15 Holy Places, Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, Volume 1, The Standard of Truth, 1815–1846; Doctrine and Covenants 89; 29: 34-35

How is the Word of Wisdom helping you to be healthy in body and spirit?

"When Joseph took the matter to the Lord, he received a revelation—a “word of wisdom for the benefit of the Saints in these last days.” In it, the Lord cautioned His people against consuming alcohol, declaring that distilled liquor was for washing their bodies while wine was for occasions like the sacrament. He also warned them against tobacco and hot drinks." (15 Holy Places, Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, Volume 1, The Standard of Truth, 1815–1846)

"Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, February 27, 1833. As a consequence of the early brethren using tobacco in their meetings, the Prophet was led to ponder upon the matter; consequently, he inquired of the Lord concerning it. This revelation, known as the Word of Wisdom, was the result.

1–9, The use of wine, strong drinks, tobacco, and hot drinks is proscribed; 10–17, Herbs, fruits, flesh, and grain are ordained for the use of man and of animals; 18–21, Obedience to gospel law, including the Word of Wisdom, brings temporal and spiritual blessings.

1 A Word of Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and the church, and also the saints in Zion—

2 To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days—

3 Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.

4 Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation—

5 That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him.

6 And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.

7 And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.

8 And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill.

9 And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.

10 And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—

11 Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.

12 Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;

13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.

14 All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;

15 And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.

16 All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground—

17 Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.

18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen." (Doctrine and Covenants 89)

"34 Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created.

35 Behold, I gave unto him that he should be an agent unto himself; and I gave unto him commandment, but no temporal commandment gave I unto him, for my commandments are spiritual; they are not natural nor temporal, neither carnal nor sensual." (Doctrine and Covenants 29: 34-35)

And here's the beginning part of the commentary entitled: "The Lord gave me the Word of Wisdom to help me be healthy in body and spirit." : 

"When the elders in the School of the Prophets first heard Joseph Smith read the Word of Wisdom, they immediately “tossed their pipes and plugs of chewing tobacco into the fire” (Saints, 1:168). They wanted to show their willingness to obey the Lord. Perhaps you have already “tossed” from your life the substances the Word of Wisdom warns against, but what else can you learn from this revelation? Consider these ideas:

• Think of the revelation as “a principle with promise” (verse 3)—enduring truths that guide decision-making. What principles do you find that can guide your decisions? What blessings does the Lord promise? (see verses 18–21). How has He fulfilled those promises in your life?

• What examples have you seen of “evils and designs … in the hearts of conspiring men” related to the Word of Wisdom? (verse 4). In addition to this revelation, what has the Lord given to help you avoid or overcome these evils?

• What does this revelation teach you about the Lord? How does the Word of Wisdom relate to Doctrine and Covenants 29:34–35?

• What are you prompted to do to better care for your body?"

• The principles I found in the Lord's revelation of the word of wisdom that guide my decisions are: 

• Wine (or strong drinks) are not good for man unless the wine is made fresh. 
• 
  

• All herbs and fruits are to be used with prudence and thanksgiving. 

• Meat is ordained for the use of man by thanksgiving, and to be used sparingly

• All grain, along with the fruit of the vine, is good for the food of man. 

• These are the promised blessings: 

• 18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

  19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

  20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

  21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them.

• My still being here on this earth, alive and kicking until now, even after getting seriously sick more than 3 decades ago, says much about how the Lord has been fulfilling these promises in my life. And now at 52, I'm not on any maintenance medication daily, that's another blessing. I can bend my knees without any pain. I can do the yoga sit and some poses. I can do my dance moves without any problem. And I'm feeling energetic even after teaching 6 classes. I'm able to work on my coaching business when I get home from work because I still got energy after working at school all day. The Lord has been blessing me abundantly as I strive to live the word of wisdom. How much more if I follow the principles better than I have done before. If I eat less meat, for instance, I think I will be blessed even more. 

