States of Being
The Book of Mormon is so much deeper than the Bible (with the exception of the words of Jesus Christ) in doctrine that it helps us understand ourselves and deserves intense attention. Alma’s counsel to his son Corianton highlights the idea that we live in different states of both existence and attitudes. The Book of Mormon is somewhat unique in that the word ’state’ occurs 60 out of the 82 times in all scripture when not referring to a geographical place.
A state is the particular condition of someone or something at a specific time. States of mind or attitude are more fluid and controllable than states of existence. That is not to say that attitudes are easy to control. In fact, you don’t snap out of states of sadness or depression by wishing all of it away. In like manner, you can’t simply declare yourself free from sin and error. Being present and aware of yourself and your environment is critical to changing states of mind and attitude.
Alma 41:11-12 reads, “And now, my son, all men that are in a state of nature, or I would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness. And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature?
This explanation of a natural state can be troubling. None of us want to think of ourselves as being in a state contrary to the nature of God. Without conscious effort, we remain in a state that is “contrary to the nature of happiness.” But how can we know the kind of happiness Alma describes if we have no point of reference? In other words, we may confuse pleasure or a lack of adversity as happiness if we have not experienced the bliss Heavenly Father wants for us. Conversely, we may not recognize spiritual happiness because we think it should be something akin to carnal pleasure.
Many times in my life, I have thought that if this or that happens or I obtain something, I will be happy. However, happiness is short-lived after the event or after obtaining the thing. These temporary spurts of joy did not meaningfully change my overall state. The reason, as far as I can tell, is that these things do not permanently change a person. If our goal is to progress to a better state, we cannot expect it simply by a change in scenery or obtaining a new toy.
In the temple, we learn that we can overcome our fallen state by making covenants with God and relying on the effects of the atonement through repentance. Repentance implies a permanent change. It is how we overcome the fallen state Alma describes.
So, what does it look like as we begin to overcome our natural tendencies? In several conversion stories in the Book of Mormon, the people’s desires change. They have “no more disposition to do evil” or gain stronger desires to “do good continually.” These are examples of a changed state. If our conversion is gradual, our state changes slowly over time but is nonetheless permanent.
The fact that we can overcome the effects of the fall gives us hope. The scriptures group faith, hope, and charity together for a reason. Each one is a different state of being. If you think about it, they map directly to the pattern of progression of the degrees of glory. In the telestial state, we live by faith. When faith becomes hope, we exist in a terrestrial state, which leaves doubt behind. If we begin to act with charity or the pure love of Christ, we get glimpses of the celestial realm and begin to experience a heavenly state.
The states we cannot change are those of being itself. We cannot choose to be immortal or nonexistent as Alma wished for when he was “in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.” However, we can live in a state of joy and light because of the redeeming love of Jesus Christ. But what we do in this probationary state profoundly affects our immortal and eternal state. That is the whole point of Alma’s message to Corianton.
Corianton’s misunderstanding of doctrine caused him to take some things lightly and fall into sin. This should highlight that a correct understanding of doctrine leads to enlightenment and allows us to transform.
So, where do we turn for knowledge and understanding? We should carefully study scripture, listen to living prophets, attend the temple frequently and consistently, keep our covenants with God, and communicate daily with him. All of these things are undergirded by personal revelation through the Holy Ghost. Each one of these things has changed me. I can confidently testify that if and when anyone implements these practices, they will change and enjoy a happier state.