice and His love for me. Then, when I pray to Heavenly Father to give thanks, I feel love and assurance that my prayers are heard and that I will receive whatever is best for me and those I love.”

Promises

Action: “As we pray and then heed the Spirit’s promptings”
Promise: “we gain greater insights and blessings to guide us through the increasingly difficult days ahead.”
Action: “As a witness of Jesus Christ, I know that He lives and He leads His Church.”
Promise: “You and I have the opportunity to have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion and to have those truths confirmed”
Action: “as we remember and love the Savior, repent, and ask for His love to be in our hearts.”

Doctrines

Godhead: “There are three separate personages in the Godhead: God the Eternal Father; His Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost (see Articles of Faith 1:1; Acts 7:55–56). The Father and the Son have tangible bodies of flesh and bone, and the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit (see D&C 130:22–23). Although the members of the Godhead are distinct beings with distinct roles, they are one in purpose. They are perfectly united in bringing to pass Heavenly Father’s divine plan of salvation.”
Revelation: “Individuals can receive revelation to help them with their specific needs, responsibilities, and questions and to help strengthen their testimonies. Most revelations to leaders and members of the Church come through impressions and thoughts from the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost speaks to the mind and heart in a still, small voice (see D&C 8:2–3). Revelation can also come through visions, dreams, and visitations by angels.”

Principles

The Holy Ghost: “The mission of the Holy Ghost is to bear witness of the Father and the Son and of the truth of all things. The Holy Ghost will witness to us that Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer (see 3 Nephi 28:11; D&C 20:27).”
Praying to Our Heavenly Father: “As we pray to our Heavenly Father, we should tell Him what we really feel in our hearts, confide in Him, ask Him for forgiveness, plead with Him, thank Him, express our love for Him. We should not repeat meaningless words and phrases (see Matthew 6:7–8). We should always ask that His will be done, remembering that what we desire may not be best for us (see 3 Nephi 18:20).”
Repentance: “As we repent, the Atonement of Jesus Christ becomes fully effective in our lives, and the Lord forgives our sins. We become free from the bondage of our sins, and we find joy.”
The Gift of the Holy Ghost: “The gift of the Holy Ghost is the privilege—given to people who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ, been baptized, and been confirmed as members of the Church—to receive continual guidance and inspiration from the Holy Ghost.”

Most Important Quote

“Years ago I received a phone call from a distraught mother. She told me that her daughter had moved far from home. She sensed from the little contact she had with her daughter that something was terribly wrong. She pleaded with me to help.

“I found out who the daughter’s home teacher was. You can tell by that name that it was a long time ago. I called him. He was young. Yet he told me that he and his companion both had been awakened in the night with not only concern for the daughter but with inspiration that she was about to make choices that would bring sadness and misery. With only that inspiration of the Spirit, they went to see her.

“At first she did not want to tell them about her situation. Under inspiration, they pleaded with her to repent and choose the path the Lord had for her. She realized then, I believe by the Spirit, that the only way they could have known what they knew about her life was from God. A mother turned her loving concerns over to Heavenly Father and the Savior. The Holy Ghost had been sent to those home teachers because they were willing to serve the Lord.”

Powerful Stories

The Best Footnote

Footnote 8: “‘An inability to feel the Spirit, or a general feeling of apathy or numbness, [can also be] a symptom of poor mental health’ (‘At times I have difficulty feeling the Spirit because I feel numb … ,’ in ‘Mental Health: Help for Me,’ Life Help, Gospel Library). If you experience difficulties with your mental or emotional health, please be assured of Heavenly Father’s love for you, and continue to pray to Him and trust in Him.”

Questions for Reflection Asked by the Speaker

None.