Finding My Liahona, Part 2

In Finding My Liahona, Part 1, I wrote about how I began comparing my heart to the Liahona—the brass ball that Lehi found outside his tent door, which he and his family used to find their way through the wilderness as they journeyed toward a covenant land of promise.

For me, thinking of my heart as a personal Liahona was a new way of seeing the Liahona. The Liahona had been compared by others to a number of different things, but I had never heard of it being compared to the heart.

The Book of Mormon itself provides what I consider to be the prime example of a Liahona analogy. Speaking to his son Helaman, the prophet Alma likened the Liahona to the words of Christ:

"And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers call a ball, or director—or our fathers called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it.

"And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness.

"And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.

"Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey;

"Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions.

"And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.

"For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.

"And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise."

(Alma 37:38-45.)

Church leaders in our day have also drawn other analogies to the Liahona. For example, President Thomas S. Monson has compared the Liahona to a patriarchal blessing ("Your Patriarchal Blessing: A Liahona of Light," Ensign, October 1986), and Elder David A. Bednar has compared the Liahona to the Holy Ghost ("That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us," Ensign, May 2006.)

While thinking about these analogies, I saw they were comparing the Liahona to the words of Christ (including scriptures and patriarchal blessings in which the words of Christ are recorded) and to the divine means by which the words of Christ are communicated to us (the Holy Ghost).

I also saw that my heart was in a different category. My heart was a means by which I receive and understand the words of Christ.

I pondered about this difference and why it is important to me.

I remembered that Nephi said he "did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning" (1 Nephi 19:23).

It occurred to me that seeing my heart as a Liahona was a way to liken the Liahona to myself more personally. It offered the potential for me to better understand how I can receive, understand and follow the words of Christ.

However, when I considered the details of the story of the Liahona, the analogy of my heart as a Liahona didn't seem to fit. My heart feels like a ball of energy, which is what originally reminded me of the Liahona. But if I likened my heart to the brass ball, what would be the two spindles, or pointers, in that ball and how would they work?

Without a good answer to that question, I stepped back and asked, How can I most directly liken the Liahona to myself?

That is when it occurred to me to ask:

What if I am a Liahona?

What if I am that brass ball?

And if so, what are the two pointers within me, and how do they work?

And thus began the next phase in my search to find my Liahona.

Finding My Liahona, Part 1

When I learned from my counselor how to find out if something is true for me or not (see The Heart and a Willing Mind), I became more and more aware of what my counselor called my "place of knowing."

This place of knowing is what people call their heart. It is what we are talking about when we say, "I know it in my heart."

Of course, this isn't the physical heart that beats and pumps blood. This is what I think of as my spiritual heart, which, for me, feels like a ball of energy in the center of my chest. I can feel that ball of energy radiating within my chest and also radiating outside my chest, beyond the limits of my chest wall.

When I would talk with my wife, Anita, about this ball of energy I was using to receive insights, guidance and direction for my life, I would place my hand around that ball of energy and call it my Liahona, because it reminded me of a story in the Book of Mormon about a "ball, or director" that was called a "Liahona" (see Alma 37:38).

In that story, which takes place around 600 B.C., a prophet named Lehi was commanded by God to take his family from their home in Jerusalem and travel through the wilderness toward a "land of promise." Lehi's family was later joined on their journey by a man named Ishmael and his family.

Lehi's son, Nephi, wrote that his father arose one morning and went to his tent door, and "to his great astonishment he beheld upon the ground a round ball of curious workmanship; and it was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness" (1 Nephi 16:10).

Nephi described how they used the Liahona to guide them during the first part of their journey:

"And it came to pass that we did travel for the space of many days, slaying food by the way, with our bows and our arrows and our stones and our slings.

"And we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in the more fertile parts of the wilderness.

"And after we had traveled for the space of many days, we did pitch our tents for the space of a time, that we might again rest ourselves and obtain food for our families.

"And it came to pass that as I, Nephi, went forth to slay food, behold, I did break my bow, which was made of fine steel; and after I did break my bow, behold, my brethren were angry with me because of the loss of my bow, for we did obtain no food.

"And it came to pass that we did return without food to our families, and being much fatigued, because of their journeying, they did suffer much for the want of food.

"And it came to pass that [my older brothers] Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael did begin to murmur exceedingly, because of their sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness; and also my father began to murmur against the Lord his God; yea, and they were all exceedingly sorrowful, even that they did murmur against the Lord.

"Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, having been afflicted with my brethren because of the loss of my bow, and their bows having lost their springs, it began to be exceedingly difficult, yea, insomuch that we could obtain no food.

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did speak much unto my brethren, because they had hardened their hearts again, even unto complaining against the Lord their God.

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make out of wood a bow, and out of a straight stick, an arrow; wherefore, I did arm myself with a bow and an arrow, with a sling and with stones. And I said unto my father: Whither shall I go to obtain food?

"And it came to pass that he did inquire of the Lord, for they had humbled themselves because of my words; for I did say many things unto them in the energy of my soul.

