1/24/2018 A Psychologist's Insights into 5 Book of Mormon Prophets | LDS Living

A Psychologist's Insights into 5

Book of Mormon Prophets
by Cameron Staley
Makes You Think

http://www.ldsliving.com/A-Psychologist-s-Insights-into-5-Book-of-Mormon-Prophets/s/84060 1/10
1/24/2018 A Psychologist's Insights into 5 Book of Mormon Prophets | LDS Living

My training as a clinical psychologist has forever changed how

I see the world and even how I read scripture. I can’t help but
wonder about the personal lives of the people in the Book of
Mormon. What was it like growing up with Nephi for a
younger brother? What was Alma involved in that led him so
far astray? How unbearable was it for Moroni to watch as all
the people he loved died? Would the Book of Mormon sound
different if it was written from the Lamanites’ perspective
instead of the Nephites’?

The prophets in the Book of Mormon come alive to me as I

consider each of their family dynamics, unique personalities,
and how their life experiences provided them insight on
specific aspects of the gospel. Of course, my “analysis” would
be far more compelling (and accurate) if I could have a few
sessions with Captain Moroni on my therapy couch, ask him to
complete a couple personality inventories, and observe his

http://www.ldsliving.com/A-Psychologist-s-Insights-into-5-Book-of-Mormon-Prophets/s/84060 2/10
1/24/2018 A Psychologist's Insights into 5 Book of Mormon Prophets | LDS Living

interactions outside of a war context, but there are some

interesting things I’ve learned by studying what we do know
about his life and the lives of others in the Book of Mormon.

Nephi: We need to do a better job of showing love

to everyone.

When I was young, I was the Nephi in my family. I would read

my scriptures and listen to my parents, and I prepared my
whole life for serving a mission. Nephi was my hero!

Now as I read Nephi’s account from an adult perspective, my

focus often shifts to his older brothers, Laman and Lemuel. I
wonder how much of their difficulty embracing the gospel
came from their reaction to their younger brother’s direct, at
times sharp, teaching style. Often Laman and Lemuel’s
aggressive outbursts follow one of Nephi’s stern rebukes.

It is clear that Nephi loved his family. In his own words he

shares that “I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes
water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my
God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry” (2 Nephi
33:3, emphasis added). I can feel Nephi’s deep commitment
and love for his family members. But as a psychologist, I
wonder if he shared these feelings openly with his brothers or
if he kept them to himself. Would Laman and Lemuel have
been more receptive if they could have felt the love Nephi had
for them that was behind every rebuke?

It is often difficult for us to show “an increase of love” when it

feels like a family member’s eternal salvation is at stake, but
easy to nag or constantly try to talk them back onto the gospel
path. If someone we know is struggling with the Church and
its teachings, it is important for us to do our best to make sure
and show that any concern we share with them is motivated
by love for them. While I don’t know all the circumstances
surrounding Nephi and his brothers’ interactions, I sometimes
http://www.ldsliving.com/A-Psychologist-s-Insights-into-5-Book-of-Mormon-Prophets/s/84060 3/10
1/24/2018 A Psychologist's Insights into 5 Book of Mormon Prophets | LDS Living

wonder if things might have been different if they had

expressed more love to each other.

Jacob: We need to find joy in living the gospel.

I gravitate toward individuals who love living the gospel. Jacob

embodies the Christlike attributes we are all striving for. It’s
no mistake that the prophetic line in the Book of Mormon
continues through his posterity (Enos, Jarom, and so on). Jacob
was likely an attentive father and devoted husband. His
dedicated service in his family and calling likely touched the
lives of countless people around him.

I believe we would all benefit from having a “Jacob” in our

families. His writings reveal a wonderful blend of gospel
teaching and warmth. When speaking of his family, Jacob
shares that he is “weighed down with much more desire and
anxiety for the welfare of your souls” (Jacob 2:3, emphasis
added). Over and over he refers to his people as “my
brethren.” In Jacob 2:17 he teaches his people empathy, “think
of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all
and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto
you” (emphasis added).

