Chapter 25: Fasting

How to Fast Properly

For the first time in this Gospel Principles manual, the current subject (fasting) there is no chapter in the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church:... (the old Priesthood/Relief Society manuals). We will try to help teachers know of other resources from which to draw out the ideas taught in this lesson.

As you will see, one of the best references for this (and any topic) is We Believe: Doctrines and Principles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, compiled by Rulon T. Burton (shortened to We Believe here). It is a wonderful collection of the best of prophets’ words and scriptures on most any subject of the Gospel. Another terrific source is Encyclopedia of Mormonism, which has three articles on fasting. This is wonderful work is now online.

A wonderful resource is the LDS Scripture Citation Index. This was created by some BYU professors. You can click on any scripture and it will show all the times that scripture was used by a speaker in general conference, all the way back to Joseph Smith. To find this site, just Google “scriptures.byu.edu.” When you arrive, just then click on any scripture and the portion of the talk wherein it was used will pop up.

In this section we find, “Since the time of Adam, God’s people have fasted… (p. 145).

This is verified from the Bible Dictionary:

Fasting, a voluntary abstinence from food, is a principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ for developing spiritual strength; it has always existed among true believers. Without doubt it was practiced by Adam and his posterity from the beginning whenever they had the gospel among them. The early portion of the O.T. does not mention fasting, but this is due to the scarcity of the record rather than the absence of the practice. There are frequent references to fasting in the later portions of the O.T. and in the N.T. (p. 671).

The Bible Dictionary continues with an interesting observation:

Fasting is confirmed in latter-day revelation as an ancient practice, but more significantly, the spiritual benefits are described more fully than in the Bible. The Book of Mormon, especially, is a fruitful source of information (p. 671).

Following this statement, references are given for a wonderful list of scriptures.

The first question asks, “What can we do to make fasting a joyful experience?” (p. 145).

We really like these two scriptures that indicate that this should be so is:

…yea, and they did fast much and pray much, and they did worship God with exceedingly great joy (Alma 45:1)

And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full.
Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer (D&C 59:13 - 14).

Jesus Christ set the example for us and fasting. Before He began His ministry, He went into the wilderness. Elder James E. Talmage says this about this experience:

He had much to think about, much that demanded prayer and the communion with God that prayer alone could insure. Throughout the period of retirement, he ate not, but chose to fast, that His mortal body might the more completely be subjected to His divine spirit (Jesus the Christ, 128).

We were tickled to find out that Jesus the Christ is online on a “Gutenberg.org” website.

This section discusses, “Occasional fasting…” (p. 145).

President Joseph F. Smith gave great counsel about this:

I say to my brethren, when they are fasting, and praying for the sick, and for those that need faith and prayer, do not go beyond what is wise and prudent in fasting and prayer… there is such a thing as overdoing. A man may fast and pray till he kills himself; and there isn’t any necessity for it; nor wisdom in it. The Lord can hear a simple prayer, offered in faith, in half a dozen words, and he will recognize fasting that may not continue more than twenty-four hours, just as readily and as effectually as He will answer a prayer of a thousand words and fasting for a month (We Believe, 278).

In our own day we have been given similar counsel from True to the Faith. If you have not yet discovered this wonderful booklet, don’t delay. This is what the Church has provided (and is much better) for what our parents used Mormon Doctrine in their day. Here is what is counseled:

In addition to observing the fast days set aside by Church leaders, you can fast on any other day, according to your needs and the needs of others. However, you should not fast too frequently or for excessive periods of time (p. 68).

In a wonderful Ensign article, written before he became an apostle, Russell M. Nelson wrote concerning this issue:

Now, a word of caution—some fallaciously reason that if a little of anything is good, a lot is better. The inadvisability of excessive fasting was explained in some detail in the June 1972 Priesthood Bulletin, “We are informed that some … engage in rather lengthy fasting. It is not advisable that they do this. If there is a special matter for which they should fast, if they would fast one day and then go to the Lord humbly and ask for his blessings, that should suffice” (Ensign, Apr. 1976, 32).

To find this booklet online, go to “lds.org” then click on “Gospel Library” then click on “Support Materials” and then click on “Family Support Materials” (the booklet is listed on the bottom half of this page).

In this section is also mentioned, “…fasting is good for our bodies and helps our minds become more active” (p. 145).

Concerning this, President McKay explained:

Consider for a moment this principle of fasting. It is as old as the human race and undoubtedly when first practiced was related to health. It is generally conceded that most people usually consume more food than the body requires. Overeating clogs the system with deleterious waste products. When such a condition exists a short fast is useful as a means of restoring the body to its normal active state (We Believe, 276).

President Benson also taught:

Periodic fasting can help clear up the mind and strengthen the body and the spirit. . . . (We Believe, 275).


Some wonder about drinking water during the fast. President Heber J. Grant commented:

No direct instruction is given in the Doctrine and Covenants regarding abstaining from water while fasting. In the Bible there are three references in connection with fasting and abstaining from water. These are: Exodus 34:28 and Deuteronomy 9:9-18, where it states that Moses "did neither eat bread nor drink water"; and Esther 4:16, where Esther asked the Jews to fast for her and to "neither eat nor drink" (We Believe, 275).

Brother Russell M. Nelson, in the article mentioned earlier, also added:

In the General Handbook of Instructions (1968, p. 40), we read, “A proper fast day observance consists of abstaining from food and drink for two consecutive meals, attending the fast and testimony meeting, and making a generous offering to the bishop for the care of those in need.” Thus, the use of water is excluded in this kind of a fast (Ensign, Apr. 1976, 32).

President McKay taught the main principles of fasting, but highlighted the spiritual aspect:

All the principles related to fasting seem to point to the fact that it produces (1) physical benefits; (2) intellectual activity; and (3) spiritual strength, which is the greatest of all benefits. This fine spiritual strength is derived by the subjection of the physical appetite to the will of the individual (We Believe, 274-5).

First - - We Should Pray When We Fast

This section starts out, “Prayer is a necessary part of fasting” (p. 145).

Note how the Lord placed prayer and fasting next to each other in the first instructions He gave in the D&C regarding the building of the Kirtland Temple:

Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God; (D&C 88:119).

The conversion of Cornelius significantly began with:

…fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house… (Acts 10:30).

Jesus Christ declared this combination (along with its effect from a temple concept) in our generation:

That I may testify unto your Father, and your God, and my God, that you are clean from the blood of this wicked generation; that I may fulfil this promise, this great and last promise, which

I have made unto you, when I will.

Also, I give unto you a commandment that ye shall continue in prayer and fasting from this time forth (D&C 88:75 - 76).

President Heber J. Grant also stated the connection between prayer and fasting clearly:

When fasting, members of the Church are advised to abstain from two meals each Fast Day . . . also by prayer in connection with fasting to develop spiritual power (We Believe, 275).

President Ezra Taft Benson added:

To make a fast most fruitful, it should be coupled with prayer and meditation; physical work should be held to a minimum, and it's a blessing if one can ponder on the scriptures and the reason for the fast (We Believe, 275).

Second - - We Should Fast with a Purpose

Elder Russell M. Nelson taught in conference:

The sweet power of prayer can be intensified by fasting, on occasion, when appropriate to a particular need (Ensign, May 2003, 7).

The above quote was found by looking up D&C 88:76 (quoted in the first section of the lesson) in the LDS Scripture Citation Index.

President Kimball encouraged us to fast with missionary work as a purpose:

We must ever remind ourselves and all members of the Church to keep the law of the fast. We often have our individual reasons for fasting. But I hope members won't hesitate to fast to help us lengthen our stride in our missionary effort, to open the way for the gospel to go to the nations where it is not now permitted. It's good for us to fast as well as to pray over specific things and over specific objectives (We Believe, 276).

Alma taught the same principle concerning Missionary work when he recorded:

…the children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God (Alma 6:6).

The lesson states, “We should be cheerful when we fast…” (p. 146). A partial verification for this can be found by a “not” commandment from the Lord in the scripture quoted above, “…be not…of a sad countenance…” (Matthew 6:16).

Two scriptures which could be discussed regarding this issue are:

Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure… (Isaiah 58:3).

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace (Zechariah 8:19).

The Fast Day

Early in the history of the Church, the program was outlined in a letter to the Church from the Twelve Apostles:

Let this be an example to all saints, and there will never be any lack for bread; When the poor are starving, let those who have, fast one day and give what they otherwise would have eaten to the bishops for the poor, and everyone will abound for a long time; and this is one great and important principle of fasts approved of the Lord. And so long as the saints will all live this principle with glad hearts and cheerful countenances they will always have an abundance (History of the Church, 7:413).

In 1855 George A. Smith wrote about the beginning of formalization of a fast day each month:

A fast day was proclaimed for the church on the first Thursday of each month, and the food saved in that way distributed among the poor… (Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 501).

As men moved from farms to city jobs, a change was made:

The growth of cities and the subsequent increase in the number of Saints employed outside of agriculture necessitated a reexamination of the long-standing practice of having fast day and testimony meeting the first Thursday of the month. In 1896 the First Presidency issued instructions that henceforth the Saints would observe fast day on the first Sunday of each month… (Church History in the Fulness of Times, 448).

If you don’t already know, all of the Institute Manuals (best the Church ever produced) are all online at “institute.lds.org.”

President Kimball taught plainly:

Failing to fast is a sin. In the 58th chapter of Isaiah, rich promises are made by the Lord to those who fast and assist the needy. . . . Inspiration and spiritual guidance will come with righteousness and closeness to our Heavenly Father. To omit to do this righteous act of fasting would deprive us of these blessings (We Believe, 276).

In the manual, we read:

All members who are physically able should fast. We should encourage our children to fast after they have been baptized, but we should never force them (p. 146).

President Joseph F. Smith also cautioned that not all can fast:

…let it be remembered that the observance of the fast day by abstaining twenty-four hours from food or drink is not an absolute rule, it is no iron-clad law to us, but is left with the people as a matter of conscience, to exercise wisdom and discretion. Many are subject in weakness, others are delicate in health, and others have nursing babes; of such it should not be required to fast. Neither should parents compel their little children to fast. I have known children to cry for something to eat on fast day. In such cases, going without food will do them no good. Instead, they dread the day to come, and in place of hailing it, dislike it; while the compulsion engenders a spirit of rebellion in them, rather than a love for the Lord and their fellows. Better to teach them the principle, and let them observe it when they are old enough to choose intelligently, than to so compel them (We Believe, 277-8).

The manual also states, “The fast day is a special day for us to humble ourselves before the Lord…” (p. 146). This idea is beautifully expressed by the Psalmist:

…I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom (Psalms 35:13).

The manual states that you and I can, “strengthen themselves and one another by bearing testimony in fast and testimony meeting” (p. 146).

President Kimball said this to youth about bearing testimony during fast Sunday:

You know this testimony is a tremendous thing, a most important thing… Don’t you sit there in your fast meeting and cheat yourself and say, “I guess I won’t bear my testimony today. I guess that wouldn’t be fair to these other members because I have had so many opportunities.” You bear your testimony (New Era, Aug 1981, 4).

Fast Offerings

Under President Heber J. Grant, the First Presidency issued the following statement:

Each member is asked to fast for two meals on the first Sunday in each month, and to give as a wholly voluntary contribution, the equivalent of these meals, which is used for the support of the poor (June 20, 1939) (We Believe, 274).

President McKay taught us about two primary blessings from fast offerings:

Associated with this practice in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the giving of a fast offering, the underlying purpose and far-reaching benefits of which make the monthly observance of fast day one of the most significant features of this latter-day work. Besides the benefits already mentioned there are: First, all the spiritual uplift that comes from a Christ-like desire to serve one's fellowmen; and Second, an economic means which when carried out by a perfect and active organization will supply the needs of every worthy poor person within the confines of the organized branches of the Church (We Believe, 276-7).

President McKay also declared:

Think what the sincere observance of this rule would mean spiritually if every man, woman, and child were to observe the fast and contribute the resultant offering, with the sincere desire of blessing the less fortunate brother or sister or sorrowing child! (We Believe, 274).

