Many years ago, I met two young people who were obviously in love. Yet as I sat and talked with them one day in my office, the young woman told me, “I want to marry Jake[i] with everything in me. I love him. I’ve fasted about it and I took my decision to the Lord. And I’ve got my answer. The problem is . . . he won’t marry me.”
I was rather surprised by that last statement. And so I asked Jake, “Do you love Katelyn?”
“Yes, I do. She’s the most amazing person in the world.”
“Do you want to marry her?”
“Yes, I do,” he said, “but I won’t.”
Jake then explained to me, “When I was younger, I had a problem with pornography. I put my life in order and became worthy to serve a mission. After I got home, I had a couple struggles with it, but I am doing well now and feel there’s been a lot of progress.
But I just don’t think it’s fair for her to marry someone like me. I still have to fight to keep my thoughts pure. I just don’t want to put her through this. She is such a wonderful girl, and so I just can’t marry her.”
As we talked for the next hour, I shared with the two of them the doctrine of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power He has to heal and change us so that we're not in bondage to our past.
We looked at the definition of the word “atonement,” and talked about how it actually means “to cover” or to make “at-one” again.[ii]
We studied what Isaiah teaches about the Atonement, and how Christ has the ability to exchange our ashes (or lack of faith, or heavy burden, or serious sin, or whatever it is) and give us beauty and praise and righteousness and glory.[iii]
I respected Jake’s willingness to be accountable and responsible, and my intent wasn’t to convince him he should marry Katelyn. I just wanted to make sure he understood the power the Savior had not only to forgive him, but also to heal and change him.
As we talked, I could see some hope in both of their eyes. However, at the end of our conversation when I asked Jake how he felt, he said he was still struggling with the idea that he wasn’t ever going to be worthy enough to marry her; he believed she deserved someone better than him.
After they left, I realized that perhaps the only way those two were ever going to be able to move forward in their relationship was if Jake figured out what he really believed about Jesus Christ, His Atonement, and what becomes of not only our worthiness but our worth to Him when we sin.[iv] I felt he needed to figure out if he believed that redemption through Christ was truly offered to him and that it could actually help and heal him.
I knew Jake had a knowledge of the principles and doctrines about repentance, forgiveness, and divine worth. However, I also knew that he was struggling — not only to find peace through recovery, but also to receive a confirmation about making one of the most important decisions of his life. And it was largely because of a false belief that he would never be worthy to marry such an incredible young woman because of past sin.
I started this section with this story because it so accurately illustrates what I often see happen in the lives of the Saints: false beliefs getting in the way of faith, obedience, revelation, trust, and so much more.
Although Jake’s belief may not be your specific belief, our own false ideas can make it just as difficult to act in faith, receive answers or confirmation, or find hope in the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
I have discovered that when our beliefs are unhealthy, unrealistic, destructive, or false in any way, they inhibit us from feeling the peace and joy we desire and they interfere with our righteous desires to become like our Savior, Jesus Christ.
I was rather surprised by that last statement. And so I asked Jake, “Do you love Katelyn?”
“Yes, I do. She’s the most amazing person in the world.”
“Do you want to marry her?”
“Yes, I do,” he said, “but I won’t.”
Jake then explained to me, “When I was younger, I had a problem with pornography. I put my life in order and became worthy to serve a mission. After I got home, I had a couple struggles with it, but I am doing well now and feel there’s been a lot of progress.
But I just don’t think it’s fair for her to marry someone like me. I still have to fight to keep my thoughts pure. I just don’t want to put her through this. She is such a wonderful girl, and so I just can’t marry her.”
As we talked for the next hour, I shared with the two of them the doctrine of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power He has to heal and change us so that we're not in bondage to our past.
We looked at the definition of the word “atonement,” and talked about how it actually means “to cover” or to make “at-one” again.[ii]
We studied what Isaiah teaches about the Atonement, and how Christ has the ability to exchange our ashes (or lack of faith, or heavy burden, or serious sin, or whatever it is) and give us beauty and praise and righteousness and glory.[iii]
I respected Jake’s willingness to be accountable and responsible, and my intent wasn’t to convince him he should marry Katelyn. I just wanted to make sure he understood the power the Savior had not only to forgive him, but also to heal and change him.
