4 Questions and Answers about Spiritual Gifts

By Becca Wright

Church Magazines

What spiritual gifts will help you live and serve abundantly on the covenant path to eternal life?

Heavenly Father has a work for each of us. And we have all been given a unique set of gifts that are preparing us to build the Lord’s kingdom in a way that only each one of us can!¹ We can also continually grow and develop more spiritual gifts to become more like Jesus Christ and serve Him.

How can developing our gifts make a difference?

President Russell M. Nelson has stated: “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.”²

How does developing our spiritual gifts help us access the power of Jesus Christ to help change the world? When we understand what our spiritual gifts are, we begin to understand how they can bless others and also help us become more like Jesus Christ.

What Is the Purpose of Spiritual Gifts?

Spiritual gifts are one way Heavenly Father helps us to accomplish our work on the earth and to bring ourselves and others closer to Jesus Christ. Our efforts dovetail with Heavenly Father’s divine work to “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). He brings about immortality and eternal life, while we use our spiritual gifts to obey His commandments and point ourselves and others toward Him.³

According to scripture, the ultimate purpose of our spiritual gifts is to draw us to Jesus Christ and to make this mortal sojourn a little easier for our brothers and sisters—“for the benefit of the children of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 46:26; see also verses 8–9) and for “the edifying of the church” (1 Corinthians 14:12).

Which Spiritual Gifts Should I Seek?

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–1985) taught that “spiritual gifts are endless in number and infinite in variety.”⁴ God can provide whatever gifts we need to accomplish His purposes, both to improve ourselves and to help others.

President George Q. Cannon of the First Presidency (1827–1901) taught, “If any of us are imperfect, it is our duty to pray for the gift that will make us perfect.”⁵ There are an infinite variety of gifts to strengthen us for the variety of challenges or weaknesses we may face. As President Cannon also directed: “No man ought to say, ‘Oh, I cannot help this; it is my nature.’ He is not justified in it.”⁶ Through Jesus Christ, we can receive all the gifts we need to improve and change to become more like Him.

As we develop Christlike attributes, we will also be able to uplift and serve others in Christlike ways. Our families and communities will all benefit when we can offer them our best selves.

Which spiritual gifts do you need to develop beyond the “natural man” (Mosiah 3:19) and become what God would have you be?

What Are Some Examples of Spiritual Gifts?

Spiritual gifts are not limited to what is listed in 1 Corinthians 12:4–11, 30–31; Moroni 10:8–18; or Doctrine and Covenants 46:7–26. Here are examples of additional spiritual gifts as given by Church leaders:

“Asking; …
“Listening; …
“Hearing and using a still, small voice; …
“Being able to weep; …
“Avoiding contention; …
“Being agreeable; …
“Avoiding vain repetition; …
“Seeking that which is righteous; …
“Not passing judgment; …
“Looking to God for guidance; …
“Being a disciple; …
“Caring for others; …
“Being able to ponder; …
“Offering prayer; …
“Bearing a mighty testimony; …
“Receiving the Holy Ghost.”⁷
“Having compassion,
“Expressing hope,
“Relating well with people,
“Organizing effectively,
“Speaking or writing persuasively,
“Teaching clearly,
“Working hard,”⁸ and
Many, many more.

How Do I Acquire Spiritual Gifts?

In addition to the gifts one is born with, it is possible to develop many additional spiritual gifts throughout one’s life. Receiving spiritual gifts frequently requires effort. President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency, instructed that spiritual gifts “do not come visibly, automatically, and immediately to all who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Rather, he continued, “the receipt of spiritual gifts is predicated upon faith, obedience, and personal righteousness.”⁹

Although they are called “gifts,” we likely won’t receive them passively. “It is more likely that [Heavenly Father] will give us opportunities to develop those gifts rather than just granting them to us without spiritual and physical effort,” taught Elder Juan Pablo Villar of the Seventy. “If we seek more patience,” he said, “we may find ourselves needing to practice it while waiting for a response. If we want to have more love for our neighbor, we can foster it by sitting next to a new face at church.”¹⁰

Spiritual Gifts Point Us toward the Greatest Gift

Spiritual gifts help us move forward on the covenant path—and help us invite others to walk with us as well. This path guides to us to “the greatest of all the gifts of God”: eternal life (Doctrine and Covenants 14:7).

As Elder Bruce C. Hafen said when he was a member of the Seventy, “We can have eternal life if we want it, but only if there is nothing else we want more.”¹¹

What do you want most? What spiritual gifts will help you get there? Our spiritual gifts may not change the world for everyone, but developing them to serve others will change our world and the world of those we serve.