President Kimball encouraged generosity when paying fast offerings:

Each member should contribute a generous fast offering for the care of the poor and the needy. This offering should at least be the value of the two meals not eaten while fasting.

Sometimes we have been a bit penurious and figured that we had for breakfast one egg and that cost so many cents and then we give that to the Lord. I think that when we are affluent, as many of us are, that we ought to be very, very generous. . . .

I think we should . . . give, instead of the amount saved by our two meals of fasting, perhaps much, much more—ten times more when we are in a position to do it (We Believe, 277).

Elder Marion G. Romney asked: “What prohibits us from giving as much in fast offerings as we would have given in surpluses under the United Order? Nothing but our own limitations” (Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 75).

In the article mentioned above, Russell M. Nelson, before he became an apostle, wrote:

The generous offering to the bishop is understood to represent the financial equivalent of at least two meals. A liberal donation so reserved and dedicated to the poor is ennobling to the soul and helps one develop charity, one of the greatest attributes of a noble human character (See 1 Cor. 13) (Ensign, Apr. 1976, 32).

President Heber J. Grant actually prophesied of our day when we would no longer have ward budgets, which were abandoned by the Church on January 1, 1990:

Let me promise you here today that if the Latter-day Saints will honestly and conscientiously from this day forth, as a people, keep the monthly fast and pay into the hands of their bishops the actual amount that they would have spent for food for the two meals from which they have refrained; and if in addition to that they will pay their honest tithing, it will solve all of the problems in connection with taking care of the Latter-day Saints (We Believe, 274).

We really love the way President Joseph F. Smith summarized the main principles of the fast:

It is evident that the acceptable fast is that which carries with it the true spirit of love for God and man; and that the aim in fasting is to secure perfect purity of heart and simplicity of intention—a fasting unto God in the fullest and deepest sense—for such a fast would be a cure for every practical and intellectual error; vanity would disappear, love for our fellows would take its place, and we would gladly assist the poor and the needy (We Believe, 274).

In holy temples we promise to live the Law of Consecration. While we are not commanded yet to fully live that law, there are some things we do live now. From the Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual we learn:

We must be willing to make the sacrifices that the Lord requires of us at the present time. These include sacrifices of time, talents, and possessions. The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve give us direction regarding how we implement the principles of the law of consecration in our day.

a. Pay tithing and fast offerings and give generously in other ways to those in need.

b. Serve willingly in the Church… In addition to specific Church callings, we can share the gospel with others, do temple work, and seek to strengthen the testimonies of those who are new or weak in the faith.

c. Serve as a full-time missionary (p. 75).

Interestingly, young men are generally 19 when they begin serving their missions, which becomes a “tithe” of two of their twenty years. The “law of consecration” is also lived since January of 2001 when all mission costs were leveled so that all missionaries pay the same amount, no matter how expensive are their missions.

President Marion G. Romney promised some important blessings will come from paying fast offerings:

Don't give just for the benefit of the poor, but give for your own welfare. Give enough so that you can give yourself into the kingdom of God through consecrating of your means and your time. Pay an honest tithing and a generous fast offering if you want the blessings of heaven. I promise every one of you who will do it that you will increase your own prosperity, both spiritually and temporally. The Lord will reward you according to your deeds (We Believe, 277).

We Are Blessed When We Fast

A powerful blessing is declared by Isaiah in a later verse quoted in this section:

And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not (Isaiah 58:11).

Elder Mark E. Petersen gave us all hope for great blessings in our daily progress towards perfection:

I believe that in many ways, here and now in mortality, we can begin to perfect ourselves. A certain degree of perfection is attainable in this life. I believe that we can be one hundred percent perfect, for instance, in abstaining from the use of tea and coffee. We can be one hundred percent perfect in abstaining from liquor and tobacco. We can be one hundred percent perfect in paying a full and honest tithing. We can be one hundred percent perfect in abstaining from eating two meals on fast day and giving to the bishop as fast offering the value of those two meals from which we abstain (We Believe, 274).

First - - Fasting Teaches Self-Control

Elder Melvin J. Ballard’s counsel is more telling today than when he shared it over 70 years ago:

I would like to suggest that there isn't anything that this present generation needs so much as the power of self-control; appetite is stronger than will. Men's passions dominate their lives. If there is one thing that we need to recover, it is the power of self-control over the physical body; to deny it good food . . . for two meals, [is to obtain] a mastery over self; and the greatest battle any of us shall ever fight is with self (We Believe, 274).

President Kimball taught about the “spirit” of the law of the fast:

The law of the fast is another test [compared with the Word of Wisdom]. If we merely go without food to supply welfare funds it is much of the letter, but in real fasting, for spiritual blessings, come self-mastery and increased spirituality (We Believe, 275).

This principle of “Fasting Teaches Self-Control” is very powerful and important. From earlier in this blog (February - - Chapter 7, Holy Ghost) is reprinted material that could be very helpful to understand this principle.

Joseph Smith declared:

All things whatsoever God in his infinite wisdom has seen fit and proper to reveal to us, while we are dwelling in mortality, in regard to our mortal bodies, are revealed to us in the abstract, and independent of affinity of this mortal tabernacle, but are revealed to our spirits precisely as though we had no bodies at all; and those revelations which will save our spirits will save our bodies. God reveals them to us in view of no eternal dissolution of the body, or tabernacle (History of The Church, 6: 312 - 313).

So the Holy Ghost speaks to our spirits, not our bodies.

Brigham Young stated:

You are aware that many think that the devil has rule and power over both body and spirit. Now, I want to tell you that he does not hold any power over man, only so far as the body overcomes the spirit that is in a man, through yielding to the spirit of evil. The spirit that the Lord puts into a tabernacle of flesh is under the dictation of the Lord Almighty; but the spirit and body are united in order that the spirit may have a tabernacle, and be exalted; and the spirit is influenced by the body, and the body by the spirit.

In the first place the spirit is pure, and under the special control and influence of the Lord, but the body is of the earth, and is subject to the power of the devil, and is under the mighty influence of that fallen nature that is of the earth. If the spirit yields to the body, the devil then has power to overcome both the body and spirit of that man, and he loses both.

Recollect, brethren and sisters, every one of you, that when evil is suggested to you, when it arises in your hearts, it is through the temporal organization. When you are tempted, buffeted, and step out of the way inadvertently: when you are overtaken in a fault, or commit an overt act unthinkingly; when you are full of evil passion, and wish to yield to it, then stop and let the spirit, which God has put into your tabernacles, take the lead. If you do that, I will promise that you will overcome all evil, and obtain eternal lives. But many, very many, let the spirit yield to the body, and are overcome and destroyed.

The influence of the enemy has power over all such. Those who overcome every passion, and every evil, will be sanctified, and be prepared to enjoy eternity with the blessed. If you have never thought of this before, try to realize it now. Let it rest upon your minds, and see if you can discover in yourselves the operations of the spirit and the body, which constitute the man. Continually and righteously watch the spirit that the Lord has put in you, and I will promise you to be led into righteousness, holiness, peace, and good order.

But let the body rise up with its passions, with the fallen nature pertaining to it, and let the spirit yield to it, your destruction is sure. On the other hand, let the spirit take the lead, and bring the body and its passions into subjection, and you are safe (Journal of Discourses, 2: 256).

David O. McKay also taught in Conference:

Man has a dual nature—one, related to the earthly or animal life—the other the spiritual life, akin to the divine. Man's body is but the tabernacle in which his spirit dwells. Too many, far too many, are prone to regard the body as the man and consequently, to direct their efforts to the gratifying of the body's pleasures, its appetites, its desires, its passions. Too few recognize that the real man is an immortal spirit which "intelligence or light of truth" was animated as an individual entity, with all its distinguishing traits, will continue after the body ceases to respond to its earthly environment.

Whether a man remains satisfied within what we designate the animal world, satisfied with what the animal world will give him, yielding without effort to the whim of his appetites and passions, and slipping further and further into the realm of indulgence or whether, through self-mastery, he rises toward intellectual, moral, and spiritual enjoyments depends upon the kind of choice he makes every day—nay, every hour of his life (Conference Report, April 1967).

More on this subject can be found in Chapter 2, “The Dual Nature of Man” in Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay.

The following chart illustrates what Elder William R. Bradford taught my brother Byron when he served as my brother’s Mission President (you can complete the circles when you draw the diagram on the board):


[sorry, this chart did not transfer from Word - - email me and I will send it upon request]


God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ have spoken to prophets, but rarely talk to mortal man. Fallen man generally communes with the third member of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost (see D&C 130:22-23, Moroni 10:17, D&C 50:13-14). Satan also tempts man (see Moses 5:13, 2 Nephi 28:21, and Alma 30:53). Since both are spirits, they speak “by the spirit” (one a good spirit, one an evil one) to man. There is a gate, which shuts one or the other out. The handle is on our side. If we shut the Holy Ghost out, then we automatically open the door to Satan’s temptations. If we shut Satan out, then the Holy Ghost can commune with us. There is something that President Bradford did not show in his diagram that my brother and I think should be added. We think that for fallen man, there is a spring on the gate, making it harder to shut Satan out. But shutting Satan out and listening to the Holy Ghost is a very important key to becoming like God.

President Joseph F. Smith taught:

[Observing the law of the fast] would call attention to the sin of overeating, place the body in subjection to the spirit, and so promote communion with the Holy Ghost, and insure a spiritual strength and power which the people of the nation so greatly need (We Believe, 275).

Elder Delbert L. Stapley stated:

The Saints by fasting and praying can sanctify the soul and elevate the spirit to Christlike perfection, and thus the body would be brought into subjection to the spirit, promote communion with the Holy Ghost, and insure spiritual strength and power to the individual (We Believe, 275).

Elder Melvin J. Ballard stressed:

I am charged to take possession of this house, this mortal tabernacle, and it is to be my servant. I am not to abuse it but keep it vigorous, clean, healthy, and strong. This exercise of controlling it once a month, that it must fast, is a healthy exercise of spiritual control over the material. If I can do this with regard to food, when this body craves something that is positively hurtful, then I have obtained power to say: "You cannot have it." Thus spiritual control over the body, in all its activities, may be secured, beginning with control over the appetite (We Believe, 276).

Second - - Fasting Gives Us Spiritual Power

Elder Delbert L. Stapley also promised protection from evil:

By observing fasting and prayer in its true spirit, the Latter-day Saints cannot be overpowered by Satan tempting them to evil (We Believe, 278).

The question posed in this section is, “What blessings can we receive when we fast properly?” (p. 147). Some powerful scriptures which could be discussed include:

…that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency (1 Corinthians 7:5).

…continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved (Omni 1:26).

…it came to pass after they had buried their dead, and also after the days of fasting, and mourning, and prayer…there began to be continual peace throughout all the land (Alma 30:2).

…they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God (Helaman 3:35).

When the apostles had tried to drive out an evil spirit and failed, Jesus explained:

…this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21).

In the Americas when Jesus had appointed twelve disciples and taught them many things, the Book of Mormon recorded:

…the disciples were gathered together and were united in mighty prayer and fasting (3 Nephi 27:1).

In Fourth Nephi is the record of a people who were righteous for 200 years. One of the reasons:

...they did walk after the commandments which they had received from their Lord and their God, continuing in fasting and prayer, and in meeting together oft both to pray and to hear the word of the Lord (4 Nephi 1:12).

Chapter 24: The Sabbath Day

The Meaning of the Sabbath Day

Very good resources for this lesson are found in some of the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church:... (the old Priesthood/Relief Society manuals). Especially helpful will be the manuals for Brigham Young, chapter 21, John Taylor, Chapter 12, Joseph F. Smith, Chapter 26, David O. McKay, Chapter 4 (pp. 33-34), and Spencer W. Kimball, Chapter 16. These can all be found by going to the new “lds.org” then click on “Go to Classic LDS.org” (lower left corner), then click on “Gospel Library” then “Lessons” then “Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society.” The manuals are found at the bottom of this page.

