The Spirit

In our church we talk a lot about the Spirit.  Well, what is the spirit?  It is very hard to put into words because it is something that you feel, and feelings are often very hard to explain to someone who isn't having them.  I also believe that everyone can feel the spirit in different ways.  I have felt a warm flow through my entire body, I have felt tingles, I have simply felt calm and peaceful, but no matter what, for me it is always accompanied by a feeling a great joy and love from God.

The first time that I can remember feeling what i believe was the Spirit was when I was about seven years old.  At that time my Dad was a leader over the youth at our church and he told them that if they could read The Book of Mormon all the way through, he would buy them a new set of scriptures that would contain the King James version of the Bible and The Book of Mormon together in one book.  Well, though I was not an expert on reading yet, I wanted in on the action.  I remember very clearly laying in the hallway with my little brother reading.  I am sure that I did not comprehend what I was reading, but a feeling of great joy came over me that seemed to say , "This book is a true testament of Jesus Christ".  I have since read that book many times and I feel quite certain that it is true.  I believe that the Prophets that wrote in it were real people just like you and I trying to do their best to please God and testify of their Savior and yours Jesus Christ.  

Although that time of feeling the Spirit stood out to me, I realize now that that was not the first time.  Our home was centered around Christ and His spirit was there most of the time.  I just didn't recognize it until I got older and went into other peoples homes and noticed it's absence.  In our home there was peace, love, and joy.  Please note that I put most of the time - We were a normal family and there was plenty fighting and teasing, too.  But there was still great great love and to this day my brother's and sister's are my best friends.