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BACKGROUND
Let's begin with a little bit of background for these sections. Remember that the church is still less than a year old when this revelation is received. A lot of the members are still confused as to what a Latter-day Saint meeting looks like. One issue is described in the section heading. There was a custom of admitting only members and earnest investigators to the sacrament meetings and other assemblies of the Church. So, there was a sense of exclusivity and privilege as to who would be let into the meetings. The Lord is going to address that in this section. Also, like I said last week, there are a lot of very bizarre, Pentecostal type things going on in the church as well. A few examples? People jumping up and down in the middle of the meetings. Members sitting on the floor and pretending like they were rowing an imaginary boat or having a sword fight with the sword of Laban. Dancing, shaking, speaking in tongues, supposedly. There's a story of one man who ran out of the meeting saying that he was chasing a ball floating in the air. Well he followed his "vision" right over a cliff, but luckily landed in a tree which saved his life. Joseph is rather concerned with this kind of behavior, so Section 46 is going to help the members understand spiritual gifts and how they worked.
With that in mind you can understand why he says in verse 7:
7 . . . that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils.
Some of these manifestations were probably just the ideas of men, while others very well could have been inspired by the devil to cause confusion and chaos in the early church.
So as we study today, we're going to learn some things that will help us to understand how the Spirit works in our lives and in our Church meetings.
ICEBREAKER
For an icebreaker, I like to do something that illustrates the importance of balance. And though this may seem a little strange to do in a Church of Jesus Christ setting, I love to tell a summarized version of the story of the Buddha. It's one of the best stories I know of to teach the principle of balance. Now the Buddha grew up in a palace. He was the son of a king. And his father didn't want him to experience anything negative or ugly or difficult or uncomfortable in his life. So he only ate the most delicious of foods, wore the finest clothing, enjoyed the most lavish entertainment, and lived in absolute comfort, shielded from all the negative things that existed outside the palace walls. But as he grew older, he yearned to see more of the world, to leave the palace and observe the life of the city around him. So he leaves the city with his good friend and servant. And as they travel down the street of the city, the Buddha sees a man bent over, walking slowly on a cane, covered in wrinkles. And Buddha asks his servant, "What's that? " and his servant says, "That is old age", and the Buddha asks, "Who does this happen to?" "Everybody Buddha, your father, your mother, me, even you, will one day get old, and walk in the very same way". They travel a little further and they see a beggar on the side of the road, his skin sallow, his eyes sunken, and his legs shriveled up underneath him. And so the Buddha asks, "What is that?" His servant says "That, Buddha, is disease". Who can this happen to?" "Anybody. All are subject to disease and suffering in this life. Rich or poor, male or female, young or old". They travel further down the road, and they pass by a funeral procession. People are mourning and carrying the body of a man under a sheet towards his grave. And Buddha asks, "What's that?". "That, my master, is death. Where consciousness and movement end. Where life no longer animates the body and leaves those left behind in great sadness and mourning. " Who does this happen to?" Everybody Buddha. All will suffer death. Your father, your mother, me, and even you, one day will cease to live". These encounters greatly trouble the Buddha as he begins to understand the existence of suffering in the world. As they travel back to the palace, he sees one more thing that rivets his attention. He sees a monk, dressed in a yellow robe, deep in thought and meditation. And he asks his servant "What is that?" "That Buddha is one seeking enlightenment and understanding through thought and meditation". This strikes the Buddha deeply and he decides that he is going to leave the palace and meditate in an effort to understand the world and the problems in it. He sits under a tree near the river and thinks, and thinks. He eats almost nothing, he drinks almost nothing, until he becomes so emaciated that his ribs are visible through his skin. And one day as he sits there, a boat floats by. In it, there is a teacher, showing his student how to play the Erhu, a kind of stringed instrument. And he hears the teacher say, "Be sure not to leave the strings too loose, or you will get no sound, but also be sure not to pull the strings too tight, or they may break". And that thought really penetrates the Buddha's mind. And that's when he realizes that the truth lies in the middle. In balance. Not too loose, and not too tight. His life in the palace was too loose, but this life of constant meditation, and self-denial was too tight. The middle way was the answer and the path to Nirvana or enlightenment. And so he stands up, goes into the village and eats a full meal for the first time in months. Then, he spends the rest of his life traveling and teaching. A major tenet of his philosophy: the truth lies in balance.
Well I also believe that this is a universal truth and balance. You will see this idea appear all over the scriptures. Justice vs mercy, the love of God vs the love of your fellowman, faith vs works, humility vs. pride, mind vs. heart, and so many, many others. The adversary is always going to try and push us to one side or the other. He always encourages extremes. It doesn't matter which side of the tight rope we fall off of to him, just as long as we fall. So we too must seek the middle way.