The Purpose of the Sabbath Day

Brigham Young explained the “purpose of the Sabbath” very well:

…we should remember to preserve holy one day in the week as a day of rest—as a memorial of the rest of the Lord and the rest of the Saints; also for our temporal advantage, for it is instituted for the express purpose of benefiting man. It is written in this book (the Bible), that the Sabbath was made for man. It is a blessing to him. As little labor as possible should be done upon that day; it should be set apart as a day of rest, to assemble together in the place appointed, according to the revelation [see D&C 59:10-12], confessing our sins, bringing our tithes and offerings, and presenting ourselves before the Lord (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 146).

President Joseph F. Smith echoed these sentiments:

Sunday is a day of rest, a change from the ordinary occupations of the week, but it is more than that. It is a day of worship, a day in which the spiritual life of man may be enriched. A day of indolence, a day of physical recuperation is too often a very different thing from the God-ordained day of rest. Physical exhaustion and indolence are incompatible with a spirit of worship. A proper observance of the duties and devotions of the Sabbath day will, by its change and its spiritual life, give the best rest that men can enjoy on the Sabbath day (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 237).

The manual states that the Sabbath “is a sacred day to be spent in worship and reverence” (p. 139). Concerning this, Brigham Young taught:

When people assemble to worship they should leave their worldly cares where they belong, then their minds are in a proper condition to worship the Lord, to call upon him in the name of Jesus, and to get his Holy Spirit, that they may hear and understand things as they are in eternity, and know how to comprehend the providences of our God. This is the time for their minds to be open, to behold the invisible things of God, that he reveals by his Spirit (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 145).

President Joseph F. Smith also gave some great suggestions:

My belief is that it is the duty of Latter-day Saints to honor the Sabbath day and keep it holy, just as the Lord has commanded us to do. Go to the house of prayer. Listen to instructions. Bear your testimony to the truth. Drink at the fountain of knowledge and of instruction, as it may be opened for us from those who are inspired to give us instruction. When we go home, get the family together. Let us sing a few songs. Let us read a chapter or two in the Bible, or in the Book of Mormon, or in the book of Doctrine and Covenants. Let us discuss the principles of the gospel which pertain to advancement in the school of divine knowledge, and in this way occupy one day in seven (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 234).

History of the Sabbath

This section describes the Sabbath Day as being, “…the beginning of the earth… (p. 140).” President Kimball indicates it reaches back even further than that:

Moses came down from the quaking, smoking Mount Sinai and brought to the wandering children of Israel the Ten Commandments, fundamental rules for the conduct of life. These commandments were, however, not new. They had been known to Adam and his posterity, who had been commanded to live them from the beginning, and were merely reiterated by the Lord to Moses. And the commandments even antedated earth life and were part of the test for mortals established in the council in heaven (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 167).

President Kimball also declared:

The solemn command brought down from the thundering of Mount Sinai was “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” That commandment has never been rescinded nor modified. Instead, it has been reinforced in modern times [then quotes D&C 59:12-13) (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 168).

President Kimball also suggested:

It would appear that the reason the Sabbath day is so hard to live for so many people is that it is still written on tablets of stone rather than being written in their hearts (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 175).

In this section is a powerful doctrine, that the Sabbath is “a sign of the covenant between God and His people (p. 139).” President Kimball declared:

To many, Sabbath-breaking is a matter of little moment, but to our Heavenly Father it is disobedience to one of the principal commandments. It is evidence of man’s failure to meet the individual test set for each of us before the creation of the world, “to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abraham 3:25) (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 168).

President Kimball also added:

The Sabbath day is given throughout the generations of man for a perpetual covenant [see Exodus 31:16]. It is a sign between the Lord and his children forever [see Exodus 31:17] (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 170).

President Kimball also discussed the possibilities of this “covenant”:

It is a day when bodies may rest, minds relax, and spirits grow. It is a day when songs may be sung, prayers offered, sermons preached, and testimonies borne, and when man may climb high, almost annihilating time, space, and distance between himself and his Creator (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 171).

Concerning our end of this “covenant” President Kimball states:

It is unthinkable that one who loves the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and who with a broken heart and contrite spirit recognizes the limitless gifts which the Lord had given him would fail to spend one day in seven in gratitude and thankfulness, and carrying forward the good works of the Lord. The observance of the Sabbath is an indication of the measure of our love for our Heavenly Father.

People frequently wonder where to draw the line: what is worthy and what is unworthy to do upon the Sabbath. But if one loves the Lord with all his heart, might, mind, and strength; if one can put away selfishness and curb desire; if one can measure each Sabbath activity by the yardstick of worshipfulness; if one is honest with his Lord and with himself; if one offers a “broken heart and a contrite spirit,” it is quite unlikely that there will be Sabbath breaking in that person’s life (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 176).

Concerning the deep import of this “sign of the covenant between God and His people” President Joseph F. Smith boldly stated:

As I came to this meeting I overtook one of the brethren, and he remarked to me that as he passed by the station he saw a vast crowd of people there ready to go out to some pleasure resort. … If any of those profess to be Latter-day Saints, then the course they are pursuing today is contrary to the law of God, contrary to the covenants they have made in the waters of baptism, and contrary to the covenants entered into in the most sacred places to which Latter-day Saints are admitted. They are violating the Sabbath day, they are dishonoring a commandment of the Lord; they are proving themselves disobedient to the law, and they are doing that which is not pleasing in the sight of God, and which will result eventually in their injury, if not in their apostasy (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 230-1).

President John Taylor also discussed what this “covenant” can do for us:

It is pleasant for the Saints to meet together to commune with each other, to listen to the words of life, to reflect also upon their position and relationship to God, to His Church and Kingdom, as well as to examine into their own feelings, and, under the guidance of the Lord and of His Holy Spirit, try to find out what relationship they sustain to their Heavenly Father, and whether they are performing the various duties devolving upon them and are seeking to carry out the word, the will, and the law of God (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, 109).

In this section is written, “Jesus reminded them that the Sabbath was made for the benefit of man (p. 140).” It may be very beneficial to discuss the scripture (Mark 2:26-27) which is implied at this point. Even better is to discuss it from Joseph Smith Translation (found at the end of the Bible, after the Bible Dictionary):

Wherefore the Sabbath was given unto man for a day of rest; and also that man should glorify God, and not that man should not eat;
For the Son of Man made the Sabbath day, therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath.

It would also be interesting to briefly compare this with the standard Mark 2:26-27. This statement by Jesus also follows criticism of Him by “Jewish leaders” who “made many unnecessary rules” (p. 140). The manual also refers to decisions about “how far people could walk” (p. 140). Bible Dictionary explains this interesting development under “Sabbath Day’s Journey.”

The above scripture is powerful in two ways. First, the priority is clearly in place. Man is the focus of God’s work (Moses 1:39). The purpose of the Sabbath is to bless man. Secondly, Jesus Christ can do what He wants with the Sabbath. This will be important for discussion in the next section concerning the change of Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day of the week.

The Lord’s Day

There is a great Ensign article entitled, “Why do we observe the Sabbath on Sunday when the biblical Sabbath seems to have been on the seventh day?” by Robert J. Matthews, in which he explains:

In New Testament times the Sabbath day was called the “Lord’s day” (Rev. 1:10) and was observed on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), honoring the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb. In the present dispensation the Lord called the day of worship “my holy day” in a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith on Sunday, 7 August 1831. (D&C 59:9-10.) Since Jesus is Jehovah, the Creator and the God of Israel, these different aspects of the Sabbath all bear witness of the same Lord Jesus Christ but emphasize different features of his ministry.

The Sabbath has eternal significance. The Old Testament declares the Sabbath is to be observed as a “perpetual covenant” (see Ex. 31:13-17), which does not necessarily mean that it should be forever on the same day, but rather that the Sabbath is a covenant for eternity—that is, of eternal significance—and is needed by mortals in every generation for their frequent spiritual rejuvenation. The context of the passage seems to make that point clear. It is evident from the Bible that the sacred day was the seventh day of the week during Old Testament times, whereas in the New Testament it was observed on the first day of the week by the church after the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave (Ensign, Jan. 1978, 14).

This entire January 1978 issue of the Ensign was devoted to Sabbath day observance. Many questions which might arise about Sabbath observance have proposed answers in this issue.

Checking out the Bible Dictionary is always worthwhile. There are two references found there, one for “Sabbath” and one for “Lord’s Day.” Under the first, is found verification of the above:

After the ascension of Christ, the members of the Church, whether Jews or gentiles, kept holy the first day of the week (the Lord’s day) as a weekly commemoration of our Lord’s resurrection (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2; Rev. 1:10); and by degrees the observance of the seventh day was discontinued (p. 765).

Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy

This section states, “Our prophets have told us that we should not shop, hunt, fish, attend sports events, or participate in similar activities on that day (p. 141).”

At the earliest time possible in Utah, Brigham Young made it clear what the Lord expected of Sabbath observance:

On the day after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, President Brigham Young spoke briefly to the pioneer camp concerning observance of the Sabbath. With a wilderness to tame, crops to be planted, and other pressing work of the time, he “informed the brethren … they must not work on Sunday, that [if they did] they would lose five times as much as they would gain by it, and they must not hunt or fish on that day.” He remarked that “there would be a meeting every Sabbath in this place or wherever we stop.” President Young continually admonished the Saints to keep the Sabbath “in remembrance of our God and our holy religion” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 145).

Although most of our “jobs” are no longer agriculture in nature, the concept taught by Brigham Young still applies:

By forsaking our fields for a season, to gather together to worship our God, I can assure you that our crops will be better than they would be if we were to spend all our time in our fields. We may water and plant and toil, but we should never forget that it is God who gives the increase; and by meeting together, our health and spirits will be better, we will look better, and the things of this world will increase around us more, and we will know better how to enjoy them (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 146).

Brigham Young continued and warned:

Six days are enough for us to work [see Exodus 20:9-11], and if we wish to play, play within the six days; if we wish to go on excursions, take one of those six days, but on the seventh day, come to the place of worship.

Now, remember, my brethren, those who go skating, buggy riding or on excursions on the Sabbath day—and there is a great deal of this practiced—are weak in the faith. Gradually, little by little, little by little, the spirit of their religion leaks out of their hearts and their affections, and by and by they begin to see faults in their brethren, faults in the doctrines of the Church, faults in the organization, and at last they leave the Kingdom of God and go to destruction (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 146).

President Kimball cautioned:

To hunt and fish on the Lord’s day is not keeping it holy. To plant or cultivate or harvest crops on the Sabbath is not keeping holy the Lord’s day. To go into the canyons for picnics, to attend games or rodeos or races or shows or other amusements on that day is not to keep it in holy remembrance.

Strange as it may seem, some Latter-day Saints, faithful in all other respects, justify themselves in missing their church meetings on occasion for recreational purposes, feeling that the best fishing will be missed if one is not on the stream on opening day or that the vacation will not be long enough if one does not set off on Sunday or that one will miss a movie he wanted to see if he does not go on the Sabbath. And in their breach of the Sabbath they often take their families with them. …

There is no criticism of legitimate recreation—sports, picnics, plays, and motion pictures. All have potential for revitalizing life, and the Church as an organization actively sponsors such activities. But there is a proper time and place for all worthwhile things—a time for work, a time for play, a time for worship (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 169).

In the second half of the commandment, God said, “Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: (Exodus 20:9). Concerning this idea that many today do not “work” six days, President Kimball counseled:

There is time enough, particularly in our era of the world’s history, during the six days of the week in which to do our work and play. Much can be done to organize and encourage weekday activities, avoiding the Sabbath (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 169-70).

President Joseph F. Smith counseled:

Men are not showing zeal and ardor in their religious faith and duty when they hustle off early Sunday morning … to the canyons, the resorts, and to visit friends or places of amusement with their wives and children. They are not paying their devotions in this way to the Most High.
Boys and young men are not fasting with singleness of heart that their joy may be full when they spend the Sabbath day loafing around the village ice-cream stand or restaurant, playing games, or in buggy riding, fishing, shooting, or engaged in physical sports, excursions and outings. Such is not the course that will keep them unspotted from the world, but rather one that will deprive them of the rich promises of the Lord, giving them sorrow instead of joy, and unrest and anxiety instead of the peace that comes with works of righteousness (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 233-4).