As we talked, I could see some hope in both of their eyes. However, at the end of our conversation when I asked Jake how he felt, he said he was still struggling with the idea that he wasn’t ever going to be worthy enough to marry her; he believed she deserved someone better than him.
After they left, I realized that perhaps the only way those two were ever going to be able to move forward in their relationship was if Jake figured out what he really believed about Jesus Christ, His Atonement, and what becomes of not only our worthiness but our worth to Him when we sin.[iv] I felt he needed to figure out if he believed that redemption through Christ was truly offered to him and that it could actually help and heal him.
I knew Jake had a knowledge of the principles and doctrines about repentance, forgiveness, and divine worth. However, I also knew that he was struggling — not only to find peace through recovery, but also to receive a confirmation about making one of the most important decisions of his life. And it was largely because of a false belief that he would never be worthy to marry such an incredible young woman because of past sin.
I started this section with this story because it so accurately illustrates what I often see happen in the lives of the Saints: false beliefs getting in the way of faith, obedience, revelation, trust, and so much more.
Although Jake’s belief may not be your specific belief, our own false ideas can make it just as difficult to act in faith, receive answers or confirmation, or find hope in the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
I have discovered that when our beliefs are unhealthy, unrealistic, destructive, or false in any way, they inhibit us from feeling the peace and joy we desire and they interfere with our righteous desires to become like our Savior, Jesus Christ.
OUR BELIEF BOX
The most effective way I have found to explain and understand the role that our core beliefs play in our lives is to use the visual of a “belief box.”[v]
Imagine that there is a place in our minds that holds all the ideas we’ve been exposed to as well as the things we have learned and observed from the experiences we’ve had throughout our lives. We could call all of this our knowledge.[vi]
Imagine that there is a place in our minds that holds all the ideas we’ve been exposed to as well as the things we have learned and observed from the experiences we’ve had throughout our lives. We could call all of this our knowledge.[vi]
In this space, however, we can also find our beliefs.
Our beliefs seem to be the knowledge or ideas we have decided are true.
In other words, we don’t necessarily believe everything we know.
For example, I might know that I have inherent worth that isn’t dependent on anything temporal or temporary in my life, but what I might really believe is that much of my worth is actually connected to how good of a student I am or how much other’s like me.
Thus, although there may be a lot of ideas, opinions, and philosophies floating around in our heads, only the ideas we have come to believe are true are the things that actually become our beliefs.
It could look something like this:
In this diagram, the ideas that are within somewhat transparent boxes represent our knowledge. Those that are in shaded boxes represent our beliefs.
Notice that not all the knowledge represented here is necessarily true, but it seems neither are all of the beliefs.
Remember, our beliefs are simply the ideas we have decided are true. That means both the knowledge we possess and the beliefs we have formed from that knowledge can be healthy or unhealthy, realistic or unrealistic, positive or negative, godly or worldly, true or false.[viii]
Regardless of which one they are, if an idea has become our belief, we believe it is true!
Also, notice that some of the beliefs are in more darkly shaded boxes. That shading represents how some of our beliefs are more deeply ingrained in us than others. This could be because of the influence of others, the length of time we have believed them, extreme emotion related to a particular experience, or any number of things.
Now, if this box was actually a window we were looking through, our knowledge would be fairly easy to “see through.” Although, it might be noticeable and somewhat influential on how we see ourselves, the world, or our relationship with God, it doesn’t completely block our view.
However, our beliefs would be much harder to ignore. They have much more of an influence on our perspective and perceptions. Thus, it seems, this “belief box” inside our heads isn’t just a holding place.[ix]
It instead acts more like a filter.
Consider the filters we add to a photograph on social media or a photo editing program. These filters change the picture’s appearance by altering the shades of certain colors, making some parts brighter or more noticeable than before, adding contrast where contrast wasn’t, and sometimes even distorting the picture completely.
In short, they don’t change the picture itself but rather how we see it.