TRANSITION
Well, in these first couple of verses in section 46, it seems to me that Joseph is trying to establish a balance in the minds of the members as far as church meetings are concerned. There are two sides to this balance. On the one side, we've got verse 1 where Joseph says, that "these things were spoken unto you for your profit and learning". I'm afraid I can't tell you exactly what he's referring to when he says "these things" but I imagine he's talking about the revelations that have been received up to that point. Or perhaps section 42, the law, or section 45, that had just been received the day before.
Which, forgive me here, I'm going to interject a quick thought. Did you notice the dates of section 45 and 46? 45 was received on March 7, and section 46 on March 8. And I think to myself, "Man, Joseph receives this masterpiece of truth and inspiration on the Second Coming in Section 45, and the very next day he's tackling spiritual gifts and teaching us new principles about them. So once again, my faith in Joseph's divine prophetic calling is strengthened and confirmed".
But back to the topic at hand. He's talking about "the things spoken of", and then, in the next verse, he refers to "those things which are written". So, when it comes to conducting meetings and administering in the church, we should look to the things that have been spoken and written by the leaders of the church for guidance. We have an entire handbook or policy manual in the church to set a correlated standard for the church worldwide. And we should all respect and follow that.
However, do you see the balancing principle in verse 2? It reads like this:
2 But notwithstanding those things which are written, it always has been given to the elders of my church from the beginning, and ever shall be, to conduct all meetings as they are directed and guided by the Holy Spirit.
So, there apparently needs to be a balance between "the things which are written" and being "guided by the Holy Spirit".
And a discussion question that I might ask at this point:
Why do you think God wants us to both follow that which is written and also follow the Spirit? and How is that even possible?
In my mind, I think it's not always wise to be too procedural about things. We may sometimes make the mistake of being too rigid, too protocol, too rule oriented. I believe that there is room for flexibility in the church. When it comes to meetings, when it comes to administration, when it comes to working with people, we must leave the door open for the influence and guidance of the Spirit. We don't want to be so rigid in our application of policy, that we don't stop to consider possible alternatives offered by the Spirit. As a bishop, I've encountered a number of situations where an exception was indeed the right approach. No policy manual in the world could ever be big enough to cover all possible circumstances. So the Lord says, I'll provide you with written things, that you can rely on and go to as a foundation but have the Spirit with you. Listen to it, let it guide you. We don't always have to go 100% exactly by the book. Jesus was quite critical of the Pharisees for interpreting the law so strictly. As Jacob put it, in the Book of Mormon, "their blindness came by looking beyond the mark". Jacob 4:14
BUT, let's be careful. This idea has its limits. We don't want to swing the pendulum too far in the other direction either. Remember, balance. There is a reason we have a policy manual. There is safety and comfort and order in established guidelines and laws of the gospel and unchanging doctrines. We don't want loose cannon leaders or administrative mavericks running rampant. There is a place for policy and handbooks. We just need to seek the middle way.
This week's sections offer some other "balancing phrases". Let's see if you can find them. I'll give you the verse, and you find me the balancing phrase.
46:15 suiting his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men
So God suits his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men. There is not a one-size-fits all approach to God's mercy. He takes into account each person's conditions or circumstances and acts accordingly. One universal policy may not cover every person's circumstances. We too must suit our decisions and actions according to an individual’s conditions.
47:2 To John Whitmer, he says that it is ok for him to "lift up his voice in meetings, whenever it shall be expedient".
Sometimes things are expedient, and other times they are not. We've got to seek the Spirit to know the difference--to find the balance.
48:1 It is necessary that ye should remain for the present time in your places of abode. So, time should be considered. There are certain things that are right "at the present time” but may not be right at another time. So, it may not be right, at the present time, to be dating or forming serious relationships. But at another time, it would be completely appropriate and encouraged to do so. Like the difference between being a missionary, and a returned missionary. Time matters.
48:1 Another one in this verse, "as it shall be suitable to your circumstances". Our circumstances must also be taken into account. Yes, the prophets say that every worthy young man should serve a full-time mission, BUT in some cases, circumstances may not allow for that. Health issues need to be considered and may limit missionary service opportunities.
48:3 3 And inasmuch as ye have not lands, let them buy for the present time in those regions round about, as seemeth them good, for it must needs be necessary that they have places to live for the present time.
"as seemeth them good" . In some matters, the Lord leaves decisions up to us. He doesn't have to command in all things. Sometimes, he just likes to give suggestions and encourages us to act "as seemeth us good".
