Thursday, May 15, 2025

I Have a Work for Thee” By Elder John C. Pingree Jr. Of the Seventy; Exercising Our Spiritual Muscles By Elder Juan Pablo Villar Of the Seventy


 

When you think about all that God has given you—your time, talents, and opportunities—how are you using them to build His kingdom and bless others?

"Every one of us has a meaningful role to play in furthering God’s work.

To Moses, God declared, “I have a work for thee” (Moses 1:6). Have you ever wondered if Heavenly Father has a work for you? Are there important things He has prepared you—and specifically you—to accomplish? I testify the answer is yes!

Girish Ghimire

Consider Girish Ghimire, who was born and raised in the country of Nepal. As a teenager, he studied in China, where a classmate introduced him to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Eventually, Girish came to Brigham Young University for graduate work and met his future wife. They settled in the Salt Lake Valley and adopted two children from Nepal.

Years later, when more than 1,500 refugees from camps in Nepal were relocated to Utah, Girish felt inspired to help. With native-language fluency and cultural understanding, Girish served as an interpreter, teacher, and mentor. After resettling in the community, some of the Nepali refugees demonstrated interest in the gospel. A Nepali-speaking branch was organized, and Girish later served as its branch president. He was also instrumental in translating the Book of Mormon into Nepali.

Girish Ghimire with Nepali Book of Mormon

Can you see how Heavenly Father prepared and is using Girish?

God Has a Work for Each of Us

Brothers and sisters, God has important work for each of us. Speaking to sisters but teaching truths that apply to all, President Spencer W. Kimball taught: “Before we came [to earth, we] were given certain assignments. … While we do not now remember the particulars, this does not alter the glorious reality of what we once agreed to.” What an ennobling truth! Our Heavenly Father has specific and significant things for you and me to accomplish (see Ephesians 2:10).

These divine assignments are not reserved for a privileged few but are for all of us—regardless of gender, age, race, nationality, income level, social status, or Church calling. Every one of us has a meaningful role to play in furthering God’s work (see Moses 1:39).

Some of us question whether Heavenly Father can use us to make important contributions. But remember, He has always used ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things (see 1 Corinthians 1:27–28D&C 35:13124:1). “[We] are agents,” and “the power is in [us]” to “bring to pass much righteousness” (D&C 58:27–28).

President Russell M. Nelson explained:

“The Lord has more in mind for you than you have in mind for yourself! You have been reserved and preserved for this time and place. …

“The Lord needs you to change the world. As you accept and follow His will for you, you will find yourself accomplishing the impossible!”

So how do we come to understand and perform the work God intends for us? Let me share four principles that will help.

Focus on Others

First, focus on others. We can follow Christ, “who went about doing good” (Acts 10:38; see also 2 Nephi 26:24).

After returning from a full-time mission, I missed the daily purpose I had enjoyed. Clearly, I needed to keep my covenants, get an education, start a family, and earn a living. But I wondered if there was something more, or even special, that the Lord wanted me to do. After pondering for several months, I came across this verse: “If you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation” (D&C 11:8). The Spirit helped me understand that the primary purpose of divine assignments is to bless others and to do “much good.”

We can approach decision points in our lives—like what to study, what to do for work, or where to live—in the context of helping others.

One family moved to a new city. Instead of finding a home in an affluent neighborhood, they felt impressed to locate to an area with considerable social and economic needs. Over the years, the Lord has worked through them to support many individuals and to build up their ward and stake.

A medical professional maintained a typical practice but felt guided to set aside one day each week to provide free care to individuals with no health insurance. Because of this man’s and his wife’s willingness to bless others, the Lord provided a way for them to support hundreds of patients in need while also raising their large family.

Discover and Develop Spiritual Gifts

Second, discover and develop spiritual gifts. Heavenly Father gave us these gifts to help us identify, perform, and enjoy the work He has for us.