So, too, do our core beliefs affect the things we learn and experience. The conversations we hear, the interactions we have with others, the things we read, the environment we live in, the trials we endure — indeed most experiences we have pass through our beliefs and are influenced, altered, emphasized, or distorted by them in some way.
Furthermore, our beliefs also influence how we respond to those experiences. The choices we make, the things we think, and the emotions we feel are often directly affected by these beliefs, as well.
It could look like this:
In short, they don’t change the picture itself but rather how we see it.
So, too, do our core beliefs affect the things we learn and experience. The conversations we hear, the interactions we have with others, the things we read, the environment we live in, the trials we endure — indeed most experiences we have pass through our beliefs and are influenced, altered, emphasized, or distorted by them in some way.
Furthermore, our beliefs also influence how we respond to those experiences. The choices we make, the things we think, and the emotions we feel are often directly affected by these beliefs, as well.
It could look like this:
Why is any of this conversation important?
Because the outcomes on the right are not solely determined by the things we experienced on the left, but often by what they filtered through.
President Boyd K. Packer taught that “our behavior is not totally controlled by natural impulses. Behavior begins with belief as well.”[x]
This little “box” in our minds seems to be the lens through which we see life and, thus, it affects so much of how we feel, what we think, and what we say and do.
A quick real-life example shows how this might work:
Todd had an anger issue with his children.
As he learned about this belief box concept, he asked himself, “Could it be that a false belief is at the root of some of my anger?”
Upon digging a little, one thing he realized was that often he would get mad when his kids were bugging him when he was “busy” or asking him questions when they weren’t “supposed to.”
What did that really mean?
He believed his endeavors were usually more important than their silly questions and that his kids should know when he didn’t have time for them.
But because children don’t sense “being busy” the same way adults do, Todd’s children were usually bugging him when he was doing something else or when it would be more difficult for him to answer a bunch of questions.
This input would filter through his beliefs and result in anger, frustration, and unkind words and actions towards his kids.
Because the outcomes on the right are not solely determined by the things we experienced on the left, but often by what they filtered through.
President Boyd K. Packer taught that “our behavior is not totally controlled by natural impulses. Behavior begins with belief as well.”[x]
This little “box” in our minds seems to be the lens through which we see life and, thus, it affects so much of how we feel, what we think, and what we say and do.
A quick real-life example shows how this might work:
Todd had an anger issue with his children.
As he learned about this belief box concept, he asked himself, “Could it be that a false belief is at the root of some of my anger?”
Upon digging a little, one thing he realized was that often he would get mad when his kids were bugging him when he was “busy” or asking him questions when they weren’t “supposed to.”
What did that really mean?
He believed his endeavors were usually more important than their silly questions and that his kids should know when he didn’t have time for them.
But because children don’t sense “being busy” the same way adults do, Todd’s children were usually bugging him when he was doing something else or when it would be more difficult for him to answer a bunch of questions.
This input would filter through his beliefs and result in anger, frustration, and unkind words and actions towards his kids.
In this light, it’s possible that Todd’s negative emotions or behavior towards his kids weren’t necessarily because he didn’t love them or wasn’t good at parenting or was just a bad guy. Instead, they could have simply been because a few skewed ideas were influencing those interactions with his kids.
This knowledge about his beliefs motivated Todd to do more digging to find out what other beliefs he had about his kids, his wife, his co-workers, friends, etc. that could be influencing how he felt towards them and treated them.
Now, there is much more to this concept than we have room for here — like the process of how our knowledge becomes a belief or how some beliefs become more deeply planted than others, to name a few.
However, this is the basic idea.
Our beliefs about ourselves, about the world around us, and about God and our relationship with Him really do play a part in just about everything we think, feel, say and do.
They change the way we live our lives.
They change the way we love.
They influence our relationships.
They affect the way we pursue an education or look for a job.
They shape the way we pray or pay tithing.
They impact the way we parent.
They impact our faith.
As we really start to understand this concept, that understanding can change so much in our lives for it changes the way we see our lives.
