This is a review of the slides we used while This is a review of the slides we used while discussing . . .discussing . . .

Issue of the HeartIssue of the Heart Insights from Nephi and Laman Insights from Nephi and Laman

1 Nephi 2-4, 15-181 Nephi 2-4, 15-18

“ “ ‘‘the longest journey that any of us will the longest journey that any of us will ever take’ever take’ --the journey from my head to my --the journey from my head to my heart.”heart.”

(Marie K. Hafen, Ricks College Devotional, (Marie K. Hafen, Ricks College Devotional, October 3, 2000)October 3, 2000)

““Man has a dual natureMan has a dual nature: : oneone, related to the , related to the earthly or animal life; earthly or animal life; the otherthe other, akin to the Divine. , akin to the Divine. Whether a man remains satisfied within what we Whether a man remains satisfied within what we designate the animal world, satisfied with what the designate the animal world, satisfied with what the animal world will give him, yielding without effort to animal world will give him, yielding without effort to the whim of his appetites and passions and slipping the whim of his appetites and passions and slipping farther and farther into the realm of indulgence, or farther and farther into the realm of indulgence, or whether, through self-mastery, he rises toward whether, through self-mastery, he rises toward intellectual, moral, and spiritual enjoyments intellectual, moral, and spiritual enjoyments depends depends upon the kind of choice he makes every day, nay, every upon the kind of choice he makes every day, nay, every hour of his lifehour of his life.”.”

(David O. McKay, (David O. McKay, Gospel IdealsGospel Ideals, p.347 348), p.347 348)

ObedienceObedienceNephiNephi LamanLaman

• (1 N. 2:12; 3:5) (1 N. 2:12; 3:5) Obeys with Obeys with Murmuring Murmuring -- -- which is a fruit which is a fruit of “Blind of “Blind Obedience”Obedience”

““I am more afraid that this people have so I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that much confidence in their leaders that they will not they will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by himby him. I am fearful they . I am fearful they settle down in a state of settle down in a state of blind self-securityblind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in , trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a the hands of their leaders with a reckless reckless confidence confidence that in itself would that in itself would thwart the purposes thwart the purposes of God in their salvationof God in their salvation, and , and weaken that influence weaken that influence they could give to their leadersthey could give to their leaders, did they know for , did they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way” (are led in the right way” (Discourses of Brigham Discourses of Brigham YoungYoung, p.135)., p.135).

““We do not want any whiners about this We do not want any whiners about this temple. temple. If you cannot commence cheerfully, and If you cannot commence cheerfully, and go through the labor of the whole building go through the labor of the whole building cheerfully, start for California, and the quicker cheerfully, start for California, and the quicker the betterthe better. . Make you a golden calf, and worship Make you a golden calf, and worship it. it. If your care for the ordinances of salvation, for If your care for the ordinances of salvation, for yourselves, your living, and dead, is not first and yourselves, your living, and dead, is not first and foremost in your hearts, in your actions, and in foremost in your hearts, in your actions, and in everything you possess, go! everything you possess, go! ((Discourses of Discourses of Brigham YoungBrigham Young, p.417 - p.418), p.417 - p.418)

ObedienceObedience

• (1 N. 3:6-7; 18:16; (1 N. 3:6-7; 18:16; 2:16; 2 N. 33:15) 2:16; 2 N. 33:15) Willful obedience Willful obedience w/out murmuring --w/out murmuring --which leads to which leads to “Enlightened “Enlightened Obedience”Obedience”

NephiNephi LamanLaman

• (1 N. 2:12; 3:5) (1 N. 2:12; 3:5) Obeys with Obeys with Murmuring Murmuring -- -- which is a fruit which is a fruit of “Blind of “Blind Obedience” Obedience”

““We consider that God has created man We consider that God has created man with with a mind capable of instructiona mind capable of instruction, and a faculty , and a faculty which may be which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellectheaven to the intellect; and that the nearer man ; and that the nearer man approaches perfection, the approaches perfection, the clearer are his viewsclearer are his views, , and the and the greater his enjoymentsgreater his enjoyments, till he has , till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sinfor sin. . . . . . . . But we consider that this is a station to But we consider that this is a station to which no man ever arrived in a momentwhich no man ever arrived in a moment” ” ((Teachings of the Prophet Joseph SmithTeachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 51)., 51).