Back when, I suppose, very few businesses were open on the Sabbath, President Joseph F. Smith cautioned:

Theaters and various public amusements are now held on the Sabbath day contrary to the revelations of the Lord, and they prove a potent factor in destroying the faith of those who participate in this practice. The parents of the youth of Zion should guard their children against this and all other evils, for they will be held responsible should their children go astray through their neglect (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 236).

President McKay also added:

Let us not make Sunday a holiday. It is a holy day, and on that day we should go to the house of worship and seek our God. If we seek him on the Sabbath day, get into his presence on that day, we shall find it less difficult to be in his presence the following days of the week (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 34).

Likewise, President Joseph F. Smith related:

Let us play and take recreation to our hearts’ content during other days, but on the Sabbath let us rest, worship, go to the house of prayer, partake of the sacrament, eat our food with singleness of heart, and pay our devotions to God, that the fulness of the earth may be ours, and that we may have peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 238).

Just in case some think the above advise is from “old prophets” (a very, very bad idea), President Monson drove home the idea that Sunday is a day to not “shop” in a First Presidency Message:

At the funeral service of a noble General Authority, H. Verlan Andersen (1914–92), a tribute was expressed by a son. It has application wherever we are and whatever we are doing. It is the example of personal experience.

The son of Elder Andersen related that years earlier he had a special school date on a Saturday night. He borrowed from his father the family car. As he obtained the car keys and headed for the door, his father said, “The car will need more gas before tomorrow. Be sure to fill the tank before coming home.”

Elder Andersen’s son then related that the evening activity was wonderful. Friends met, refreshments were served, and all had a good time. In his exuberance, however, he failed to follow his father’s instruction and add fuel to the car’s tank before returning home.

Sunday morning dawned. Elder Andersen discovered the gas gauge showed empty. In the Andersen family the Sabbath day was a day for worship and thanksgiving, not for purchases. Elder Andersen’s son declared, “I saw my father put on his coat, bid us good-bye, and walk the long distance to the chapel that he might attend an early meeting.” Duty called. Truth was not held slave to expedience.

In concluding his funeral message, Elder Andersen’s son said, “No son ever was taught more effectively by his father than I was on that occasion. My father not only knew the truth, but he also lived it.” Live truth (Ensign, Oct 2004, 2).

President Kimball took the concept of “not shopping” on Sunday one step further:

The Lord’s holy day is fast losing its sacred significance throughout the world. … More and more, man destroys the Sabbath’s sacred purposes in pursuit of wealth, pleasure, recreation, and the worship of false and material gods… Pursuit of the almighty dollar is winning…

We have become largely a world of Sabbath breakers. On the Sabbath the lakes are full of boats, the beaches are crowded, the shows have their best attendance, the golf links are dotted with players. The Sabbath is the preferred day for rodeos, conventions, family picnics; even ball games are played on the sacred day. “Business as usual” is the slogan for many, and our holy day has become a holiday. And because so many people treat the day as a holiday, numerous others cater to the wants of the fun-lovers and money-makers.

We continue to urge all Saints and God-fearing people everywhere to observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Businesses will not be open on the Sabbath if they are not patronized on that holy day. The same is true of resorts, sporting events, and recreation areas of all kinds.
We note that in our Christian world in many places we still have business establishments open for business on the sacred Sabbath. We are sure the cure of this lies in ourselves, the buying public. Certainly the stores and business houses would not remain open if we, the people, failed to purchase from them. Will you all please reconsider this matter. Take it to your home evenings and discuss it with your children. It would be wonderful if every family determined that henceforth no Sabbath purchase would be made (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 168-9).

President Hinckley also added:

You do not have to patronize a store on Sunday. Let the Latter-day Saints be in their homes, teaching their families, reading the scriptures, doing things that are wholesome and beautiful and communing with the Lord on the Sabbath day. He’s been very pointed in this day and time as set forth in the 59th section of the Doctrine and Covenants concerning our observance of the Sabbath day. I thank the Lord for Sunday. What a great and marvelous blessing that is (Ensign, Jul 1996, 73).

Concerning “keeping the Sabbath day holy” President Joseph F. Smith plead:

Let us teach our children that they should observe the Sabbath to keep it holy, and that, too, because they love to do it as also because God has commanded it. Then they will get recreation and rest, change and pleasure, in a legitimate way on other days. … Let us not desecrate the Sabbath (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 231)

In this section is written, “President Spencer W. Kimball cautioned, however, that if we merely lounge about doing nothing on the Sabbath, we are not keeping the day holy (p. 141).” I like the entire quote:

The Sabbath is a holy day in which to do worthy and holy things. Abstinence from work and recreation is important, but insufficient. The Sabbath calls for constructive thoughts and acts, and if one merely lounges about doing nothing on the Sabbath, he is breaking it. To observe it, one will be on his knees in prayer, preparing lessons, studying the gospel, meditating, visiting the ill and distressed, writing letters to missionaries, taking a nap, reading wholesome material, and attending all the meetings of that day at which he is expected (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 170).

Among other “righteous things” (p. 141) we can do on the Sabbath, President Kimball adds:

It is a day on which to read good books, a day to contemplate and ponder, a day to study lessons for priesthood and auxiliary organizations, a day to study the scriptures and to prepare sermons, a day to nap and rest and relax, a day to visit the sick, a day to preach the gospel, a day to proselyte, a day to visit quietly with the family and get acquainted with our children, a day for proper courting, a day to do good, a day to drink at the fountain of knowledge and of instruction, a day to seek forgiveness of our sins, a day for the enrichment of our spirit and our soul, a day to restore us to our spiritual stature (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 171-2).

President Joseph F. Smith stated simply the purpose of the Sabbath:

God made or designated the Sabbath day for a day of rest, a day of worship, a day for goodly deeds, and for humility and penitence, and the worship of the Almighty in spirit and in truth.
Honor the Sabbath day, and keep it holy. Worship the Lord on the Sabbath day. Do not work. Go not out to seek vain pleasures on the Sabbath. Rest, and refresh the mind in prayer, study, and thought upon the principles of life and salvation. These are legitimate labors for the Sabbath day (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 231).

Concerning the idea that “attending Church” (p. 141) is necessary to keep the Sabbath holy, President Kimball declared:

…if one wishes to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth, he may do so by attending his meetings, partaking of the sacrament, and contemplating the beauties of the gospel. If the service is a failure to you, you have failed. No one can worship for you; you must do your own waiting upon the Lord (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 174).

One of the reasons the Church gave for the “block schedule” when it was introduced was to make more time for “family.” Concerning “…sharing time with children and others in the home…” President Kimball said:

Take time [on the Sabbath] to be together as families to converse with one another, to study the scriptures, to visit friends, relatives, and the sick and lonely. This is also an excellent time to work on your journals and genealogy (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 170).

President Kimball also explained how family time and attending Church should blend:

We hope … that either before or after your series of Sunday meetings, depending upon your particular … meeting schedule, you will do what the Savior asked the Nephite disciples to do: After he taught them, he asked them to go to their homes and to ponder and to pray over what was said (see 3 Nephi 17:3). Let us keep that pattern in mind (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 172).

Concerning “family time” President Joseph F. Smith also explained:

On the Sabbath days, as far as I am concerned, between the hours of service, I would love to have the privilege of sitting down in my home with my family and conversing with them, and visiting with them, and becoming better acquainted with them. I would like to have the privilege of occupying as much time as I could conveniently on the Sabbath day for this purpose; to get acquainted with my children, keep in touch with them, and to keep them in touch with the scriptures, and to think of something besides fun and jokes and laughter and merriment, and such things as these (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 234)

President Joseph F. Smith further taught:

I think it is a good thing for us to take our children under our wings, so to speak, at least one day in the week, and teach them honor and honesty, and reverence for that which is right and divine, and teach them to respect age and infirmity, and to be kind to the stranger who is within our gates. … We should teach them politeness. We should teach our boys to be gentlemen, and our girls to be ladies. And when I speak of a lady or a gentleman, I mean a boy or a girl, or a man or a woman, who observes genuine modesty, meekness, mildness, patience, love and kindness toward the children of men.

There are a great many things that we can do on the Sabbath day that would entertain, interest, and instruct our children at home, between the hours of service. … Let them have amusements at the proper time, but let them be taught better things on the Sabbath day (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 234-5)

President John Taylor also discussed family and the Sabbath:

I will tell you how I feel on a Sabbath morning. I realize this is a day set apart to worship Almighty God: now I ought to worship God myself, and I ought to look after my family and discover whether they are engaged in the same thing or not (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, 108).

President Kimball also revealed the power of his own childhood and attending Church on the Sabbath:

When I was a very small boy, I was taught the habit of going to sacrament meetings. Mother always took me with her. Those warm afternoons I soon became drowsy and leaned over on her lap to sleep. I may not have learned much from the sermons, but I learned the habit of “going to meeting.” The habit stayed with me through my life.

No little child absorbs knowingly the sunlight; but unconsciously the light brings power to his little body. No child knows the value of his mother’s milk nor of the food from opened cans which gives him nourishment. Yet, that is where he gets his strength and his power to grow and to become a man eventually. …

And every child, without realizing the full portent, can absorb much from a sacrament meeting. They will absorb something every time (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 173).

The manual give a terrific guide for Sabbath pursuits:

In deciding what other activities we could properly engage in on the Sabbath, we could ask ourselves: Will it uplift and inspire me? Does it show respect for the Lord? Does it direct my thoughts to Him? (p. 142).

Concerning this, President Joseph F. Smith suggested:

We derive, or would derive all the benefit if we would only devote every hour on the Sabbath to some work, or some pursuit, or some study, that would improve our minds and make us more fully acquainted with our duties in the Church, with the law of the Church, with the commandments of God, and with the precepts of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 234).

The above question is so wonderful, a terrific discussion could be, “Why is this such a great guideline for Sabbath observance?”

In this section is the statement that, “There may be times when we are required to work on the Sabbath (p. 142).” President Kimball clarifies:

It is true that some people must work on the Sabbath. And, in fact, some of the work that is truly necessary—caring for the sick, for example—may actually serve to hallow the Sabbath. However, in such activities our motives are a most important consideration (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 169).

An Ensign article on this subject entitled, “Working on Sunday,” by Steve Gilliland (an old but dear friend) is found in the above mentioned January issue of the 1978 Ensign, p. 26.

If there are busy moms and dads in your class (okay, just assume all are busy), there is a wonderful Ensign article (worth looking up) entitled, “Teaching Children to Keep the Sabbath.” It may be well worth discussing this great idea:

Preparation is a key word in keeping the Sabbath day holy. While it may be possible for an individual to have a joyful, restful Sabbath without preparing ahead, today’s busy families may not be able to have the kind of Sabbath the Lord has prescribed if they wait until Sunday morning to prepare everything. They need to prepare some things the day before (Ensign, Oct 1989, 44).

Blessings for Observing the Sabbath

President Joseph F. Smith warned:

…members of the Church who neglect public worship and the partaking of the Sacrament and do not remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, will become weak in the faith and spiritually sickly, and will lose the Spirit and favor of God, and ultimately forfeit their standing in the Church and their exaltation with the obedient and faithful (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 236)

In the manual is the statement, “If we honor the Sabbath day, we may receive great spiritual and temporal blessings (p. 142).” President Kimball described two business men who put this to the test:

In a stake recently I interviewed a man for an important position in the stake reorganization. And I said to him, “What is your occupation?” And he said, “I operate a service station.” And I asked, “Do you operate on the Sabbath?” His answer was, “No, I do not.” “Well, how can you get along? Most service station operators seem to think they must open on the Sabbath.” “I get along well,” he said. “The Lord is good to me.” “Do you not have stiff competition?” I asked. “Yes, indeed,” he replied. “Across the street is a man who keeps open all day Sunday.” “And you never open?” I asked. “No, sir,” he said, “and I am grateful, and the Lord is kind, and I have sufficient for my needs.”

