Introduction: What Is The Word Of Wisdom, Where Did It Come From?

All answers are born from questions, and The Word of Wisdom is no exception. In February of 1833 Emma Smith felt inspired to ask her husband, Joseph, about the brethren’s use of tobacco in their meetings. Some say Emma asked this question because she was tired of cleaning spit off the floor. I, as a matter of personal opinion, imagine that it was more than that. Having spent countless hours in a smoky room, scrubbing foul smelling, thick, brown tobacco splatters off the wood floor she must have wondered over and over how this stuff could possibly be fit for the human body. Regardless of her motivation, she asked Joseph about it and he brought the matter to the Lord in prayer. As a result, the revelation known as The Word of Wisdom was received. It took many years for the revelation to take hold with most members of the church, but today most Latter-Day Saints are willing to abstain from the substances indicated as forbidden in the revelation.
I have noticed in my 5 years as a member of the Church, that while people are generally good about avoiding the things we are asked to avoid, they are also typically good at avoiding the council given on what we should ingest. I feel a responsibility as a spiritually far-sighted, self-educating person, to aid and assist all those who are willing in understanding the “dos” of The Word of Wisdom. I do not believe that we can obtain the blessings promised at the end of the revelation if we choose to ignore half of what it says! Realizing and respecting the fact that we are all in different places on this path we are journeying, I will do my best to inspire and nurture individuals at their own unique levels of readiness and willingness. The Word of Wisdom is a principal, an outline, how we feed ourselves within the parameter of that outline is between each of us and our Heavenly Father. Caring for our bodies should be done consciously, with care and concern, prayer and personal revelation.
(To learn more about Joseph Smith, revelation, and the restoration of Christ’s gospel please see this page)