Spiritual Gifts in Mormonism
Latter-day Saints (Mormons) believe that if members of the church are faithful and worthy (obedient to the commandments of God in all aspects of their life) they will receive spiritual blessings from the Lord.
The Book of Mormon prophet Jacob described this state among his people of the Americas:
“We search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea” (Jacob 4:6).
Gifts of the Spirit are special blessings, given by the Lord, of spiritual wisdom and power. Lists of these blessings are available in the scriptures. One is found in 1 Corinthians 12 of the New Testament:
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will” (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
Information about these gifts was revealed by God to the Prophet Joseph Smith during what Mormons believe was the Restoration of Christ’s church to the earth. In The Doctrine and Covenants, the prophecy is recorded, which includes many of the same gifts listed above, as well as others. (see Doctrine and Covenants 46:13-26)
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) believe that these spiritual gifts, or gifts of the Spirit, come from God and are to be used in service to His children. Mormons believe the Lord knows each person on Earth and knows what specific service they can accomplish in building the Lord’s church and preaching His gospel.