I was in another stake, also in a reorganization program, and another brother was considered for one of the highest positions; and when we asked him of his occupation, he said he was a grocer by trade. “Well, most of the stores keep open on the Sabbath. Do you?” “We lock our store on Sunday,” he said. “But how can you compete with these people who are open seven days a week?” “We compete. At least we get along very well,” was his reply. “But would not the Sabbath be your biggest day?” “Yes,” he answered, “we would probably sell twice as much on the Sabbath as we would on an average day, but we get along without it, and the Lord has been kind; he has been gracious; he has been good.” … And I could not refrain from saying, “God bless you, my faithful brother. The Lord will not be unmindful of these seeming sacrifices. Your dollars are clean. They will surely not hinder you in finding your way into the kingdom of God” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 165-6).

President Kimball continued:

In my travels I find faithful people who forego Sabbath day profits and the handling of forbidden things. I have found cattlemen who have no roundup on the Sabbath; fruit stands along the roadside, generally open day and night through the fruit season, closed on the Sabbath; drug stores, eating houses, and wayside stands closed on the Lord’s day—and the owners seem to get along, at the same time taking genuine satisfaction in abiding by the law. And every time I see good folk foregoing these kinds of earnings, I rejoice and feel within my heart to bless them for their faith and steadfastness.

I know that men will never suffer, ultimately, for any seeming financial sacrifices that might be made, for [God] has commanded us to live his laws and then has challenged us:

“… prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10) (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, p. 174).

Thus, a very important point of this lesson is, as with the promise of Malachi regarding tithing, we can trust that God will bless us if we live the law of the Sabbath.

A delightful illustration of a general authority felt upon encountering a valley where no one appeared to be working on the Sabbath is found in “The Power of Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy,” by Elder John H. Groberg in the Ensign, Nov 1984, p. 79.

Chapter 23: The Sacrament

Christ Introduced the Sacrament

Very good resources for this lesson can be found in some of the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church:... (the old Priesthood/Relief Society manuals). Especially helpful will be the manuals for Brigham Young, chapter 21 (pp. 150-151), John Taylor, Chapter 12 (pp. 111-3), David O. McKay, Chapter 4 (pp. 34-37). These can all be found by going to the new “lds.org” then click on “Go to Classic LDS.org” (lower left corner), then click on “Gospel Library” then “Lessons” then “Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society.” The manuals are found at the bottom of this page.

This section mentions, “The sacrament is a holy priesthood ordinance…” (p. 133). In regards to this, President McKay declared:

No more sacred ordinance is administered in the Church of Christ than the administration of the sacrament (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 34).

In the second paragraph of this section is written, “During the sacrament, we partake of bread and water (p. 133).” Here it may be important to discuss the two Additional Scriptures (p. 137) of John 4:5-14 (water) and John 6:30-35 (bread) and their wonderful symbolism as explained by Jesus Christ Himself.

How the Sacrament is Administered

Early in this section it states, “Members of the Church meet each Sabbath day to worship and partake of the sacrament (see D&C 20:75) p. 135).” President Kimball explained further:

A man of my acquaintance remained home each Sabbath and justified himself by saying that he could benefit more by reading a good book at home than by attending the sacrament meeting and listening to a poor sermon. But the home, sacred as it should be, is not the house of prayer. In it no sacrament is administered; in it is not found the fellowship with members, nor the confession of sins to the brethren. The mountains may be termed the temples of God and the forests and streams his handiwork, but only in the meetinghouse, or house of prayer, can be fulfilled all the requirements of the Lord. And so he has impressed upon us that: [then quoted D&C 20:75] (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, 173).

In the last of this section, the prayers to the sacrament are printed. It may be worth knowing that these prayers are also found in the Book of Mormon. Moroni included them in Moroni 4:3 and 5:2, among the first things included when he took over as scribe from his father.

The Covenants We Renew during the Sacrament

The first question in this section is, “What covenants do we renew during the sacrament?” (p. 136)

This is a great question. While the section discusses “covenants” (plural), covenants other than baptism (fifth paragraph) are not mentioned. The answer to this question is found in an article for the Ensign entitled “What covenants do we renew when we partake of the sacrament?” (Does this sound familiar?) John E. MacKay states:

According to our latter-day prophets and leaders, when you partake of the sacrament you renew whatever covenants you have made with the Lord... In other words, when you partake of the sacrament, you renew all the covenants you have made with the Lord (Ensign, Mar 1995, 66).

Brother MacKay also quotes President Kimball as proclaiming:

Remembering covenants prevents apostasy. That is the real purpose of the sacrament, to keep us from forgetting, to help us to remember … [that which we have] covenanted at the water’s edge or at the sacrament table and in the temple (ibid.).

The following from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism helps us understand how sacrament really means “covenant”:

The English word “sacrament”…is based on the Latin sacrementum, which denotes a sum deposited by the two parties to a suit (so named probably from being deposited in a sacred place) binding an agreement, oath of allegiance, or obligation (p. 1243).

Russell M. Nelson, before he became an apostle, add the following insight:

The word sacrament comes from two Latin stems: sacr meaning “sacred,” and ment meaning “mind.” It implies sacred thoughts of the mind. Even more compelling is the Latin word sacramentum, which literally means “oath or solemn obligation” (Ensign, Mar. 1983, 68).

It is possible someone might ask, “Is it necessary to take the sacrament with one’s right hand? Does it really make any difference which hand is used?” Actually, that is the title of the above article by Brother Nelson. He explains:

It [partaking of the sacrament] is a sacred mental moment, including (1) a silent oath manifested by the use of one’s hand, symbolic of the individual’s covenant, and (2) the use of bread and water, symbolic of the great atoning sacrifice of the Savior of the world.
The hand used in partaking of the sacrament would logically be the same hand used in making any other sacred oath. For most of us, that would be the right hand. However, sacramental covenants—and other eternal covenants as well—can be and are made by those who have lost the use of the right hand, or who have no hands at all.
Much more important than concern over which hand is used in partaking of the sacrament is that the sacrament be partaken with a deep realization of the atoning sacrifice that the sacrament represents (Ensign, Mar. 1983, 68).

Following is how this section discusses the major ideas found in the sacrament prayers:

OUR PROMISES TO THE LORD:

FIRST - - “…that we are willing to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ (p. 136).

Elder Mervyn B. Arnold gave a great talk “What Have You Done with My Name?” in October General Conference, 2010. It is well worth reading. He taught:

When President George Albert Smith was young, his deceased grandfather George A. Smith appeared to him in a dream and asked, “I would like to know what you have done with my name.” President Smith responded, “I have never done anything with your name of which you need be ashamed.”
Each week as we partake of the sacrament, we covenant and promise that we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ, always remember Him, and keep His commandments. If we are willing to do so, we are promised that most wonderful blessing—that His Spirit will always be with us.
Just as President George Albert Smith had to account to his grandfather for what he had done with his name, someday each one of us will have to account to our Savior, Jesus Christ, for what we have done with His name (now on “lds.org” - - soon in Ensign, Nov. 2010).

President Eyring clarified for us:

…we promise to take His name upon us. That means we must see ourselves as His. We will put Him first in our lives. We will want what He wants rather than what we want or what the world teaches us to want (Ensign, May 1998, 66).

It may be well to review this blog, Chapter 20, “Baptism” (September). In the last section, “Baptism Gives Us a New Beginning” is found explanation for the doctrine that Christ becomes our Father at baptism. If this has not been taught, or if a review is helpful, this material fits in nicely with the promise to “take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ.”

Helping all of us to remember that this doctrine of “taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ is a process, Elder Dallin H. Oaks instructed us in conference:

It is significant that when we partake of the sacrament we do not witness that we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. We witness that we are willing to do so. (See D&C 20:77.) The fact that we only witness to our willingness suggests that something else must happen before we actually take that sacred name upon us in the most important sense.
What future event or events could this covenant contemplate? The scriptures suggest two sacred possibilities, one concerning the authority of God, especially as exercised in the temples, and the other—closely related—concerning exaltation in the celestial kingdom (Ensign, May 1985, 80).

SECOND - - “…to always remember Jesus Christ” (p. 136).

Concerning this, as well as the other promises, Brigham Young instructed:

In the ordinance [sacrament] we here attend to…we show to the Father that we remember Jesus Christ, our Elder Brother; we testify to him that we are willing to take upon us his name. When we are doing this, I want the minds here as well as the bodies. I want the whole man here when you come to meeting
It is one of the greatest blessings we could enjoy, to come before the Lord, and before the angels, and before each other, to witness that we remember that the Lord Jesus Christ has died for us. This proves to the Father that we remember our covenants, that we love his Gospel, that we love to keep his commandments, and to honor the name of the Lord Jesus upon the earth (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 150-1).

President Kimball declared:

When you look in the dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is? It could be “remember.” Because all of (us) have made covenants ... our greatest need is to remember. That is why everyone goes to sacrament meeting every Sabbath day — to take the sacrament and listen to the priests pray that (we) “may always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given (us).” ... “Remember” is the word (Address to Seminary and Institute Personnel, BYU, June 28, 1968).

Simple count reveals that the verb occurring most often in the prayers is “remember or remembrance” (4 times). If anyone is interested, the most common nouns are “Son” (5 times) and “God” (4 times). The most common adverb is “always” (3 times).

Elder Russell M. Nelson likewise edified:

I like to give myself a little spiritual examination each time I take the sacrament. I ask, “Brother Nelson, what are you really thinking about while partaking of the sacrament?” Since I have asked myself that question, I don’t read or anything else during the sacrament, I just think about the atonement (Oakland Stake Conference, Oct. 2006).

President Marion G. Romney in a First Presidency Message stated:

It is said of President Wilford Woodruff that while the sacrament was being passed, his lips could be observed in silent motion as he repeated to himself over and over again, “I do remember thee, I do remember thee” (Ensign, Oct 1976, 2).

THIRD - - “…to keep His commandments” (p. 136).

From the Encyclopedia of Mormonism we learn:

The sacrament in LDS belief does not serve primarily as a means of securing remission of sins. It does, however, focus attention on the sacrifice for sin wrought by the Savior and on the need for all those who have been baptized to maintain their lives constantly in harmony with his teachings and commandments (p. 1244).

THE LORD’S PROMISE TO US:

“…that they may always have his Spirit to be with them…”

Concerning this most powerful promise, President McKay proclaimed:

The greatest comfort in this life is the assurance of having close relationship with God. … The sacrament period should be a factor in awakening this sense of relationship…
Let us make that sacrament hour one of the most impressive means of coming in contact with God’s spirit. Let the Holy Ghost, to which we are entitled, lead us into his presence, and may we sense that nearness, and have a prayer offered in our hearts which he will hear (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 34, 36-7).

Brigham Young also plead:

I would exhort my brethren and sisters to receive this ordinance every Sabbath, when [you] meet together. … I do pray you, my brethren and sisters, to contemplate this ordinance thoroughly, and seek unto the Lord with all your hearts that you may obtain the promised blessings by obedience to it. Teach its observance to your children; impress upon them its necessity. Its observance is as necessary to our salvation as any other of the ordinances and commandments that have been instituted in order that the people may be sanctified, that Jesus may bless them and give unto them his spirit, and guide and direct them that they may secure unto themselves life eternal. Impress the sacredness of this important ordinance upon the minds of your children (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 151).

At the end of this section, the question is asked, “What can we do to remember these promises during the week?”

That we should is implied in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism:

Hyrum Smith spoke of the sacramental process as bestowing spiritual sustenance enough to “last a whole week” (p. 1246).