HappinessHappinessNephiNephi LamanLaman

• (1 N. 2:11; (1 N. 2:11; 17:20-21) 17:20-21) Comes from Comes from worldly worldly possessionspossessions

HappinessHappiness

• (2 N. 2:13; 2 N. (2 N. 2:13; 2 N. 5:27, 10) 5:27, 10) Comes Comes from from righteousness righteousness and covenantsand covenants

NephiNephi LamanLaman

• (1 N. 2:11; (1 N. 2:11; 17:20-21) 17:20-21) Comes from Comes from worldly worldly possessions possessions

“ “Happiness is the object and design of our Happiness is the object and design of our existenceexistence; and will be the end thereof, if we ; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue pursue the path the path that leads to it. . .that leads to it. . .He never will He never will institute an ordinance or give a commandment to institute an ordinance or give a commandment to His people that is not calculated in its nature to His people that is not calculated in its nature to promote that happiness which He has designedpromote that happiness which He has designed, , and which will not end in the greatest amount of and which will not end in the greatest amount of good and glory to those who become the good and glory to those who become the recipients of his law and ordinances.” (recipients of his law and ordinances.” (Teachings Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smithof the Prophet Joseph Smith, 256-257), 256-257)

DesiresDesiresNephiNephi LamanLaman

• (1 N. 16:36; (1 N. 16:36; 17:18) 17:18) Desires Desires to return or give to return or give up!up!

““When the Gospel is preached to the honest When the Gospel is preached to the honest in heart they receive it by faith, in heart they receive it by faith, but when they obey but when they obey it labor is requiredit labor is required. . To practice the Gospel requires To practice the Gospel requires time, faith, the heart's affections and a great deal of time, faith, the heart's affections and a great deal of labor. Here many stoplabor. Here many stop.. They hear and believe, but They hear and believe, but before they go on to practice they begin to think before they go on to practice they begin to think that they were mistaken, and unbelief enters into that they were mistaken, and unbelief enters into their hearts” (their hearts” (Discourses of Brigham YoungDiscourses of Brigham Young, , p.223).p.223).

DesiresDesires

• (1 N. 2:16; 5:21) (1 N. 2:16; 5:21) Desires to know Desires to know GodGod

NephiNephi LamanLaman

• (1 N. 16:36; (1 N. 16:36; 17:18) 17:18) Desires Desires to return or give to return or give up!up!

TrialsTrialsNephiNephi LamanLaman

• (1 N. 16:34-36; (1 N. 16:34-36; 17:20-21) 17:20-21) Exaggerates Exaggerates TrialsTrials

TrialsTrials

• (1 N. 17:1-3) (1 N. 17:1-3) Minimizes the Minimizes the trials to help trials to help ‘endure it well’ ‘endure it well’ (Alma 31:30)(Alma 31:30)

NephiNephi LamanLaman

• (1 N. 16:34-36; (1 N. 16:34-36; 17:20-21) 17:20-21) Exaggerates Exaggerates TrialsTrials

AngerAngerNephiNephi LamanLaman

• (2 N. 5:1-3) (2 N. 5:1-3) Self-Justified Self-Justified AngerAnger

““As with nearly all strong emotions or As with nearly all strong emotions or passions, anger is manifest both in passions, anger is manifest both in righteousness and in unrighteousness. Always righteousness and in unrighteousness. Always there is a sense of displeasure attending it, there is a sense of displeasure attending it, and usually this is accompanied by a feeling and usually this is accompanied by a feeling of antagonism, excited by a sense of injury or of antagonism, excited by a sense of injury or insult.insult.

Righteous anger is an attribute of Deity. Righteous anger is an attribute of Deity. His anger is everlastingly kindled against the His anger is everlastingly kindled against the wicked. (D. & C. 1:13; 5:8; 60:2; 63:11, 32; wicked. (D. & C. 1:13; 5:8; 60:2; 63:11, 32; 84:24.)84:24.)

Similarly, an inspired man might speak Similarly, an inspired man might speak or act in righteous anger, as when Moses or act in righteous anger, as when Moses broke the tablets upon which the Ten broke the tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were written, or as when our Commandments were written, or as when our Lord drove the money changers from the Lord drove the money changers from the temple. But temple. But where man is concerned there is where man is concerned there is peril in anger,peril in anger, and the fear is ever present that and the fear is ever present that the emotion and passion attending it will be the emotion and passion attending it will be exercised in unrighteousness. exercised in unrighteousness. ‘Can ye be ‘Can ye be angry, and not sin?’ angry, and not sin?’ Paul asked. (Inspired Paul asked. (Inspired Version, Eph. 4:26)”Version, Eph. 4:26)”

(Bruce R. McConkie, (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon DoctrineMormon Doctrine, 37), 37)

““. . . ‘. . . ‘Can ye be angry, and not sin?’ Can ye be angry, and not sin?’ asked asked the Apostle Paul (Joseph Smith Translation, the Apostle Paul (Joseph Smith Translation, Ephesians 4:26). Ephesians 4:26).

