These gifts of the Spirit are encompassed by the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the third member of the eternal Godhead and is identified as the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit is a gift from God to help us make the decisions that will allow us to find and fulfill our mission. These gifts were part of the ministry of the early prophets and were well known by the Apostles of the New Testament. Paul writes in the First Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 12:4–10):
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
“And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
“And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
“To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
“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.”
In these latter days, an understanding of the gifts of the Spirit has been given to us by revelation as recorded in section 46 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Section 46 identifies specific gifts of the Spirit as follows:
“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).
We are clearly instructed that each of us is given a gift or gifts. Do we know what gift we have been given? Are we seeking to find our gifts?
“To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby” (D&C 46:12).
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.
For example, you may be given the gift of faith and never question the existence of God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ.
“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.
“To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful” (D&C 46:13–14).
With the gift of faith, you may be given the gift of prophecy or testimony.
In addition, you may be given the gift that others would believe on your words, that they might have eternal life if they continue faithful. Many of you, as missionaries for the Church, have experienced all that I have just outlined. Or you may have brought a friend or neighbor into the Church by the way you have lived your life or through your testimony.
Other examples of the gifts that you have participated in are from verses 19 and 20:
“And again, to some it is given to have faith to be healed;
“And to others it is given to have faith to heal.”
There have been times when I have laid hands upon one who was ill and felt their spirit and their faith so strongly that they would be healed that I felt a surge of the power of their faith.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the faith to be healed is one of the greatest gifts an individual can have.
On the other hand, I have seen the faith of parents when fathers and mothers desired their children to be healed. Through great faith, their children have been blessed.
“And again, it is given to some to speak with tongues;
“And to another is given the interpretation of tongues” (D&C 46:24–25).
Many of you who have gone to foreign lands have been given the gift to speak with tongues and to translate, or have the interpretation of tongues.
“And all these gifts come from God, for the benefit of the children of God” (D&C 46:26).
We are told by prophets in this dispensation that revelation for the direction of the Church will not be given through the gift of tongues. The reason for this is that it is very easy for Lucifer to falsely duplicate the gift of tongues and confuse the members of the Church.
Satan has the power to trick us as it pertains to some of the gifts of the Spirit. One in which he is the most deceptive is the gift of tongues. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young (1801–77) explained the need to be cautious when considering the gift of tongues.
“You may speak in tongues for your own comfort, but I lay this down for a rule, that if anything is taught by the gift of tongues, it is not to be received for doctrine” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 229).
“Speak not in the gift of tongues without understanding it, or without interpretation. The devil can speak in tongues
Answers & Comments
Answer:
These gifts of the Spirit are encompassed by the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the third member of the eternal Godhead and is identified as the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit is a gift from God to help us make the decisions that will allow us to find and fulfill our mission. These gifts were part of the ministry of the early prophets and were well known by the Apostles of the New Testament. Paul writes in the First Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 12:4–10):
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
“And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
“And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
“To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
“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.”
In these latter days, an understanding of the gifts of the Spirit has been given to us by revelation as recorded in section 46 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Section 46 identifies specific gifts of the Spirit as follows:
“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).
We are clearly instructed that each of us is given a gift or gifts. Do we know what gift we have been given? Are we seeking to find our gifts?
“To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby” (D&C 46:12).
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.
For example, you may be given the gift of faith and never question the existence of God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ.
“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.
“To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful” (D&C 46:13–14).
With the gift of faith, you may be given the gift of prophecy or testimony.
In addition, you may be given the gift that others would believe on your words, that they might have eternal life if they continue faithful. Many of you, as missionaries for the Church, have experienced all that I have just outlined. Or you may have brought a friend or neighbor into the Church by the way you have lived your life or through your testimony.
Other examples of the gifts that you have participated in are from verses 19 and 20:
“And again, to some it is given to have faith to be healed;
“And to others it is given to have faith to heal.”
There have been times when I have laid hands upon one who was ill and felt their spirit and their faith so strongly that they would be healed that I felt a surge of the power of their faith.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the faith to be healed is one of the greatest gifts an individual can have.
On the other hand, I have seen the faith of parents when fathers and mothers desired their children to be healed. Through great faith, their children have been blessed.
“And again, it is given to some to speak with tongues;
“And to another is given the interpretation of tongues” (D&C 46:24–25).
Many of you who have gone to foreign lands have been given the gift to speak with tongues and to translate, or have the interpretation of tongues.
“And all these gifts come from God, for the benefit of the children of God” (D&C 46:26).
We are told by prophets in this dispensation that revelation for the direction of the Church will not be given through the gift of tongues. The reason for this is that it is very easy for Lucifer to falsely duplicate the gift of tongues and confuse the members of the Church.
Satan has the power to trick us as it pertains to some of the gifts of the Spirit. One in which he is the most deceptive is the gift of tongues. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young (1801–77) explained the need to be cautious when considering the gift of tongues.
“You may speak in tongues for your own comfort, but I lay this down for a rule, that if anything is taught by the gift of tongues, it is not to be received for doctrine” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 229).
“Speak not in the gift of tongues without understanding it, or without interpretation. The devil can speak in tongues