Ye Are Angry with Me – Helaman 14:10

10 And now, because I am a Lamanite, and have spoken unto you the words which the Lord hath commanded me, and because it was hard against you, ye are angry with me and do seek to destroy me, and have cast me out from among you.
(Helaman 14:10)

In the prior chapter, Samuel the Lamanite explained to the Nephites in Zarahemla the hazard of only listening to people you are familiar with, telling you things you want to hear. He had observed that they rejected God’s prophets who told them to repent but upheld false prophets who told them to do whatever they wanted (Helaman 13:26-28).

Now, he points out to them that they are following precisely that pattern. Because he is a Lamanite, and because his message is not pleasant, they have responded badly. They were angry. They tried to kill him. They told him to leave.

In contrast, consider the response of President Henry B. Eyring last year when President Monson urged members of the Church to study the Book of Mormon:

Like many of you, I heard the prophet’s words as the voice of the Lord to me. And, also like many of you, I decided to obey those words….
I have read the Book of Mormon every day for more than 50 years. So perhaps I could have reasonably thought that President Monson’s words were for someone else. Yet, like many of you, I felt the prophet’s encouragement and his promise invite me to make a greater effort. Many of you have done what I did: prayed with increased intent, pondered scripture more intently, and tried harder to serve the Lord and others for Him.
The happy result for me, and for many of you, has been what the prophet promised. Those of us who took his inspired counsel to heart have heard the Spirit more distinctly. We have found a greater power to resist temptation and have felt greater faith in a resurrected Jesus Christ, in His gospel, and in His living Church.
In a season of increasing tumult in the world, those increases in testimony have driven out doubt and fear and have brought us feelings of peace. (“Fear Not to Do Good,” General Conference, October 2018).

Today, I will follow the example of President Eyring by being open to the words of living prophets. I will be careful to avoid the fallacy of listening only to the messages that I want to hear. Instead, I will seek to recognize truth and follow it, even when it requires me to change.