Prophets and saints of all ages have seen the Lord, Jesus Christ. He is manifested in dreams in the night, visions during day, and face-to-face as with Moses and Joseph Smith. There are a few who have been honored to see the Father, however, seeing the personage of the Holy Ghost in another matter.
His presence is manifested, his influence is felt, his voice is heard, but his person is kept hidden from view except in rare instances[1]. Man’s attention is not intended for any being except the Father whom we worship, and the Son, through whom we worship.
The Holy Ghost is their minister and messenger. He delivers the message and he strives to center our minds and thoughts on the Father and the Son. In any case, there are rare instances when the Holy Ghost has been seen.
According the Bruce R. McConkie, the baptism of the Savior is fragmented and meager, but the Holy Ghost was manifested in person. After Jesus was baptized “the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape…upon him.” (Luke 3:22) Remember he is a man; he has a spirit body which is matter indiscernible by humans (D&C 130:22; 131:7-8). Notice in Luke’s account that the Holy Ghost descended like a dove, which could signify he came with calmness, serenity and peace, which is the symbolism of a dove.
The prophet Joseph indicates that the ‘sign of the dove’ as given at the baptism was a witness for the Holy Ghost and the devil cannot come in the sign of the dove. (History of the Church 5:261)
Was Nephi among those that saw the personage of the Holy Ghost in the vision?
@Andrew Himmer
Does anyone wish to answer my question?
Andrew,
The passage of scripture in the vision is the Spirit of the Lord. The question is, Who is the Spirit of the Lord in this case. Is it the Lord in Spirit form, since He is not yet born? Or is it the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, which is technically also the Spirit of the Lord?
In Nephi 11:11, Nephi records “…for I spake unto him as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in the form of a man; yet nevertheless, I knew that is was the Spirit of the Lord…”
My current interpretation is that it is Jesus whom he is referencing, since there is no other reference on which to base other members of the Godhead within the vision. The rules of engagement for man is to deal with Jehovah. Visitations from the Father and the Holy Ghost are rare and usually with each other.