Judge Thomas B. Griffeth shared an idea that might help us to remember during the week:

Several years ago I heard Elder Gerald N. Lund of the Quorum of the Seventy describe a magazine article about a school that taught people how to rock climb. The article discussed the concept of belaying—the fail-safe system that protects climbers. One climber gets into a safe position, fastens the rope securely in a fixed position, then calls to his companion, “You’re on belay”—meaning, “I’ve got you.” The director of the school, Alan Czenkusch, described his experience with belaying to the author of the article:
Belaying has brought Czenkusch his best and worst moments in climbing. Czenkusch once fell from a high precipice, yanking out three mechanical supports and pulling his belayer off a ledge. He was stopped, upside down, 10 feet from the ground when his spread-eagled belayer arrested the fall with the strength of his outstretched arms.
“Don saved my life,” says Czenkusch. “How do you respond to a guy like that? Give him a used climbing rope for a Christmas present? No, you remember him. You always remember him.” [In Eric G. Anderson, “The Vertical Wilderness,” Private Practice, November 1979, 21] (BYU Speeches, 14 March, 2006)

President Joseph Fielding Smith also warned what will happen if we stop:

No member of the Church can fail to make this [sacrament] covenant and renew it week by week, and retain the Spirit of the Lord… Those who persist in their absence from this service will eventually lose the spirit and if they do not repent will eventually find themselves denying the faith (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:123).

Our Attitude When Partaking of the Sacrament

In the first paragraph of this section it states, “The Lord emphasizes that no one should partake of the sacrament unworthily. That means we must repent of our sins before taking the sacrament” (p. 137). It may be important to point out two prerequisites prior to repentance which validate the sacrament, the Atonement and faith in Jesus Christ. This is also a good review of two powerful chapters previously taught. Concerning the Atonement, we find In the Encyclopedia of Mormonism:

The sacrament in LDS belief does not serve primarily as a means of securing remission of sins. It does, however, focus attention on the sacrifice for sin wrought by the Savior and on the need for all those who have been baptized to maintain their lives constantly in harmony with his teachings and commandments (p. 1244).

Concerning faith, President John Taylor taught:

Faith in this ordinance would necessarily imply that we have faith in Jesus Christ, that he is the Only Begotten of the Father, that he came from the heavens to the earth to accomplish a certain purpose which God had designed—even to secure the salvation and exaltation of the human family. All this has a great deal to do with our welfare and happiness here and hereafter. The death of Jesus Christ would not have taken place had it not been necessary. That this ceremony should be instituted to keep that circumstance before the minds of his people, bespeaks its importance (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, 111).

To further emphasize how important repentance is, Joseph Smith instructed:

The sacrament was administered to the Church [on March 1, 1835]. Previous to the administration, I spoke of the propriety of this institution in the Church, and urged the importance of doing it with acceptance before the Lord, and asked, How long do you suppose a man may partake of this ordinance unworthily, and the Lord not withdraw His Spirit from him? How long will he thus trifle with sacred things, and the Lord not give him over to the buffetings of Satan until the day of redemption! … Therefore our hearts ought to be humble, and we to repent of our sins, and put away evil from among us.
Repentance is a thing that cannot be trifled with every day. Daily transgression and daily repentance is not that which is pleasing in the sight of God (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 73)

To continue, what is further necessary after worthily partaking of the sacrament, President Joseph F. Smith clarified:

…it is well, in my judgment, for the Latter-day Saints to continue to bear in mind that the inestimable blessings of the gospel have been bestowed upon them through their faith, that a remission of sins has been obtained by baptism and repentance, and that it is only through continuing faithful that they can retain the gifts and blessings which pertain to eternal life (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, p. 64).

This section discusses the importance of taking the sacrament worthily. Here is what President John Taylor said about that:

We ought to be careful that we do not partake of these emblems [of the sacrament] to our condemnation. Do you ever quarrel with your brethren, or act in such a way as to get up feelings, and perhaps speak harsh words one about another, and in other ways do that which is wrong, and then meet together in solemn mockery before God and eat condemnation to your souls? We want to be careful about these things; and hence we should understand that when we bring our gift to the altar, and there remember that we have ought against our brother, we should first go and be reconciled to him and then come and offer our gift [see Matthew 5:23-24]. Not come in any kind of hypocrisy, but come with clean hands and pure hearts, and feel to say “O God search me and try me and prove me, and if there is any way of wickedness in me, let it depart, and let me be thy true representative upon the earth, and let me partake of the spirit that dwelleth in Christ, and live in the enjoyment of that upon the earth; that when he comes again I, with my brethren, may meet him with clean hands and pure hearts (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, 113).

President McKay also gave wonderful counsel on how to partake of the sacrament:

There are three things fundamentally important associated with the administration of the sacrament. The first is self-discernment. It is introspection. “This do in remembrance of me,” but we should partake worthily, each one examining himself with respect to his worthiness.
Secondly, there is a covenant made; a covenant even more than a promise. … There is nothing more important in life than that. … A covenant, a promise, should be as sacred as life. That principle is involved every Sunday when we partake of the sacrament.
Thirdly, there is another blessing, and that is a sense of close relationship with the Lord. There is an opportunity to commune with oneself and to commune with the Lord. We meet in the house that is dedicated to him; we have turned it over to him; we call it his house. Well, you may rest assured that he will be there to inspire us if we come in proper attune to meet him. We are not prepared to meet him if we bring into that room our thoughts regarding our business affairs, and especially if we bring into the house of worship feelings of hatred toward our neighbor, or enmity and jealousy towards the Authorities of the Church. Most certainly no individual can hope to come into communion with the Father if that individual entertain any such feelings. They are so foreign to worship, and so foreign, particularly, to the partaking of the sacrament. …
I believe the short period of administering the sacrament is one of the best opportunities we have for … meditation, and there should be nothing during that sacred period to distract our attention from the purpose of that ordinance. …
… We [must] surround this sacred ordinance with more reverence, with perfect order, that each one who comes to the house of God may meditate upon his goodness and silently and prayerfully express appreciation for God’s goodness. Let the sacrament hour be one experience of the day in which the worshiper tries at least to realize within himself that it is possible for him to commune with his God (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay, 34-6).

In a wonderful conference talk on the sacrament, Elder Howard W. Hunter shared:

The solemn moments of thought while the sacrament is being served have great significance. They are moments of self-examination, introspection, self-discernment—a time to reflect and to resolve (Ensign, May 1977, 24).

Elder M. Russell Ballard’s grandfather is quoted in Encyclopedia of Mormonism:

“I am a witness,” said Elder Melvin J. Ballard, “that there is a spirit attending the administration of the sacrament that warms the soul from head to foot; you feel the wounds of the spirit being healed” (p. 1246).

Elder Ballard’s grandfather also shared this in a great talk:

We must come, however, to the sacrament table hungry. If we should repair to a banquet where the finest of earth’s providing may be had, without hunger, without appetite, the food would not be tempting, nor do us any good. If we repair to the sacrament table, we must come hungering and thirsting for righteousness, for spiritual growth (New Era, Jan 1976, 7).

President Jedediah M. Grant explained:

A great many people partake of the Sacrament, and at the same time are thinking, “How many teams can I get tomorrow to haul stone? I wonder if that sister has a bonnet like mine, or if I can get one like hers? I wonder if it is going to be a good day tomorrow, or whether it will rain or snow?” …You can sit in this stand an read such thoughts in their faces (Journal of Discourses, 2:277).

The objective of the sacrament is recounted in Encyclopedia of Mormonism:

The ordinance was given, as President Brigham Young taught, “in order that the people may be sanctified” (p. 1246)

I really like how Sister Julie B. Beck explained this process:

I was with an eight-year-old girl on the day of her baptism. At the end of the day she said with all confidence, ‘I have been baptized for a whole day, and I haven’t sinned once!’ But her perfect day did not last forever, and I am sure she is learning by now, like we all learn, that as hard as we try, we do not always avoid every bad situation, every wrong choice …
… It is not possible to make real change all by ourselves. Our own willpower and our own good intentions are not enough. When we make mistakes or choose poorly, we must have the help of our Savior to get back on track. We partake of the sacrament week after week to show our faith in His power to change us. We confess our sins and promise to forsake them (Ensign, June 2010, 7).

President John Taylor summed up many ideas contained in this lesson:

I take pleasure in meeting with the Saints. I like to break bread with them in commemoration of the broken body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and also to partake of the cup in remembrance of his shed blood. And then to reflect upon the associations connected therewith. Our relationship to God through our Lord Jesus Christ; our relationship to each other as members of the body of Christ, and our hopes concerning the future; the second appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, when, we are given to understand, he will gird himself and wait upon us, and we shall eat bread and drink wine with him in his Father’s kingdom. I like to reflect upon all these and a thousand other things connected with the salvation, happiness and exaltation of the Saints of God in this world, and in the world to come (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, 39).

Chapter 22: The Gifts of the Spirit

The Gifts of the Spirit

Interestingly, in only two manuals, but tremendous resources for this lesson can be found in the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: ... (the old Priesthood/Relief Society manuals). These are Joseph Smith, Chapter 9 and Brigham Young, chapter 34. These can all be found by going to the new “lds.org” then click on “Go to Classic LDS.org” (lower left corner), then click on “Gospel Library” then “Lessons” then “Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society.” The manuals are found at the bottom of this page.

Since there are many wonderful scriptures listed in this lesson with each section, “scriptures.byu.edu” is a great resource. Remember this website allows you to click on any scripture and find out who used it in a conference talk.

A tremendous resource that I have failed to recommend in this blog is the Doctrine & Covenants & Church History Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual. I am a huge fan of every one, OT, NT, BM and this one. Here is a great excerpt:

Elder Orson Pratt of the Quorum of the Twelve said, “Spiritual gifts are distributed among the members of the Church, according to their faithfulness, circumstances, natural abilities, duties, and callings; that the whole may be properly instructed, confirmed, perfected, and saved (Doctrine & Covenants & Church History Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 81).

In this section it states, “Through Him [the Holy Ghost], each of us can be blessed with certain spiritual powers called gifts of the Spirit” (p. 125).

Joseph Smith echoed this doctrine:

These, then, are all gifts; they come from God; they are of God; they are all the gifts of the Holy Ghost (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 118).

It may be important to stress that all of the “gifts of the Spirit” are from the Holy Ghost.

In this section, it is stated that gifts of the spirit “will help us bless others” (p. 125).

This was also stressed by Joseph Smith:

The Church is a compact body composed of different members, and is strictly analogous to the human system, and Paul, after speaking of the different gifts, says, “Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular; and God hath set some in the Church, first Apostles, secondarily Prophets, thirdly Teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all Teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?” It is evident that they do not; yet are they all members of one body. All members of the natural body are not the eye, the ear, the head or the hand—yet the eye cannot say to the ear I have no need of thee, nor the head to the foot, I have no need of thee; they are all so many component parts in the perfect machine—the one body; and if one member suffer, the whole of the members suffer with it: and if one member rejoice, all the rest are honored with it. [See 1 Corinthians 12:9-10, 18-21, 26-30.] (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 117-8).

One of the quotes in this section is that “will guide us back to our Heavenly Father” (p. 125). Brigham Young explained:

We can use these gifts, and every other gift God has given us, to the praise and glory of God, to serve Him, or we can use them to dishonor Him and His cause. … These principles are correct in regard to the gifts which we receive for the express purpose of using them, in order that we may endure and be exalted, and that the organization we have received shall not come to an end, but endure to all eternity.
By a close application of the gifts bestowed upon us, we can secure to ourselves the resurrection of these bodies that we now possess, that our spirits inhabit, and when they are resurrected they will be made pure and holy; then they will endure to all eternity (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 254).

In this section is stated: “These gifts have been given to members of the true Church whenever it has been on the earth” (p. 125).

As part of the restoration, Joseph Smith taught:

The gifts which follow them that believe and obey the Gospel, as tokens that the Lord is ever the same in His dealings with the humble lovers and followers of truth, began to be poured out among us, as in ancient days (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 118).

Brigham Young proclaimed that the restoration indeed was complete with these:

I have already said that Christ set in his Church Apostles and Prophets; he also set in his Church evangelists, pastors and teachers; also the gifts of the Spirit, such as diverse tongues, healing the sick, discernment of spirits, and various other gifts. Now, I would ask the whole world, who has received revelation that the Lord has discontinued these offices and gifts in his Church? I have not. I have had revelation that they should be in the Church, and that there is no [true] Church without them (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 251-2).

Joseph Smith proclaimed:

…we also believe in prophecy, in tongues, in visions, and in revelations, in gifts, and in healings; and that these things cannot be enjoyed without the gift of the Holy Ghost. We believe that the holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, and that holy men in these days speak by the same principle… (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 97).

