In a secular society, well-being or welfare is largely defined by the fulfillment of physical or temporal needs. Also for Christians, to feed the hungy, clothe the naked, etc. has always been an important part of discipleship and is brought up in several Book of Mormon passages like Alma 34:28, Mosiah 4:14-26 and Jacob 2:19. Yet it seems that the Book of Mormon in general is even more concerned about our spiritual well-being.
Some of my favorite examples of Book of Mormon prophets emphasizing what really is of greatest importance and their concern for the welfare of the souls of others:
2 Nephi 2:30
And I have none other object save it be the everlasting of your souls.
1 Nephi 8:37
And he did them then with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words
1 Nephi 15:25
Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give unto the word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the which I possessed
Enos 1:9
I began to feel a for the of my brethren, the Nephites; wherefore, I did my whole soul unto God for them
2 Nephi 1:16
And I desire that ye should remember to observe the and the judgments of the Lord; behold, this hath been the anxiety of my soul from the beginning.
2 Nephi 33:3
But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as of great , and especially unto my people. For I continually for them by day, and mine water my pillow by night, because of them
Mosiah 28:3
Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not that any human should ; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure torment did cause them to quake and .
…and so on. We need to worry about the right things and the Book of Mormon reminds us what those are.
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