In John 14, as Christ tries to prepare his disciples for the things to come, He lets them know that even though he will be leaving them physically, they will not be left alone. He gives them the promise of a Second Comforter if they will love him and obey his commandments. John 14:15-16, “If ye love me keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” He promises that he will not leave his disciples orphans and he won’t just leave them the Holy Ghost but will come back to them himself. Through the Holy Ghost, whom we receive when baptized, we can have Christ as a Comforter and through him we can have the Father as a Comforter too. I really like what he says in John 16:7-8, “...It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement.”
I thought it was interesting when Dr. Holzapfel mentioned that the Second Comforter was a subject that Joseph Smith often spoke on. I also like the idea that it’s such a sacred part of our gospel and that’s why it isn’t often mentioned anymore. Joseph Smith once said, “After a person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins, and is baptized for the remission of his sins and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the laying on of hands), which is the first Comforter, then let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God . . . then it will be his privilege to receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints. . . . Now what is this other Comforter? It is no more nor less than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 150–51). I don’t think I had ever heard that until we discussed it in class and if I had I did not understand it. But what a cool concept. Something we can always strive towards.