It may be important to note that it was also through Joseph Smith that we also received the following scripture:

We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth (Articles of Faith 1:7).

It also may be interesting to note that in D&C 46:10-26, where most of the gifts following are found, there are listed gifts not discussed here. In the Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual previously mentioned:

Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught: “Spiritual gifts are endless in number and infinite in variety. Those listed in the revealed word are simply illustrations (Doctrine & Covenants & Church History Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 81).

From Elder McConkie’s book, here is more of that quote:

…of the boundless outpouring of divine grace and a gracious God gives those who love and serve him (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, 371).

From the same resource, here is another idea from a talk entitled, “There Are Many Gifts”:

Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Quorum of the Twelve said some “less-conspicuous gifts” include “the gift of asking; the gift of listening; the gift of hearing and using a still, small voice; … the gift of avoiding contention; the gift of being agreeable; … the gift of seeking that which is righteous; the gift of not passing judgment; the gift of looking to God for guidance; the gift of being a disciple; the gift of caring for others; the gift of being able to ponder; the gift of offering prayer; the gift of bearing a mighty testimony; and the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost (Doctrine & Covenants & Church History Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 81).

First - - The Gift of Tongues (D&C 46:24)

Early in Brigham Young’s conversion, it is recorded:

During his first meeting with Joseph Smith in Kirtland, Brigham Young was blessed with the gift of tongues. Although that was a rare occasion in his life, he always rejoiced in the diversity of spiritual gifts poured out on him and the Latter-day Saints. “If we have the religion of the Savior we are entitled to the blessings precisely as they were anciently. Not that all had visions, not that all had dreams, not that all had the gift of tongues or the interpretation of tongues, but every man received according to his capacity and the blessing of the Giver” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 251).

Elder Robert D. Hales taught quite simply:

The gift of tongues is used by missionaries to teach the gospel to the nations of the world (Ensign, Feb 2002, 12).

Interestingly, Joseph Smith taught:

The gift of tongues is the smallest gift perhaps of the whole, and yet it is one that is the most sought after (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 121).

Second - - The Gift of Interpretation of Tongues (D&C 46:25)

Joseph Smith cautioned:

Be not so curious about tongues, do not speak in tongues except there be an interpreter present; the ultimate design of tongues is to speak to foreigners, and if persons are very anxious to display their intelligence, let them speak to each in their own tongues. The gifts of God are all useful in their place, but when they are applied to that which God does not intend, they prove an injury, a snare and a curse instead of a blessing (History of the Church, 5:31-32).

Pres. Joseph F. Smith arrived on his mission (Hawaii - - then a foreign language mission), six weeks before his sixteenth birthday. He recalls:

I needed the gift of tongues once, and the Lord gave it to me. I was in a foreign land, sent to preach the gospel to people whose language I could not understand.
Then I sought earnestly for the gift of tongues, and by this gift and by study, in a hundred days after landing upon those islands I could talk to the people in their language as I now talk to you in my native tongue. This was a gift that was worthy of the gospel. There was a purpose in it (Doctrines of Salvation, 101).

Perhaps not exactly the gift of “tongues” or “interpretation of tongues” but a gift nonetheless closely related was described by Brigham Young:

The gift of communicating one with another is the gift of God, just as much so as the gift of prophecy, of discerning spirits, of tongues, of healing, or any other gift, though sight, taste, and speech, are so generally bestowed that they are not considered in the same miraculous light as are those gifts mentioned in the Gospel (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 254).

Third - - The Gift of Translation (D&C 5:4)

The following quote was also used in this blog, Chapter 19, but it is timely here also concerning the translation of the Book of Mormon:

During this time, Joseph Smith learned that the divine gift was with him only when he was worthy to be guided by the Spirit. David Whitmer recounted: “One morning when [Joseph Smith] was getting ready to continue the translation, something went wrong about the house and he was put out about it. Something that Emma, his wife, had done. Oliver and I went up stairs, and Joseph came up soon after to continue the translation, but he could not do anything. He could not translate a single syllable. He went down stairs, out into the orchard and made supplication to the Lord; was gone about an hour—came back to the house, asked Emma’s forgiveness and then came up stairs where we were and the translation went on all right. He could do nothing save he was humble and faithful” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 116).

One of the truly wonderful examples of the “gift of translation” happens during conference:

…the Church’s twice-yearly general conference is translated into 92 different languages for broadcast around the world.
The Church’s culturally and linguistically diverse membership allows it to recruit literally hundreds of interpreters to accomplish the colossal task.
In addition to language proficiency, effective interpretation includes transmitting the emotion and intent of the speaker standing at the pulpit. “What we are translating is not our own message,” Lindsay said. “The message comes from the speakers, so we try to find people that can share that message effectively.”
However, interpretation requires more than experience, talent and training. "Interpretation is a spiritual gift that our interpreters need to have," said Jeff Bateson, director of translation for the Church. “We go to great lengths to do whatever we can to help them prepare spiritually.” (Newsroom, News Release, Sep. 28, 2010, Salt Lake City)

Fourth - - The Gift of Wisdom (D&C 46:17)

Joseph Smith discussed the importance of this gift:

A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world, as evil spirits will have more knowledge, and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth. Hence it needs revelation to assist us, and give us knowledge of the things of God (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 266).

Elder Stephen L Richards had the following observations on the gift of wisdom:

Wisdom is sometimes defined as sound judgment and a high degree of knowledge. I define wisdom as being the beneficent application of knowledge in decision. I think of wisdom not in the abstract but as functional. Life is largely made up of choices and determinations, and I can think of no wisdom that does not contemplate the good of man and society. Wisdom is true understanding (Conference Report, April 1950, 161)

Fifth - - The Gift of Knowledge (D&C 46:18)

The gift of seeing with the natural eyes is just as much a gift as the gift of tongues. The Lord gave that gift and we can do as we please with regard to seeing; we can use the sight of the eye to the glory of God, or to our own destruction (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 254).

Sixth - - The Gift of Teaching Wisdom and Knowledge (Moroni 10:9-10)

Elder M. Russell Ballard explained a wonderful concept about this gift as taught in scripture:

The Apostle Paul placed the priority of teachers in the Church next only to the Apostles and the prophets when he said, “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers” (1 Cor. 12:28).
President Brigham Young used the following story to illustrate the potential influence of teachers: “A traveller in the Eastern country overtook an old gentleman walking towards a town, and asked him, ‘Who is the great man of that little town? Who is your leading man? Who is the governor and controlling spirit of that little place?’ The old gentleman replied, ‘I am the king of that little town.’ ‘Really,’ says the traveller, ‘are you the leading man?’ ‘Yes, sir, I am king in that place, and reign as king.’ ‘How do you make this to appear? Are you in affluent circumstances?’ ‘No, I am poor; but in that little village there are so many children. All those children go to my school; I rule the children, and they rule their parents, and that makes me king.’ ”
President David O. McKay said, “No greater responsibility can rest upon any man, than to be a teacher of God’s children” (Ensign, May 1983, 68).

Jeffrey R. Holland added these insights:

Inspired instruction in the home and in the Church helps provide this crucial element of nourishing by the good word of God. We are so grateful to all who teach. We love you and appreciate you more than we can say. We have great confidence in you. To teach effectively and to feel you are succeeding is demanding work indeed. But it is worth it.
Fathers, mothers, siblings, friends, missionaries, home and visiting teachers, priesthood and auxiliary leaders, classroom instructors—each is, in his or her own way, “come from God” for our schooling and our salvation. In this Church it is virtually impossible to find anyone who is not a guide of one kind or another to his or her fellow members of the flock. Little wonder that Paul would say in his writings, “God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers “[1 Cor. 12:28].
From all of us who have been taught to all of you who teach—we say thank you, from the bottom of our hearts. May we exalt the teaching experience within the home and within the Church and improve our every effort to edify and instruct (Ensign, May 1998, 25).

Seventh - - The Gift of Knowing That Jesus Christ IS the Son of God (D&C 46:13)

President Joseph Fielding Smith, speaking of this gift as mentioned in D&C 46:13, stated:

This knowledge is placed first among the special gifts, because it is obtained only by revelation. This knowledge is a special gift. When the Spirit speaks to spirit, the imprint upon the soul is far more difficult to erase. Every member of the Church should have impressions that Jesus is the Son of God indelibly pictured on his soul through the witness of the Holy Ghost (Improvement Era, Nov. 1966, 979).

Marion G. Romney explained:

Everyone who has a testimony of Jesus has received it by revelation from the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is a revelator, and everyone who receives him receives revelation (Conference Report, April 1956, 68).

Concerning this wonderful gift, Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught that this gift is necessarily connected to the following one by the doctrine of missionary work:

Spiritual gifts come by the power of the Holy Ghost, that all the faithful may be benefited. One of these gifts is “to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world” (D&C 46:13). Those who receive that gift have the duty to testify of it. We know this because immediately after describing the gift of knowing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Lord says: “To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful” (D&C 46:14; see also 3 Ne. 19:28). Those who have the gift to know must give their witness so that those who have the gift to believe on their words can enjoy the benefit of that gift (Ensign, Nov 1990, 29).

For those who heard him, it was unforgettable when Elder Bruce R. McConkie bore his final testimony in conference (he died 10 days later). In a witness of this gift, he proclaimed:

In speaking of these wondrous things I shall use my own words, though you may think they are the words of scripture, words spoken by other Apostles and prophets.
True it is they were first proclaimed by others, but they are now mine, for the Holy Spirit of God has borne witness to me that they are true, and it is now as though the Lord had revealed them to me in the first instance. I have thereby heard his voice and know his word (Ensign, May 1985, 9).

I like how President Hinckley summed some of this up for this gift:

With all of our doing, with all of our leading, with all of our teaching, the most important thing we can do for those whom we lead is to cultivate in their hearts a living, vital, vibrant testimony and knowledge of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the world, the Author of our salvation, He who atoned for the sins of the world and opened the way of salvation and eternal life. I would hope that in all we do we would somehow constantly nourish the testimony of our people concerning the Savior: I am satisfied—I know it’s so—that whenever a man has a true witness in his heart of the living reality of the Lord Jesus Christ, all else will come together as it should. … That is the root from which all virtue springs among those who call themselves Latter-day Saints (Ensign, Dec 2000, 14).

Eighth - - The Gift of Believing the Testimony of Others (D&C 46:14)

President David O. McKay

…the Lord says further that there are those to whom it is given to believe upon the testimony of the words of others (D&C 46:14). Note that. They believe upon the words of others that they may also receive salvation if they continue faithful (Conference Report October 1960, 4).

President Harold B. Lee made a wonderful comment about this “gift”:

…some of you may not have that testimony as firmly rooted as you would like to. May I ask you then, if you don't have, to cling to my testimony tonight, until you can develop one for yourselves. Say that you believe in one who holds the holy apostleship, that you believe what I said and then you start now to so search in the way that the scriptures have told us, as I have explained to you here tonight, until you too can say, as I say tonight, yes I know, by a witness that is more powerful, than sight, I know that Jesus is the Savior of the world (LDSSA Fireside, USU, Oct. 1971).

Ninth - - The Gift of Prophecy (D&C 46:22)

Concerning this gift, Brigham Young taught:

Every man and woman may be a revelator, and have the testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy, and foresee the mind and will of God concerning them, eschew evil, and choose that which is good (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 253).

President Joseph Fielding Smith stressed:

All members of the Church should seek for the gift of prophecy, for their own guidance which is the spirit by which the word of the Lord is understood and his purpose made known (Church History and Modern-day Revelation, 1:201).

Tenth - - The Gift of Healing (D&C 46:19 – 20)

Brigham Young taught who should give blessings in this Church:

I am sent for continually, though I only go occasionally, because it is a privilege of every father, who is an Elder in Israel, to have faith to heal his family, just as much so as it is my privilege to have faith to heal my family; and if he does not do it he is not living up to his privilege. It is just as reasonable for him to ask me to cut his wood and maintain his family, for if he had faith himself he would save me the trouble of leaving other duties to attend to his request (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 252).

