So this week I decided to study in the book of Alma and once again found something that I think can be applied to our modern lives.
How many times have you been told to share your talents and gifts with others but sometimes you might feel that it's being egotistical or overly boastful of yourself. Well in Alma we find the same thing with the Sons of Mosiah.
A little background here, the Sons of Mosiah had gone out to preach the gospel to the Lamanites. Their mission lasted about 14 years and during that time they served mainly without each other for companions.
When reunited with his brothers after being apart for a time, Ammon began to rejoice in the fact that they had preached the gospel and been received tremendously by those they taught. He proclaimed his ecstacy of so many rejoicing and being brought back to the fold of God (Alma 26: 1-9)
After hearing the words spoken by Ammon his brother, Aaron, rebuked and chastized him for such boastings saying, "Ammon, I fear that thy joy doth carry thee away unto boasting." (Alma 26: 10)
Ammon told Aaron that he was not boasting in his strength, nor his wisdom, but rather his God. "Therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things." (Alma 26: 11-12)
A gift was given to Ammon and his brothers, they used this gift and shared the gospel with others. Ammon's joy was for being given the gift and not for how great a missionary he was without God.
Is it wrong to be grateful for the gifts given to us by the Lord? I beleive we need to share these gifts. If I have the gift of providing comfort to others would it not be wise to try and give comfort to all? Yes, tact does need to be used, but to not share and rejoice in our gifts is not desired by the Lord. Developing upon one gift can cause for our receiving and developing more gifts.
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