Skip to main content

Opening our Hearts

Image
By

In the April conference Elder Gerald N. Lund said in his talk "Opening our Hearts",

While in Liberty Jail, the Prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation that describes a condition of some hearts:

“Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?

“Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men.”15

Many in the world now live in prosperous and peaceful circumstances. In the Book of Mormon, prosperity often led the people away from the Lord. Mormon warned, “We may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art . . . , then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God.”16

The Lord noted three natural consequences of having one’s heart set on the things of the world: First, we seek to hide our sins instead of repenting of them. Next, we seek to gratify our pride and vain ambitions rather than seeking the things of God. Finally, we begin to exercise unrighteous dominion over others.17

Note that pride is a natural consequence of setting our hearts on the things of the world. Pride quickly desensitizes our hearts to spiritual promptings. For example, the Lord said, “I, the Lord, am not pleased with my servant Sidney Rigdon; he exalted himself in his heart, and received not counsel, but grieved the Spirit.”18 Compare that to this promise: “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.”19

In the Liberty Jail revelation, the Lord described the effect of a worldly heart: “Behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and . . . behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself.”20 Brothers and sisters, in these very “perilous times,” we cannot afford to grieve the Spirit and be left to ourselves.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Prayer is Powerful

By
"When I pray with faith, I have the Savior as my advocate with the Father and I can feel that my prayer reaches heaven. Answers come. Blessings are received. There is peace and joy even in hard times." by President Henry B. Eyring
Post a Comment
Read more

Leadership Meeting

By
I was lucky to be able to attend a leadership meeting yesterday (December 2, 2023) Flagstaff with Elder Steven D. Shumway, Elder Michael A. Dunn, and Elder D. Todd Christofferson. Life has been pretty darn hard this year. I have felt very low this week. The hour and a half drive was worth it if I could get even a small moment of peace. Of course, I heard so much that I needed to hear. Things I needed to be reminded, and things that I needed to learn.  This list of things that stood out to me probably wouldn't help anyone else. I know that I learn best when I can write what I have learned and get a better understanding from it. I am very forgetful and have a hard time reiterating what others have said. I understand things in my mind, but when I express that understanding to someone else, I have a hard time knowing what words to use. So this is my way of trying to get through it. Ok, so Elder D. Todd Christofferson talked about how the Atonement of Jesus Christ is what makes the whol...
Post a Comment
Read more

Realization

By
A little seed was planted in my heart when I was a teenager going to seminary. I decided during the year we were learning about the Book of Mormon that I wanted to know for myself if it was true. When I prayed about it, nothing spectacular happened, but I felt a unique feeling of peace that I hadn't felt before. Now that it's been over 20 years later, I can say that every time I've read the Book of Mormon, that belief that it is true has become stronger and stronger. This year I decided to get a special Book of Mormon that has space to write on each page. I set a goal to take the time to ponder what I have read and write down what I understand, or what the Spirit tells me. I have read this book many times and have learned a lot already, but this time has felt so different. I have been able to understand so much more. There are days when I want to hurry and read the next chapter to catch up and not take the extra time to ponder and write, but I have made myself do it anyways...
Post a Comment
Read more