Gifts

A few weeks ago, a very talented musician in our ward asked me to turn pages for her while she accompanied a song we were practicing in Relief Society. I felt a little nervous about doing it because I didn't want to turn the page too soon or too late and cause her a problem, but it turned out to be a wonderful experience for me. I had been practicing the piece because I was supposed to accompany it, but then found out that I was going to be gone on the week that the sisters were singing in Sacrament meeting. So I was aware of how much she was making things up as she went along. Everything sounded good, and most people wouldn't have realized that she wasn't playing the music exactly as written. I felt my esteem for this woman deepen as we sat on that piano bench together. But what was even more important was that I realized that although I don't have the gift that she has of being able to improvise at the keyboard, I do have gifts. My task is to learn to share them with as much confidence and generosity as she shares hers.

And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will. Moroni 10:17

Iron rod or liahona

In the Book of Mormon, the iron rod represents the word of God. The liahona is a tool that the Book of Mormon people used to direct their travels in the wilderness. Through the liahona, God gave them instructions to help them along their way. Sometimes people compare and contrast these two images and use them as metaphors for the way that people interact with God today. Iron rods are people who like to go by the book, and liahonas are people who work by inspiration. But I see both of these methods as necessary in our effort to stay on the path in life that will lead us home to our Heavenly Father. The word of God as contained in the scriptures and as taught to us by our living prophet shows us the way and gives us a true direction. Inspiration that comes to us personally through the whisperings of the Holy Ghost nudges us back onto that true path when we start to go astray. I've created this blog to record some of my experiences and reflections about the power of both the word and the spirit in my life.