An experience one young man named Luke shared with me begins to show us how:
“When I was young, my parents divorced and I rarely saw my father. Several years later my mother and stepfather also divorced. Then, I rarely saw my stepfather. I realize now that from those experiences I started to believe some incorrect ideas: marriages don't work and men leave you.
“As damaging as that belief was and is, it didn’t stop there. As I continued through life, I transferred that belief to God: God is a man and so he's going to do the same thing to me — abandon me at some point. ‘Why pray?’ I thought. ‘He doesn’t love me.’ ‘He doesn’t care about me,’ I reasoned. ‘He's just going to abandon me anyway.’ Regardless of what I was taught about my Heavenly Father through those years, what I really believed was something very different, and my relationship with Him was definitely strained.
“I realize now that that was because whatever would come through the “box” in my mind, whatever experiences I had, the truths I was taught, even the impressions I would receive from the Spirit, would go through those beliefs and come out as anger, fear, defiance, and selfishness.”
What we believe has just as much influence on our emotions, experiences, and choices as what happens to us.
I had an experience on my mission where a false belief greatly hindered my ability to be taught, guided, and comforted by the Lord. And for a long time I wasn’t even aware of it! It was a false idea that I realize now was planted the first day in the mission field.
An elder had met me at the train station. On the train ride to the mission home, this hardworking, dynamic, and obedient missionary immediately impressed me. He was so excited about missionary work and talked to everyone on the train that was awake (and maybe even a few who were asleep).
He also happened to be one of the Assistants to the Mission President.
What I unknowingly started believing that day was that the definition of a truly good missionary was being just like this first missionary I met on my mission.
In my mind, that must be how God showed approval to those who had truly served Him — call them as an Assistant to the Mission President.
However, although I worked diligently, lived obediently, and literally talked to everyone I met, I was never called as an Assistant.
With six months left of my mission, my Mission President called me into his office. Unaware of my feelings, he said he felt to share with me that he had been petitioning the Lord for some time to call me as his Assistant, but couldn’t get a confirmation about it.
He explained that he didn’t fully understand why he was not supposed to call me, and that, in his eyes, I was trusted and worthy of it, but that he knew he had to be obedient to those impressions. I was completely confused.
I had an incredible experience on my mission, formed amazing relationships with many people, learned so much about myself, and really, honestly, gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon. (In fact, I can trace everything important and good in my life back to the foundations that were laid as I faithfully, diligently, and wholeheartedly served the Japanese people). But the disappointment of that experience permeated my soul.
It was especially evident on the twelve-hour plane ride home.
Praying and pleading with my Heavenly Father to know if He had accepted my service, I couldn’t seem to get a confirmation from Him. I couldn’t find any peace. In fact, it seemed that at that moment I couldn’t feel anything from the heavens. I even began questioning if He approved of me or if I had done any good on my mission at all.
All of this might sound crazy to you . . . or maybe it doesn’t. (To be honest, it’s not easy to share such skewed thinking.) However, that experience has continued to teach me many valuable lessons throughout my life. And it has especially taught me about the power of our beliefs and the influence our negative or false beliefs can have on our relationship with a loving Heavenly Father who so badly wants us to feel and know of His love.
That false, worldly belief about position that I had turned into a “gospel truth” influenced how I saw, felt about, and understood many things.
I was somewhat blinded by what mattered most to the Lord.
My narrow definition of God’s approval made it hard for me to learn His definition.
I had a hard time seeing the real evidence that I was becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ: things like the changes in myself or the growth in my testimony.
In fact, from the last six months of my mission until many years after I got home, I struggled to feel the ministering of His peace or hear the messages of His approval.
It was especially evident on the twelve-hour plane ride home.
Praying and pleading with my Heavenly Father to know if He had accepted my service, I couldn’t seem to get a confirmation from Him. I couldn’t find any peace. In fact, it seemed that at that moment I couldn’t feel anything from the heavens. I even began questioning if He approved of me or if I had done any good on my mission at all.
All of this might sound crazy to you . . . or maybe it doesn’t. (To be honest, it’s not easy to share such skewed thinking.) However, that experience has continued to teach me many valuable lessons throughout my life. And it has especially taught me about the power of our beliefs and the influence our negative or false beliefs can have on our relationship with a loving Heavenly Father who so badly wants us to feel and know of His love.
