I was so excited when I was asked to speak in my sacrament meeting about a topic I love so much: Spiritual Gifts. You are welcome to read this talk and get ideas for your own, but I own the copyrights to it, so you may not use it as your own. And don’t forget to read my tips on How to Give a Killer Church Talk.
Good afternoon Brothers and Sisters. I want to start my talk today by inviting you to ask yourself this one question.
What is your purpose?
What is your purpose on this earth? Why are you here right now? It’s a question you’ve probably asked yourself before. And I think most of us know the general answers to this question, right?
Our purpose is to learn and grow. To bring others closer to Christ, and to learn to become like our Heavenly Father. But I wanted to talk about your individual purpose. What makes you so special? What makes my purpose different from your purpose. And that’s where the topic I’ve been asked to speak about today comes in: using our spiritual gifts to bring others closer to Christ.
Spiritual gifts are blessings or abilities given by God to His children through the power of the Holy Ghost. Gifts of the Spirit are given to bless and benefit those who love the Lord and seek to keep His commandments.
I know many of us may be wondering what our spiritual gifts are, or if we even have any! The Gospel Topics on Spiritual Gifts says that each faithful member of the Church has at least one spiritual gift. If you want to know what are gifts of the spirit, start by looking in the scriptures. They list several spiritual gifts, including:
- Knowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
- Knowledge of “the diversities of operations,” which, in other words, is the gift of discerning whether a teaching or influence comes from God or from some other source
- The capacity to believe the words of those who testify of Jesus Christ
- The ability to teach by the power of the Holy Ghost
- The gift to heal and to be healed
- The gift of miracles
- The gift of beholding of angels and ministering spirits
But the list of spiritual gifts doesn’t end in the scriptures. Bruce R. McConkie wrote, “Spiritual gifts are endless in number and infinite in variety.” There are many, many, more spiritual gifts. Some that you may have thought of like the gift of faith, ministering, or gratitude. But also some that you may not have thought of like the gift of humor, creating a beautiful space, or the gift of listening.
What makes a spiritual gift a spiritual gift is how we use it. When we use a gift or talent to bring others closer to Christ, it becomes a spiritual gift. And that’s why I believe it’s so important to understand what our spiritual gifts are!
To discover our spiritual gifts, we can earnestly seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost through prayer and study of the scriptures. But I think one of the best ways to discover our spiritual gifts is by reading our patriarchal blessing. And if you don’t have a patriarchal blessing, work on getting one!
As we recognize and develop our unique gifts, we become more aware of the specific ways we can contribute to the building of the kingdom of God.
President Nelson said, “I urge you with all the hope of my heart to pray to understand your spiritual gifts – to cultivate, use, and expand them, even more than you ever have. You will change the world as you do so.”
Do you know what gift you have been given? Are you seeking to find your gifts?
Verse 12 of D&C 46 says, “To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.”
The phrase “that all may be profited thereby” is a very important concept to understand about the gifts of the Spirit. The gifts given to each individual are given not only for the one who receives, but also for those who can benefit when the gift is shared with others.
Take Jesus, for example. He used his spiritual gifts to teach, heal, and show compassion to others. But it didn’t end there. His miracles were a testament to many more people who either witnessed or heard about them. He ministered to all using his spiritual gifts.
As disciples of Christ, our approach to ministering should mirror His example. Love should be the driving force behind our efforts, and our spiritual gifts can become tools to meet the unique needs of those we serve.
Earlier in our marriage, Josh and I met a couple who moved into our neighborhood. One day, the wife and I went on a drive. We didn’t know each other very well, so I was excited to have some time to chat. The chat ended up being very one-sided and I came home and vented a little bit to Josh about how this woman talked the entire time and I never got a word in. I’ll never forget his instant reply. Instead of saying, “Oh, that’s so hard babe, I’m sorry,” which is what I expected, he said,”You have such a natural gift of listening to others and making them feel heard.”
I may have used my spiritual gift, but I don’t think I did it with the right attitude. So, I repented and have since tried to become more aware of how I can use my gifts to serve others.
