The importance of spiritual gifts and how to obtain them is a central theme in the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Moroni 10 emphasizes this, stating, "And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God."
These gifts are administered in different ways, but it is the same God who works all in all, and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them (Moroni 10:8).
Examples of Spiritual Gifts
Moroni provides several examples of gifts of the Spirit:
- The gift to teach the word of wisdom
- The gift to teach the word of knowledge
- The gift of exceeding great faith
- The gift of healing
- The gift to work mighty miracles
- The gift to prophesy
- The gift of beholding angels and ministering spirits
- The gift of tongues
- The gift of the interpretation of languages (Moroni 10:9-16)
All these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ and are given to every person individually, according to their will. It is essential to remember that every good gift comes from Christ (Moroni 10:17-18).
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Developing and Sharing Our Gifts
Every person is given a gift by the Spirit of God, and it is our responsibility to develop and share our gifts. The Lord said: “For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.” (D&C 46:11-12)
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To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.
Elder Marvin J. Ashton expanded on this concept, noting that there are many less conspicuous spiritual gifts that are valuable.
Less Conspicuous Gifts Identified by Elder Ashton:
- The gift of asking
- The gift of listening
- The gift of hearing and using a still, small voice
- The gift of being able to weep
- The gift of avoiding contention
- The gift of being agreeable
- The gift of avoiding vain repetition
- The gift of seeking that which is righteous
- The gift of not passing judgment
- The gift of looking to God for guidance
- The gift of being a disciple
- The gift of caring for others
- The gift of being able to ponder
- The gift of offering prayer
- The gift of bearing a mighty testimony
The Gift of Discernment
Being quick to observe is linked with the spiritual gift of discernment. President George Q. Cannon stated that the gift of discerning of spirits gives individuals the power to discern the spirit with which others are influenced, and to discern the spirit within themselves.
President Stephen L Richards described discernment as embodying the power to discriminate between right and wrong. Every member of the restored Church of Christ can have this gift if they will to do so. It helps us detect hidden errors and evil in ourselves, and it helps us find and bring forth the good that may be concealed in us.
Discernment is a light of protection and direction in a world that grows increasingly dark. It opens to us vistas that stretch far beyond what can be seen with natural eyes or heard with natural ears. Discerning is seeing with spiritual eyes and feeling with the heart-seeing and feeling the falsehood of an idea or the goodness in another person.
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How to Discover and Develop Your Gifts
There are several ways to discover and develop our spiritual gifts:
- Pray and Ask for God’s Help: Earnestly seek the best gifts through prayer.
- Look for Opportunities to Uplift and Bless Others: Our gifts are given to benefit others.
- Do Not Unfairly Compare Your Gifts with Those of Others: Focus on developing your unique talents.
Table of Spiritual Gifts and Their Purpose
| Spiritual Gift | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Teaching | To impart knowledge and understanding |
| Faith | To believe in the words of others and in Jesus Christ |
| Healing | To provide comfort and relief to those who are suffering |
| Discernment | To distinguish between truth and error |
| Prophecy | To receive revelation and guidance from God |
| Serving | To uplift and bless others through acts of kindness |
The Gift to Love God
Moroni concludes the Book of Mormon with an explanation of how we can come unto Christ and lay hold upon every good gift: “And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift….” (Moroni 10:30, 32)
Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ.
The Gift of Grace
Grace is celestial currency that we receive when we labor in the work of the Lord. Grace is the enabling power of God whereby we can be perfected and sanctified in Christ by the shedding of His blood, which is the covenant of the Father unto the remission of our sins, that we become holy, without spot (Moroni 10:33).
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Remember, to every man (or woman) is given a gift by the Spirit of God. It is our right and responsibility to accept our gifts and to share them. Each of us has at least one spiritual gift.