• There are many “evils and designs … in the hearts of conspiring men” related to the Word of Wisdom. I might not have witnessed them in person, but I've seen them in the movies and in the videos online. I'm so grateful that the Lord has been protecting me from those evils as I strive to live the Word of Wisdom. The Lord has also been helping me avoid or overcome those evils by sending the Holy Ghost to guide and warn me against those evils. 

• The Lord's commandments are all spiritual. The Word of Wisdom is also spiritual because keeping it blesses our spirits as much as it blesses our physical bodies. If we live by its principles, we will be protected from the evils of this world, keep our physical bodies clean from the harmful substances, and also keep our spirits clean from the evil influence brought about by the harmful substances. Living the Word of Wisdom keeps our physical bodies and our spirits pure.

Recently, I was prompted to do more exercise so I can have more energy. I did listen to that prompting and I've been doing half an hour more of latin dancing for already two weeks now. And this past week I also started doing some belly dancing. It's more challenging kind of workout. Even only 5 minutes of it already feels like half an hour workout. Been feeling added energy because of doing more exercise. Having more fun as well because I love dancing!

Doctrine and Covenants 89: 3, 19; 15 Holy Places, Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, Volume 1, The Standard of Truth, 1815–1846

How are you enjoying the promised blessings to those who are living the "principle" revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith in Doctrine and Covenants 89?

"3 Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.

19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;" (Doctrine and Covenants 89: 3, 19)

"On January 22, 1833, Joseph and the Saints in Kirtland opened the School of the Prophets in the Whitneys’ store. One of Joseph’s clerks, Orson Hyde, was appointed to teach the class. Like Joseph and many of the other students, Orson had spent most of his childhood working rather than attending school. He was an orphan, and his guardian had allowed him to attend school only in the winter, after the harvest and before the next planting. Orson had a good memory and learned quickly, however, and he had attended a nearby academy as an adult.

In the School of the Prophets, Orson taught the men spiritual lessons in addition to history, grammar, and arithmetic, as the Lord had commanded. Those who attended his classes were not just pupils. They addressed each other as brothers and bound themselves with a covenant of fellowship. They studied together, had discussions, and prayed as a group.

One day, Joseph invited Orson and others in the class to take off their shoes. Following Christ’s example, Joseph knelt before them one by one and washed their feet.

When he finished, he said, “As I have done, so do ye.” He asked them to serve one another and to keep themselves clean from the sins of the world.

While the School of the Prophets was in session, Emma watched the students arrive and make their way up the stairs to the small, tightly packed room where they met. Some men came to the school freshly washed and neatly dressed out of respect for the sacred nature of the school. Some also skipped breakfast so they could come to the meeting fasting.

After class got out and the men left for the day, Emma and some young women hired to help would clean the schoolroom. Since the men smoked pipes and chewed tobacco during the lessons, the room was hazy and the floorboards were covered in tobacco spit when they left. Emma would scrub with all her might, but tobacco stains remained on the floor.

She complained to Joseph about the mess. Joseph did not normally use tobacco, but he did not mind if the other men did. Emma’s complaints, however, caused him to question if tobacco use was right in God’s eyes.

Emma was not alone in her concerns. Reformers in the United States and other countries throughout the world thought smoking and chewing tobacco, as well as drinking alcohol, were filthy habits. But some doctors believed tobacco could cure a host of ailments. Similar claims were made about drinking alcohol and hot drinks like coffee and tea, which people drank liberally.

When Joseph took the matter to the Lord, he received a revelation—a “word of wisdom for the benefit of the Saints in these last days.” In it, the Lord cautioned His people against consuming alcohol, declaring that distilled liquor was for washing their bodies while wine was for occasions like the sacrament. He also warned them against tobacco and hot drinks.

The Lord emphasized a healthy diet, encouraging the Saints to eat grains, herbs, and fruits and to consume meat sparingly. He promised blessings of health, knowledge, and strength to those who chose to obey.

The revelation had been declared not as a commandment but as a caution. Many people would find it hard to give up using these powerful substances, and Joseph did not insist on strict conformity. He continued to drink alcohol occasionally, and he and Emma sometimes drank coffee and tea.

