This is based on a talk I gave at my sons baptism several years ago. It was a fun way to liken the scriptures to something my son is VERY interested in. I hope you can use this to help teach your video game loving kiddos about the Holy Ghost too!

Nephi tells his brothers that we should liken the scriptures to ourselves so they can be for our profit and learning (1 Nephi 19:23). So today I’m going to liken the Holy Ghost to a familiar object: a video game controller.

Here are 4 ways a video game controller is like the Holy Ghost:

1. It won’t work if it isn’t connected
2. Action is required to make and keep the connection
3. We can feel feedback from the game
4. When the battery runs out, we can recharge in order to restore the connection. 

must be connected

A video game controller has potential, capability, and opportunity to work—but it can’t unless it’s connected to the game.  

We have potential, capability, and opportunity to navigate this life successfully—but we can’t unless we’re connected to the source: Heavenly Father. That connection IS the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The first article of faith says: “we believe in God the Eternal Father and in His son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” Before He died, Jesus taught His disciples about this connection. He said, ““And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever” (John 14:16). Comforter is another name for the Holy Ghost.

And again the Savior taught: “If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:7). We’re promised to always have a member of The Godhead with us so we can stay connected to our Father in Heaven. 

Action required

In order for the controller to work, you have to DO a few things. You have to turn on the gaming system and go through the steps to get it to recognize the controller. Then you have to press the buttons in a variety of ways to select the options you want, and then play your game. 

In order for our connection to Heavenly Father to work, some action is required on our part. The action necessary is simple: keep the commandments, or keep the covenants (promises) we make with Heavenly Father. This can look like faith, baptism, prayer, scripture study, going to church, and more.

When we do these things we invite the Holy Ghost (or the Spirit) into our lives and we’re better prepared to hear and feel Him speaking to us. 

We can feel feedback

In a Mario Kart race you can bump into a wall, or another person, and sometimes the controller vibrates with the hit. Or when you play Just Dance you can set it up to feel a vibration to the beat of the song. This is feedback from the game and it makes the experience more real. 

A connection with Heavenly Father goes two ways, and the Holy Ghost is that feedback we feel from God. He helps our connection feel real. The Holy Ghost can guide and direct us, protect and warn us, teach us of truth, comfort us, and testify of Jesus Christ and the miracle of the plan of salvation.

Recognizing this revelation from the Spirit is so important in building our connection with Heavenly Father, but it might be hard at first. I’m still learning how the Spirit speaks to me—most of us are.  

The Spirit can feel like clarity, courage to act, thoughts organized, confidence, good people knowing exactly how to help, good feelings, tears, hop in our step, thoughts almost as clear as if spoken out loud, warmth, peace, a swelling in our soul, and more.

recharge 

Sometimes, no matter what you do, the controller won’t connect. That’s your clue that it’s out of batteries and needs to be plugged in for a while before you can play again. 

It’s no surprise to Heavenly Father that we are going to make mistakes. Even small mistakes can lessen that connection we have with Him for a time, and big mistakes or life challenges can make it feel like there’s no connection whatsoever—like our battery is totally drained.

Heavenly Father ALWAYS wants to be connected to us. He’s so smart, and His plan is so perfect, that He already figured out how we can recharge and stay connected even when we make mistakes or when life gets us down.

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can repent, and that’s just like recharging our controller battery. When we repent, we’re forgiven, and Elder D. Todd Christofferson (one of the 12 Apostles) said, “it’s the Holy Ghost, the messenger of divine grace, [who] brings relief and forgiveness.”

Heavenly Father LOVES to forgive! When we repent the connection is restored, and we feel the presence of the Spirit in our lives again. 

The Holy Ghost is a miraculous gift that allows us to connect with and have a relationship with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Strengthening this connection and learning to recognize the Spirit has helped me better understand my divine nature as a daughter of God.  

You can try to play a video game without connecting the controller, but it won’t take long before you realize something is missing.  Similarly, you can go through life without connecting to God, through the Spirit, but it won’t take long before you realize something wonderful is missing!!

Love, Abby