valYOU meal: Soul Anatomy 101

Anatomy-how things are made

Let’s take a look at the anatomy of your soul (D & C 88:15)

The focus of this VALYOU MEAL is the need-to-know principles you must understand to grow into perfection and to change your behavior.

Soul Systems

Be able to identify the major SOUL SYSTEMS and understand what each system does. President David O. McKay said:

“Man has a natural body and a spiritual body. . . man’s body. . . is but the tabernacle in which his spirit dwells.  Too many, far too many, are prone to regard the (physical) body as the man, and consequently to direct their efforts to the gratifying of the body’s pleasures, it appetites, its desires, its passions.  Too few recognize that the real man is an immortal spirit…”  (Chapter 2: The Dual Nature of Man,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay)

  Spirit Body

The spirit body is eternal
The spirit is eternal; it existed in innocence in the premortal realm and will exist after the body dies. (Russell M. Nelson,  “ You Are a Child of God,”  New Era,  Jul 2008)

The spirit body functions through the mind
Your spirit operates through your mind.  (Boyd K. Packer, “To Young Women and Men,” Ensign, May 1989)

The spirit body has personality
The spirit provides the body with animation and personality. (Russell M. Nelson,  “You Are a Child of God,”  New Era,  Jul 2008)

   Mind

The mind is in the spirit body
The mind of man is in the Spirit. (Sermons and Writings of Bruce R. McConkie, 102; and Teachings of Prophet Joseph Smith 352-54)

God communicates to the mind
Pure intelligence can be spoken into the mind. The Holy Ghost communicates with our spirits through the mind more than through the physical senses…. (Boyd K. Packer, “Prayer and Promptings,” Ensign, Nov 2009)

Mind controls the physical body
Your mind is in charge; your body is the instrument of your mind.  (Boyd K. Packer, “Prayer and Promptings,” Ensign, Nov 2009)

Mind is like a stage
… the mind is like a stage. During every waking moment the curtain is up. There is always some act being performed on that stage. (Boyd K. Packer, “The Message: Worthy Music, Worthy Thoughts,” New Era, Apr 2008)

Physical Body

God created the phsycial body
Your body …, is a magnificent creation of God. It is a tabernacle of flesh—a temple for your spirit. (Russell M. Nelson,  “You Are a Child of God,”  New Era,  Jul 2008)

The physical body is sacred
The body is sacred. It was created in the image of God. It is something to be cared for and used for good purposes. (Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Body Is Sacred,” New Era, Nov 2006)

The spirit is housed in the physical body
The body is designed to support…the eternal spirit, which dwells in each of our mortal frames. … (Russell M. Nelson, “The Magnificence of Man,” New Era, Oct 1987) 

The physical body has appetites and passions. 
“Carnal, sensual and devilish nature”  of man is associated with the physical body. (See Alma 42:10). “The time of youth … is the proper time to gain mastery over bodily appetites and passions.”  Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Fruits of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ,” Ensign, Nov 1991.

The brain is part of the physical body.
The “pleasure center” is in the brain. Neurotransmitters and hormones associated with physical intimacy are located in the pleasure center.

At death the physical body will die
Death separates the spirit and the body. (Russell M. Nelson, “Doors of Death,” Ensign, May 1992)

SUMMARY

During earth life the spirit and body are so closely connected they influence one another.

“The spirit is influenced by the body and the body by the spirit.”  (Brigham Young. Journal of Discourses, 2:255–56.)

Eternal progession can be divided into three main parts: pre-earth life, earth life, and life after death. In the pre-earth life the spirit body lived without the physical body. During earth life the physical body is born and unites with the spirit body. Physical death is the temporary separation of the spirit body from the physical body.  The resurrection is the joining of the spirit body with the physical body forever. 

During earth life Satan attempts to influence us to misuse or minimize our physical bodies and to have the spirit yield to the appetites and passions of the physical body.  One of the purposes for earth life is to train the spirit body and mind to master the physical body.

The mind, spirit body, and physical body are all necessary to change behavior.

Super Deluxe VALYOU MEAL

VALYOU VIDEO

Elder Bednar’s talk “Things as they Really Are” (Edited by Upward Reach.com, with permission from LDS Church).

Suggested Activity:

- Watch the Things As They Really Are  video of Elder David E. Bednar.

- Study and put into practice the following saying:

Satan attempts to influence us both to misuse our physical bodies
and to minimize the importance of our bodies.

Make a list in your Reaching For Virtue Workbook of ALL  the ways that Satan is tempting you to miuse your body.  For each temptation write how Heavenly Father wants you to handle the temptation.

- Read from the Teachings of Presidents of the Church: David O. McKay,  “The Dual Nature of Man.”