Did the Holy Ghost Work Before the Coming of Jesus Christ?

This week I have been studying the gospel of Jesus Christ in ancient times, before the physical coming of Christ.

In the Old Testament, it is hard to find any reference to the Holy Ghost. So I decided to read the Book of Mormon from the beginning and the end looking for references to the Spirit.

I started reading the book of 1 Nephi. In every one of the first four chapters, Nephi, the author, establishes that man is given the Holy Ghost in response to faith. In 1 Nephi 2, the Lord says, “blessed art thou Lehi, for thou hast been faithful…” “…and it came to pass that my father did speak… with power, being filled with the Holy Ghost.” In 1 Nephi 3 and 4, Nephi entreats his brothers, “Let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord…” and later testifies, “I was led by the Spirit.”

I then skipped to the end of the Book of Mormon. As it turns out, Moroni 10, the last chapter in the Book of Mormon, centers on the same theme as 1 Nephi: the importance of faith and the gift of the Holy Ghost. He teaches: “And ye may know that he [Christ] is, by the power of the Holy Ghost... for he worketh… according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.”

What more powerful emphasis can there be of the importance of faith and receiving the Holy Ghost?

From the beginning through to the end of the Book of Mormon, one of the prevalent themes is that the Lord always gives the Holy Ghost to those who have faith. How does this apply to us today? It is strengthening to me to understand that God had the same purpose and worked the same way back then as he does now. It reinforces to me that there is no greater pursuit than to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost more fully in my life.