Saber and Conocer

  Today in Sunday school we were talking about the 16th and 17th chapters of John, which are about the Holy Ghost. In these chapters the Savior knows that the time has come for him to leave the apostles and make the ultimate sacrifice for us.  He will offer up himself as a sacrifice to free us from the chains of death and hell. In these chapters he explains to them that He is not going to be leaving them alone. He will be leaving a comforter for them.
     We then discussed as a class the mission of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost will "reprove the world of sin". John 16: 8  The definiition of reprove is as follows: –verb (used with object)to criticize or correct, especially gently: to reprove a pupil for making a mistake; to disapprove of strongly; censure: to reprove a bad decision;to disprove or refute. (This comes from dictionary.com) I can testify that in my life the Holy Ghost has acted upon my spirit in this way. I am very grateful for the decisions that have made and not made because of these types of promptings.  The Holy Ghost is a comforter.  He will bring peace to us when we are grieving. He is also a teacher who brings things that we have been taught to our remembrance when we most need them. John 14: 26-27
       No one's life is perfect.  We all have our crosses that we are called to bear.  We may not get relief from our burdens in what we consider to be a timely manner.  The pains we suffer may go on... and on... and on..., but we can pray for peace and relief from our sufferings.  What a gift Jesus left with us after he ascended to heaven.
      As our Sunday School class ended our teacher told us that this lesson had reminded him of something that he had learned on his mission.  He served in Argentina.  While on his mission one of the apostles of the church, I think it was Elder Oakes, visited the mission.  He visited with the missionaries and bore his testimony about the Savior. Instead of using the Spanish word "saber", which means to know for a fact, Elder Oakes used the word conocer, which means to know someone.  Elder Oakes didn't just know for a fact, he also knew the person he was testifying about.
     I am a speaker of Spanish and contrasting the words saber and conocer really made me think about the Holy Ghost and his mission.  The Holy Ghost helps us to know (saber) of our Savior and his teachings.  If we live righteously and keep on listening to the promptings we receive we will come to know (conocer) Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer, someday.  Whether in this life of the next, it will happen.