That false, worldly belief about position that I had turned into a “gospel truth” influenced how I saw, felt about, and understood many things.
I was somewhat blinded by what mattered most to the Lord.
My narrow definition of God’s approval made it hard for me to learn His definition.
I had a hard time seeing the real evidence that I was becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ: things like the changes in myself or the growth in my testimony.
In fact, from the last six months of my mission until many years after I got home, I struggled to feel the ministering of His peace or hear the messages of His approval.
How open will the conduits of heaven be in our lives when we incorrectly define the help that will come through those conduits?
How difficult will it be to feel the comforting witness of God’s love when we have narrow beliefs about what His love looks like?
How will we feel God’s approval or confirmation when disappointment is completely blocking the Lord’s influence — a disappointment, no less, that is completely founded on a false expectation?[xi]
The story of Jonah helps us see the effect our beliefs can have on our lives,
Jonah was instructed by the Lord to go to Nineveh to warn the people of their imminent destruction if they did not repent of their wickedness.
But instead of being obedient, Jonah ran as fast as he could to the coastal city of Joppa, found a ship going to Tarshish, and sailed as far away from his responsibility as possible.[xii]
Have you ever wondered why?
At first, we might think that Jonah was afraid.
Or maybe he just didn’t like calling people to repentance.
Yet, it seems it was so much more than that.
Jonah had somewhat of a history with the Ninevites. They were a powerful, idolatrous, and barbaric people who had enslaved, tortured, and killed Jonah’s people over a long period of time. It might be safe to say that Jonah probably didn’t like them.
And so, when the revelation came, Jonah probably had some pretty strong beliefs about the Ninevites. That revelation probably filtered through those beliefs, not only affecting his attitude towards that revelation, but also affecting his obedience to it.
Later in Jonah’s story, when that great fish spit him out on the shore and the Lord told him a second time to go to Nineveh, Jonah was compelled to obey.
But it doesn’t seem like he had changed what he believed about the Ninevites.
He preached unto them and then sat down and waited for them to be destroyed, even though they had turned “every one from his evil way, and from the violence that [was] in their hands,” and began to believe in God (Jonah 3:5, 8).
When the Ninevites weren’t destroyed, Jonah was angry that God hadn’t done what He originally said He was going to do. He believed the Ninevites deserved to be destroyed even though they had started to repent; it seems he didn’t think they deserved mercy.
It is interesting to point out, however, that it wasn’t the revelation for Jonah to minister among the Ninevites that was the problem, nor how God handled their rebellion.
It was Jonah’s belief about the Ninevites that negatively influenced his emotions and behavior.
We probably won’t receive a revelation to go to Nineveh.
Instead, we might receive an impression, “Forgive your dad.”
That revelation might immediately filter through the belief, “But my dad doesn’t deserve forgiveness” or “I could never forgive my dad” or “Forgiveness means forgetting or condoning what happened.”
And then we might become angry that God would ask us to do something like that and run, like Jonah, as far away from the revelation as we can.
Here’s one more example:
A friend of mine had had some difficult challenges with a few of his children.
One day as he was kneeling down to plead for the Lord’s help with one of them, the words that he felt to say were, “Heavenly Father, wilt thou please bless our child.”
At that moment, he realized that he had believed this child was only his responsibility and problem.
He knew the doctrine, but what he honestly believed was that he was supposed to somehow fix everything and know all the answers.
That one inspired phrase, words given him “in the very hour” that he needed them (D&C 100:6), changed everything.
It shifted his thinking and replaced a false idea with completely true doctrine, changing his prayers, his hope, his relationship with his children, and his ability to receive further guidance for his children.
As we correct our false, unrealistic, destructive, or unhealthy beliefs with truth — and as we make sure we actually believe those truths — our lives begin to change.
Going back to Jake and Katelyn’s situation, I didn’t see them after our first conversation for several months. Then one day I walked up to my office and found, sticking out of the bottom of the door, an envelope.
It was a wedding invitation.
