Lesson 62: Doctrine and Covenants 46–48

Doctrine and Covenants 46:7–33, Part 1

Gifts of the Spirit

Heavenly Father blesses faithful members of the Church with spiritual gifts. These gifts allow us to become more like the Savior and bless those around us. This lesson can help students feel Heavenly Father’s love for them as they learn why He blesses us with spiritual gifts.

Possible Learning Activities

This is the first of two lessons about gifts of the Spirit. Part 1 will focus on Heavenly Father’s purposes for blessing us with spiritual gifts. Part 2 will help students recognize how they can seek spiritual gifts. If class time is limited and only one lesson on this topic can be taught, consider how the lessons could effectively be combined.

Evidence of Heavenly Father’s love

Consider starting class by singing or listening to a hymn or song about Heavenly Father’s love for His children, such as “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” (2:58). If students were invited to do the preparation activity, this could be a good time to follow up. Or you could ask students to ponder and then share answers to questions such as the following:

• When has the Holy Ghost inspired you to think, say, or do something that blessed your life or the lives of others?

• What did this experience teach you about the love Heavenly Father has for His children?

Gifts of the Spirit

The blessings and abilities God gives us through the Holy Ghost are called spiritual gifts.

• What do you know about spiritual gifts and their purpose?

To help students understand the desire of early Church members to receive gifts of the Spirit, you might read from Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, vol. 1, The Standard of Truth, 1815–1846 (2018), 111–13, or play the audio of chapter 10 from time code 12:36 to 15:52 (available at saints.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Alternatively, you could share the following summary.

Early converts to the Church in Kirtland were excited about the promise that they could receive spiritual gifts. However, some misunderstood how these gifts were manifest.

Some of the Saints in Kirtland took their beliefs to wild extremes, reveling in what they took to be gifts of the Spirit. Several people claimed to have visions they could not explain. Others believed the Holy Ghost made them slide or scoot across the ground. One man bounced around rooms or swung from ceiling joists whenever he thought he felt the Spirit. Another acted like a baboon.

Seeing this behavior, some converts grew discouraged and gave up on the new church. (Saints, 1:112)

• What are some questions or misunderstandings people might have about gifts of the Spirit in our day?

Students could be invited to share their own questions about spiritual gifts. Encourage students to look for teachings that can help them better understand spiritual gifts and how these gifts are evidence of God’s love.

The Lord revealed truths about spiritual gifts

The Prophet Joseph Smith sought heavenly guidance about how to help the Saints in Kirtland. As part of the revelation the Prophet received, the Lord taught principles that would help the Saints avoid being deceived and help them understand the true gifts of the Spirit.

Read Doctrine and Covenants 46:7–8, looking for the warning the Lord gave to the Saints.

• What did the Lord teach in these verses about how we can avoid being deceived?

Read Doctrine and Covenants 46:9–12, 26. Search for answers to the following questions:

• Who is given spiritual gifts?

• Why does Heavenly Father give spiritual gifts to His children?

  Display the previous two questions for students to refer to as they study. They could study on their own or in small groups. After they have had sufficient time to study, invite them to discuss their answers to the questions.

  As part of your discussion, help students identify the following truth: Heavenly Father blesses His children with spiritual gifts so that everyone may benefit.

• How can knowing the purpose of spiritual gifts help us to recognize them in our lives?

Understanding more about spiritual gifts

To help students learn about the spiritual gifts mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 46, provide them with the handout titled “These Gifts Come from God.” Students could complete it individually or in groups. It may also be helpful to display the following definitions:

• Know the differences of administration (verse 15): This gift can help leaders recognize the spiritual gifts of others and how they can be helpful in various positions of service.

• Know the diversities of operations (verse 16): This gift helps individuals determine whether a teaching or influence comes from God or from some other source.

• Gift of prophecy (verse 22): “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). Personal revelation is the source of testimony, and testimony enables a person to prophesy or testify of God’s work.

• The discerning of spirits (verse 23): This gift allows a person to recognize or understand others’ true intentions and hidden motivations. This gift helps a person to detect hidden evils and to see the good in others.

“These Gifts Come from God”

Read Doctrine and Covenants 46:13–26 and identify different spiritual gifts God gives to His children. To better understand how these gifts can benefit God’s children, match each verse with the appropriate scenario.