And then 48:6, you've got a bit of both sides of the balance. You've got the gathering taking place, but it is done "according to their circumstances" but also, "according to the laws and commandments which ye have received, and which ye shall hereafter receive. Circumstances and Commandments. Both considered, both important.
This balance is going to be a theme that we see again in the Doctrine and Covenants and it's going to be applied to more than just meetings and administration. It also applies to gospel living, in general. But we'll dive into more detail on that when we get to section 58 where we'll see phrases like "men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause and do many things of their own free will" and "it is not meet that God should command in all things". I'll admit that oftentimes it really is just easier to follow the book. It's a lot more comfortable and easier to just be told what to do. But there is also less responsibility and growth in that system too. God doesn't like to micromanage his children and he doesn't like to micromanage his church either. We're here, learning how to be God's, and we need to learn to walk on our own two feet. Perhaps he even lets us make some mistakes along the way--letting us stumble and fall so that we can pick ourselves up and try again.
A quick illustration of this. I remember when I was first called as Bishop that I really worried about doing things right, especially when it came to welfare. Which is a good thing, especially when you really don't know what you're doing. But, I found myself reaching out to the former Bishop and the Stake President a lot for help and I'm forever grateful for gracious guidance that they gave me. But as time went on, the stake president seemed to put more things back on me and asked me to use my judgment. Nowadays, I don't reach out quite as much. I feel much more comfortable in making those kinds of decision. I've grown into the mantle a bit more. It's good to use the training wheels for a while, but if we really want to ride in the way we're meant to, you've got to take them off and learn to balance. Well, the Lord has guided my along and he continues to teach me how to ride.
Another example. When I served my mission, we memorized the discussions, and we progressed through them with investigators from 1-6. Now there was room for inspiration then, but when the Preach my Gospel manual was released, all of that changed quite a bit. There was still a lot of written material, and guidance, and procedures, and rules. But a much greater degree of flexibility was introduced--a greater reliance on the direction of the Holy Spirit is encouraged, and I believe that missionary work is all the better because of it.
I also believe that he allows his leaders and teachers and missionaries to lead, and teach, and administer, on their own, by their own inspiration and ideas. It's not always a matter of direct revelation from God.
A good example of this is found in the Old Testament. Do you know whose idea it was to build an actual temple of stone for God in Jerusalem? It was David's, not necessarily God's. David feels that God should have a permanent house built for him after living in the tent of the tabernacle for so many years. And look what God says about this. This is Solomon speaking.
17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
18 And the Lord said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.
Sometimes the Lord just allows his leaders to do what's in their heart. It not always divine inspiration. So we use our minds and hearts and our creativity, and we make our plans and take them to the Lord who says, "Thou dids't well that it was in thine heart" This is a good thing. Now go and act on it. I approve of your idea.
TRUTH
We must seek balance between adhering to the written word and policies of God and allowing the Holy Spirit to be our guide.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
When has "that which is written" been a blessing in your life?
Have you ever had a "directed and guided by the Holy Spirit" kind of experience?
CONCLUSION
I for one am grateful for the rigidity and flexibility of God's instruction. It kind of reminds me of pole vaulting. If you tried to do it with a solid pole, your forward and upward progress would be stopped as soon as your pole hit the pit. It's the very fact that your pole is both rigid and flexible, that you are able to be lifted high into the air. When it comes to our church meetings, if we can find that same rigid flexibility, we too can be lifted to a higher plane. Too tight and you smother the influence of the Spirit, too loose, and you have chaos. May we all have the wisdom to find the middle way and recognize when we're beginning to veer off course.
THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
ICEBREAKER
Moving on to the major theme of Section 46, the Gifts of the Spirit. For an Icebreaker to this section, I usually do the same object lesson that I do with Moroni 10 and 1 Corinthians 12. So if you studied the New Testament or the Book of Mormon with me, you've seen this one before. I hope that's ok, but it just seems to work really well. But what you do is you have a large, wrapped present at the front of the room. For me, since I need a quick way to reset the lesson for each class, I have one of those decorated gift boxes that has a lid. It looks like this. Then, inside that large box, I have 4 or 5 smaller gift boxes. Then, within one of those gift boxes, I have a set of even smaller gift boxes. So it's kind of set up like one of those Russian nesting dolls. And you can usually buy these materials at a craft or hobby store for minimal expense. But with the big gift displayed, I then like to ask them a question. What's the best Christmas or Birthday gift you've ever received? But, since we used that question last time, let me give you an alternative question. You could also ask, if tomorrow were Christmas or your birthday, what would you ask for? What would you most like to receive? And then allow some of them to share.
