BYU Education Week: Word of Wisdom
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PROVO, UTAH
Students clustered into the classroom of Brad E. Peterson on Aug. 15 during BYU Campus Education Week for his lecture on "Word of Wisdom: Application for Our Day."
Brother Peterson stressed how the Doctrine and Covenants teachings are valuable and important to in the latter days because they are the Lord speaking directly to the Prophet Joseph Smith. He told the class the Word of Wisdom was a divine revelation that was given for the members, to bless them.
He expressed his testimony throughout the entire lesson of how each and every person is able to receive divine revelation for themselves if they are obedient to the Lord's commandments and keep their minds clean and pure by obeying the Word of Wisdom, which will give them a spiritual power that can be obtained no other way.
He expounded on the importance of personal revelation when one takes into consideration personal physical ailments or allergies that do no permit them to eat a balanced and healthy diet. Promising the class members that the more they strove to live the Word of Wisdom and eat a healthful, nutritious diet, the more they would be blessed.
He touched on the financial situation many of the members are facing in today's world, and assured them eating healthfully was one way to save a little extra money. It is cheaper to eat healthfully than to consume many of the processed foods that cost more and might also permanently damage bodies.
Giving an example of how junk foods coat the colon and cause weight gain, Brother Peterson illustrated how a person's body is a temple; and just like an individual needs to keep his spirit in shape and clean by praying and seeking for divine revelation, the person needs to take care of the mortal body by feeding it things that will help it become strong and healthy.
"Know you not," Paul wrote, "that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you..?" (1 Corinthians 6:19).
"The Spirit teaches us about anything," Brother Peterson said, "simple things such as what grain to buy, and your own personal food struggles is something the Spirit will talk to you about."
He told the class a lot of health issues that are around today are brought upon by people due to disobedience to the Lord's counsel to follow the Word of Wisdom.
"One principle of the gospel that all people of the Church should understand is that God our Heavenly Father governs His children by law, He has instituted laws for our perfection. The Word of Wisdom is a principle with a promise, if we obey His laws, we receive the blessings pertaining to those laws and if we do not obey, we will receive the consequences."
Brother Peterson said the Word of Wisdom allows members to know that the Lord is vitally concerned about the health of His saints. The Lord has graciously given counsel for improving health, endurance and resistance to many diseases. The moment individuals follow it, their bodies will benefit and they will instantly see the blessings in their lives for being obedient.
He quoted President Boyd K. Paker in saying, "[The Word of Wisdom] was given for a principle with promise. That word 'principle' in the revelation is a very important one. A principle is an enduring truth, a law, a rule you can adopt to guide you in making decisions. Generally principles are not spelled out in detail. That leaves you free to find your way with an enduring truth, a principle as your anchor."
"Remember as we align our spirits with our bodies we draw closer to the Savior and come to know and understand His will and mission for us," Brother Peterson said, "and we receive the strength and ability to accomplish it."