Some of us wonder, “Do I have any gifts?” Again, the answer is yes! “To every man [and woman] is given a gift by the Spirit of God … that all may be profited thereby” (D&C 46:11–12; emphasis added). A number of spiritual gifts are documented in scripture (see 1 Corinthians 12:1–11, 31Moroni 10:8–18D&C 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.

So how do we come to know our gifts? We can reference our patriarchal blessing, ask those who know us best, and personally identify what we are naturally good at and enjoy. Most important, we can ask God (see James 1:5D&C 112:10). He knows our gifts, since He gave them to us (see D&C 46:26).

As we discover our gifts, we have a responsibility to develop them (see Matthew 25:14–30). Even Jesus Christ “received not of the fulness at first, but [developed] from grace to grace” (D&C 93:13).

Painting of the Savior by Ben Simonsen

One young man produced illustrations to promote religious values. My favorite is a portrait of the Savior, a copy of which hangs in our home. This brother developed and used his artistic gifts. Working through him, Heavenly Father has inspired others to improve their discipleship.

Sometimes we feel that we don’t have any particularly important gifts. One day, a discouraged sister pleaded, “Lord, what is my personal ministry?” He answered, “Notice others.” It was a spiritual gift! Since then, she has found joy in noticing those who are regularly forgotten, and God has worked through her to bless many. While some spiritual gifts may not be prominent by the world’s standards, they are essential to God and His work.

Make Use of Adversity

Third, make use of adversity. Our trials help us discover and prepare for the work Heavenly Father has for us. Alma explained, “After much tribulation, the Lord … made me an instrument in his hands” (Mosiah 23:10). Like the Savior, whose atoning sacrifice enables Him to succor us (see Alma 7:11–12), we can use knowledge gained from difficult experiences to lift, strengthen, and bless others.

After a successful human resources executive was laid off, he read his patriarchal blessing and felt inspired to start a company to help other professionals find employment. (He even helped me find work when our family returned from serving a mission.) The Lord used his trial as a stepping-stone to bless others, while providing him with a more meaningful career.

A young couple experienced a stillbirth. With broken hearts, they decided to honor their daughter by providing counseling and material support to parents enduring similar situations. The Lord has worked through this couple because of their specialized empathy, developed through adversity.

Rely on God

And fourth, rely on God. When we ask Him in faith with real intent, He will reveal our divine assignments to us. Once we discover them, He will help us fulfill those assignments. “All things are present before [His] eyes” (D&C 38:2; see also Abraham 2:8), and at the right times, He will open the doors necessary for us (see Revelation 3:8). He even sent His Son, Jesus Christ, so that we can depend on Him for strength beyond our natural abilities (see Philippians 4:13Alma 26:12).

One brother, concerned with local government decisions, felt impressed to run for public office. Despite a daunting campaign process, he exercised faith and gathered the resources to run. Ultimately, he did not win but felt the Lord gave him guidance and strength to raise issues important to the community.

A single mother, raising children with developmental disabilities, questioned whether she could adequately meet her family’s needs. Though it has been difficult, she feels strengthened by the Lord to fulfill her most important mission successfully.

A Word of Warning

At the same time God helps us fulfill divine assignments, the adversary works to distract and dissuade us from a life of meaning.

Sin is perhaps our greatest stumbling block, dulling our sensitivity to the Holy Ghost and restricting our access to spiritual power. To perform the work Heavenly Father has for us, we must strive to be clean (see 3 Nephi 8:1). Are we living in such a way that God can work through us?

Satan also seeks to distract us with less important matters. The Lord warned an early Church leader, “Your mind has been on the things of the earth more than on the things of me … and the ministry whereunto you have been called” (D&C 30:2). Are we so preoccupied with worldly things that we are diverted from our divine assignments?

In addition, Satan discourages us with feelings of inadequacy. He makes our work appear too difficult or intimidating. However, we can trust God! He loves us. He wants us to succeed. He “doth go before [us]; he will be with [us], he will not fail [us]” (Deuteronomy 31:8; see also Psalm 32:8Proverbs 3:5–6Matthew 19:26D&C 78:18).