TRANSITION
Regardless of which question you ask, you can transition to the scriptures by telling them that today, we are going to discuss different kinds of gifts. Like a good parent, our Heavenly Father also loves to give gifts to his children. But rather than sending us electronics, or jewelry, or toys, He gives us spiritual gifts, or abilities, powers, or talents. They're called the Gifts of the Spirit because they all get their power from the same source. The Spirit or the Holy Ghost. (And here, you point to the large present you have wrapped at the front and say) Let’s say this gift represents the Holy Ghost, but within the gift of the Holy Ghost are other smaller gifts that God may give us. (At that point, you open the present and pull out some of the other gift boxes that are inside). In Doctrine and Covenants 46, the Lord is going to teach us some truths about these spiritual gifts.
SEARCH-9 Principles of Spiritual Gifts
To study this section, you may consider having them fill out the following thinking map. A thinking map is a type of study guide that helps your students search and analyze the scriptures as they fill in the different boxes using the scriptures. They can do this either alone or with a partner or as a group. So first, they may want to go through and name all the different gifts of the Spirit that are mentioned in this section. Then, they can read the selected verses looking for different truths they learn about spiritual gifts and fill them in the boxes. I also add an extra principal, just for fun, that comes from section 107.
So let's go through the sheet to help us understand section 46 a little bit better.
First, the gifts themselves.
· The gift to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
o Some people just seem to have the gift of testimony. They never question, their faith never wavers. They just know
· The gift to believe on their words
o Other people have a gift of believing those that know. Their ability to trust is strong.
· To know the differences of administration
o We'll talk in more detail about that one later in the lesson, but this may describe the gift of knowing how the different gifts manifest themselves.
· To know the diversities of operations, whether they be of God
o Some people have a gift of knowing whether something is of God or not. It's not always easy to tell in a world where the devil makes good look evil and evil look good.
· The word of wisdom
o This one has nothing to do with our code of health but everything to do with wisdom. Some are gifted with wisdom. Solomon had this gift. This seems to be knowledge more geared towards the spiritual.
· The word of knowledge
o Some are gifted with knowledge. This seems to be knowledge more geared towards the temporal. Intelligence. You may know of some people who are just naturally intelligent.
· Faith to be healed
· Faith to heal
· Working miracles
· Prophesying
o Which I don't necessarily think means predicting the future but speaking the mind and will of God. Helping others to understand the consequences or the blessings their actions may lead to.
· Discerning of spirits
o Some have a gift of perceiving things through the power of the Spirit. A Bishop or parent might want this gift to perceive who might need help-who might be hurting or discouraged. Sometimes we ask how other people are doing, and they usually say "fine". But that's not always true. In many cases, they are anything but fine. Someone with discernment may be able to sense this, and probe deeper.
· Speak with tongues
· Interpretation of tongues
o We'll talk about some possible interpretations of these gifts a little later.
Now for the principles. We aren't going to go quite in chronological order here. And I hope that's OK. I like to start in verse 11 which I feel contains the most fundamental, introductory principles of spiritual gifts.
PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT GIFTS
The first phrase we can look to here, "all have not every gift given unto them". Put a little more simply. People have different gifts. And isn't that wonderful--that we're not all the same. We are not cookie-cutter disciples. It's very apparent as you look at the world around you that God really likes variety and diversity. Look at the landscapes in his world, Deserts, jungles, mountains, planes, tundra and an infinite number of varieties in between. Look at animal life, in shape, and color, and ability. Some fly, some swim, some crawl, some run. Then look at people. Same thing. Shapes, sizes, colors, languages, cultures, so much diversity. No two are the same. When it comes to spiritual gifts, God follows the same principle. People are gifted in different ways. You are unique in the gifts that you can offer the church. Now there are a lot of people on this earth, and a lot of people in your own individual ward or branch. Is it possible to have that many different gifts available? Look to the next principle.
THERE ARE MANY GIFTS
So, yes, it is possible for each member to have something that is uniquely theirs to offer. Just like nobody of the billions of people on the earth have the same fingerprints, or the same voice, there are so many different kinds of gifts that a person can receive.
Bruce R. McConkie taught that:
“Spiritual gifts are endless in number and infinite in variety. Those listed in the revealed word are simply illustrations of the boundless outpouring of divine grace that a gracious God gives those who love and serve him.”
Bruce R. McConkie
A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p.367-377
So the lists of gifts we find in the scriptures are just examples of some of the gifts. I love this list of other possible gifts suggested by Elder Marvin J. Ashton:
“Taken at Random, let me mention a few gifts that are not always evident or noteworthy but that are very important. . .
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; and the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost.
