Watching my grandchildren grow up has been a wonderfully enlightening experience on many levels. I marvel at the spiritual gifts they have been given. As they discover their own gifts, it is amazing to me how they develop those gifts and learn to use them. One of my grandchildren has had incredible spiritual experiences since he was barely able to talk. As a teenager, he is learning that this is a spiritual gift that he needs to develop. His parents are working with him to recognize each spiritual experience for what it is. They want him to record these experiences so that he doesn’t forget them. It’s important to remember these experiences, and it’s important that we leave these things in writing for those who follow after us.
Generations are affected by the choices we make. Share your testimony with your family; encourage them to remember how they felt when they recognized the Spirit in their lives and to record those feelings in journals and personal histories so that their own words may, when needed, bring to their remembrance how good the Lord has been to them. … Never forget, question, or ignore personal, sacred spiritual experiences. The adversary’s design is to distract us from spiritual witnesses, while the Lord’s desire is to enlighten and engage us in His work. … Be diligent parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends who strengthen loved ones with personal testimony and who share spiritual experiences. … [R]emember to record your feelings of “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, [and] temperance.” (Elder Ronald A. Rasband, “Lest Thou Forget,” Oct. 2016 General Conference, referencing Galatians 5:22-23).
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Thinking about my grandchildren and their spiritual gifts often brings me back to my own spiritual gifts and my own spiritual experiences. Gifts are only good if you develop them and use them for good. I get lazy sometimes and I forget to use my gifts. As a writer, you would think that I would record all of my spiritual experiences, but that isn’t the case. There have been moments of complete clarity that have been lost because I didn’t take the time or spend the energy to write them down. This is especially true at night when I’m tired. I think I’ll remember in the morning, but somehow sleep seems to wipe out that total clarity and replace it with confusion. I don’t know why that happens, but I suspect it has something to do with my lack of gratitude for that special moment. Recording the moment shows Heavenly Father that I’m listening and that I want to hear and learn from Him through the Holy Ghost. It is my choice to ignore the Holy Ghost, or to hear and respond to Him. If I choose to ignore Him, I shouldn’t be surprised if that moment of clarity disappears. I get frustrated when others ignore me, and it feels like they are ungrateful for my help.
Tonight, and tomorrow night, you might pray and ponder, asking the questions: Did God send a message that was just for me? Did I see His hand in my life or the lives of my children? I will do that. And then I will find a way to preserve that memory for the day that I, and those that I love, will need to remember how much God loves us and how much we need Him (President Henry B. Eyring, “O Remember, Remember,” Oct. 2007 General Conference).
Spiritual gifts should not be taken lightly. They need to be developed and used for good with gratitude in our hearts. Spiritual experiences should be cherished and recorded immediately. As we go back and read about those experiences, we learn and grow. We leave our posterity with those same learning and growing moments.
Tudie Rose is a mother of four and grandmother of ten in Sacramento, California. You can find her on Twitter as @TudieRose. She blogs as Tudie Rose at http://potrackrose.wordpress.com. She has written articles for Familius. You will find a Tudie Rose essay in Lessons from My Parents, Michele Robbins, Familius 2013, at http://www.familius.com/lessons-from-my-parents.
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