As I opened the door, I could see the envelope flap was unsealed and open. Looking closer, I saw these words written across the top: “Because of the Atonement.”
I then pulled out the invitation to see their smiling faces moving forward in faith and trust in their God.
Through the redeeming and enabling power of Jesus Christ, Jake was able to change some of his beliefs, which ended up changing the entire trajectory of his life.
He came to believe with more surety that the promises made to all were also made to him: that the great exchange between scarlet and snow and crimson and wool is real.[xiii]
As his beliefs were corrected, the barriers Jake had erected between him and God slowly began to come down, giving him the courage and ability to turn to Him and allowing the light of His love, approval, strength, and inspiration that had always been there to pour into his life. It was truly a miracle.
Because of the Savior’s Atonement, the same thing can happen for each one of us.
We do not have to endure the bondage that false beliefs create, nor do we have to remain in a shuttered room where God’s light cannot reach us.
Because of the Savior’s Atonement, we can become free from the beliefs that hinder our growth and rob us of happiness, and more freely enjoy the blessings God has in store for us.
It was a wedding invitation.
As I opened the door, I could see the envelope flap was unsealed and open. Looking closer, I saw these words written across the top: “Because of the Atonement.”
I then pulled out the invitation to see their smiling faces moving forward in faith and trust in their God.
Through the redeeming and enabling power of Jesus Christ, Jake was able to change some of his beliefs, which ended up changing the entire trajectory of his life.
He came to believe with more surety that the promises made to all were also made to him: that the great exchange between scarlet and snow and crimson and wool is real.[xiii]
As his beliefs were corrected, the barriers Jake had erected between him and God slowly began to come down, giving him the courage and ability to turn to Him and allowing the light of His love, approval, strength, and inspiration that had always been there to pour into his life. It was truly a miracle.
Because of the Savior’s Atonement, the same thing can happen for each one of us.
We do not have to endure the bondage that false beliefs create, nor do we have to remain in a shuttered room where God’s light cannot reach us.
Because of the Savior’s Atonement, we can become free from the beliefs that hinder our growth and rob us of happiness, and more freely enjoy the blessings God has in store for us.
[i] The names have been changed in this story
[ii] Elder Russell M. Nelson, “The Atonement,” Ensign, November 1996; Atonement is Middle English for “at one with” or in harmony with
[iii] Isaiah 61:3
[iv] Sister Joy D. Jones, “Let me point out the need to differentiate between two critical words: worth and worthiness. They are not the same. Spiritual worth means to value ourselves the way Heavenly Father values us, not as the world values us. Our worth was determined before we ever came to this earth. ‘God’s love is infinite and it will endure forever.’ (D. Todd Christofferson, “Abide in My Love,” Ensign, November 2016, 48) On the other hand, worthiness is achieved through obedience. If we sin, we are less worthy, but we are never worth less! We continue to repent and strive to be like Jesus with our worth intact.” (“Value Beyond Measure,” Ensign, November 2017)
[v] The concept of belief boxes, belief windows, or even just the power our beliefs have in our lives has been shared and developed in many different formats. Stephen R. Covey established a clear, relatable concept when he taught about paradigms in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. (1999). London: Simon & Schuster. pp. 30-31. Virginia H. Pearce added additional perspective to this idea in her book Through His Eyes: Rethinking What You Believe About Yourself. (2011). Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book. Sister Wendy Watson Nelson taught about the power of beliefs in her talk “Change: It’s Always a Possibility,” BYU Devotional, April 7, 1998. The concepts and diagrams created for this chapter are a combination of all these ideas.
[vi] President Thomas S. Monson has stated, “We are the product of all we read, all we view, all we hear and all we think.” (Teachings of Thomas S. Monson, comp. Lynne F. Cannegieter (2011), 267.) We might also find here some of the spiritual knowledge we came to earth with, possibly from the lessons we were taught by the Father in the world of spirits before we were ever born (see D&C 138:56). These could be things we “just seem to have always known” or truths that are immediately familiar when we learn them for the first time.
