Doctrine and Covenants Doctrine and Covenants 46-4846-48

Seek Ye earnestly the Best GiftsSeek Ye earnestly the Best GiftsGeorge Q. CannonGeorge Q. Cannon

How many of you… are seeking for these gifts that God has How many of you… are seeking for these gifts that God has promised to bestow? promised to bestow?

How many of you, when you bow before your Heavenly Father How many of you, when you bow before your Heavenly Father in your family circle or in your secret places, contend for these in your family circle or in your secret places, contend for these gifts bestowed upon you? gifts bestowed upon you?

How many of you ask the Father in the name of Jesus, to How many of you ask the Father in the name of Jesus, to manifest Himself to you through these powers and these gifts? manifest Himself to you through these powers and these gifts?

Or do you go along day by day like a door turning on its hinges, Or do you go along day by day like a door turning on its hinges, without having any feeling upon the subject, without exercising without having any feeling upon the subject, without exercising any faith whatever; content to be baptized and be members of any faith whatever; content to be baptized and be members of the Church, and to rest there, thinking that your salvation is the Church, and to rest there, thinking that your salvation is secure because you have done thissecure because you have done this?... ?...

If any of us are imperfect, it is our duty to pray for the gift that If any of us are imperfect, it is our duty to pray for the gift that will make us perfect. will make us perfect.

Have I imperfections? I am full of them. Have I imperfections? I am full of them.

What is my duty? What is my duty?

To pray to God to give me gifts that will correct these To pray to God to give me gifts that will correct these imperfections. If I am an angry man, it is my duty to pray for imperfections. If I am an angry man, it is my duty to pray for charity, which suffereth long and is kind. Am I an envious man? charity, which suffereth long and is kind. Am I an envious man? It is my duty to seek for charity, which envieth not. So with all It is my duty to seek for charity, which envieth not. So with all the gifts of the gospel. They are intended for this purpose. the gifts of the gospel. They are intended for this purpose.

No man ought to say,No man ought to say, “ “Oh I cannot help this: it is my natureOh I cannot help this: it is my nature.”.”

He is not justified in it, for the reason He is not justified in it, for the reason that God has promised to give strength that God has promised to give strength to correct these things, and to give gifts to correct these things, and to give gifts that will eradicate them. that will eradicate them.

If a man lacks wisdom, it is his duty to If a man lacks wisdom, it is his duty to ask God for wisdom. The same with ask God for wisdom. The same with everything else. That is the design of everything else. That is the design of God concerning His Church. God concerning His Church.

He wants His Saints to be perfected in the truth. He wants His Saints to be perfected in the truth. For this purpose he gives these gifts, and For this purpose he gives these gifts, and bestows them upon those who seek after them,bestows them upon those who seek after them,

in order that they may be a perfect people upon in order that they may be a perfect people upon those who seek after them, in order that they those who seek after them, in order that they may be a perfect people upon the face of the may be a perfect people upon the face of the earth, notwithstanding their many weaknesses, earth, notwithstanding their many weaknesses, because God has promised to give the gifts that because God has promised to give the gifts that are necessary for their perfection (are necessary for their perfection (The Latter-The Latter-day Prophets and the Doctrine and Covenantsday Prophets and the Doctrine and Covenants, , 2:123-24).2:123-24).

D&C 46D&C 46

““Seek Ye Earnestly the Best GiftsSeek Ye Earnestly the Best Gifts””

Doctrine and Covenants 46Doctrine and Covenants 46 == “13 gifts”“13 gifts”

Moroni 10Moroni 10 == “9 gifts”“9 gifts”

I Corinthians 12I Corinthians 12 == “9 gifts”“9 gifts”

Alma 9:21Alma 9:21 == “6 gifts”“6 gifts”

Why giftsWhy gifts? ?

Doctrine and Covenants Doctrine and Covenants 46:7-846:7-8

““And that ye may not be And that ye may not be deceived!” deceived!”

Alma 9:21Alma 9:21 ““Six giftsSix gifts””

1.1. Having the spirit of prophecyHaving the spirit of prophecy

2. The spirit of revelation2. The spirit of revelation

3.3. The gift of speaking with tonguesThe gift of speaking with tongues

4.4. The gift of preachingThe gift of preaching

5. 5. The gift of the Holy GhostThe gift of the Holy Ghost

6.6. The gift of translationThe gift of translation

““Some of these counterfeits are crude Some of these counterfeits are crude and easily detected, but others closely and easily detected, but others closely simulate true manifestations of the simulate true manifestations of the spirit. Consequently, people are spirit. Consequently, people are confused and deceived by them. confused and deceived by them. Without a key, one cannot distinguish Without a key, one cannot distinguish between the genuine and the between the genuine and the counterfeit” (C.R., Apr., 1956, 70-71, counterfeit” (C.R., Apr., 1956, 70-71, Elder Marion G. Romney).Elder Marion G. Romney).