Still, after Joseph read the words to the School of the Prophets, the men in the room tossed their pipes and plugs of chewing tobacco into the fire to show their willingness to obey the Lord’s counsel." (15 Holy Places, Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, Volume 1, The Standard of Truth, 1815–1846)

And here's the introductory commentary to this week's reading assignment: August 18–24: “A Principle with Promise” Doctrine and Covenants 89–92 :

"In the School of the Prophets, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught the elders of Israel about building God’s kingdom on earth. They discussed spiritual truths, prayed together, fasted, and prepared to preach the gospel. But there was something about the atmosphere that might seem odd to us today, and it didn’t seem right to Emma Smith either. During the meetings, the men smoked and chewed tobacco, which wasn’t unusual for the time, but it stained the wood floors black and left a strong odor in the air. Emma shared her concerns with Joseph, and Joseph asked the Lord. His response was a revelation that went far beyond smoke and tobacco stains. It gave the Saints, for generations to come, “a principle with promise”—promises of physical health, “wisdom,” and “great treasures of knowledge” (Doctrine and Covenants 89:3, 19).

See also Saints, 1:166–68."

I'm so grateful for being able to live this "principle" and enjoy the promised blessings of physical health, "wisdom", as well as "great treasures of knowledge". And I'm grateful that I chose to marry someone who has been living this "principle" as well. Took the video I'm sharing in this blogpost after coming home from church yesterday. Though I did miss my husband while at church because he was not feeling well, I'm grateful because at our age of 52, both of us have no serious health issues at all--physically healthy indeed! And that's mainly because of striving to live the "principle" revealed by the Lord to the Prophet Josepth Smith. 

Click this link to read more details on my reflections on the quiet blessings of marriage that I wrote and shared (along with the video I'm sharing here) on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/wilmendamina/p/the-quiet-blessings-of-marriage?r=3997q5&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

Doctrine and Covenants 88: 77-80; Truth will make you free, For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices; Doctrine and Covenants 88: 118; Seeking Knowledge by the Spirit By Elder Mathias Held Of the Seventy

How have you been blessed by seeking learning "by study and also by faith"?

"77 And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.

78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;

79 Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—

80 That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you." (Doctrine and Covenants 88: 77-80)

"Your Heavenly Father is a God of truth. He is all-knowing. All truth comes from Him and leads to Him. You show that you value truth as you seek learning, live with integrity, and bravely stand for what you know is right—even if you have to stand alone.

Eternal truths

Heavenly Father wants His daughters and sons to always be learning. You have both temporal and spiritual reasons to seek and love learning. Education is not just about earning money. It is part of your eternal goal to become more like Heavenly Father.

Living with integrity means that you love truth with all your heart—more than you love personal comfort, popularity, or convenience. It means doing what is right simply because it is right.

You have something precious to share. The gospel of Jesus Christ holds the answers to life’s questions. It is the way to peace and happiness. You may not know everything, but you know enough to help others understand and value true, eternal principles.

Invitations

Always be learning. Look for opportunities to expand your mind and your skills. These opportunities can include formal education at school or vocational training as well as informal learning from sources you trust. Involve the Lord in your efforts, and He will guide you. As you learn about the world around you, learn also about the Savior, who created the world. Study His life and teachings. Make seminary, institute, and personal gospel study part of your lifelong learning.

Love the truth so much that you would never want to steal, lie, cheat, or deceive in any way—at school, at work, online, everywhere. Be the same faithful follower of Jesus Christ in public and in private.

Be a light for others. Let your words and your actions reflect your faith in Jesus Christ. Prepare now for future opportunities to share His glorious gospel, as a missionary and throughout your life. And be ready to tell anyone who asks you about the hope and happiness you feel.

Promised blessings

Education increases your ability to serve the Lord. It empowers you to bless others, especially your family. The more you learn, the more you can help build God’s kingdom and influence the world for good.