[vii] Elder Boyd K. Packer, “Little Children,” Ensign, November 1986; Beliefs can also be expectations, assumptions, definitions, opinions, and other ideas in there, as well. Each of these things represent how we see the world, what we expect of others, what we assume will happen, and how we define different aspects of life. For our purposes here, we will clump them together and call them beliefs.
[viii] Stephen R. Covey explained, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response.” (7 Habits) It seems our beliefs could be found somewhere in that space between stimulus and response.
[ix] “Little Children,” Ensign, November 1986
[x] Elder Richard G. Scott taught, “The inspiring influence of the Holy Spirit can be overcome or masked by strong emotions, such as anger, hate, passion, fear, or pride. When such influences are present, it is like trying to savor the delicate flavor of a grape while eating a jalapeño pepper. Both flavors are present, but one completely overpowers the other. In like manner, strong emotions overcome the delicate promptings of the Holy Spirit.” (“To Acquire Spiritual Guidance,” Ensign, November 2009)
[xii] Some scholars believe that Tarshish was geographically probably one of the farthest places Jonah could realistically go from Nineveh at that time.
[xiii] Isaiah 1:18
[ii] Elder Russell M. Nelson, “The Atonement,” Ensign, November 1996; Atonement is Middle English for “at one with” or in harmony with
[iii] Isaiah 61:3
[iv] Sister Joy D. Jones, “Let me point out the need to differentiate between two critical words: worth and worthiness. They are not the same. Spiritual worth means to value ourselves the way Heavenly Father values us, not as the world values us. Our worth was determined before we ever came to this earth. ‘God’s love is infinite and it will endure forever.’ (D. Todd Christofferson, “Abide in My Love,” Ensign, November 2016, 48) On the other hand, worthiness is achieved through obedience. If we sin, we are less worthy, but we are never worth less! We continue to repent and strive to be like Jesus with our worth intact.” (“Value Beyond Measure,” Ensign, November 2017)
[v] The concept of belief boxes, belief windows, or even just the power our beliefs have in our lives has been shared and developed in many different formats. Stephen R. Covey established a clear, relatable concept when he taught about paradigms in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. (1999). London: Simon & Schuster. pp. 30-31. Virginia H. Pearce added additional perspective to this idea in her book Through His Eyes: Rethinking What You Believe About Yourself. (2011). Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book. Sister Wendy Watson Nelson taught about the power of beliefs in her talk “Change: It’s Always a Possibility,” BYU Devotional, April 7, 1998. The concepts and diagrams created for this chapter are a combination of all these ideas.
[vi] President Thomas S. Monson has stated, “We are the product of all we read, all we view, all we hear and all we think.” (Teachings of Thomas S. Monson, comp. Lynne F. Cannegieter (2011), 267.) We might also find here some of the spiritual knowledge we came to earth with, possibly from the lessons we were taught by the Father in the world of spirits before we were ever born (see D&C 138:56). These could be things we “just seem to have always known” or truths that are immediately familiar when we learn them for the first time.
[vii] Elder Boyd K. Packer, “Little Children,” Ensign, November 1986; Beliefs can also be expectations, assumptions, definitions, opinions, and other ideas in there, as well. Each of these things represent how we see the world, what we expect of others, what we assume will happen, and how we define different aspects of life. For our purposes here, we will clump them together and call them beliefs.
[viii] Stephen R. Covey explained, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response.” (7 Habits) It seems our beliefs could be found somewhere in that space between stimulus and response.
[ix] “Little Children,” Ensign, November 1986
[x] Elder Richard G. Scott taught, “The inspiring influence of the Holy Spirit can be overcome or masked by strong emotions, such as anger, hate, passion, fear, or pride. When such influences are present, it is like trying to savor the delicate flavor of a grape while eating a jalapeño pepper. Both flavors are present, but one completely overpowers the other. In like manner, strong emotions overcome the delicate promptings of the Holy Spirit.” (“To Acquire Spiritual Guidance,” Ensign, November 2009)
[xii] Some scholars believe that Tarshish was geographically probably one of the farthest places Jonah could realistically go from Nineveh at that time.
[xiii] Isaiah 1:18