"And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father; and he was truly chastened because of his murmuring against the Lord, insomuch that he was brought down into the depths of sorrow.

"And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord said unto him: Look upon the ball, and behold the things which are written.

"And it came to pass that when my father beheld the things which were written upon the ball, he did fear and tremble exceedingly, and also my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and our wives.

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith and diligence and heed which we did give unto them.

"And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things.

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did go forth up into the top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given upon the ball.

"And it came to pass that I did slay wild beasts, insomuch that I did obtain food for our families.

"And it came to pass that I did return to our tents, bearing the beasts which I had slain; and now when they beheld that I had obtained food, how great was their joy! And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord, and did give thanks unto him."

(1 Nephi 16:15-32.)

At that time of my life, I considered my heart—that ball of energy that was my place of knowing—to be my Liahona. I found that by following the directions I was receiving through my own "ball, or director," I, too, was being led "in the more fertile parts" of the wilderness of life through which I was traveling.

This was just the beginning of finding my own Liahona, as Lehi found his!

The Heart and a Willing Mind

I have had periods of deep searching in my life. During one such period, I struggled with personal issues that seemed unsolvable.

I spent hours, days, weeks and months trying to figure out what to do, but I never seemed to find answers, and things stayed pretty much the same or got worse.

Things began to change for the better when I met with a trusted counselor and told her about my troubles. One of my biggest concerns at the time, which I shared with her, was that it seemed like I couldn't feel anything.

The counselor listened to me intently and then told me she was certain that my problem wasn't that I couldn't feel. I could feel. She pointed out that while I had been talking to her I had been crying and feeling deeply. Which was true!

There was something else going on with me, and fortunately the counselor was able to point me to something that really helped.

She began by stating something. Then she asked me if what she had just said was true for me.

I was confused. "What do you mean by 'true for me'"? I asked.

To help me understand, she asked me to do an experiment. She said she was going to have me bow my head, and when she asked me if something was true for me, she wanted me to pay attention to how I felt in the area at the center of my chest. She said by bowing my head I would become more aware of a sensation of the heart that she called "a knowing." By becoming aware of that sensation, I would be able to tell whether what she was saying rang true for me or not. This is what she meant by something being true for me.

We tried this several times. She would say something and ask, "Is that true for you?" I would take a moment to feel for the sensation she had described, and then I would answer her, yes or no. After doing this repeatedly, I became familiar with the knowing sensation and what it felt like for me. I knew what it felt like when the answer was yes, and I knew what it felt like when the answer was no. This helped me understand how to receive and recognize answers for myself.

The counselor assured me again that there was nothing wrong with me. There was nothing wrong with my ability to feel. I had just become disconnected from how my mind and my heart naturally work together. She said this is a common human experience. Innocently, and with the best of intentions, I had been spending a lot of time in my head looking for answers, but the answers I was looking for weren't there. Such answers are in the heart.

This was an important step for me in learning to understand how my personal spiritual guidance system works.

My spiritual guidance system doesn't rely on the intellect to crunch data and come up with answers. The intellect is helpful for processing information, but not for getting answers to direct my life. Too often when I rely on reason and my intellect, I end up spinning an endless web of thoughts and judgments that are unproductive. When I am in my head, I am prone to taking my fears, worries and judgments too seriously.

My spiritual guidance system works best when, after having studied matters out in my mind, I allow my mind to become quiet and open—open to the light and wisdom of heaven that flows effortlessly into our minds as pure intelligence and is confirmed as true by our hearts. I have learned that this system is constantly available and always works for my benefit.

I will forever be grateful to this counselor who helped me experience for myself how it feels when my spiritual guidance system is working. This has enabled me to confirm for myself the truth of all things—not just the things we normally think of as spiritual.

I have since also pondered about the significance of bowing my head when I pray, as I did during that experiment with my counselor many years ago.

I bow my head during prayer to show humility and reverence toward God. But by bowing my head I also become more keenly aware of the feelings of my heart as I pray. And that, I have learned, is precisely where the answers to my prayers are most likely to be found.

—o0o—

"Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground. (D&C 8:2-3.)

"Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right." (D&C 9:7-8.)

“Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days” (D&C 64:34).

Sacred Grove Photo Credit: Brad Wiggins

Finding Christ First: The Good Samaritan

The Good Samaritan is another parable that became more personal and profound for me when I looked to find Christ in the parable first and then found myself in the story in relation to Him. (I first wrote about this principle in Finding Christ First: The Lost Sheep).

Throughout my life I have been touched by the obvious message of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, namely, to be kind and compassionate like the good Samaritan and not pass by "on the other side" when I see someone who needs help. This is a wonderful message that has inspired many people the world over to act as "good Samaritans" by aiding others and alleviating their suffering.

However, the significance of this parable for me increased when I came across the idea that the good Samaritan in the story represents Jesus Christ. I began reading the parable and applying it to myself from that point of view.

Here is Luke's account of the parable:

"And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted [Jesus], saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

"He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

"And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

"And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

"But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

"And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

"And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

"And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

"And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

"And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

"Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

"And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise" (Luke 10:25-37).

