Confirmation of Michael Wood - Auckland Ward

New member Michael Wood and his sweet wife, Jucilene

I used to think that when a person was being confirmed a member of the Church after baptism, when the Priesthood holders administering the ordinance spoke the words "Receive the Holy Ghost" that the person would have the influence of that Spirit come into his or her being  it was something which the blessing caused to happen.  I falsely assumed that the newly baptize person accepted this gift passively, obviously with gratitude, but without any particular action on his or her part.

Recently I have learned through the teachings of Elder Bednar   that this is not the case.  In October 2010,  Elder Bednar taught:

This fits so very well with the gospel doctrine of agency.  We each must choose for ourselves to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit.  Once that gift is received, we then must stay worthy, repenting often, and renewing our covenants regularly so that we may "always have His Spirit to be with them".

As I listened to the confirmation of new convert Michael Wood in the Auckland Ward today I felt an absolute witness of the truthfulness of this doctrine.