The Gifts of God

 This is a season when I am thinking about gifts a LOT.  Gifts from God: wonderful! Don’t need batteries, don't need to drive to UPS in Springville to return it, don't have to assemble it with cryptic IKEA instructions!

1. Family 

Intro to ours, Jon and I are both 30. We first met as missionaries in Japan, and we got married in 2017 when we were not missionaries in Japan. We now have three awesome kids! They are truly our most cherished gift. S is 6, he has the gift of testimony and likes to bear it. E is 3, she has the gift of creativity and dance. W is 9 months old, he has the gift of joy because he smiles at everyone. Families are not perfect, but the love we can feel as parents for children testifies to me of God's love for us.


2. Talents 

Another truly remarkable gift from God is that we each have talents given to us. As we’re created in His image, our talents are things that He is good at, that he passed on to us. Only to name a few, we are blessed in our ward by people who have incredible talents like singing, playing instruments, organizing events, decorating, crafting, preparing lessons, speaking clearly, listening intently,  noticing quiet suffering, making things fun, and warmly welcoming all who come here. 

While we should always remain humble enough to be teachable, we should never hide, diminish, or write off our gifts because we think we're being selfish or egotistical. When we use the talents we're given to bless God's children with love, joy, testimony and goodness, He is delighted. 

If you are yet unsure about your talents, Find your gift by thinking of what feels so exciting and fulfilling to do. Pray to understand your gifts. Look in your patriarchal blessing. Analyze what you naturally do to minister to others. Gifts are seen and unseen. 

Moroni 10:18-19

18 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ.

19 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that all these gifts of which I have spoken, which are spiritual, never will be done away, even as long as the world shall stand,


D&C 46:11-12

11 For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.

12 To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.


3. Atonement of Jesus Christ - Peace

Surely we could go around the room today and wax poetic on the endless gifts God gives to us. In conclusion,  I’ll bear my testimony about Jesus Christ and His great gift to us. I know that He lived for us, He died for us, and then He lives again for us.

First, Jesus Christ had to be capable of perfection, acting fully in faith in God at all times. This mortal life he lived was 1) to show us an example of how to live, and 2) to be able to perform the Atonement. 

After living a perfect mortal life, He was physically and spiritually punished for all the sins anyone would ever commit, therefore paying the debt owed for them (Atonement). Therefore, giving us the chance to NOT be cut off, to say sorry, accept His gift, and try to follow Him until we make another mistake. Then we repent again. In the scriptures, I am taught over and over again that through Christ’s Atonement, repentance is a gift. We are asked to learn about Him and follow Him so we can unwrap that gift of redemption. Jesus Christ has the love of God for us, which is a perfect love.  He knows us perfectly, He knows God perfectly, yet He loves us PERFECTLY. 

I trust Jesus Christ, so I am trying to follow Him.  We are redeemed by the Atonement of Jesus Christ because laws must be kept, but He gives us the very best chance at keeping them. We can choose our actions, thoughts, beliefs, but we cannot choose what is true. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the gift of truth, the Atonement of Jesus Christ is the gift of  redemption, and the love of Jesus is the gift of peace.


In John chapter 14: Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.


The Only Begotten, being perfect, was the only one willing and able to complete the task by suffering the punishment for our sins and experiencing what we would so He might be not only our perfect judge but our perfect older brother, our comfort and strength. 

There IS peace in Christ.


What greater gift than someone to guide our progress? Than second chances? Second chance 77 more times? Complete empathy and validation for how we are feeling ? For Emmanuel, God with us?

Thanks for reading. Feel free to share your ideas about God's gifts below.


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