Satan may also coax us to view our work as less valuable than the work assigned to others. But every assignment from God is important, and we will find fulfillment as we “glory in that which the Lord hath commanded [us]” (Alma 29:9).

As God works through us, the adversary may tempt us to take credit for any accomplishments. However, we can emulate the Savior’s humility by deflecting personal praise and glorifying the Father (see Matthew 5:16Moses 4:2). When a reporter tried to recognize Mother Teresa for her life’s mission to help the poor, she retorted: “It’s [God’s] work. I am like a … pencil in his hand. … He does the thinking. He does the writing. The pencil has nothing to do with it. The pencil has only to be allowed to be used.”

Conclusion

My beloved brothers and sisters, I invite each of us to “yield [ourselves] unto God … as instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:13). Yielding ourselves involves letting Him know we want to be of use, seeking His direction, and accessing His strength.

As always, we can look to Jesus Christ, our perfect example. In the pre-earth life, Heavenly Father asked, “Whom shall I send?”

And Jesus answered, “Here am I, send me” (Abraham 3:27; see also Isaiah 6:8).

Jesus Christ accepted, prepared for, and performed His preordained role as our Savior and Redeemer. He did the Father’s will (see John 5:306:383 Nephi 27:13) and completed His divine assignments.

As we follow Christ’s example and yield ourselves to God, I testify that He will also use us to further His work and to bless others. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." (“I Have a Work for Thee” By Elder John C. Pingree Jr. Of the Seventy)

"Just as reading and learning about muscles is not enough to build muscle, reading and learning about faith without adding action is insufficient to build faith.

I am grateful for the blessing of having a physical body, which is an amazing gift from our Heavenly Father. Our bodies have over 600 muscles. Many muscles require exercise in order to be in condition to perform our daily activities. We could expend much mental effort reading and learning about our muscles, but if we think this will make them stronger, we will be very disappointed. Our muscles grow only when we use them.

I have come to realize that spiritual gifts behave in the same way. They also need to be exercised to grow. The spiritual gift of faith, for example, is not just a feeling or a mood; it is a principle of action that frequently appears in the scriptures linked to the verb exercise. Just as reading and learning about muscles is not enough to build muscle, reading and learning about faith without adding action is insufficient to build faith.

When I was 16 years old, my oldest brother, Ivan, who was 22 at that time, came home one day and shared some news with the family. He had decided to get baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Our parents looked at him somewhat skeptically, and I remember not completely understanding what was going on. A year or so later, he gave us more surprising news: he had decided to serve as a missionary of the Church, which meant that we were not going to see him for two years. My parents were not thrilled with this news; however, I saw in him a clear determination that increased my admiration for him and the decision he had made.

Months later, while Ivan was serving his mission, I had the opportunity to plan a vacation with some schoolmates. We wanted to celebrate the end of our high school years and spend a few days at the beach.

I wrote a letter to my missionary brother, mentioning my summer vacation plans. He wrote back that the town he was serving in was on the way to my destination. I decided it would be a good idea to stop by and visit him. It was not until later that I learned that missionaries are not supposed to be visited by family.

I made all the arrangements. I remember sitting on the bus thinking of all the fun Ivan and I would have together on this beautiful sunny day. We would have breakfast, chat, play in the sand, sunbathe—what a great time we were going to have!

As the bus arrived at the terminal, I saw Ivan standing next to another young man, both in white shirts and ties. I got off the bus, we hugged each other, and he introduced his companion. Without wasting another minute, I told my brother my plans for the day, but little did I know what Ivan had scheduled. He looked at me, smiled, and said, “Sure! However, we need to do some errands first. Would you come with us?” I agreed, thinking that we would have enough time to enjoy the beach afterward.

That day, for more than 10 hours, I walked through the streets of that town with my brother and his companion. I smiled at people all day. I greeted people I had never seen in my life. We talked to everyone, knocked on the doors of strangers, and visited people my brother and his companion were teaching.