Spiritual Gifts		Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual Gifts Doctrine and Covenants 46:13	Spiritual Gifts While serving as the president of her Young Women class, Michelle has been able to recognize the different strengths of her class members. This recognition has helped her make assignments that allow her class members to contribute and serve in meaningful ways.
Spiritual Gifts Doctrine and Covenants 46:14	Spiritual Gifts As Samantha listens to the testimonies of others, she is not sure she can join them in saying that she knows the Church is true. But listening to their testimonies increases her belief in the Savior. This belief inspires her to continue to live faithfully.
Spiritual Gifts Doctrine and Covenants 46:15	Spiritual Gifts Lucy is invited to a party. Although nobody has given her details, she has an uneasy feeling about attending. She politely declines the invitation, and though it’s difficult, she feels that she’s doing the right thing.
Spiritual Gifts Doctrine and Covenants 46:16	Spiritual Gifts he Lord helped many prophets foretell future events, including the ministry of Jesus Christ (see Isaiah 7:14; 1 Nephi 11:27–28; Mosiah 3:5–10).
Spiritual Gifts Doctrine and Covenants 46:17–18	Spiritual Gifts As Robert has strived to live the gospel, consistently pray, and study the scriptures, he has come to know that Jesus Christ is his Savior.
Spiritual Gifts Doctrine and Covenants 46:19–20	Spiritual Gifts Missionary work has been difficult for Elder Vasquez and Elder Cox. However, they are determined to serve with faith in Jesus Christ. Over time they begin to see hearts soften and miracles occur in the lives of the people they are teaching.
Spiritual Gifts Doctrine and Covenants 46:21	Spiritual Gifts When Mark is sick, he knows he can ask his father for a priesthood blessing. On multiple occasions, these blessings have brought him added peace and strength.
Spiritual Gifts Doctrine and Covenants 46:22	Spiritual Gifts A post on social media has caused one of Alice’s friends to question his faith. When he shared the post with Alice, she recognized that the information was not of God.
Spiritual Gifts Doctrine and Covenants 46:23	Spiritual Gifts Judie was asked to teach her Young Women class. As she sought Heavenly Father’s help, she felt guided in her preparation and was able to teach an edifying lesson.
Spiritual Gifts Doctrine and Covenants 46:24–25	Spiritual Gifts Sister Erickson has been called to serve a mission in another country. As she seeks God’s help and works to learn the language, she finds that she is able to understand others and share her testimony powerfully.

When students have completed the activity, share the answers with them: 1e, 2b, 3a, 4h, 5i, 6g, 7f, 8d, 9c, 10j. Provide clarification as needed.

• What did you learn about how Heavenly Father blesses His children through gifts of the Spirit?

  Explain that students may recognize Heavenly Father blessing them with spiritual gifts beyond those listed in the scriptures. For example, through the Holy Ghost, He might bless them with patience in a stressful situation, the ability to forgive someone who has offended them, courage in a time of need, or a greater desire to serve someone. Consider inviting students to think of additional spiritual gifts available to us and how they are a manifestation of God’s love. You could list some of these on the board.

• What are some spiritual gifts Heavenly Father has blessed you with?

• How has He blessed you through the spiritual gifts of others?

• How has your experience with spiritual gifts affected your relationship with Heavenly Father?

Additional Resources

Where can I learn more about spiritual gifts?

For a detailed explanation of some of the spiritual gifts mentioned in this lesson, refer to the table in New Testament Student Manual (2018), “1 Corinthians 12–14.”

Doctrine and Covenants 46:7–8: How does the adversary deceive people into believing they are feeling the Spirit?

Though the spiritual deceptions some of the Saints in Kirtland experienced are not common in the Church today, the adversary still deceives people, leading to behavior that is not in harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared the following:

A man once told me about his struggles to stabilize his family’s financial situation. He had the idea to embezzle funds as a solution, prayed about it, and felt he had received affirmative revelation to do so. I knew he had been deceived because he sought revelation contrary to a commandment of God. The Prophet Joseph Smith warned, “Nothing is a greater injury to the children of men than to be under the influence of a false spirit, when they think they have the Spirit of God” [Joseph Smith, in Times and Seasons, Apr. 1, 1842, 744, josephsmithpapers.org]. (Dale G. Renlund, “A Framework for Personal Revelation,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 17)

Is the gift of the Holy Ghost necessary to receive spiritual gifts?

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught:

We … 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. (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 117)

What are some other spiritual gifts available to us?

Elder John C. Pingree Jr. of the Seventy taught:

A number of spiritual gifts are documented in scripture [see 1 Corinthians 12:1–11, 31; Moroni 10:8–18; Doctrine and Covenants 46:8–26], but there are many others. Some might include having compassion, expressing hope, relating well with people, organizing effectively, speaking or writing persuasively, teaching clearly, and working hard. (John C. Pingree Jr., “I Have a Work for Thee,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 33)

Elder Marvin J. Ashton (1915–1994) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke of additional spiritual gifts:

Supplemental Learning Activities

We each have different but essential gifts

This activity could be used instead of the handout.

Before class, write the numbers 13 through 25 in random places on a piece of paper. Then cut the paper into 13 puzzle pieces, with one number on each puzzle piece.

After identifying the bolded truth in the lesson, distribute the puzzle pieces among the students. Explain that the numbers on the pieces refer to verses in Doctrine and Covenants 46 and that each of these verses names a gift of the Spirit. Invite students to read aloud the verses that correspond to the numbers they have been given.

After each verse is read, ask students to suggest a situation in which that gift could benefit the children of God. As they share, invite the class to work together to assemble the puzzle. Point out that just as students were all given different pieces needed to complete the puzzle, we are all given different spiritual gifts to benefit one another (see verse 12).

Knowing and believing

Students may benefit from recognizing that the gift of believing in Jesus Christ is a significant gift from God, even if we do not yet possess the gift of knowing that He is the Son of God (see Doctrine and Covenants 46:13–14).

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared:

A 14-year-old boy recently said to me a little hesitantly, “Brother Holland, I can’t say yet that I know the Church is true, but I believe it is.” I hugged that boy until his eyes bulged out. I told him with all the fervor of my soul that belief is a precious word, an even more precious act, and he need never apologize for “only believing.” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Lord, I Believe,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2013, 94)

Students could search divinely appointed sources to better understand how the Lord honors those with the gift of belief. For example, they could study more from Elder Holland’s address “Lord, I Believe” or Alma 32:16–27.