The Second Comforter

Everybody has felt alone at some point in their lives. Whether it be from hurt feelings, geographical separation, or even death of a loved one, everybody is lonely sometimes. Thankfully, I have never lost anybody especially close to me. The two deaths that have most affected me were the death of my grandfather when I was 9 years old, and the death of a recent convert in the mission field 5 days after he got baptized. Both times, though, I had people I cared about around me to help me with the loss. Jesus was well aware of the feeling of loneliness. So, in his last discourse to his closest friends, the apostles, he spent a lot of time talking about comfort. Jesus knows his death is near and necessary, but doesn’t want his apostles to feel completely alone and abandoned.
Jesus promises to send the Holy Ghost to them to guide them and comfort them, but also promises “another Comforter,” or as Joseph Smith called it, the “Second Comforter.” The Second Comforter is Jesus Christ himself. If we are faithful in following the “First Comforter,” the Holy Ghost, then we will receive the “Second Comforter,” a visit from the Saviour.
I was especially moved when Dr. Holzapfel shared with us his experience of reading old pioneer journals. He shared with us how he read in many journals experiences of people who saw the Saviour. He said that almost all of them shared a common element. They followed the pattern of Joseph Smith’s experience in the grove. The Saviour appeared to people alone, and stood above the ground. He would say to these people something along the lines of, “My son, Cory, my son. Thy sins are forgiven thee.”
That would be a supernal experience. I would give anything to be able to have a personal experience with my Lord and Redeemer. I’m trying my best to sacrifice my will to God and try to purify myself little by little until I am worthy. Whether I receive the Second Comforter in this life or not, I will do my best to be the man I know I should be and have faith in God’s timing. I know that Christ will never leave me alone. Though I have my weaknesses and flaws, I should never feel alone. Because Jesus of Nazareth died for my sins and promised the Holy Ghost and the Second Comforter, I can have confidence that I will always have divine help.