Spiritual Well-being and Physical Health

Church Educational System
I recently asked a doctor of family medicine how much of his time was devoted purely to correcting physical disorders. He has a large practice, and after thoughtfully considering, he answered, ‘Not more than 20 percent. The rest of the time I seem to be working on problems that very much affect the physical well-being of my patients but do not originate in the body.

‘These physical disorders, ’ the doctor concluded, ‘are merely symptoms of some other kind of trouble.’ …

There is another part of us, not so tangible, but quite as real as our physical body. This intangible part of us is described as mind, emotion, intellect, temperament, and many other things. Very seldom is it described as spiritual.

But there is a spirit in man; to ignore it is to ignore reality. There are spiritual disorders, too, and spiritual diseases that can cause intense suffering.

The body and the spirit of man are bound together. Often, very often, when there are disorders, it is very difficult to tell which is which.

(Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, Nov. 1977, p. 59)

Book of Mormon Student Manual (1996 Edition)

References