GiftsGifts ExplanationsExplanations

D&C 46: 12D&C 46: 12 Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is the Son of Godis the Son of God

By RevelationBy Revelation

v. 14v. 14 Believe on their Believe on their wordswords

Children – by living Children – by living parents, leaders, parents, leaders, missionariesmissionaries

v. 15v. 15 Differences of Differences of AdministrationAdministration

One who discerns One who discerns correctly the services and correctly the services and agencies by which the agencies by which the Lord works.Lord works.

v. 16v. 16 Diversities of Diversities of operationsoperations

Things of God and the Things of God and the Devil.Devil.

v. 17v. 17 Word of Wisdom Word of Wisdom Ask/ ReceiveAsk/ Receive

v. 18v. 18 Knowledge Knowledge Study and obedienceStudy and obedience

v. 19v. 19 Faith to be healed Faith to be healed

v. 20v. 20 Faith to heal Faith to heal

v. 21v. 21 Working of Working of MiraclesMiracles

v. 22v. 22 Prophecy Prophecy

v. 23v. 23 Discerning of Discerning of SpiritsSpirits

An acute sensitivity to An acute sensitivity to spiritual impressions, spiritual impressions, good and evilgood and evil

v. 24v. 24 Speaking with Speaking with tonguestongues

must be understood, it is must be understood, it is a great cause of a great cause of deception, usually found deception, usually found with missionaries.with missionaries.

v. 25v. 25 Interpretation of Interpretation of tonguestongues

Doctrine and Covenants 46:30-33Doctrine and Covenants 46:30-33

What we must do to get these What we must do to get these gifts? gifts?

““AskAsk””

Doctrine and Covenants 46:19-20

Faith to be healed, or heal.

It is expected that every member of the Church have sufficient faith to be healed and that every holder of the Melchizedek Priesthood have sufficient faith to utilize the power of the priesthood to heal those who are sick.

To have these gifts they have power beyond that known to the generality of faithful saints.

Brigham Young said that he was hounded Brigham Young said that he was hounded constantly by people asking if he would come constantly by people asking if he would come and give a blessingand give a blessing; ;

““I only go occasionally, because it is the I only go occasionally, because it is the privilege of every father, who is an Elder in privilege of every father, who is an Elder in Israel, to have faith to heal his family,… Israel, to have faith to heal his family,… and if and if he does not do it he is not living up to his he does not do it he is not living up to his privilegeprivilege. It is just as reasonable for him to ask . It is just as reasonable for him to ask me to cut his wood and maintain his family, for me to cut his wood and maintain his family, for if he had faith himself he would save me the if he had faith himself he would save me the trouble of leaving other duties to attend to his trouble of leaving other duties to attend to his request” (request” (JDJD, 3:46)., 3:46).

Doctrine and Covenants 46:23

“The Discerning of Spirits”

“Nothing is a greater injury to the children of men,” said Joseph Smith, “than to be under the influence of a false spirit when they think they have the Spirit of God” (Teachings, 205).

Elder McConkie taught, “These gifts are infinite in Elder McConkie taught, “These gifts are infinite in number and endless in their manifestations because number and endless in their manifestations because God himself is infinite and endless (McConkie, God himself is infinite and endless (McConkie, New New WitnessWitness, 270)., 270).

Certainly divine qualities such as patience, humility, Certainly divine qualities such as patience, humility, integrity, kindness, and unselfishness, are also spiritual integrity, kindness, and unselfishness, are also spiritual gifts worthy of pursuit.gifts worthy of pursuit.

Elder Marvin J. Ashton described some of these “gifts Elder Marvin J. Ashton described some of these “gifts not so evident but nevertheless real and valuable” as the not so evident but nevertheless real and valuable” as the “gift of listening,” the gift of caring for others,” and the gift “gift of listening,” the gift of caring for others,” and the gift of being able to ponder” (Ashton, of being able to ponder” (Ashton, Measure of Our Measure of Our HeartsHearts, 17)., 17).

Doctrine and Covenants 47Doctrine and Covenants 47

““The Importance of Church The Importance of Church Records”Records”

Doctrine and Covenants 48Doctrine and Covenants 48

““Ohio, A temporary abode”Ohio, A temporary abode”