Diocese
of Ikwerre AYF
National Youth Week Seminar 2014
INTRODUCTION:
Great people don't just wake up
someday and become great, they discover something they can and find joy in
doing, then put it to work with lots of practice. Many successful people
discovered their talents and then put in several efforts to ensure they excel.
Have you ever thought that you could
do something better than others out there but you buried your talent because
you thought you didn't have enough material to achieve your dream? Or maybe you
felt you were not from a rich family. Most great people didn't come from good
homes either but they never let their situation determine their faith, they dug
deep within and with that inner strength from prayer they were more than
conquerors.
In the Bible there’s the parable of
talents; are you like the man who buried his one talent? Change your thoughts
today and decide in your heart that you’re going to use that which your creator
has given you.
WE
ALL HAVE DIFFERENT TALENTS AND ABILITIES
We all have special gifts, talents,
and abilities given to us by our Heavenly Father. When we were born, we brought
these gifts, talents, and abilities with us.
The prophet Moses
was a great leader, but he needed Aaron, his brother, to help as a spokesman (Exodus
4:14–16). Some of us are leaders like Moses or good speakers like
Aaron. Some of us can sing well or play an instrument. Others of us may be good
in sports or able to work well with our hands. Other talents we might have are
understanding others, patience, cheerfulness, or the ability to teach others.
HOW
CAN WE DEVELOP OUR TALENTS?
We have a responsibility to develop
the talents we have been given. Sometimes we think we do not have many talents
or that other people have been blessed with more abilities than we possess.
Sometimes we do not use our talents because we are afraid that we might fail or
be criticized by others. We should not hide our talents. We should use them.
Then others can see our good works and glorify our Heavenly Father (Matthew 5:16).
There are certain things we must do
to develop our talents. First, we must discover our talents. We should evaluate
ourselves to find our strengths and abilities. Our family and friends can help us do this. We
should also ask our Heavenly Father to help us learn about our talents.
Practical
steps in developing your talent:
1.
Find
yourself: What
is that thing you know you are good at and which the Church can benefit from?
Ask a close friend or go on your knees and ask God.
2.
Join
the crew: Once
you know what you are good at, make inquiries of what it takes to join others
that are serving in that area.
3.
Practice: Choir, Drama, Usher, Prayer
warrior e.t.c. No matter the group you’re in you must learn to practice.
Practice makes perfect.
4.
Press
on: No one ever
said it’s going to be easy. Don’t think about the challenges you are going to
face but think of the trophy awaiting you at the end of the race.
5.
Connect: Have someone you look up to.
Someone who is better than you who can help you in situations when you’re lost.
6. Pray: Prayer is the key. Always ask
God for help day & night, not just about the duty you have been assigned
but about everything.
We
Can Develop Our Talents in Spite of Our Weaknesses
Because we are mortal and fallen, we
have weaknesses. With the Lord’s help, our weakness and fallen nature can be
overcome (Ether 12:27,
37).
Some great athletes have had to
overcome handicaps before they have succeeded in developing their talents.
Shelly Mann was such an example. “At the age of five she had polio. … Her
parents took her daily to a swimming pool where they hoped the water would help
hold her arms up as she tried to use them again. When she could lift her arm
out of the water with her own power, she cried for joy. Then her goal was to
swim the width of the pool, then the length, then several lengths. She kept on
trying, swimming, enduring, day after day after day, until she won the
[Olympic] gold medal for the butterfly stroke—one of the most difficult of all
swimming strokes”
Heber J. Grant overcame many of
his weaknesses and turned them into talents. He had as a motto these words:
“That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the
nature of the thing is changed, but that our power to do is increased”
SPECIAL
TIPS THAT BRINGS THE BEST IN YOU:
·
Use your talent; no one ever works
for God and regrets. Put God to the test and you will be surprised at the
result. Don't just do things for GOD because of the rewards involve because you
might be disappointed and discourage when things don't go as expected.
·
Do things because you enjoy them,
and enjoy whatever you're doing. If you're not enjoying it, you being forced
and the only thing GOD never touched in us was our free will.
·
Make a better today and build a best
tomorrow.
·
You might not come out good at first
but you will definitely get better with time. Remember as much as some people
will praise you, others will definitely bring you down but remember it's not
for them but GOD.
·
Don't ever be shy of making an
attempt. You'll never know when it might be right.
·
It's never too late. Either you are
70, 40, or 20, there is always something that you are special at. Find it and
you will be amazed at how you can inspire people and serve GOD.
·
God loves you. He will never leave
you nor forsake you. Whether you turn to the right or the left there will be a
voice behind you saying this is the way, walk in it.