Jacob’s love for others allows him to directly confront several

egregious practices his people were engaged in. Jacob pleads,
“wherefore, my brethren, hear me,” (Jacob 2:27, emphasis
added) and that “the word of God burdens me because of your
grosser crimes” (Jacob 2:23 emphasis added). He is not
pointing fingers at those around him, he is taking upon
himself the sorrow of their actions. Jacob effectively calls his
people to repentance because of the relationship he has with
them.

The other quality I admire about Jacob is his genuine desire

for his posterity and future generations of the church to find
joy in the gospel and love for their ancestors. In Jacob 4:3 he
http://www.ldsliving.com/A-Psychologist-s-Insights-into-5-Book-of-Mormon-Prophets/s/84060 4/10
1/24/2018 A Psychologist's Insights into 5 Book of Mormon Prophets | LDS Living

states, “Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor

diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that
our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with
thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with
joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning
their first parents” (emphasis added).

King Bejamin:We need to be converted to the

gospel, not its leaders.

Some of the sweetest passages of scripture in my opinion come

from King Benjamin. So powerful were his words that all of
his people “cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the
words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of
their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord
Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in
our hearts” (Mosiah 5:2).

I’m moved every time I read that all of King Benjamin’s people
made a lifelong covenant to follow Christ. However, I’m
haunted by a five word phrase found just a chapter later:
“There was not one soul, except it were little children, but who
had entered into the covenant and had taken upon them the
name of Christ” (Mosiah 6:2, emphasis added).

In Mosiah 26:1-4 we learn the fate of these children. They

“could not understand the words of king Benjamin, being little
children at the time he spake unto his people; and they did not
believe the tradition of their fathers. They did not believe what
had been said concerning the resurrection of the dead, neither
did they believe concerning the coming of Christ. And now
because of their unbelief they could not understand the word
of God; and their hearts were hardened. And they would not
be baptized; neither would they join the church. And they
were a separate people as to their faith, and remained so ever

http://www.ldsliving.com/A-Psychologist-s-Insights-into-5-Book-of-Mormon-Prophets/s/84060 5/10
1/24/2018 A Psychologist's Insights into 5 Book of Mormon Prophets | LDS Living

after, even in their carnal and sinful state; for they would not
call upon the Lord their God” (emphasis added).

This is heartbreaking to me. Why would the conversion and

covenant of King Benjamin’s people not translate to their
children? The easy answer is that each of us must gain our
own testimony. That’s true, but I wonder if something else was
also at play. I’m sure that all of you have heard stories of
individuals joining the Church after being taught by
charismatic missionaries. Initially, these individuals are on
fire, but they seem to fizzle out after the missionaries leave. I
wonder how many of King Benjamin’s people were converted
to him as a person instead of his message of the gospel, and if
that affected the testimonies of their children.

There is danger when our testimonies rise and fall with

Church leaders. Many times I hear stories about how a
particular bishop helped an individual through a difficult time
in their lives, thereby strengthening their faith, and then in the
next breath, how a different bishop was unhelpful, and shook
their testimony.

I love Elder Holland’s passion for the gospel and willingness to

address mental health issues many of us experience. But my
testimony does not depend on Elder Holland and his
conference addresses. I know it’s important for me, and all of
us, to gain our own witness of the words of the prophets and
the doctrines they teach, and not become converted to their
personalities or teaching styles. And our children need to
know this, too. I believe it is important to have ongoing
conversations with our children about our personal spiritual
experiences and challenges we have living the gospel,
validating the words of the prophets with our own personal
experiences and testimonies, leaving room for our children’s
own testimonies to develop and grow.

http://www.ldsliving.com/A-Psychologist-s-Insights-into-5-Book-of-Mormon-Prophets/s/84060 6/10
1/24/2018 A Psychologist's Insights into 5 Book of Mormon Prophets | LDS Living

Alma: We need to recognize the Atonement isn’t

just for healing sin.

Is there a more complex prophet in all the Book of Mormon

than Alma? In many ways, his life parallels Paul’s from the
New Testament. Both spent their early years seeking to destroy
the Church, but much like Paul, an angel of the Lord appeared
to Alma, eventually leading to his miraculous conversion.
What I find most remarkable about Alma is his intimate
knowledge of the Atonement healing us from physical
affliction and suffering in addition to sin. I know he
experienced using the Atonement to be forgiven of his sins,
but I have often wondered what personal experiences he must
have had that helped him understand the physical affliction
aspect of the Atonement. Perhaps this knowledge actually
came years later, after his change of heart.

