Self Care: Physical Health
What am I
grateful for today?
INTRODUCTION
“One
of the great blessings we received when we came to earth was a physical body.
We need a physical body to become like our Heavenly Father. Our bodies are so
important that the Lord calls them temples of God. Our bodies are holy.
“Because our bodies are important,
our Father in Heaven wants us to take good care of them. He knows that we can
be happier, better people if we are healthy. The Holy Ghost can be with us if
our bodies and minds are clean. Our Father knows that we face temptations to
treat our bodies unwisely or to take harmful things into them. For this reason
He has told us which things are good for our health and which things are bad.
Much of the information God has given us concerning good health is found in
Doctrine and Covenants 89… The Word of Wisdom.
“We must obey the Word of Wisdom to
be worthy to enter the temple. If we do not obey the Word of Wisdom, the Lord’s
Spirit withdraws from us. If we defile the ‘temple of God
The
missionaries teach investigators that “the Lord promises blessings of health,
strength, protection against evil, and greater receptiveness to spiritual
truths” if they keep the Word of Wisdom. (Preach My Gospel p. 78)
As
we strive to take good care of the blessing we have of physical bodies, we are
more receptive to spiritual truths and inspiration from the Spirit every day.
POINTS TO PONDER
· My
body is a temple
of God
· Keeping
the Word of Wisdom brings spiritual blessings into my life.
· Proper
diet, rest, and exercise provide significant health benefits.
SUPPORTING
SCRIPTURES AND QUOTES
My body is a temple of God
“Know
ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in
you? If any man defile the temple of God , him shall God destroy; for the temple of God
“Know
ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye
have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore
glorify God in you body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians
6:19-20)
“Each
of us is a spirit son or daughter of God and enters mortality to gain a
physical body. Our physical body is a gift from God and ultimately will become
a resurrected body. The Apostle Paul describes the body as the temple of God
“The
healthy man, who takes care of his physical being, has strength and vitality;
his temple is a fit place for his spirit to reside… Bodily ailments deprive us
of the full exercise of our faculties and privileges and sometimes of life
itself. It is necessary, therefore, to care for our physical bodies, and to
observe the laws of physical health and happiness.” (David O McKay, The Whole
Man, Era April 1952; The Gospel and the Productive Life Student Manual p. 83)
“The
spirit and the body are the soul of man. Both spirit and body have appetites.
One of life’s great challenges is to develop dominance of spiritual appetites
over those that are physical. Your willpower becomes strong when joined with
the will of the Lord.” (Russell M Neslon, Ensign November 1988, 6-8; The Gospel
and the Productive Life Student Manual p. 87)
“There
is a close relationship between physical health and spiritual development. When
one’s physical health is impaired by disobedience to God’s eternal laws,
spiritual development will also suffer.” (Delbert L Stapely, Conference Report
October 1967, Young Women Manual I, Lesson 37, Caring for Our Physical Bodies,
p. 164)
Keeping the Word of Wisdom brings spiritual
blessings into my life.
“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. And shall find
wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;” (Doctrine and
Covenants 89:18-19)
“The
condition of the physical body can affect the spirit. That’s why the Lord gave
us the Word of Wisdom. He also said that we should retire to our beds early and
arise early (see D&C 88:124), that we should not run faster than we have
strength (see D&C 10:4), and that we should use moderation in all things.”
(Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign November 1974, p. 66)
“Teach
your children to obey the Word of Wisdom. It is their armor and will protect
hem from habits which obstruct the channels of personal revelation.” (Boyd K
Packer, Ensign November 1989, 14; The Gospel and the Productive Life Student
Manual p. 87)
“We
should avoid anything that we know is harmful to our bodies. We should not use
any substance that is habit forming. We should also avoid overeating. The Word
of Wisdom does not tell us everything to avoid or consume, but it does give us
guidelines. It is a valuable temporal law. It is also a great spiritual law. By
living the Word of Wisdom, we become stronger spiritually. We purify our bodies
so the Spirit of the Lord can dwell with us.” (Gospel Principles 2009, The
Lords Law of Health p. 169)
“Our
physical body is the instrument of our spirit. In that marvelous revelation the
Word of Wisdom, we are told how to keep our bodies free from impurities which
might dull, even destroy, those delicate physical senses which have to do with
spiritual communication. The Word of Wisdom is a key to individual revelation.”