Honesty brings peace and self-respect. When your words and actions align with truth, you show that you can be trusted—by other people and by the Lord.

When you stand up for the teachings of Jesus Christ, He stands with you. Others may not agree with you, but your courage and sincerity will be noticed. Whether or not others follow your example, your testimony, confidence, and faith in Christ will grow." (Truth will make you free, For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices)

"118 And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." (Doctrine and Covenants 88: 118)

"We should learn to discern the truth not only through our rational minds but also through the very still and small voice of the Spirit.

Dear brothers and sisters, the Lord has repeatedly told us to “seek learning even by study and also by faith.” We can receive light and understanding not only through the logical reasoning of our minds but also through the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Ghost.

This additional source of knowledge has not always been part of my life.

My dear wife, Irene, and I joined the Church 31 years ago when we were newly married. We had both grown up in Colombia, but a few months after our marriage, my career took us to live in Germany. We were very young and had great hopes and expectations; it was an especially exciting and happy time for us.

While I was concentrated on my career, Irene was feeling that we would receive some kind of message from heaven, without knowing how or when. So she started letting into our home all kinds of door-to-door salespeople with encyclopedias, vacuum cleaners, cookbooks, kitchen appliances, and so on, always waiting for that unique message.

One evening she told me that two young men in dark suits had knocked on our door and that she had felt a very clear and distinct impression to let them in. They had said that they wanted to talk to her about God but would come back again when I was also at home. Could this be the expected message?

They began to visit us, and with their guidance, we read in the scriptures and came to understand the crucial importance of Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer. We soon regretted that we had been baptized as little babies, which had not been a conscious covenant. However, being baptized again would also mean becoming members of this new Church, so first we really needed to understand everything about it.

But how could we know if what the missionaries were telling us about the Book of Mormon, about Joseph Smith, and about the plan of salvation was actually all true? Well, we had understood from the words of the Lord that we could “know them by their fruits.” So, in a very systematic manner, we started examining the Church by looking for those fruits with the eyes of our very rational minds. What did we see? Well, we saw:

• Friendly and happy people and wonderful families who understood that we are meant to feel joy in this life and not just suffering and misery.

• A church that does not have a paid clergy but one in which members themselves accept assignments and responsibilities.

• A church where Jesus Christ and families are at the center of everything, where members fast once a month and donate to help the poor and needy, where healthy habits are promoted, teaching us to abstain from harmful substances.

In addition:

• We liked the emphasis on personal growth, on education, on hard work and self-reliance.

• We learned about the remarkable humanitarian program.

• And we were impressed by the general conferences, with the wonderful music and the profound spiritual principles shared there.

Seeing all this, we could find no fault in the Church. On the contrary, we liked everything we saw very much. However, we still could not decide to be baptized because we wanted to know everything before doing so.

But, even in our indecision, the Lord was patiently preparing us, He was molding us, and He was helping us to discover that we should learn to discern the truth not only through our rational minds but also through the very still and small voice of the Spirit, which speaks especially to our hearts.

That voice and the resulting feeling came one evening after 10 months of learning the gospel, when we read in Mosiah 18, “As ye are desirous to … bear one another’s burdens, … and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, … if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord?”

That passage from the Book of Mormon entered our hearts and souls, and we suddenly felt and knew that there was really no reason not to be baptized. We realized that the desires mentioned in these verses were also the wishes of our hearts and that those things were what really mattered. They were more important than understanding everything because we already knew enough. We had always relied on the guiding hand of a loving Heavenly Father and were confident that He would continue to guide us.

So, that same day, we set up a date for our baptism, and soon we were baptized, finally!

What did we learn from that experience?

First, we learned that we can fully trust in a loving Heavenly Father, who is constantly trying to help us become the person He knows we can become. We confirmed the profound truth of His words when He said, “I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, … for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more.”

And second, we learned that, in addition to our rational minds, another dimension to gaining knowledge can give us guidance and understanding. It is the still and soft voice of His Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts and also to our minds.

