Think of a Christmas morning with lots of presents under the tree. There’s something exciting about
gifts, isn’t there? That’s one reason I love reading Doctrine and Covenants section 46,
in which the Lord lists several spiritual gifts. Without looking, do you know what the first gift
listed is? The very first gift listed is to know through the Holy Ghost “that Jesus Christ is the
Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world.” While I’ve often thought
about other important spiritual gifts, like the gift of tongues, or the gift of healing,
it’s significant to know that the first gift listed by the Lord is to know through the Holy
Ghost that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world.
This testimony is a spiritual gift that each of us can receive and continually develop
at increasingly deeper levels.
Some might wonder, if a strong testimony of Jesus Christ available only to Apostles or
other senior church leaders. The answer is a resounding no! Elder Dale G. Renlund described
a powerful spiritual witness of Christ that his elderly father had received and then said, “My dad
lived his life in accordance with the light and knowledge he had received.
He did all that he was ever asked to do. He became one who qualified for that gift of the Spirit
to know that Jesus is the Christ and was crucified for the sins of the world, and for his sins.
Qualifying for this gift is not gender-dependent and it is not priesthood office–dependent.
It is dependent upon qualifying for that gift by choosing faith, by choosing the covenant path.”
We do not need to be called as General Authorities or General Church Officers to
have a powerful witness of our resurrected Lord. This spiritual gift is available to each of us
and can be ours as we continue to diligently seek the Savior and the guidance of the Holy
Ghost. In fact, Elder M. Russell Ballard taught that every member of the Church
is entitled to and can “develop an apostolic-like relationship with the Lord.”
So how can we receive the spiritual gift to know that Jesus Christ is the son of God
and that he was crucified for the sins of the world?
In another chapter focused on spiritual gifts, Moroni lists several spiritual gifts and then
says, “And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every [person]
severally, according as [he or she] will.” In other words, if we desire a gift, we will receive
it. Of course, desiring something is more than merely wishing for it. It also involves action.
While serving as a full-time missionary, I was at a special mission conference
presided over by Elder Richard G. Scott. During a brief moment between meetings,
I had the chance to ask Elder Scott a question about spiritual gifts. I asked Elder Scott,
“Can you still receive a spiritual gift if it isn’t listed in your patriarchal blessing?”
He looked at me and said, “If you pray for the gift, and then act as though you
already have it, the gift will be yours.” I’ve thought a lot about that statement,
and I believe it. If you want a spiritual gift, pray for it,
and then act as though you have it. What would that look like for the gift of knowing that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he was crucified for the sins of the world?
I don’t have all of the answers to that question, but I think for starters, if we were to act as
though we have this gift, we would frequently speak about and testify of Jesus Christ.
Elder Neil L. Andersen recently counseled us, “You and I speak of Jesus Christ,
but maybe we can do a little better. If the world is going to speak less of Him,
who is going to speak more of him? We are! Along with other devoted Christians!” How
we speak more of Christ may look different for each of us. Will it change our work or school
conversations, our prayers, our social media posts, or our dinner table topics?
Having this spiritual gift might also influence our scripture study. One of my colleagues,
Josh Sears, said to me, “Would it change the way we learn if, instead of participating in
‘scripture study’ or ‘gospel study,’ we thought of ourselves engaging in ‘Christ study’? Surely
if we were focused on receiving the spiritual gift to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God and that he was crucified for the sins of the world, we would focus more of our study on him.
It is a truly a valuable gift to know through the Holy Ghost
that Jesus Christ is the son of God and was crucified for the sins of the world.
That knowledge changes us. It changes our purpose. It changes our actions. It gives
us hope when we feel like there is no reason to hope. It helps us feel God’s love. I pray that you
and I will all strive to acquire and cherish this first gift of the Spirit.