(Boyd K Packer, Ensign, November 1989, p. 14; Gospel Principles 2009 The Lords
Law of Health, p. 171)
“The
body is the temple of the spirit. The body is sacred. It was created in the
image of God. It is something to be cared for and used for good purposes. It
ought to be taken care of, and this thing which we call the Word of Wisdom,
which is a code of health, is most helpful in doing that.” (Gordon B Hinckley,
Ensign November 1996, 49; The Gospel and the Productive Life p. 83)
“The
Lord has endowed me with no gift, with no power, with no ability, with no
talent, but what he will ask me to give an account for it; and he has endowed
every man, woman and child among the Latter-day Saints with the power and the
ability to keep the Word of Wisdom.” (Heber J Grant, Teaching of Presidents of
the Church, p. 195)
“The
great majority of the people of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
are coming nearer and nearer to a proper observance of the law which the Lord
has given us for our health, for the preservation of our lives; they we may be
in harmony with His Spirit and His will, that we may be clean and undefiled,
that we may be nearer like unto Him Who was without sin, Who was indeed pure
and holy as God is pure and holy.” (Joseph F Smith 1908, Teachings of
Presidents of the Church p. 328)
“Obedience to this
divine law [the Word of Wisdom] brings many temporal and spiritual blessings.
Physical well-being and increased temporal prosperity are among the temporal
advantages. In the spiritual field, those who observe this law ‘shall find
wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures.’ In other
words, through the cleanliness resulting from keeping this law of health, and
by ‘walking in obedience to the commandments’, the saints will qualify for the
companionship of the Holy Spirit, with great spiritual endowments coming as a
result thereof.” (Bruce R McConkie, Mormon Doctrine p. 846-7)
“As
valuable as the Word of Wisdom is as a law of health, it may be much more
valuable to you spiritually than physically.” (Boyd K Packer, Ensign November
1979, 20, The Gospel and the Productive Life Student Manual, p. 84)
“When
you observe the Word of Wisdom… and other good health practices, you remain
free and have control over your life. You gain the blessings of an undefiled
body, an alert mind, and the ability to receive help and support from you
Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost.” (For Strength of Youth p. 13)
Proper diet, rest and exercise provide
significant health benefits.
“Cease
to be idle; cease to be unclean… cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire
to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and
your minds may be invigorated” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:124)
“Do
not run faster or labor more than you have strength or means…” (Doctrine and
Covenants 10:4)
“Nutritious
meals, regular exercise, and appropriate sleep are necessary for a strong body,
just as consistent scripture study and prayer strengthen the mind and spirit.”
(Thomas S Monson, Ensign November 1990, p. 46; Gospel Principles, The Lords Law
of Health p. 170)
“Let
us seek to extend the present life to the uttermost, by observing every law of
health, and by properly balancing labor, study, rest and recreation, and thus
prepare for a better life. Let us teach these principles to our children.”
(Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A Widtsoe [1954] 186; Young Women
Manual)
“Proper
physical conditioning is facilitated by regular exercise, but it should be
suited to the abilities and preferences of the individual… Like many other good
things, exercise has benefits when applied wisely and in moderation. But I
offer a word of caution regarding excess. It is folly to assume that if a
little of anything is good, a lot is therefore better.” (Russell M Nelson, The
Gospel and the Productive Life Student Manual p. 85)
“Go
to bed early and get up early. If you do, your body and mind will become rested
and then in the quiet of those early morning hours you will receive more
flashes of inspiration and insight than at any other time of day.” (Harold B
Lee, The Gospel and the Productive Life Student Manual p. 86)
APPLICATION
· How
does knowing that my body is a temple – a place of residence for my spirit as
well as that of the Holy Ghost – make me feel?
· After
studying the Word of Wisdom evaluate yourself and how you are doing. Can I
improve in my observance of this law of health?
· What
are some of the spiritual blessings I have received in correlation with living
the Word of Wisdom?
· Can
I improve in the areas of diet, rest and exercise? If so, what commitments can
I make to improve my physical strength?
GOALS AND IMPRESSIONS
Use
this space to set goals that will help you evaluate and be diligent in your
observation of the Word of Wisdom. Record any notes or impressions you may have
had as you pondered the quotes and references.
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SOURCES
· The
Standard Works
· The
Gospel and the Productive Life Student Manual Religion 150, 2004
· Preach
my Gospel 2004
· Gospel
Principles 2009
· Teachings
of Presidents of the Church: Heber J Grant; Joseph F Smith
· Mormon
Doctrine, Bruce R McConkie 1979
· Conference
Ensigns and Church Magazines
· For
Strength of Youth
· Young
Women Manual I
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