Good morning brothers and sisters! As I was writing this talk, I was reading in Alma 9 where Alma is chastising the people of Nephi and calling them to repentance. Don’t worry, I won’t be doing that today. But in Alma 9 verse 21, we read about a few gifts of the Spirit that the Lord is able to give us. On that note, I want to talk about gifts of the spirit and how we can receive these gifts to bless our lives and the lives of those around us.
Well, what is a gift of the spirit? In Moroni 10, we read that gifts of the spirit are "all … gifts [that] come by the Spirit of Christ." So what gifts come by the way of Christ? Some of these include the gift of bearing testimony, the gift of faith, the gift of learning, the gift of charity, and the gift of compassion, but these are not all.
In Alma 9:21, we read,” Having been visited by the Spirit of God; Having conversed with angels, and having been spoken unto by the voice of the Lord; and having the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and also many gifts, and the gift of preaching, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the gift of translation.”
Similarly, we read in 2 Nephi 21:2,” And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”
Adding more to the gifts of the spirit, it states in 2 Nephi 26:13,” Working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders.”
Lastly, in D&C 46, we read,” To some it is given to have faith to be healed;… To others it is given to have faith to heal… To others the discerning of spirits… To some to speak with tongues; And to another is given the interpretation of tongues.”
Now I think you get the point. There are multitudes of gifts that come from the Spirit of Christ, but how do we obtain these gifts? Back in D&C 46:9, we read," For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me." So it is simple, love God, keep all of his commandments, be perfect, and never falter. Although this is one way of getting God's gifts of the spirit, we all ultimately stumble at this demand. More often than not, we fall under the second part of verse 9," And him that seeketh so to do." If you are doing your best to Love God and to keep all his commandments, then the gifts of the spirit can be given to you, but you have to seek.
Seeking is not simply believing in the Lord, it requires work. It requires us to go towards, to search, to get our hands dirty. This seeking might be you repenting of past mistakes to grow closer to Jesus Christ, it might be you using the gifts God has given you to bless others, or it might be you praying for the gifts of the spirit. Whatever it is, it requires our effort. While James was talking about faith, he says,” Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Brothers and Sisters, if you want to change, then change. If you want to practice loving better, then practice loving. If you want the gifts of the spirit, then seek the gifts of the spirit. You can change today. You can become more like God, but it starts with you. God will always be with you as you "seeketh so to do." He won't leave you or forget about you, he loves you personally. So keep doing your best, keep going, and keep seeking to Love God and to keep all of his commandments. As you do so, you will have added strength and will begin to develop the gifts of the spirit in your life. Then will the Lord promise in D&C 46:28 extend to you," He that asketh in Spirit shall receive in Spirit."
In all, Brothers and Sisters, if you have the desire to have the gift of being healed, of healing others, of faith, of having more compassion, of listening, of understanding, of preaching, of wisdom, of might, and of bearing testimony, then seek to Love God with all your heart, might, mind, and strength and seek to keep his commandments. Remember that these Gifts are given "that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me." These Gifts are for you and those around you. God trust you. He will help you. And he promises to give you “a portion of [his] Spirit [to dwell] in [you], which giveth [you] knowledge, and also power according to [your] faith and desires which are in God.”
Before I end my talk, I want to talk about one gift of the spirit in particular. This gift of the spirit is bearing your testimony. This gift is important because it is your most powerful and precious gift that you can share with others. Each of you has unique experiences and life challenges that will touch the lives of those around you. Share your testimony often. If you feel your testimony is sub-par, then start building it through scripture study, prayer, learning, and growing closer to Jesus Christ. I promise you that as you grow closer to Jesus Christ, your desire to share your testimony will grow. I also testify that as you share your testimony, the powers of heaven will flow from your mouth and into the hearts of the people around you. The Lord will use you in ways to build his kingdom. You will have the tongue of Angels and the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ will change the hearts of those you bear testimony to. You have power from the Lord. Use it.
On the same note, I know that Jesus Christ loves each and everyone one of us. I know that he lives and that this is his Church. I know that this is his work and that he will help those that are wanting to serve him. I know that these spiritual gifts are a blessing to each of us as we strive to become better disciples of Jesus Christ. I know that God is in your life helping you accomplish your life's desires. I bear witness of these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.