The Light Which Did Light Up His Mind

The Savior prophesied of the last days, “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:26). Enoch saw in vision the same thing: “But before that day he saw great tribulations among the wicked; and he also saw the sea, that it was troubled, and men’s hearts failing them, looking forth with fear for the judgments of the Almighty God, which should come upon the wicked” (Moses 7:66). In our dispensation the Savior said something similar, “And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:26). He said again in a later revelation, “And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:91). All of these passages highlight that in the last days men’s hearts shall fail them. Perhaps that phrase at least in part describes the anxiety, depression, and debilitating mental illnesses that afflict so many across the globe. So many suffer silently in their own souls, with their hearts and minds seemingly failing them.

            As I thought about this, I was reminding of President Jeffrey R. Holland’s powerful talk about the Book of Mormon he gave in general conference many years ago. He declared, “The encouraging thing, of course, is that our Father in Heaven knows all of these latter-day dangers, these troubles of the heart and soul, and has given counsel and protections regarding them. In light of that, it has always been significant to me that the Book of Mormon, one of the Lord’s powerful keystones in this counteroffensive against latter-day ills, begins with a great parable of life, an extended allegory of hope versus fear, of light versus darkness, of salvation versus destruction.” He continued, “Love. Healing. Help. Hope. The power of Christ to counter all troubles in all times—including the end of times. That is the safe harbor God wants for us in personal or public days of despair. That is the message with which the Book of Mormon begins, and that is the message with which it ends, calling all to ‘come unto Christ, and be perfected in him.’” He summarized, “Brothers and sisters, God always provides safety for the soul, and with the Book of Mormon, He has again done that in our time. Remember this declaration by Jesus Himself: ‘Whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived’—and in the last days neither your heart nor your faith will fail you.” I believe that there truly is safety for the soul in the Book of Mormon. Sincerely reading each day from its pages will surely help us combat the despair and anxiety that constantly threaten us. Mormon put it this way, “Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out” (Helaman 3:29-30). The Book of Mormon is indeed that word of God that we must lay hold upon to lead us through this gulf of misery and land our souls at the right hand of God.

            I’m not suggesting that reading the Book of Mormon will cure all mental illness and deep struggles of the mind and heart, but I do believe it is a powerful help that we too often neglect. The Savior made this statement, “And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all. And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:54-57). He suggested that their minds had been darkened because they treated lightly the Book of Mormon. To me this implies that when our minds are darkened through anxiety and fear and doubts and depression, a sincere study of the Book of Mormon is a powerful aid to help lift that darkness. I believe that reading, pondering, and living by the words of the Book of Mormon will do for us what the Lord did for King Lamoni: “The dark veil of unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light which did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God, which was a marvelous light of his goodness—yea, this light had infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in his soul” (Alma 19:6). Just as a cloud of darkness was dispelled from Lamoni through a light that lit up his mind, so too can the words of the Book of Mormon help dispel the darkness in our minds and give us the light we so desperately need so that our hearts and minds will not fail us.