Ponderizing Moroni 10:9-18

  For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may teach the word of wisdom;

  And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

  And to another, exceedingly great faith; and to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

  And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles;
  And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all things;
  And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits;
  And again, to another, all kinds of tongues;
  And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of divers kinds of tongues.
  And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will.
  And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ.
Moroni 10:9-18

 Rollo chose Moroni 10:9 for our pondering this week, but we couldn't stop there.  While each of these gifts of the Spirit is amazing on its own, they are meant to all go together.  

Similar lists can be found in 1 Corinthians 12 and Doctrine and Covenants 46.  I've always found it interesting that Paul would advise use to "covet earnestly the best gifts"(1 Cor. 12:31), given the 10th commandment.  The Lord puts it a little more clearly in the Doctrine and Covenants:

And that ye be not deceived seek earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given. (D&C 46:8)

Why are they given?  So that we can avoid being deceived, and "that all may be profited thereby."(D&C 46:12) The coveting prohibited in the Old Testament is a selfish thing, enmity toward our neighbors who have cooler stuff than we do.  Desiring a spiritual gift for the purpose of blessing our neighbors is a righteous desire, and will be rewarded.

Which gifts are best, though? 

For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God. (D&C 46:11)

We each have at least one spiritual gift, and we need to learn what it is and how to use it to bless others.  We can receive other gifts when we need them for specific callings we receive or situations we encounter.  In all cases, we need to put forth some effort, to develop, practice and use our gifts, or we may lose them.
Paul and Moroni agree that the greatest gift is charity. 

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure.(Moroni 7:46-48)

I think charity encompasses all the other gifts.  With charity, we will really want to benefit all, and we'll know how to do it.  We will share our gifts, and appreciate the gifts of others without envy.  The Lord has such great things in store for us.  Let's use the tools He has given us, and seek for more!

What gifts have you seen in others?