I like to compare this principle with our visual capacity. Our Father in Heaven has given us not only one but two physical eyes. We can see adequately with only one eye, but the second eye provides us with another perspective. When both perspectives are put together in our brains, they produce a three-dimensional image of our surroundings.

Likewise, we have been given two sources of information, through our physical and spiritual capacities. Our mind produces one perception through our physical senses and through our reasoning. But through the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Father has also provided us with a second perspective, which is really the most important and true one because it comes directly from Him. But since the whisperings of the Spirit are often so subtle, many people are not consciously aware of that additional source.

When these two perspectives are then combined in our souls, one complete picture shows the reality of things as they truly are. In fact, through the additional perspective of the Holy Ghost, certain “realities,” as pictured exclusively through our mental understanding, can be exposed as deceiving or plainly wrong. Remember the words of Moroni: “By the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”

In my 31 years as a member of the Church, I have experienced many times that if we rely only on our rational mind and deny or neglect the spiritual understanding we can receive through the whisperings and impressions of the Holy Ghost, it is as if we were going through life with only one eye. But figuratively speaking, we have actually been given two eyes. Only the combination of both views can give us the true and complete picture of all truths and of everything we experience in our lives, as well as of the whole and profound understanding of our identity and purpose as children of a living Heavenly Father.

I am reminded of what President Russell M. Nelson taught us a year ago when he said that “in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”

I have come to know with absolute certainty that:

• We have a loving Father in Heaven, and we all agreed to come to this earth as part of a divine plan.

• Jesus is the Christ; He lives and is my Savior and Redeemer.

• Joseph, a humble farm boy, was called and became the mighty prophet who initiated this, the dispensation of the fulness of times, with all of its keys, power, and authority of the holy priesthood of God.

• The Book of Mormon is a second witness of Jesus Christ, and families are meant to remain together forever.

• Our Lord, Jesus Christ, leads this, His restored Church, through our living prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, today.

These and many other precious truths have become spiritual building blocks of what God is helping me to become. And I look forward to the many new teachings that He still wants me—and you—to receive as we go through this wonderful life and “learn … even by study and also by faith.”

I know these things to be true and testify of them in the name of Jesus Christ, amen." (Seeking Knowledge by the Spirit By Elder Mathias Held Of the Seventy)

And here's the end part of the commentary entitled: “Seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” : 

"It might also help to explore these questions: Why are learning and education important to the Lord? What does He want me to study? How does He want me to learn? Look for answers to these questions in verses 77–80 and in “Truth will make you free” (For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices, 30–33).

What do you think it means to learn “by study and also by faith”? (verse 118). What insights do you gain from Elder Mathias Held’s message “Seeking Knowledge by the Spirit”? (Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 31–33).

See also Topics and Questions, “Seeking Truth and Avoiding Deception,” Gospel Library; “A School and an Endowment,” in Revelations in Context, 174–82."

Why are learning and education important to the Lord? 

Learning and education are important to the Lord because He wants His children to become like Him, the source of all truth. As we choose to continue learning and continue our education, we become the source of truth as well. What we're learning and the skillset we are developing also prepare us to magnify our callings where the Lord would call us. 

What does He want me to study? 

The Lord wants me to study different subjects: "things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms".

How does He want me to learn? 

He wants me to seek the guidance of the Spirit as I learn by study and also by faith. And He wants me to value truth as I find it, live with integrity, and bravely stand for what I know is right—even if I have to stand alone.

What do you think it means to learn “by study and also by faith”?

From what I understand, to learn "by study and also by faith" means choosing to do what we can by studying and also exercising our faith in the Lord to help us discern the truth through His Spirit. 

What insights do you gain from Elder Mathias Held’s message “Seeking Knowledge by the Spirit”?

The insights I gain from Elder Mathias Held message: 

• The Lord wants us to learn the many precious truths that came from Him because He wants us to become like Him eventually. 
• There are many teachings that He still wants us to receive as we go through this wonderful life and “learn … even by study and also by faith.”