"Your Charge: To Increase in Wisdom and Favor with God and Man"

By: Ezra Taft Benson

"Your Charge: To Increase in Wisdom and Favor with God and Man", New Era, Sept. 1979, 40

"There is no question that the health of the body affects the spirit, or the Lord would never have revealed the Word of Wisdom. God has never given any temporal commandments--that which affects our stature affects our soul. There are at least four basic areas which make the difference in your health--in your growing in stature.

"First: righteousness. 

Sin debilitates; it affects not only the soul but the body. The scriptures are replete with examples of the physical power that can attend the righteous. On the other hand, unrepented sin can diffuse energy and lead to both mental and physical sickness. Disease, fevers, and unexpected deaths are some of the things that have been directly related to disobedience. Jesus healed a man of a physical malady and then told him in John, chapter 5, verse 14, to "sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee." Galahad said that his strength was as the strength of ten because his heart was pure.

"Second: food. To a great extent we are physically what we eat. Most of us are acquainted with some of the prohibitions, such as no tea, coffee, tobacco, or alcohol. What needs additional emphasis are the positive aspects--the need for vegetables, fruits, and grains, particularly wheat. In most cases, the closer these can be, when eaten, to their natural state-- without overrefinement and processing--the healthier we will be. To a significant degree, we are an overfed and undernourished nation digging an early grave with our teeth, and lacking the energy that could be ours because we overindulge in junk foods. I am grateful to know that on this campus you can get apples from vending machines, that you have in your student center a fine salad bar, and that you produce an excellent loaf of natural whole-grain bread. Keep it up and keep progressing in that direction. We need a generation of young people who, as Daniel, eat in a more healthy manner than to fare on the "king's meat"--and whose countenances show it (see Daniel 1).

"Third: exercise. The body needs the toning up that comes from exercise. Walking in the fresh air can be exhilarating and refreshing. Properly directed running can have some beneficial effects. Simple situps or sporting activity can be helpful.

"Fourth: sleep. Adequate early rest is best. In the Doctrine and Covenants, section 88, verse 124, the Lord commands: "Cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated." There are too many enticements to late evening activities. Not only can this weary the body, but a wearied body may be more susceptible to improper activities in the darkness and lateness of the night. Early to bed and early to rise is still good counsel, and a brief nap during the day can be recuperative. "

Happy "Birth" Day

Ok, so I havent written in here for a while, but instead of writing and figuring out this whole blog, I should just add as I learn, and maybe one day it will become a true blog......ok, thats beside the point. What I really want to write about today is Birth.


April 6th: Birth of Savior, His Resurrection (true rebirth), Birth of the church
Now, today was not my "official rebirth", and I have had many, but I wanted to post about some prominent moments in my life.


Birth of Love of Book of Mormon: when i was 14, One day I decided that I wanted to read the book of mormon in 40 days. I woke up at 5:30 and read it for an hour each day (I think it took me 50 days in the end, but that doesnt matter) what 14 year old does that? It was amazing to have the Spirit prompt me to read the book like that. I had been reading it previous to that, but this was when my birth of LOVE, PASSION, EXHILARATION for the Book of Mormon came. Ever since then I can't be separated from this book. No matter what we study in Sunday school, seminary, institute, ect. I just still have to have the Book of Mormon as a part of my daily life. I told an investigator "If there wasnt the book of Mormon, there would be no Sister Hawkes" "I know the Book of Mormon is true more than I know that I am breathing right now."....and when I testified to the members of an area I served in so long, I said, "Keep your life focused on the Book of Mormon and the temple, and you will never go astray." I bought a small Book of Mormon and a cover and carry it every where I go. It is a part of me....I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON!!!!




Birth of Knowing Christ: When I was a kid, I remember just thinking that the atonement was happy and that it was nice to feel, but then it progressed to knowing that if I made a big mistake i could be forgiven, and that others had been forgiven. Then I remember coming to realization of Alma 7:11-13 that the atonement covered not just my sins, but my sadness (I felt like the Church came to a realization of that at the same time because I had never heard of the concept before, but it was prob just because of the progression of learning.) then one day, I realized, not only is Christ your Savior, but my  Savior (while singing "I know that my Redeemer Lives")....then as related below, i realized that I am imperfect and that the natural man and any infirmities must be cleansed for me to become like God and Christ. Gal 2:20 hit me so hard, that I live because of Christ, he is the support of my every breath, and that I need him every moment, and he is the source of everything! I testify that I know that more now than before, and that progression of knowledge and our testimonies is what is true success is.


Birth of knowing I am a daughter of God, and Heavenly Father has a specific plan of Happiness for me: As all of these, they were a journey of many years, but the day it sunk deep into my heart was in the MTC when I was reading Moroni 7. When I read about "all good things come from Christ." I had a DEEP desire to really and truly KNOW where and how I could get that. As I read furthur and read about the covenants God makes to his children in Moroni 7:31-33 it HIT me SOOOOOO strong that God knows me, that He has a plan for me, that I conversed with Him in the pre-earth life, and that I, Jessica Marie Hawkes, have a purpose of living on this earth. 


Birth of my new me: My mission had a lot to do with this, and I will FOREVER be grateful to all powers and unseen hands that got me on a mission, for it changed my whole life. As many of you know, I talk about "before my mission..." and I usually am talking about how "bad" of a life I lived, in all reality my life wasnt bad. It just wasnt good, or bringing me the happiness I have now. I felt lazy, depressed (not all the time, but just not happy a lot, very emotional roller coaster), sick (health wise, wasnt feeling good alot), selfish, self righteous, and very acheivement oriented. I was a good person, and had a lot of friends, but...lets just say Im glad I changed.
      So, now who am I? How did I get here? it wasnt just one thing that happened, but it def has one main contributor: reading the Book of Mormon in 5 months on my mission. I know this isnt "fast" but it was a stretch to read 5 pages a day with a specific focus on the natural man and becoming more christ like. As I read things such as Jacob 4:7, Mosiah 3:19, Mosiah 15:7,  Alma 26:12, Alma 5...I came to understand that I was fallen. That I NEEDED the atonement of Christ to purify my soul and body. Everything started to change, I became more patient, loving, understanding, balanced, flexible, relationship driven, more self control....by all means, I'm not perfect today, but I would say I am more enjoyable to be around (believe me, i lived with my self both times, hehe). I know it is through Christ that I became a new person, that I was put on a path that is guiding me to the Celestial Kingdom.




Happy Birth Day!