The Gifts of God, 1988

August 1988

The gifts of God are the grace(s) by which we are saved. The great envelope gift is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The list below is the list of individual gifts which enable us to partake fully of the Atonement. To be able to receive any gift on this list after the first one, one must receive and use well the preceding gift. These gifts of God lead to a person becoming as Christ is, to attain the fulness of His stature and being, thus to become exalted. As we grow from grace to grace, we become more and more like Christ, more and more able to receive the blessings of God, more and more able to do real good (God’s good) for our fellowmen.

1. The Light of Christ: The knowledge of the differences between good and evil which comes to every human being who has normal mentality.
2. Prayer: The gift to be able to speak directly to our Heavenly Father, no matter where, when, or what the problem might be, to seek and find the good instead of evil.
3. The Gospel of Jesus Christ: The gift of understanding the principles and ordinances which enable us to come to Christ, to become as He is.
4. The Witness of the Holy Ghost: To receive answer to prayer to know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, and who has the true authority to administer the ordinances thereof.
5. Baptism of water and of the Spirit: The gift to be able to be baptized by divine authority and to receive the right to the gift of the Holy Ghost from one who has the power to bestow it.
6. The Gift of the Holy Ghost: The constant companionship of the Holy Spirit given to those who have been baptized by proper authority and who earnestly pray for this companionship.
7. The Gifts of the Holy Ghost: The special powers given to those who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, given according to their needs, desires, and worthiness. Examples: The gift of knowledge, the gift of wisdom, the ability to speak in tongues, the ability to understand the scriptures, etc.
8. The Gift of the Holy Priesthood: To be ordained by those who have authority to administer the blessings of God to others.
9. The Gift of the Temple Endowment: An enlargement of the gift of the Holy Priesthood: special blessings and powers and gifts given to those who honor the priesthood.
10. Temple Sealing: A second enlargement of the gift of the Holy Priesthood: special blessings given to a man and woman to be appointed by God to the highest callings, those of husband and wife, father and mother, and the special help they need to succeed in those highest callings.