Marvin J. Ashton
CR October 1987
Isn't that amazing. There are an infinite number of possible gifts that God can give.
Yet that leads us to another very important question. Who gets one? Some may worry that only the elite, or church leadership, or the most righteous receive a gift. What do verses 11-12 teach us?
EVERYBODY HAS ONE
Every man (and that obviously includes women) is given a gift by the Spirit of God. To some is given one, and to some is given another.
Nobody is left out on this one. You are gifted. No exceptions. There is something that only YOU have to offer your ward or branch. And though this next illustration isn't necessarily doctrinal, I sometimes picture this principle in the following way. I imagine a large line of spirits in the pre-existence waiting for their turn to be born into mortality. And just before they leave, Heavenly Father is standing there at the head of the line with a large bag of gifts next to him. They aren't given out randomly, but each has the recipient’s name written in beautiful calligraphy across the top. Each of these gifts has been lovingly prepared and tailored to that specific individual. With a gift in his hand. He hands it to them and says "This is a special unique gift just for you from me. Please treasure and respect it. It will bring great blessings to you and others throughout your life. " Then He carefully hands it to them and off they go to mortality. I also imagine each of the gifts being wrapped differently and in different shapes and sizes. But everybody gets a gift.
Something I really love about the list of gifts we've identified is the way that they interact with each other. A lot of them come in pairs don't they. Some are given the gift to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and then, others are given the gift to believe on their words. Can you see how those two go hand in hand? The gift to know and testify doesn't do much good if there is nobody to hear that testimony, and be edified by it, and be brought to belief by it. Those that have the gift of knowing can aid those that have the gift of believing, and those that have the gift of believing will solidify and confirm and give meaning to the faith of those who know. But notice, both get eternal life. The rewards for knowing AND believing are the same. No hierarchy there in terms of importance. Do you see any other gift pairs like that? The faith to heal and the faith to be healed. You can't have one without the other. The gift of tongues, and the gift of the interpretation of tongues. And I'm sure there are plenty of others we could think of. Those with the gift of leadership, and those with the gift of support and loyalty. Those with the gift of teaching, and those with the gift of learning.
When these groups of people come together, miracles happen.
Before we move on, in a class, I sometimes like to pause and make sure they understand something. I like to ask if there is any way to know for certain what gift of gifts our Heavenly Father has given to us? Yes. There is. Our patriarchal blessings will more often than not identify what one or some of our gifts are. So we do get some divine help in determining what those are. That's yet another reason to get a patriarchal blessing if you haven't yet received one.
DIFFERENCES OF ADMINISTRATION
There is one of the gifts that I would like to talk about in a little more depth. Some of the gifts are really easy to understand. The faith to heal, the gift of knowing, working miracles, but what does it mean to know the differences of administration. Looking to the footnote may help us out a little bit. It sends us to Moroni 10:8 which words this gift a little differently and, I feel, a little more clearly. It says, "And there are different ways that these gifts are administered". I think it means that there are many different iterations or manifestations of the spiritual gifts. At this point, I go back to my object lesson. I take out one of the boxes, and inside, show them that there are other gifts within the gift. There are different ways that the gifts of knowing, and healing, and speaking in tongues can manifest themselves in people's lives. Take the gift of tongues for example. A very rare manifestation of that gift would be the ability to speak in the Adamic language. Another would be the ability to speak a language that you have never learned before. This happened on the day of Pentecost with the apostles. Perhaps another manifestation would be an increased ability to learn to speak another language with ease and accuracy, a gift most missionaries serving foreign missions would seek for. But maybe the gift of tongues doesn't always have to do with foreign languages. Perhaps another manifestation could be the ability to speak eloquently and skillfully in your own language. My father was confused for some time when he received his patriarchal blessing as a young man when he was told he had the gift of tongues. So, it really troubled him when in his high school French classes and while serving his mission, he didn't feel like the language came any easier to him than anybody else. But, when he returned home from his mission and explored the option of teaching in the seminary and institute program for the church, he discovered he had a gift of speaking beautifully and powerfully about the scriptures. I believe that's his manifestation of the gift of tongues.
Another example, and I feel it's ok to share this with you in this context. In my patriarchal blessing, the Lord flat out told me a specific administration of one of the gifts of the Spirit--the gift of discernment. But my specific manifestation of that gift is the gift of discernment to choose good friends. That's a special gift I was given. An ability to choose the right kinds of friends. An ability to choose friends that would bless my life or assure my progress. And as I look back on my life, especially my youth, that gift has been instrumental. I'm so grateful that I had it. I know that gift was also crucial in helping me to choose my best friend, the woman I wanted to spend eternity with, my wife.
