Gifts of the Spirit

Grace, meaning the Enabling Power of the Atonement, is the power by which we can overcome weakness, magnify our own abilities, gain strength and bless the lives of our fellow brothers and sisters. One of the ways Christ's Grace can bless our lives is through the Gifts of the Spirit. Simply put, the Gifts of the Spirit are attributes of God, given to man to help perfect him and assist in the work of salvation of souls. Every worthy person who has received the Gift of the Holy Ghost has received some gift of the Spirit, though sometimes it is hard to recognize them in ourselves. A good exercise is to pray to know what gifts you have.

Moroni taught us that we can and should also seek and pray for additional gifts for the purpose of being perfected through Christ (Moroni 7:48, 10:30,33). Since they are truly attributes of God and Christ, as we receive them we are literally changed through Christ and perfected in Him (Moroni 10:30-33).

​President George Q. Cannon exhorted the saints: “If any of us are imperfect, it is our duty to pray for the gift that would make us perfect. If I am an angry man, it is my duty to pray for charity, which suffereth long and is kind. So with all the gifts of the Gospel, they are intended for this purpose.” (in Ashton, Measure of our Hearts, 24-25) This is what the Lord meant when, in Ether 12:26-27, he tells us he can make weak things become strong through His Grace.

I have compiled a list of many different gifts found in the scriptures and words of living prophets. Elder McConkie said there are innumerable gifts, so this list is just a small sampling. A good exercise might be to study this list prayerfully, and seek what gifts you now have, and which ones you need to help overcome one of your weaknesses. Then as Moroni puts it, pray with all the energy of your soul that you will be given that gift (Moroni 7:48). I testify that your sincere, righteous desires will be answered. In many ways God is more willing to bless us than we are to be blessed.

1. Wisdom
2. Knowledge
3. Diversity of Operations (know good from evil)
4. Administration
5. Discernment
6. Tongues
7. Interpretation of tongues
8.  Miracles
9. Faith to Heal
10. Faith To be healed
11. Prophecy
12. To know Jesus is the Christ
13. To believe on other's testimony
14. Empathy
15. tolerance
    
16. patience
    
17. vision
    
18. ability to recognize how the spirit works through you
    
19. faith
    
20. hope
    
21. problem solving (or counseling)
22. wisdom
23. to comfort
24. to be comforted
25. a forgiving heart
26. peacemaker
27. humility
28. a selfless heart
29. charity
30. compassion
31. an understanding heart
32. the gift of listening
33. seeing others' true worth
34. speaking
35. writing
36. translating
37. languages
38. teaching
39. expounding the scriptures
40. bearing testimony
41. service
42. teaching
43. Encouragement (encouraging others to do right)
44. generosity
45. leadership
46. merciful heart
47. cheerful countenance
48. Gift of love
49. Gift to love
50. shunning evil
51. deeply desiring to be involved with good
52. kindness
53. leading by a good example and honor
54. skilled in business
55. hard worker
56. spirituality
57. enjoying church and service in it
58. hope and confidence which comes from living the gospel
59. being in constant communication with God
60. sharing
61. being hospitable (welcoming)
62. Pure motives (intentions
    

I Have Learned

Here are a few things that I have learned recently, and am still learning. Saying I have learned it doesn't necessarily mean I live it, that's a lifelong process. But for whatever it's worth, I have learned:

• That all can change if they humble themselves and apply the transforming power of Grace.
• That the best people have a heightened awareness of what little of the worst is still in them.
• That the future is as bright as our faith.
• That optimism and faith are eternal helpmeets. Hope is equally their offspring and their forbear.
• That an helpmeet (the scriptural term Adam was given for a spouse), is one who helps you meet (meaning come to) God.
• That children are an investment. The more time you invest, the more return you get.
• That children do better when parents actually parent.
• That work is a blessing.
• That the reason we are obedient is just as important as our obedience. And that We are blessed more through obeying because of love and honor to God, than through blind obedience. More if we pay tithing with full purpose of heart, than grudgingly. More if we keep the word of Wisdom so we can be worthy of, and able to hear the spirit, than if we keep it solely for health reasons. 
• That God loves us, regardless of our weaknesses and sins.
• That to be temporally self-reliant means you depend on yourself, whereas being spiritually self-reliant means you depend on God.
• That if you truly love someone, you have to do the hard things that will help them grow and learn. Think of God's purposes of chastising his children. The method is love, the purpose is change.
• That ultimately, modesty is more about honoring God than safety. And that's true for the other commandments too.
• That a bishop's job isn't to hand out advice and be the all-knowing source of answers, but to turn them to the Savior for counsel, advice and direction.
• That when we're told we won't be given anything we can't handle, the "we" referred to is God and us. We're often given things we can't do alone. That's why we have Grace.
• That none of us will ever be truly worthy of the blessings Heavenly Father gives us, but He loves us anyway and gives them to show His love.