For a long time I have wanted to live the Word of Wisdom more fully. I haven’t ever had a problem with all the don’ts in the WoW, but the dos have been a little trickier for me. I have read all the statistics about how members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints typically enjoy healthier lives, lower incidences of cancer, heart disease, and a multitude of other ailments. As American waistlines grow ever larger, members of the Church are no exception—our belts are straining just as much to keep up with our massive girths. Will the better health we’ve been blessed with continue, even though we are entrenched in a western diet full of all the self-indulgence we can handle? I seriously doubt it.
President Ezra Taft Benson said the following, “One principle of the gospel that all young people of the Church should understand is this: God, our Heavenly Father, governs His children by law. He has instituted laws for our perfection. If we obey His laws, we receive the blessings pertaining to those laws. If we do not obey, we receive the consequences.
The Word of Wisdom is a law—a principle with promise. If we obey the provisions of the law, we receive the promises. If we do not, there will be both temporal and spiritual consequences.” (Ezra Taft Benson, "A Principle with a Promise", Ensign, May 1983, 53)
How can I hope to continue to be blessed with good health if I am not fully obeying the Word of Wisdom? I think it’s time for me to work to regain health by obeying the Lord’s commandments. I know that this principle is adapted to the weakest person who can be called a saint—I am confident that I can live the Word of Wisdom more fully, and I plan to use this blog to chronicle my efforts and interpretations of this doctrine.
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