How Could the Word of Wisdom Bless Your Life?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to Doctrine and Covenants 89-92 in a lesson titled “A Principle with Promise.” The lesson was introduced by the following information.

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). 

The scripture block for this lesson includes the following principles: (1) The Lord gave me the Word of Wisdom to help me be healthy in body and spirit (Doctrine and Covenants 89), (2) The First Presidency holds the “keys of the kingdom” (Doctrine and Covenants 90:1-17), (3) “All things shall work together for [my] good” (Doctrine and Covenants 90:24), (4) Who is Vienna Jaques? (Doctrine and Covenants 90:28-31), and (5) “The Spirit manifesteth truth” (Doctrine and Covenants 91). This essay will discuss principle #1, “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 warned against by the Word of Wisdom, but there is more that we can learn from this revelation.

·         This revelation is known as the Word of Wisdom AND “a principle with promise” (Doctrine and Covenants 89:3).

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.

The revelation was first given as a word of wisdom that even the weakest of Saints could obey; however, it later was voted upon by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be a commandment.

·         The promise is given in the closing verses, Doctrine and Covenants 89:18-21.

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.

I have lived according to the Word of Wisdom for my entire life and have received numerous blessings for doing so. The most important blessing is that I enjoy the frequent companionship of the Holy Ghost and worthily hold a temple recommend. Other blessings include (1) never smelling like tobacco smoke or having teeth yellowed by tobacco use, (2) never being addicted to tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, or drugs, and (3) good health, and (4) knowledge of God and His mysteries.

President Thomas S. Monson shared the following story about a young man who lived the Word of Wisdom and how he was blessed with health and necessary strength when needed (“Principles and Promises,” October 2016). Principles and Promises

Recently I read the true account of a dramatic manifestation concerning these promises. A faithful member of the Church, John A. Larsen, served during World War II in the United States Coast Guard on the ship USS Cambria. During a battle in the Philippines, word came of an approaching squadron of bombers and kamikaze fighter planes. Orders were given for immediate evacuation. Since the USS Cambria was already gone, John and three companions gathered their gear and hurried to the beach, hoping for a lift out to one of the departing ships. Fortunately, a landing craft picked them up and sped toward the last ship leaving the bay. The men on that departing ship, in an effort to evacuate as quickly as possible, were busy on deck and had time only to throw ropes to the four men, that they might hopefully be able to climb to the deck.

John, with a heavy radio strapped to his back, found himself dangling at the end of a 40-foot (12 m) rope, at the side of a ship headed out to the open sea. He began pulling himself up, hand over hand, knowing that if he lost his grip, he would almost certainly perish. After climbing only a third of the way, he felt his arms burning with pain. He had become so weak that he felt he could no longer hold on.

With his strength depleted, as he grimly contemplated his fate, John silently cried unto God, telling Him that he had always kept the Word of Wisdom and had lived a clean life—and he now desperately needed the promised blessings.

John later said that as he finished his prayer, he felt a great surge of strength. He began climbing once again and fairly flew up the rope. When he reached the deck, his breathing was normal and not the least bit labored. The blessings of added health and stamina promised in the Word of Wisdom had been his. He gave thanks to his Heavenly Father then, and throughout the remainder of his life, for the answer to his desperate prayer for help.