The suffering of Zeezrom gives us a glimpse into the relationship between mind, spirit, and body. Many have wondered to what extent the human mind can control physical well-being. This story demonstrates that indeed the power of the human mind can definitely affect physical health.
While Zeezrom suffered in mind and spirit because of his many sins, his body was scorched with a burning heat which was more than just figurative. There was a literal burning fever which afflicted the body. The catharsis of repentance often leaves the physical body in a state of illness or weakness. So it was with Alma the younger, Saul of Tarsus, king Lamoni, etc.
When we read of the events of Gesthemane, we are reminded of this concept. As Christ prayed to the Father, there were no external forces to cause him any physical pain. There were no Roman soldiers to whip and hit him. Rather, he suffered both body and spirit from the great mental anguish and spiritual weight of the sins of the world. The physical pain came from within. It swelled and festered until it oozed out of every pore. While Zeezrom was scorched with a burning fever for his own sins, the Savior felt physical pain for the sins of Zeezrom, Alma, Paul, King Lamoni, and every other creature. Such mental and spiritual suffering would have killed the body of any mortal man. Only the Savior could suffer so much and still survive.
“Elder Orson F. Whitney shared in this feeling: ’Our little finite afflictions are but as a drop in the ocean, compared with the infinite and unspeakable agony borne by him for our sakes because we were not able to bear it for ourselves.’ In an inspired effort to define his suffering, Elder Neal A. Maxwell called it ’enormity multiplied by infinity.’” (Tad Callister, Infinite Atonement, p. 128)
Boyd K. Packer
"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.” (Ensign, Nov. 1977, p. 59 as taken from the BOM Institute Manual, 1981, p. 240)