Another example. The gift of healing could be more than just giving priesthood blessings. It could be physical healing, or emotional healing, or spiritual healing.
So we need to be careful about how we interpret the different gifts and not narrow them down to only one specific manifestation.
SEEK EARNESTLY THE BEST GIFTS
Now to go back just a little. We're going to return to verse 8 to get our next principle . Somebody may wonder if it's ok to seek for additional gifts. Maybe I don't have the gift of healing, or tongues, or discernment, or exceedingly great faith. But I want them. I feel I need them. Do I just sit back and resign myself to the gifts I've already been given? We know we're not supposed to aspire to certain positions or callings in the church, but is it ok to aspire to additional gifts? The answer is yes! This verse actually encourages us to "seek ye earnestly the best gifts". So not only should we seek them, but we should seek them earnestly. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul actually uses an even stronger word. He tells us to "covet" earnestly the best gifts. So, there you go, you have permission to break the 10th commandment in that respect. This is the one thing it's ok to covet. Remember the parable of the talents from the New Testament. The master expected his servants to go out and gain more talents than they were initially given. You could simply substitute "gifts of the spirit" with the word "talents" in that story. There will be times in your life where you really feel you need the gift of discernment to make a difficult decision. You may be called to a calling where the gift of leadership would be desired. You might find yourself in a situation where you plead for the gift of healing. The Lord encourages us to seek those gifts earnestly. It is going to require some effort and faith to obtain them, though--some earnest seeking.
The example of this I usually give is a personal one. I don't feel I was born with the gift of teaching. I feel my father has that natural gift and ability, but it didn't come so easily for me. I was actually a very shy and more quiet young man in my youth. When I left for my mission, I prayed for my social anxiety to be diminished and for an increased ability to speak to people about the gospel with confidence. I felt I really needed that gift. And I feel the Lord blessed me with that ability. And when I returned from my mission and sought employment with the church in the Seminary program, I prayed for it even more. And since then I’ve worked at it and sought for it diligently, and I've learned skills and techniques through study and practice and observation of great teachers. And through my efforts and the grace of my Heavenly Father, I feel that I've been able to attain a measure of that gift. We don't have to be "naturals" in everything. We can gain additional gifts through our effort and earnest seeking. All are invited to do this no matter who we are or what gifts we've already been blessed with.
REMEMBER WHY THEY ARE GIVEN
However. Our next truth--a caution. As we seek earnestly for additional gifts, we need to always remember for what they are given. And, why are they given? Verse 9
9 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, that ask and not for a sign that they may consume it upon their lusts.
So they are given to benefit us. But not just us alone, but so that ALL may be benefited that seek or ask for them. And he gives that warning at the end. We should not seek or ask for gifts for a sign or that we may consume it upon our lusts. We don't place demands or ultimatums on God. We don't say "Lord, give me this gift, let me demonstrate this power, or else I won't believe or "I won't obey". We also don't seek them to consume it upon our lusts. In other words, we don't ask for them selfishly. Yes, they benefit us, but that seems to be secondary. They are given so that all may benefit from them. So that we can serve and bless others with our gifts as they serve and bless us with theirs. I don't ask for the gift of teaching so that people will think I'm a great teacher. I don't seek the gift of leadership for self-promotion or notoriety. I don't seek the gift of healing to make a light of myself. No, I seek these gifts to bless the church and my fellow man. This truth is crucial. In fact he's going to repeat this one many times over in this section. He just keeps coming back to it. In verse 12 he says, “That all may be profited thereby". And in verse 18 "that all may be taught to be wise and to have knowledge", and again in verse 26 "And all these gifts come from God, for the benefit of the children of God." And then once again in verse 29 "in order that every member may be profited thereby".
Every member of a ward or family or quorum or organization has unique gifts that they bring to the table. When each of those parts work together, amazing and miraculous things happen. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul uses the metaphor of the body. Each individual part of the body is important and only functions because all the other parts work with it and support it and vice versa. Yes, the body has thousands of individual parts that each perform specific functions. But the body is still one, unified to accomplish its true and living purpose. I think that's why it's such a tragedy when a member becomes less active or leaves the church or doesn't engage in the work. We may be tempted to feel that they are the ones that are missing out--because they need the church; and there is some truth to that. But more importantly, we are the ones that are missing out, we are the ones that need them. Without their unique gifts and talents, we lose something. I remember a time when I pulled a tiny muscle in my back. But that small injury, affected my entire body. I could not function the same. Any movement, any shift of weight sent a shot of pain up my spine that was almost unbearable. I was completely out of commission for days because of one small part of my body. I guess what I'm trying to say is that "EVERY ONE MATTERS". There is no one in the church that need feel unimportant or unneeded. We don't necessarily go to church just for what we are going to get out of it, but primarily by what we are going to put into it. What we give is far more significant than what we receive.