In Alma 3:22, a single line reveals an important event in the

life of Alma the Younger, “Now Alma himself being afflicted
with a wound did not go up to battle at this time against the
Lamanites,” (emphasis added).

After this battle, we read in several places that Alma had to

“rest himself from the labors which he had performed” (Alma
8:1) or “tarried many days with Amulek before he began to
preach unto the people” (Alma 8:27). From this we learn that
Alma was physically afflicted in battle, but because of his
strong foundation and testimony in the Atonement, he
understood that he could turn to the Savior and learned
precious truths about how all-encompassing the Atonement
really is: “[Christ] shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions
and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be
fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the
sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that
he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he
will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be

http://www.ldsliving.com/A-Psychologist-s-Insights-into-5-Book-of-Mormon-Prophets/s/84060 7/10
1/24/2018 A Psychologist's Insights into 5 Book of Mormon Prophets | LDS Living

filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know

according to the flesh how to succor his people according to
their infirmities” (Alma 7: 11-12, emphasis added).

Like Alma, this is something we can also come to know and

understand and use for ourselves. Elder Bruce Hafen wrote an
incredible book, The Broken Heart: Applying the Atonement to
Life’s Experiences, on how the Savior helps us heal from the
pains we experience in this life. I’ve learned that most of us do
not fully understand how the Atonement can help us when we
are suffering. Often we only think about the Atonement when
we need to repent, but the Savior wants to heal all of our
wounds, even those that come by no fault of our own.

Moroni: We are never alone.

Moroni is without question my favorite ancient prophet. He

was charged with completing the sacred gold plates, ensuring
their safety for 1,400 years, and then mentoring the young
prophet Joseph Smith as he translated them. Yet, I feel sadness
when I read Moroni’s words.

For one, his writings signal the end of the Book of Mormon
(who wants their favorite book to end?). Second, reading
about the destruction of the Nephites through Moroni’s eyes is
harrowing. Moroni dedicated his life to serving his people. He
watched as everyone he knew and loved, died. As you scan
through the following verses, imagine yourself in Moroni’s
place:

“Behold I, Moroni, do finish the record of my father, Mormon .

. . And my father also was killed by [the Lamanites], and I even
remain alone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my
people. But behold, they are gone, and I fulfil the
commandment of my father. And whether they will slay me, I
know not. Therefore I will write and hide up the records in the

http://www.ldsliving.com/A-Psychologist-s-Insights-into-5-Book-of-Mormon-Prophets/s/84060 8/10
1/24/2018 A Psychologist's Insights into 5 Book of Mormon Prophets | LDS Living

earth; and whither I go it mattereth not” (Mormon 8:1-4,

emphasis added).

The sense of loss, grief, despair, and loneliness would be

crippling for any of us. Yet somehow Moroni is able to carry on
for another 20 years as he abridges the Jaredite writings and
adds his own account to the conclusion of the Book of
Mormon. Every time I read these verses, I want to be by his
side. I want to comfort him. Thank him. Reassure him that his
work will change the lives of millions. I want to tell him that
the Book of Mormon has changed mine.

Of course, Moroni knew all of this. In Mormon 8:35, he

addresses us in our day, “Behold, I speak unto you as if ye
were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath
shown you unto me, and I know your doing” (Mormon 8:35,
emphasis added). Maybe Moroni was not alone after all.

Moroni’s experience reminds me that I am not alone. Even

when I feel lost or lonely, like Moroni, I can have the
companionship of my Savior, no matter how overwhelming
my situation may feel.

The prophets in the Book of Mormon walked this earth. They

are very real to me. They are our brethren and sisters in the
gospel. I hope you enjoyed reading the insights of a
psychologist who loves the Book of Mormon. Now, go and
honor these inspiring prophets by reading and sharing the
Book of Mormon!

Lead image from Book of Mormon Central

Cameron Staley’s love for the Book of Mormon and

background as a clinical psychologist led him to write the
remarkable untold story of the Lamanites, which is meant for
our day, in his novel In the Hands of the Gadiantons, available

http://www.ldsliving.com/A-Psychologist-s-Insights-into-5-Book-of-Mormon-Prophets/s/84060 9/10