After revealing the Word of Wisdom to Joseph Smith (see the lesson “Doctrine and Covenants 89:1–17”), Jesus Christ explained some of the blessings He offers those who faithfully keep the principles taught in this revelation. This lesson is intended to help students choose to live the Word of Wisdom and receive the Savior’s promised blessings.
Possible Learning Activities
The barrier
Begin class by helping students understand that the Savior gave us the Word of Wisdom as a protection because He loves us. One way to do this is to draw on the board a bay with a man-made barrier separating it from the open ocean, like the following example.
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drawing of the ocean
Explain that Elder Von G. Keetch (1960–2018) of the Seventy learned an important lesson on a beach similar to this one. Share his experience using the following paragraph and his statement below.
Elder Von G. Keetch was enjoying a day at the beach when a group of visiting surfers became upset that a man-made barrier had been placed between the bay and the open ocean. The surfers angrily complained that the barrier spoiled their trip by preventing them from surfing the larger waves that were breaking outside the bay.
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Elder Von G. Keetch
Finally [an older local surfer] rose and walked over to the group. Without saying anything, he pulled a pair of binoculars from his backpack and handed them to one of the surfers, pointing out toward the barrier. Each of the surfers looked through the binoculars. When my turn came, with the help of magnification, I could see something that I had not been able to see before: dorsal fins—large sharks feeding near the reef on the other side of the barrier. …
As we stood on that beautiful beach, our perspective had suddenly changed. A barrier that had seemed rigid and restrictive—that seemed to curtail the fun and excitement of riding the really big waves—had become something very different. With our new understanding of the danger that lurked just below the surface, the barrier now offered protection, safety, and peace. (Von G. Keetch, “Blessed and Happy Are Those Who Keep the Commandments of God,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 116)
What can Elder Keetch’s experience teach us about God and His commandments?
Which commandments best demonstrate to you God’s desire to protect us? Why?
You may want to label the barrier between the bay and the open ocean on the board as “Word of Wisdom.” Ask for volunteers to share what they remember about the Word of Wisdom. (If students created pamphlets outlining the Word of Wisdom in the previous lesson, they could refer to them for help.)
As a reminder, students could also read and share phrases from Doctrine and Covenants 89:1–4 that describe the Lord’s motives for revealing the Word of Wisdom.
Then consider displaying the following questions and inviting students to record their answers in their study journals.
Do you see the Word of Wisdom as a blessing from Heavenly Father or as a restriction in your life?
What do you know about the blessings Heavenly Father offers to those who keep the Word of Wisdom?
How important is it to you to keep the Word of Wisdom? Why?
Blessings the Savior wants to give us
After revealing the Word of Wisdom to Joseph Smith, Jesus Christ explained the blessings that He and Heavenly Father offer those who faithfully obey this revelation.
Doctrine and Covenants 89:18–21 is a doctrinal mastery passage. Consider inviting students to mark doctrinal mastery passages in a distinctive way so they can locate them easily.
In the bay of the drawing on the board, students could write the blessings they find. Be sure students recognize that the Lord will bless us with increased health, wisdom, endurance, and protection if we follow His Word of Wisdom.
What questions do you think some people might have as they read these promises from the Lord?
Based on the questions students share and available time, determine which of the following three sections of the lesson would be most helpful for students. You might allow the class to choose which sections they would like to study.
This section could help students understand that the Lord doesn’t promise perfect health to those who keep the Word of Wisdom, but He will bless the obedient with better health than they would have if they did not follow His counsel.
Read paragraphs 7–8 in the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document (2023). Also read the following teachings from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then of the First Presidency. He refers to an experience he had as a young man in the military in which he noticed that some soldiers who did not keep the Word of Wisdom surpassed him in their physical training. Look for truths that could help someone answer questions they have about the promises the Lord made in Doctrine and Covenants 89:18, 20.
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Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Eventually I learned that God’s promises are not always fulfilled as quickly as or in the way we might hope; they come according to His timing and in His ways. Years later I could see clear evidence of the temporal blessings that come to those who obey the Word of Wisdom—in addition to the spiritual blessings that come immediately from obedience to any of God’s laws. Looking back, I know for sure that the promises of the Lord, if perhaps not always swift, are always certain. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Continue in Patience,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 58)
What did you learn about the Lord and His promises that could help someone who faithfully keeps the Word of Wisdom but still struggles with health challenges?
Read Doctrine and Covenants 29:34, and think about how the doctrine the Savior taught in this verse could apply to the Word of Wisdom.
How is the Word of Wisdom primarily a spiritual blessing in addition to a physical blessing?
In what ways does our obedience to the Word of Wisdom allow the Savior to bless us with more secular wisdom and knowledge? with more spiritual wisdom and knowledge?
How does obedience to the Word of Wisdom help us to more fully receive revelation from God through Holy Ghost?
To help students answer the previous question, you may want to share the first statement by President Boyd K. Packer in the “Additional Resources” section.
As evidence of God blessing those who keep His laws of health, consider showing this depiction of Daniel refusing to eat the “king’s meat” (Daniel 1:8). Ask students to share what they remember about the account. If needed, you could share some of the following paragraph to remind them.
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Daniel refusing the king’s food
Daniel and other youth who were living in Babylon were educated and trained to become wise men for the king. When they were offered the king’s meat, Daniel refused to eat it because of the Lord’s health laws at that time. The king’s servant allowed Daniel and others a 10-day trial of eating different food to see if they would be as healthy and smart as the rest of the youth in the program.
Read Daniel 1:17–20, looking for evidence of secular and spiritual blessings of wisdom that God gave Daniel and his companions.
Consider displaying this image of the Passover and drawing students’ attention to the blood on the doorposts. Explain that protection from the “destroying angel” can remind us of when the Israelites were protected from a plague of death of firstborn children that swept through ancient Egypt. Those who obediently spread lamb’s blood on their doorposts (symbolizing the blood of the Lamb of God) were spared. This promise of protection can refer to physical and spiritual safety.
In the open ocean on the drawing on the board, students could list dangers the Savior protects us from through the Word of Wisdom. (They might list things such as addiction, disease, unworthiness, damaged relationships, and so on.)
To help students discuss spiritual protection the Savior offers us, you could share the second statement by President Packer in the “Additional Resources” section.
What examples of the Savior’s protection have you seen in your life as you have kept the Word of Wisdom?
Obeying the Word of Wisdom
Consider testifying of how the Lord has blessed you for keeping the Word of Wisdom. Encourage students to record their responses to the following question in their study journals:
Based on what you have learned about the Word of Wisdom, why is it worth it to you to obey this revelation from Christ?
Make a plan that will help you keep the Word of Wisdom. Think through situations or temptations you may face, and decide the best way for you to overcome them. Consider sharing your desires and your plan with Heavenly Father through prayer and asking for His strength to succeed.
Memorize
You may want to help students memorize the doctrinal mastery reference and key scripture phrase during this lesson and then review them in future lessons. The key scripture phrase is “The blessings of the Word of Wisdom.” Ideas for memorization activities are in the appendix materials under “Doctrinal Mastery Review Activities.”