During one such visit, my brother and his companion were teaching about Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation. Suddenly, Ivan paused and looked at me. To my surprise, he politely asked me to share my opinion about what was being taught. The room fell silent, and all eyes were on me. With some difficulty, I finally found the words and shared my feelings about the Savior. I did not know if what I shared was right or wrong. My brother never corrected me; to the contrary, he thanked me for sharing my thoughts and feelings.

During those hours together, my brother and his companion did not spend a single minute teaching a lesson exclusively to me, yet I gained more knowledge than in all my previous conversations with him. I witnessed how countenances were changed as people received spiritual light in their lives. I saw how some of them found hope in the messages, and I learned how to serve others and forget about myself and my own desires. I was doing what the Savior taught: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself.”

Looking back, I realize that my faith grew that day because my brother gave me the opportunity to put it in action. I exercised it as we read from the scriptures, looked for people to teach, bore testimony, served others, and so on. We never got around to sunbathing that day, but my heart was bathed in light from heaven. I did not see even one small grain of sand at the beach, but I felt my faith grow like a small grain of mustard seed. I did not spend the sunny day as a tourist, but I gained wonderful experiences, and without realizing it, I was a missionary—without even being a member of the Church!

Opportunities to Strengthen Spiritual Muscles

Thanks to the Restoration of the gospel, we can come to understand how our Heavenly Father helps us develop spiritual gifts. It is more likely that He will give us opportunities to develop those gifts rather than just granting them to us without spiritual and physical effort. If we are in tune with His Spirit, we will learn to identify those opportunities and then act upon them.

If we seek more patience, we may find ourselves needing to practice it while waiting for a response. If we want to have more love for our neighbor, we can foster it by sitting next to a new face at church. With faith it is similar: when doubts come to our minds, trusting in the Lord’s promises will be required to move forward. In this way, we are exercising spiritual muscles and developing them into sources of strength in our lives.

It will probably not be easy at the beginning, and it might even become a big challenge. The words of the Lord, through the prophet Moroni, apply to us today: “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have [or exercise] faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”

I am grateful for my brother Ivan, who not only shared the gospel with me but also indirectly invited me to live it and recognize my weaknesses. He helped me to accept the invitation of the Master: “Come, follow me”—to walk as the Savior walked, seek as the Savior sought, and love as the Savior loves us. Months later, after my missionary experience, I decided to get baptized and to serve my own mission.

Let’s accept the invitation of President Russell M. Nelson and intently come unto the Savior by identifying those muscles that need more spiritual activity and starting to exercise them. This is a long-distance race, a marathon, rather than a sprint, so do not forget those small but constant spiritual activities that will strengthen those important spiritual muscles. If we want to increase our faith, then let’s do things that require faith.

I bear my witness that we are children of a loving Heavenly Father. His Son, Jesus Christ, loves us. He came to this world to show us the way and then gave His life voluntarily to give us hope. The Savior invites us to follow His perfect example, to exercise our faith in Him and His Atonement, and to expand all the spiritual gifts that we have been blessed with. He is the way. This is my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen." (Exercising Our Spiritual Muscles By Elder Juan Pablo Villar Of the Seventy)

And here's the end part of the commentary entitled: "Heavenly Father gives me spiritual gifts to bless others." : 

"Your study of spiritual gifts might lead you to ponder what gifts God has given you. How can you use these gifts to bless His children? If you have a patriarchal blessing, it likely identifies gifts you have been given. Reading Elder John C. Pingree Jr.’s message “I Have a Work for Thee” could also open your mind to gifts you haven’t thought of (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 32–35).

If you’d like to learn about how to develop spiritual gifts, the analogy at the beginning of Elder Juan Pablo Villar’s message “Exercising Our Spiritual Muscles” could help (Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 95). What “exercises” could help you develop your spiritual gifts?

See also Topics and Questions, “Holy Ghost,” Gospel Library."



There's truly got to be more to this life than just what we see. Heavenly Father gave us more than what we see in this life. He gives us the power to fulfill our mission--the work He wants us to do under His divine plan. He gives you and me spiritual gifts to bless others. 







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