And another related thought from verse 9. I am so grateful for a punctuation mark in the middle of that verse. Yes. When it comes to the scriptures, even the punctuation can have deep significance and beauty. This phrase is full of so much mercy and grace and understanding. He teaches us that spiritual gifts are given for the benefit of those that love me and keep all my commandments, but that doesn't end with a period. Nope, it's a comma. Thank heavens for that comma. If the blessings of spiritual gifts are reserved only for those that keep all the commandments, period, then I'm afraid that's going to exclude an awful lot of us, isn't it? But it's a comma, followed by "and him that seeketh so to do". The blessings are for those that seek to keep all His commandments. It reminds me of a number of the temple recommend questions. They begin with "do you strive to" follow such and such a commandment. We should be seeking, striving, trying to keep all his commandments, and if we do, he will bless us. There is worthiness in striving, not just perfection.
GIVE THANKS
What's the principle of spiritual gifts from verse 32? We need to give thanks for the gifts the Lord blesses us with. Gratitude is an important element in all of this. Imagine how you would feel if you scrimped and saved and put a lot of thought into a special gift for a member of your family. Then, on the day the gift was given, they simply took a look at it, made a weird face, and then tossed it to the side and started to open another gift. Imagine how you would feel if you gave a special gift to someone and a year later you found it, unused in the bottom of a drawer. We should always give thanks for the gifts we've been given. There is humility inherent in that act. We should realize that the power of those gifts doesn't come from ourselves, but from our Father in Heaven. Give God the glory and thank him for the privilege of being an instrument in his hands or a vessel for his power.
PRACTICE VIRTUE AND HOLINESS
In verse 33, there is something that will add power and effectiveness to our gifts. What is it? We need to practice virtue and holiness. Our spiritual gifts are magnified by righteousness. If we use them to accomplish God's purposes and "not to consume them upon our lusts", then their effect will be much farther reaching. Disobedience and hard-heartedness will always clog the conduits of heaven.
ALL THE GIFTS
Finally, I feel compelled to add one final principle of spiritual gifts from another section of the Doctrine and Covenants. Turn with me to Doctrine and Covenants 107:92. What special principle can we add to our list here? There is an individual on the earth that has all the gifts. That person is the prophet, or the head of the church. At this point in time, President Russell M. Nelson possesses all the gifts of God. And that makes sense doesn't it. Of all the people on the earth that might need access to those gifts, it would be the president of the Church, wouldn't it. I'm not sure if it's just me, but there always seems to be somewhat of a change in an apostle when they become the president of the church. We've all come to know and love Russell M. Nelson over the years of his ministry as an apostle, but I sensed a difference in him once he started to speak as THE prophet. Perhaps that has something to do with receiving all of the gifts of God. We sometimes speak of the mantle of priesthood office. Perhaps spiritual gifts make up a part of that mantle that is passed from prophet to prophet.
TRUTH
· People have been blessed with different gifts
· Everybody has been given a spiritual gift
· There are many different kinds of gifts
· There are many different manifestations of spiritual gifts
· We can earnestly seek for more gifts
· The purpose of spiritual gifts is to benefit all, not just ourselves
· We must give thanks for our spiritual gifts
· Righteousness will magnify our spiritual gifts
· The prophet has all the gifts of the spirit
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Which principle of spiritual gifts has meant the most to you today?
How have you been blessed by the spiritual gifts of others OR how have your gifts blessed you and others?
What gift of the Spirit would you most like to receive, and what are you willing to do to show you are ready for that gift?
CONCLUSION
Isn’t our Heavenly Father amazing! He has endowed each of us with individualized gifts and abilities that only we can offer. Even though we may be tempted to feel inadequate at times, there are certain things that we have been uniquely blessed to do. A person might say "There are so many more talented people in this ward to fill that calling, or to teach that lesson, or to minister to that family. My testimony isn't even that strong. If I just slipped away quietly into the background, nobody would even notice." And I would say to that person. "No, you are needed, there are things that only you can offer. You are gifted. Even though you may not feel like it, Doctrine and Covenants 46 says otherwise, and I have total faith in the scriptures. God doesn't lie. You have a gift. And we need it. You are essential to the success of our community. Please don't leave us." So, instead of feeling inadequate, you can feel grateful for what you have to offer. Instead of focusing on what the church has to offer you, you can focus on what you have to offer the church. And instead of being content with the gifts that you have, you can earnestly seek for more gifts. The scriptures promise that if we do this, that we will all be benefited, we will all be profited, we will all be edified.
