The Book of Mormon prophet Jacob urged his people, “Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal” (2 Nephi 9:39; see also Romans 8:6). President Russell M. Nelson recently urged us to “think celestial,” and then added, “Thinking celestial means being spiritually minded” (“Think Celestial,” General Conference, October 2023).
President Dallin H. Oaks taught:
Each of us has a personal lens through which we view the world. Our lens gives its special tint to all we see. It can suppress some features and emphasize others. It can also reveal things otherwise invisible….
How we interpret our experiences is…a function of our degree of spirituality. Some interpret mortality solely in terms of worldly accomplishments and possessions. In contrast, we who have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ should interpret our experiences in terms of our knowledge of the purpose of life, the mission of our Savior, and the eternal destiny of the children of God.
“Spirituality,” General Conference, October 1985, italics in original
Jacob’s father, Lehi, taught him to interpret his experiences with a spiritual lens. After acknowledging the adversity Jacob had experienced as the family traveled in the wilderness, Lehi said, “Nevertheless…thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain” (2 Nephi 2:2).
President Oaks shared a story about a farmer who delegated responsibility for a group of cows to his young sons. One day, a neighbor complained about the way the boys were fulfilling that responsibility. The farmer wisely replied, “You don’t understand. You see, I’m raising boys, not cows” (“Spirituality,” General Conference, October 1985).
Today, I will strive to be spiritually minded: to view my experiences through an eternal lens, and to make decisions with an eternal perspective.
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