Gifts!

Every Thursday the little division of CES I work for has a 45 minute “seminary” class. Three of the four guys I work for got pulled out the classroom as seminary teachers to be stuck here in the central office and they just really miss teaching. So once a week they take turns teaching us a lesson. This week it was on Doctrine and Covenants 46. I have to share what I learned because it really touched me and I am bursting at the seams to share it with everyone because it could help you too.

Section 46 lists some gifts of the Spirit. I have read this section many times and read through the list of gifts (versus 11-25) and always come away feeling the same…sort of like I wasn’t blessed with any of these gifts. I think we all have times in our lives when we feel like we just really aren’t talented or gifted at anything. I think we tend to go through life thinking that a “gift” is something like being smart, wealthy, powerful, or beautiful. Or maybe I’m the only one that has felt that way, but either way, I have had those moments of not feeling like I quite stacked up to everyone else in the gift department. Or you know it’s just hard sometimes to see your gifts. It’s easier sometimes to notice everyone else’s and overlook your own. Our teacher shared with us this quote that really touched me. It gave me a whole new perspective on what gifts I might have. It is 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. Among these may be your gifts—gifts not so evident but nevertheless real and valuable.

Let us review some of these less-conspicuous gifts: 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.”

These are not gifts necessarily seen on the outside, but like he said, they are real and valuable. The talk that this quote came from is SO powerful, everyone should read it. Here is the link to it: http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=828e79356427b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

I hope my rambling made some sense. I guess the point is that we all really do have very important and special gifts.