Several years ago Primary General President Camille N. Johnson went to the temple on her father’s birthday. He had passed away the year prior, and she went to the temple with the hope that she might feel his presence.
While at the temple, an ordinance worker made an observation and whispered something to her — something only her dad would have said.
“On that day, I heard the Spirit testify to me, through the voice of a person I didn’t know, that my dad was aware of me, that he was available to me, and that he loved me,” President Johnson said in a #HearHim video released Wednesday, June 15.
In the video and an accompanying blog post on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, President Johnson used this experience to illustrate how the Spirit can speak through the words of others.
“The Savior speaks to us, personally and uniquely, and in ways we will understand,” she wrote in the blog post. “I am so thankful this dear woman acted on the prompting she received to say what she said to me. That day, I needed that experience with the Spirit. It replenished my spiritual reservoir and gave me renewed assurance in the plan for our happiness.
“I believe the Lord wants to give us opportunities to be instruments in His hands,” she continued. “That is one reason He lets other people do the talking sometimes, so that we can all participate in helping one another return to Him.”
President Johnson reminded parents and leaders of their responsibility to help children recognize and understand the diversity of ways in which the Spirit speaks.
“If we create opportunities for the Spirit to be present and help our children recognize and put a name to what they are feeling, we will provide them with a reservoir of spiritual experiences to draw upon for a lifetime,” she said.
Watch more #HearHim videos from Church leaders here.