For a marvelous supplement to this quote, see “The Power of the Priesthood” (well worth reading) by President Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, May 2010, 6. An excerpt follows:

This section states that, “…others have the faith to be healed. We can all exercise the faith to be healed when we are ill” (p. 129).

If any are still concerned that we don’t need doctors or medicine, Brigham Young declared:

If we are sick, and ask the Lord to heal us, and to do all for us that is necessary to be done, according to my understanding of the Gospel of salvation, I might as well ask the Lord to cause my wheat and corn to grow, without my plowing the ground and casting in the seed. It appears consistent to me to apply every remedy that comes within the range of my knowledge, and to ask my Father in Heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ, to sanctify that application to the healing of my body (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 252-3).

But when none of the above are available, Brigham Young also explained:

But suppose we were traveling in the mountains, …and one or two were taken sick, without anything in the world in the shape of healing medicine within our reach, what should we do? According to my faith, ask the Lord Almighty to … heal the sick. This is our privilege, when so situated that we cannot get anything to help ourselves. Then the Lord and his servants can do all. But it is my duty to do, when I have it in my power (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 253).

Brigham Young also stressed the importance of spiritual preparation:

When we are prepared, when we are holy vessels before the Lord, a stream of power from the Almighty can pass through the tabernacle of the administrator to the system of the patient, and the sick are made whole; the headache, fever or other disease has to give way (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 252).

Note the words “When we are prepared” and “can” in the above quote.

Concerning healing, Brigham Young taught:

When I lay hands on the sick, I expect the healing power and influence of God to pass through me to the patient, and the disease to give way. I do not say that I heal everybody I lay hands on; but many have been healed under my administration (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 252).

In addition to the above, indicating that the Lord is still in charge and that “His will be done” is so crucial to this discussion, Brigham Young also stated:

We lay hands on the sick and wish them to be healed, and pray the Lord to heal them, but we cannot always say that he will (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 253).

James E. Talmage also helps us to understand God’s will in conjunction with this gift:

Another gift...is that of having faith to be healed, which is manifested in varying degrees. Not always are the administrations of the elders followed by immediate healings; the afflicted may be permitted to suffer in body, perhaps for the accomplishment of good purposes, and in the time appointed all must experience bodily death. But let the counsels of God be observed in administering the afflicted; then if they recover, they live unto the Lord; and the assuring promise is added that those who die under such conditions die unto the Lord (Articles of Faith, 205).

In a truly wonderful conference talk (it would be valuable to read this one); Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught about faith, blessings, and the will of the Lord:

Ideally, the elder who officiates will be so in tune with the Spirit of the Lord that he will know and declare the will of the Lord in the words of the blessing. Brigham Young taught priesthood holders, “It is your privilege and duty to live so that you know when the word of the Lord is spoken to you and when the mind of the Lord is revealed to you.” When that happens, the spoken blessing is fulfilled literally and miraculously. On some choice occasions I have experienced that certainty of inspiration in a healing blessing and have known that what I was saying was the will of the Lord. However, like most who officiate in healing blessings, I have often struggled with uncertainty on the words I should say. For a variety of causes, every elder experiences increases and decreases in his level of sensitivity to the promptings of the Spirit. Every elder who gives a blessing is subject to influence by what he desires for the person afflicted. Each of these and other mortal imperfections can influence the words we speak.
Fortunately, the words spoken in a healing blessing are not essential to its healing effect. If faith is sufficient and if the Lord wills it, the afflicted person will be healed or blessed whether the officiator speaks those words or not. Conversely, if the officiator yields to personal desire or inexperience and gives commands or words of blessing in excess of what the Lord chooses to bestow according to the faith of the individual, those words will not be fulfilled. Consequently, brethren, no elder should ever hesitate to participate in a healing blessing because of fear that he will not know what to say. The words spoken in a healing blessing can edify and energize the faith of those who hear them, but the effect of the blessing is dependent upon faith and the Lord’s will, not upon the words spoken by the elder who officiated (Ensign, May 2010, 47).

Eleventh - - The Gift of Working Miracles (D&C 46:21)

That we are a Church of miracles was proclaimed by Brigham Young:

We are asked if signs follow the believer in our day as in days of old. We answer they do. The blind see, the lame leap, the deaf hear, the gift of prophecy is manifest, also the gift of healing, the gift of revelation, the gift of tongues and the interpretation of tongues. Jesus said that these signs should follow them that believe [see Mark 16:17]. His Church and Kingdom always have these signs which follow the believer in all ages when the true Church is in existence (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 251).

He also declared:

I am here to testify to hundreds of instances of men, women, and children being healed by the power of God, through the laying on of hands, and many I have seen raised from the gates of death, and brought back from the verge of eternity; and some whose spirits had actually left their bodies, returned again. I testify that I have seen the sick healed by the laying on of hands, according to the promise of the Savior (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 252).

As well as:

Miracles, or these extraordinary manifestations of the power of God, are not for the unbeliever; they are to console the Saints, and to strengthen and confirm the faith of those who love, fear, and serve God, and not for outsiders (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 254).

That Jesus Christ, who created the earth, could perform miracles should not surprise us, explained Brigham Young:

The Savior converted the water into wine. He knew how to call the necessary elements together in order to fill the water with the properties of wine. The elements are all around us; we eat, drink and breathe them, and Jesus, understanding the process of calling them together, performed no miracle except to those who were ignorant of that process. It was the same with the woman who was healed by touching the hem of his garment [see Matthew 9:20-22]; she was healed by faith, but it was no miracle to Jesus. He understood the process…This was no miracle to him. He had the issues of life and death in his power… Jesus had this power in and of himself; the Father bequeathed it to him; it was his legacy, and he had the power to lay down his life and take it again. He had the streams and issues of life within him and when he said “Live” to individuals, they lived (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 256).

Brigham Young also gave this caution about demanding miracles:

No person, unless he is an adulterer [see Matthew 12:39], a fornicator, covetous, or an idolator, will ever require [demand] a miracle; in other words, no good, honest person ever will (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 255).

Twelfth - - The Gift of Faith (Moroni 10:11)

Brigham Young powerfully taught:

When you believe the principles of the Gospel and attain unto faith, which is a gift of God, he adds more faith, adding faith to faith. He bestows faith upon his creatures as a gift; but his creatures inherently possess the privilege of believing the gospel to be true or false (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 252).

Joseph Smith warned:

Because faith is wanting, the fruits are…A man who has none of the gifts has no faith; and he deceives himself, if he supposes he has. Faith has been wanting… (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 118).

We Can Develop Our Gifts

Joseph stated that every Latter-day Saint had a gift, and by living a righteous life, and asking for it, the Holy Spirit would reveal it to him or her (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 117).

In this section, D&C 46:8 is quoted twice about “seeking the best gifts” (p. 130). A great discussion could center on the question, “What is the best gift?” Under “Additional Scriptures” (p. 132) is listed 1 Corinthians 12. Verses 3-31 could be a very productive discussion for the answers to the above question.

In conjunction with D&C 46:9, quoted in this section, Brigham Young had this to say:

The gifts of the Gospel are given to strengthen the faith of the believer (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 251).

Edward Stevenson was present when Joseph Smith preached in Pontiac, Michigan, in 1834. He recalled these words of the Prophet: “If you will obey the Gospel with honest hearts, I promise you in the name of the Lord, that the gifts as promised by our Saviour will follow you, and by this you may prove me to be a true servant of God” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 118).

I really like the way Elder George O. Cannon approached the challenge of “developing our gifts”:

How many of you...are seeking for these gifts that God has promised to bestow? How many of you, when you bow before your Heavenly Father in your family circle or in your secret places contend for these gifts to be bestowed upon you? How many of you ask the Father, in the name of Jesus, to manifest Himself to you through these power and these gifts? Or do you go along day by day like a door turning on its hinges, without having any feeling upon the subject, without exercising any faith whatever; content to be baptized and be members of the Church, and to rest there, thinking that your salvation is secure because you have done this? (Millennial Star 56:260-261, April 23, 1894).

Satan Imitates the Gifts of the Spirit

President Marion G. Romney gave an important key to keep from being deceived by Satan:

This is a key test…the gifts of the spirit are given by the power of the Holy Ghost. Without the gift of the Holy Ghost, the manifestations of his gifts may not be enjoyed…
Thus one who has never received the gift of the Holy Ghost cannot possibly word miracles by his power (Conference Report, Apr. 1956, 72).

Joseph Smith also warned:

Various and conflicting are the opinions of men in regard to the gift of the Holy Ghost. Some people have been in the habit of calling every supernatural manifestation the effects of the Spirit of God, whilst there are others that think there is no manifestation connected with it at all; and that it is nothing but a mere impulse of the mind, or an inward feeling, impression, or secret testimony or evidence, which men possess, and that there is no such a thing as an outward manifestation.
The human family are very apt to run to extremes, especially in religious matters, and hence people in general either want some miraculous display, or they will not believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost at all (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 118-9).

This section states, “Satan can imitate the gifts of tongues, prophecy, visions, healings, and other miracles. Moses had to compete with Satan’s imitations in Pharaoh’s court (p. 131).

President Joseph F. Smith echoed this idea and expanded upon it:

The gifts of the Spirit and the powers of the holy Priesthood are of God, they are given for the blessing of the people, for their encouragement, and for the strengthening of their faith. This Satan knows full well, therefore he seeks by imitation-miracles to blind and deceive the children of God. Remember what the magicians of Egypt accomplished in their efforts to deceive Pharaoh as to the divinity of the mission of Moses and Aaron. …
That the power to work wonders may come from an evil source is declared by Christ in his prophecy regarding the great judgment: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt. 7:22-23) (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, 117).

Below is repeated a quote from President Packer which was in the blog for last lesson, but actually fits better here:

If ever you receive a prompting to do something that makes you feel uneasy, something you know in your mind to be wrong and contrary to the principles of righteousness, do not respond to it! (Ensign, Nov 1994, 59).

President Packer also taught:

Be ever on guard lest you be deceived by inspiration from an unworthy source. You can be given false spiritual messages. There are counterfeit spirits just as there are counterfeit angels (See Moro. 7:17). Be careful lest you be deceived, for the devil may come disguised as an angel of light.
The spiritual part of us and the emotional part of us are so closely linked that is possible to mistake an emotional impulse for something spiritual. We occasionally find people who receive what they assume to be spiritual promptings from God, when those promptings are either centered in the emotions or are from the adversary.
Avoid like a plague those who claim that some great spiritual experience authorizes them to challenge the constituted priesthood authority in the Church. Do not be unsettled if you cannot explain every insinuation of the apostate or every challenge from the enemies who attack the Lord’s church. And we now face a tidal wave of that. In due time you will be able to confound the wicked and inspire the honest in heart (Ensign, Jan 1983, 51).

We Must Be Careful with Our Gifts of the Spirit

This section begins with the question, “How can we respect the sacredness of spiritual gifts?” (p. 131)

Brigham Young discussed one to the dangers of expecting more than we need:

Suppose you obey the ordinances of the Gospel, and do not speak in tongues today, never mind that. Suppose you do not have the spirit of prophecy, no matter. Suppose you do not receive any particular gift attended by the rushing of a mighty wind, as on the day of Pentecost, there is not particular necessity that you should. On the day of Pentecost there was special need for it, it was a peculiarly trying time. Some special and powerful manifestation of the power of the Almighty was necessary to open the eyes of the people and let them know that Jesus has paid the debt, and they had actually crucified him who, by his death, had become the Savior of the world. It required this at that time to convince the people (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young, 252).

President Boyd K. Packer warned us to “be careful” with the following:

I have come to believe also that it is not wise to continually talk of unusual spiritual experiences. They are to be guarded with care and shared only when the Spirit itself prompts you to use them to the blessing of others (Ensign, Jan 1983, 51).

Joseph Smith added:

The Lord cannot always be known by the thunder of His voice, by the display of His glory or by the manifestation of His power; and those that are the most anxious to see these things, are the least prepared to meet them, and were the Lord to manifest His power as He did to the children of Israel, such characters would be the first to say, ‘Let not the Lord speak any more, lest we His people die (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, 122).