By recognizing that the good Samaritan in this story symbolizes Jesus Christ, I have been able to see who I am in the story in relation to Him. Although I can learn different things by seeing myself as each of the different characters in the story, by far the most significant character for me is the man who fell among the thieves. I can see that everything the fallen man experienced in the parable, I have experienced in my own way, and everything the good Samaritan did for the fallen man, Jesus Christ has done, and is doing, for me. This is what makes the story so deeply intimate and personal and its meaning so profound.

My understanding about this grew exponentially when I came across something my former business law professor at Brigham Young University, John W. Welch, wrote about this parable. Prof. Welch published an article in BYU Studies ("The Good Samaritan: A Type and Shadow of the Plan of Salvation") and a summary of that article in the Ensign magazine ("The Good Samaritan: Forgotten Symbols"), in which he describes his discovery of an early Christian tradition that viewed the parable of the good Samaritan as a detailed allegory of the Fall and Redemption of mankind. About this, he writes:

"In the second century A.D., Irenaeus in France and Clement of Alexandria both saw the good Samaritan as symbolizing Christ Himself saving the fallen victim, wounded with sin. A few years later, Clement's pupil Origen stated that this interpretation came down to him from earlier Christians, who had described the allegory as follows:

"'The man who was going down is Adam. Jerusalem is paradise, and Jericho is the world. The robbers are hostile powers. The priest is the Law, the Levite is the prophets, and the Samaritan is Christ. The wounds are disobedience, the beast is the Lord's body, the [inn], which accepts all who wish to enter, is the Church . . . .  The manager of the [inn] is the head of the Church, to whom its care has been entrusted. And the fact that the Samaritan promises he will return represents the Savior's second coming'" [citing Origen, Homily 34.3, Joseph T. Lienhard, trans., Origen: Homilies on Luke, Fragments on Luke (1996), 138].

Prof. Welch goes on to say:

"The parable of the good Samaritan testifies of Christ. It teaches of the plan of salvation, the Savior's atoning love, and our journey toward inheriting eternal life. It can be read as a story not only about a man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, but also about all who come down from the presence of God to live on earth. This meaning becomes most visible in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ restored through His latter-day prophets."

I highly commend Prof. Welch's commentary to you. I am awestruck by the rich, detailed symbolism and meaning it brings to light, and as I ponder on it, I discover even more symbolism and meaning for myself.

I am also struck by the fact that the Parable of the Good Samaritan, like the Parable of the Lost Sheep, is best understood when considered in the context it was given.

You remember that a lawyer asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, and Jesus answered with another question: "What is written in the law? how readest thou?"

The lawyer replied, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself."

Jesus said, "Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live." But the lawyer, who was willing to justify (excuse) himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbour?"

This question — "Who is my neighbor?" — was what prompted Jesus to relate the Parable of the Good Samaritan. After sharing the parable, Jesus returned to this question, asking the lawyer, "Which now of these three [the priest, the Levite and the Samaritan], thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?"

The lawyer answered, "He that shewed mercy on him." Jesus responded, "Go, and do thou likewise."

Jesus's answer, by parable, to the question, "Who is my neighbor?", flipped the focus from (1) looking at another person to decide whether he or she is close enough in relationship or proximity to be considered a "neighbor" deserving of kindness, to (2) looking within and choosing to be a neighbor by showing compassion toward all!

I find it significant that Jesus chose a Samaritan to portray the good neighbor in this parable.

The Samaritan in the story had come from another place. At that time those in Samaria were looked down upon by the Jews, and there was antagonism between the Jews and the Samaritans. Samaritans were of a mixed race, partly Israelite and partly gentile. Yet the good Samaritan chose to be "neighbor" to the fallen man from Jerusalem.

Like the good Samaritan, Jesus Christ came from another place. His mother was a Jew, but He claimed to be the literal Son of God. And Isaiah accurately prophesied of Christ that he would be "despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." (Isaiah 53:3).

Jesus Christ was, indeed, the Good Samaritan who chose to be "neighbor" to the fallen man in the parable.

By seeing myself as that fallen man, I come to know and better understand that Jesus chose to be my merciful neighbor.

In a profound way, Jesus responded to the question, "Who is my neighbor?" by answering, "I am. I am your neighbor. Go, and do thou likewise."

On another occasion, Jesus said, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:43-44). This is what our Savior, Jesus Christ, has done. This is the example our Good Samaritan has given us.

In light of this parable, Christ's words have added meaning:  "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:34-35). 

Yes, the Parable of the Good Samaritan is far more than a moral tale about the importance of showing kindness toward others.

Jesus Christ is the Good Samaritan who comes to rescue, cleanse, bind up, bear, care for and heal each one of us. He is our loving, merciful, compassionate Neighbor.

May we show our gratitude and love for Him by accepting His gifts, following Him, and loving others as He has loved us.
__________

Image of sculpture The Good Samaritan by Daniel Borup
(www.danielborup.com) gratefully used with permission