If a man does not control his temper,If a man does not control his temper, it is a it is a sad admission that he is not in control of his sad admission that he is not in control of his thoughtsthoughts.. He then becomes a victim of his own He then becomes a victim of his own passions and emotions, which leads him to passions and emotions, which leads him to actions that are totally unfit for civilized actions that are totally unfit for civilized behavior, let alone behavior for a priesthood behavior, let alone behavior for a priesthood holder.”holder.”

(Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, Pg.446)(Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, Pg.446)

““Do not get so angry that you cannot prayDo not get so angry that you cannot pray; do ; do not allow yourselves to become so angry that you not allow yourselves to become so angry that you cannot feed an enemy -- cannot feed an enemy -- even your worst enemy,even your worst enemy, if if an opportunity should present itself. ”an opportunity should present itself. ”

((Discourses of Brigham YoungDiscourses of Brigham Young, p. 269), p. 269)

AngerAnger

• (2 N. 4:26-27) (2 N. 4:26-27) Conquers AngerConquers Anger

NephiNephi LamanLaman

• (2 N. 5:1-3) (2 N. 5:1-3) Self-Justified Self-Justified AngerAnger

ResponsibilityResponsibilityNephiNephi LamanLaman

• (2 N. 5:1-3) (2 N. 5:1-3) Transfers blame Transfers blame for his actionsfor his actions

ResponsibilityResponsibility

• (2 N. 4:27-29) (2 N. 4:27-29) Accepts Accepts responsibility responsibility for his actions, for his actions, thoughts, and thoughts, and feelingsfeelings

NephiNephi LamanLaman

• (2 N. 5:1-3) (2 N. 5:1-3) Transfers blame Transfers blame for his actionsfor his actions

""Martin, why do you not eat; are you sickMartin, why do you not eat; are you sick?" ?" Upon which Mr. Harris pressed his hands upon Upon which Mr. Harris pressed his hands upon his temples, and cried out in a tone of deep his temples, and cried out in a tone of deep anguish, anguish, "Oh, I have lost my soul! I have lost my "Oh, I have lost my soul! I have lost my soul!"soul!"

Joseph who had not expressed his fears till Joseph who had not expressed his fears till now, sprang from the table, exclaiming, now, sprang from the table, exclaiming, "Martin, "Martin, have you lost that manuscript? Have you broken have you lost that manuscript? Have you broken your oath, and your oath, and brought down condemnation upon brought down condemnation upon my head as well as your own?my head as well as your own?""

""Yes; it is gone,Yes; it is gone," replied Martin, " replied Martin, "and I "and I know not where."know not where."

. . . . . . said Joseph, clinching his hands. said Joseph, clinching his hands. "All is lost! all "All is lost! all is lost! What shallis lost! What shall I I do? do? II have sinned--it is have sinned--it is II who tempted who tempted the wrath of God. the wrath of God. II should have been satisfied with the first should have been satisfied with the first answer which answer which II received from the Lord; for he told me that received from the Lord; for he told me that it was not safe to let the writing go out of my possession." it was not safe to let the writing go out of my possession." He wept and groaned, and walked the floor continually.He wept and groaned, and walked the floor continually.

At length he told Martin to go back and search At length he told Martin to go back and search again. again. "No""No"; said Martin, ; said Martin, "it is all in vain; for I have "it is all in vain; for I have ripped open beds and pillows; and I know it is not there."ripped open beds and pillows; and I know it is not there."

"Then must I," "Then must I," said Joseph, said Joseph, "return with such a tale "return with such a tale as this? I dare not do it. Andas this? I dare not do it. And how shall I appear before the how shall I appear before the Lord? Of what rebuke am I not worthy from the angel of Lord? Of what rebuke am I not worthy from the angel of the Most High?the Most High?” ” (Lucy Mack Smith, (Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph History of Joseph SmithSmith, p.129)., p.129).

The End . . .The End . . .