3 BRIEF PRINCIPLES
Before we end our study for this week, I'd like to share three more brief principles. One from each section.
SECTION 46
From section 46, I like to ask if anyone knows what words appear on all official church building signs. Hint. It's more than just "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". What words always appear below the name of the church? Visitors Welcome
If you look in the section heading of 46 it tells us that "a custom of admitting only members and earnest investigators to the sacrament meetings and other assemblies of the Church had become somewhat general". So they were being a bit exclusive and exclusionary in who they allowed into their meetings. So I don't know if they had church bouncers at the doors to keep out the riff raff or what, but section 46 makes our policy on this very clear. In verse 3-6 the Lord says it 4 times, and in the strongest of language.
ye are commanded never to cast any one out from your public meetings, which are held before the world. And then he says it three more times.
Hopefully we keep this in mind ourselves. We all, both members and non-members, need to pay attention to the "visitors welcome" sign outside our buildings. Regardless of their beliefs, regardless of their appearance, regardless of their lifestyles, regardless of their worthiness, all are welcome in our church meetings.
I think this can also be an attitude. Hopefully we have the words "visitors welcome" written across our hearts as well. As we interact with people, as we consider who to try and share the gospel with, as we consider who to befriend and serve, "visitors welcome" is a great policy to have.
SECTION 47
From section 47, I like to ask if anyone has a favorite scripture story, church history story, or family history story they would be willing to share. And then you allow them to share it. And then you can make this point. The only way you were able to share that story, is because somebody somewhere was willing to write it down. In 47:1 it says
1 Behold, it is expedient in me that my servant John should write and keep a regular history, and assist you, my servant Joseph, in transcribing all things which shall be given you, until he is called to further duties.
It is important to keep a regular history. Now if that means daily journaling, I'm afraid I'm going to be in a lot of trouble at the judgment, because I have never been able to keep that up for long. If anything is going to keep me out of the Celestial Kingdom, it's probably going to be that. I didn't keep a consistent journal. But there is one thing I do. I do record significant spiritual experiences in my life. I do like to write those things down. They are there to remind me and my children, and hopefully one day, my grandchildren and great grandchildren of the great things that God has done for me. My hope is that those stories will increase their faith and inspire them to follow Christ and believe in God. One of the greatest gifts I've ever been given by my Father is a book that he entitled "For My Children". In it, a record of all the spiritual, faith building experiences that he has had in his life. It was and continues to be a treasured gift in my household. Those stories have lifted and blessed me in a big way. Other stories from my mother, my grandparents and distant ancestors have also impacted my life in deep ways. There is great value in keeping a regular history .
SECTION 48
There is a quick handout activity that you could do in conjunction with this section, but also includes a variety of other phrases and scriptures from the Doctrine & Covenants. I'm often surprised by the amount of financial teachings we find in the scriptures. But there's quite a bit. I've gathered some of my favorites and put them into this Secret Phrase activity. See if you can find the pieces of sound financial advice from the Doctrine and Covenants, starting here in 48:4
· 48:4 __________ all the money that ye can. (When it comes to purchasing important future things, be sure to save up for them. All that ye can)
· 48:4 obtain all that ye can in __________________. (So as we seek to obtain and save money, we need to make sure that we do it righteously and honestly. The ends don't always justify the means)
· 19:35 Pay the ______ thou hast contracted with the printer. Release thyself from bondage. (What principle does that teach us about debt? Debt is bondage. Seek to release yourself from it.
· 42:40 Let all your garments be _________. (I know we talked about these next two last week, but they bear repeating. We should seek to be more plain in our tastes. We should avoid extravagance and greedy indulgence, also . . .)
· 42:42 Thou shalt not be _________. So, if you want to be financially secure: work hard. Don't be lazy.
· 117:8 Be sure not to "covet the drop, and neglect the more _________ matters". (A balancing principle to the last one. Yes, we need to work hard, but don't neglect the more weighty matters. Your spiritual health is more important than money. Your physical health is more important than money. Your family and marriage is more important than money. Don't compromise those things for "the drop", or the things that in the end, just don't matter)
· 119:3 And this shall be the beginning of the _____________ of my people. (Last bit of advice. Pay your tithing. Pay God first and the windows of heaven will always be opened to you).
· What's our secret phrase? Something that Jesus said regarding money in Matthew 6:20:
o "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven". Jesus understood what mattered most. Yes, we do live in Caesars world and we must be as wise as serpents but as harmless as doves. But spiritual matters will always far outweigh the temporal ones in importance.
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