Spiritual Gifts

Lately I have thought quite a bit about the importance of figuring out my mission in life and where the Lord needs me to be and what He needs me to be doing. :) I'm still working on figuring that out. :) I know it comes a little at a time, "line upon line" (as the Lord teaches through Isaiah, Nephi, and Joseph Smith). It's so neat to look back and see how the Lord leads us in our lives.

I learned a neat lesson along my path to figuring out what I need to do in Stake Conference on Sunday. I felt a sense of unity as we discussed together as a group important gospel topics and commandments on Saturday night. On Sunday morning the Stake President was talking about becoming a Zion people, of one heart and one mind, and then he started talking specifically about spiritual gifts. This principle is taught throughout the standard works: Moroni 10, D&C 46, 1 Cor. 12. These are all such wonderful chapters and there are other verses that teach of the importance of the gifts of the Spirit, as well.

We each enjoy certain gifts. We have them in order to bless others and help build the kingdom. The two ideas that really touched me from his message were the call to look for and recognize our own spiritual gifts so that we are better able and ready to share them with others. Secondly, he taught us that we should look for others' spiritual gifts and point them out to them. :) As we express gratitude and acknowledge these gifts in others it binds us to them and encourages others to continue to use their gifts to bless as well. I want to recongize the gifts and talents I see in others. I thought I'd start with my family members. Here are some of the first gifts I think of that they bless me (and others) with:

• Mom: gift of faith, happiness, and selflessness
• Dad: gift of forgiveness and unconditional love
• Cari: gift of wisdom, listening, and understanding
• Mike: gift of knowledge
• Kayla: gift of learning
• Kai: gift of happiness
• Matt: gift of teaching and leading
• Megan: gift of listening
• Josh: gift of tongues and leading

I think that a major part of each of our individual life's missions have to do with the spiritual gifts we have been given. We should work to recognize, understand, and use them the best we can in order to strengthen and share them and bless others. I am going to work on these steps and hope to see how they fit into my life's mission. :)