Gospel Message Day 218

Gifts of the Spirit, Part 4

Next on the list: Exceedingly Great Faith.

Not just faith. Or even great faith. Exceedingly great faith. Those writing the scriptures don't use the word exceedingly a lot. Only when they are really emphasizing that it was a huge amount.

I look back over my life, and I can see that I have had a lot of faith throughout it. I would say most of the time it has been strong. I learned early on from my own experiences and experiences of my family that trusting in the Lord is always the best option. No matter how scary, unsure, daunting, silly, or whatever the situation, following the Lord has resulted in great blessings--usually unforeseeable ones.

But exceedingly great faith? I don't know. I certainly want that. I don't ever want to doubt or question. I don't want to follow blindly. Yet I want the spirit to be reassuring me as solidly as it possibly could--no wavering at all. No room for any doubt. I don't know where exactly my faith is in relation to exceedingly. However, the great thing about spiritual gifts is you can pray for them. And work towards developing them. So, I can keep praying for my faith to be exceedingly great.

Gospel Message Day 217

Gifts of the Spirit, Part 3

The next gift on the "list" from the scriptures is teach the word of knowledge by the Spirit. To me, the difference of this compared to yesterday's gift is that the Spirit enables those with this gift to teach the principles, facts, etc. of things. I was going to say Gospel, but I realized that today's and yesterday's gift could apply to other things. As long as they help bring people to Christ, I think they should be considered spiritual gifts.

Odd example, but I have discovered that I'm getting pretty good explaining how to use e-devices to elderly people. Now how would that bring someone to Christ? Well, as I teach them that, I am able to teach them how to access apps. Apps that give them access to the scriptures, LDS manuals, talks from Church leaders. I can show them how to use apps that will give them access to social media and video calls, helping them keep in touch with family and improve those eternal relationships. Certainly these things if used in the right way can bring people closer to Christ.

Gospel Message Day 216

Gifts of the Spirit, Part 2

So yesterday I quotes scriptures that list some of the gifts of the Spirit. So I'm going to go with the first one listed in the first scripture I used:

Teach the word of wisdom by the Spirit

Merriam-Webster defines wisdom as - 

: knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life

: the natural ability to understand things that most other people cannot understand

: knowledge of what is proper or reasonable : good sense or judgment

To me that means more than facts. It is what one has done with the facts they know, especially facts they have gained from their own experiences or from others' experiences. So, by the Spirit, I think this gift is teaching people how to apply the Gospel in their lives through the experiences they have had or they experiences they hear about. 

I don't absolutely know for sure. I don't think there is a right or wrong thing about what it means. According to Bruce R. McConkie, gifts of the spirit are "endless in number and infinite in variety." It is up to us to see what gifts we have been blessed with, and to seek out and pray for others. So what I described is how I see that particular gift. 

Gospel Message Day 215

Gifts of the Spirit

I love this topic! I liked learning about it when I was growing up, but then I substituted as an Institute teacher and this was what my lesson was on. I learned so much, and there is quite a bit that can be said. So first I will introduce the overall topic, and then as the days go on I'll break down to the individual gifts.

The Spirit is a teacher, a comforter, a testifier. But in addition, through the Spirit we are blessed with gifts that help us live the Gospel, help others to live the Gospel, and help ourselves and others to come unto Christ.

Moroni 10: 8-18

8 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. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.

 9 For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may teach the word of wisdom;

 10 And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

 11 And to another, exceedingly great faith; and to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

 12 And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles;

 13 And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all things;

 14 And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits;

 15 And again, to another, all kinds of tongues;

 16 And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of divers kinds of tongues.

 17 And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will.

 18 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12: 1-12

 1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

 3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word ofknowledge by the same Spirit;

 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

Doctrine & Covenants 46:11-33

 11 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.

 12 To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.

 13 To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world.

 14 To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful.

 15 And again, to some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know the differences of administration, as it will be pleasing unto the same Lord, according as the Lord will, suiting his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men.

 16 And again, it is given by the Holy Ghost to some to know the diversities of operations, whether they be of God, that the manifestations of the Spirit may be given to every man to profit withal.

 17 And again, verily I say unto you, to some is given, by the Spirit of God, the word of wisdom.

 18 To another is given the word of knowledge, that all may be taught to be wise and to have knowledge.

 19 And again, to some it is given to have faith to be healed;

 20 And to others it is given to have faith to heal.

 21 And again, to some is given the working of miracles;

 22 And to others it is given to prophesy;

 23 And to others the discerning of spirits.

 24 And again, it is given to some to speak with tongues;

 25 And to another is given the interpretation of tongues.

 26 And all these gifts come from God, for the benefit of the children of God.

 27 And unto the bishop of the church, and unto such as God shall appoint and ordain to watch over the church and to be elders unto the church, are to have it given unto them todiscern all those gifts lest there shall be any among you professing and yet be not of God.

 28 And it shall come to pass that he that asketh in Spirit shall receive in Spirit;

 29 That unto some it may be given to have all those gifts, that there may be a head, in order that every member may be profited thereby.

 30 He that asketh in the Spirit asketh according to the will of God; wherefore it is done even as he asketh.

 31 And again, I say unto you, all things must be done in the name of Christ, whatsoever you do in the Spirit;

 32 And ye must give thanks unto God in the Spirit for whatsoever blessing ye are blessed with.

 33 And ye must practice virtue and holiness before me continually. Even so. Amen.

Gospel Message Day 214

Gospel Reflection

I feel like I'm done with the previous topic (since so much was referred to it in previous topics) and I'm not up for starting a new one tonight. So I thought I'd share an insight from a Fireside I went to tonight. The speaker was absolutely hilarious, and I had so many impressions from the Spirit about ways to find more joy, peace, and comfort.

But what I loved most was how he pointed out that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which provides the ordinances to help us live the Gospel, is not about families. Family is a focus. But it is not the purpose of the Church. The purpose is to bring us unto Christ--all of us. No matter where we are, who we are, what situation we are in, or what struggles we are facing, our Savior wants us to come unto Him. And that is what the LDS Church is all about--each of us helping ourselves and each other to do all we can to learn of Him and emulate Him.


Doctrine & Covenants 18:11

For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.

2 Nephi 26:33

For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.

Moroni 10:32

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; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

Gospel Message Day 213

Eternal Families, Part 4

I blogged pretty recently about Family History. It goes hand-in-hand with eternal families. We seek out our ancestors to learn more about who we are and where we come from. To learn about the people who, without them, we would not be. But what is the point of finding them if I do not also extend the opportunity for them to have Gospel ordinances performed for them (if they have not already been done)? Even if I won't meet them again until the next life, they are my family. Each with their own trials, struggles, heartaches, joys, successes. They are amazing because EVERY child of God is amazing. And I want my eternal, forever family bonds to extend to them. Not just to my parents and siblings and Niephews and husband and children. I want generations before and generations after to all be linked. Parties are ever so much more fun with big groups of people--especially big groups of loved ones. And Family means Automatic Loved Ones.

Gospel Message Day 212

Eternal Families, Part 3

Eternal Families--made possible by the Atonement of Jesus Christ.