Bruce R. McConkie said, “All of those called to the ministry…are given the gifts needed to perform the work whereunto they are called. These gifts are always the ones needed for the particular work at hand.”
You were given your spiritual gifts for a reason. You have been called to use them in the only unique way you can, to help those people in your circle of influence.
Consider the following five ways that you can apply your spiritual gifts to minister to others:
Teaching and Sharing Knowledge: If our gift is knowledge, we can share the gospel in meaningful ways, answering questions and helping others strengthen their understanding of gospel principles.
Service and Compassion: Those with the gift of compassion can provide much-needed comfort and support to those experiencing trials. Acts of service and kindness can soften hearts and open doors to the message of Christ’s love.
Exercising the Gift of Faith: If our gift is faith, we can inspire and uplift others by our unwavering trust in the Lord. Sharing stories of faith-promoting experiences can strengthen the testimonies of those around us.
Leading by Example: Some possess the gift of leadership. By leading with integrity and humility, we can set an example that encourages others to follow the teachings of Christ.
Encouraging and Motivating: The gift of encouragement can be a powerful force in bringing others closer to Christ. A kind word or a supportive gesture can make a significant impact on someone’s spiritual journey.
Living our lives in alignment with our spiritual gifts becomes a powerful testimony of our commitment to Christ, speaking volumes to those around us.
Another important way we can use our spiritual gifts that is often overlooked is by using them to bring ourselves closer to Christ. I think this happens more than we realize because it’s a natural consequence to developing and using our spiritual gifts.
This happened to me several years ago, although it really started when I was young. I remember always seeing my mother sitting at the kitchen table reading her scriptures. Whenever I had a problem, she could apply a scripture to my situation. She knew the scriptures inside and out and I always admired that about her. I wanted to be a scriptorian like my mother.
About 6 or 7 years ago, I decided to pray and ask Heavenly Father for that spiritual gift – the gift of being a scriptorian. Not even a week later, I was called in to meet with a member of the bishopric. They extended the calling to me to be the gospel doctrine teacher. It’s the only time in my life that I remember contemplating turning down a calling. I was terrified. But I had made temple covenants to consecrate my time and talents (or lack thereof) to the Church, so I accepted.
I taught for four full years and can honestly say that I was terrified every single time. That calling forced me to study the scriptures like I never had before – and like I never would have otherwise. It wasn’t until a few years in that I realized my prayer had been answered. I knew the scriptures so much better, and that brought me closer to Christ in many ways.
When we willingly contribute our talents and gifts, we collectively and individually draw closer to the Savior. Moreover, using our spiritual gifts fosters a deepening of our personal relationship with the Savior. As we align our will with His and seek to do His work, we invite His Spirit into our lives. The more we act in harmony with the gifts He has given us, the more abundantly we experience the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.
Heavenly Father knows us intimately and has entrusted us with specific gifts to fulfill His purposes. As we use these gifts with gratitude and humility, we come to understand more fully the divine potential within ourselves and others.
As we exercise our gifts in unity and love, we become instruments in the hands of the Lord, building bridges that connect hearts to the Savior. Our collective efforts create a community where each one of us is valued and where our unique contributions work together to form a stronger, more resilient body of Christ.
Since it’s New Years Eve, you may have new goals or resolutions on your mind. If you are making goals for the new year, I invite you to learn what your spiritual gifts are and to use them to bring others closer to Christ.
So, back to my original question. What is your purpose? What makes you so special? It’s your spiritual gifts and how you use them to bless the people around you and bring them closer to Christ.
That is your purpose.
May we embrace our spiritual gifts with gratitude and humility, recognizing that they are not for our own glory but for the edification and upliftment of those around us. Through our collective efforts, we can truly bring others closer to Christ and help them experience the joy and peace that come from following His teachings.
I testify that as we use our spiritual gifts in the service of others, the light of Christ will shine brightly in our lives and in the lives of those we have the privilege to minister to.
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