Certainly, the history of the Nephites would have been different if they had never discovered the secret combinations of the Jaredites. The record indicates that Helaman was successful in keeping these secrets from his people—at least for a while. We read that it was Gadianton who instituted them, not after reading the scriptures, but after he had received them as had Cain—directly from Satan. Now behold, those secret oaths and covenants did not come forth unto Gadianton from the records which were delivered unto Helaman; but behold, they were put into the heart of Gadianton by that same being who did entice our first parents to partake of the forbidden fruit (Hel 6:26).
The lesson to be learned is that when teaching of Satan and his evil ways, we should be careful how the message is given. Every detail of his morbid methods need not be graphically discussed. Otherwise, we might pique the curiosity of someone with impure motives, inadvertently contributing to Satan’s cause.
N. Eldon Tanner
"Remember, you who conduct worthiness interviews are representatives of the Lord and you must conduct the interviews as the Lord himself would conduct them. That is, there must be nothing immodest or degrading in your interview. Our interviews are not to be indelicate, or offensive, or pornographic in any way.
"May I say here that occasionally we receive reports that a bishop or a stake president has been very indiscreet or indelicate in an interview, especially of married members. It is not in order for a priesthood leader to list in detail ugly, deviant, or bestial practices and then cross-examine a member of the Church as to whether or not such things are practiced.
"One of the General Authorities once interviewed a young man who had gone into the mission home who had made confession of a transgression which disqualified him from missionary service. The General Authority was amazed at the sordid nature of what the young man had done and asked, ’Where on earth did you get the idea to do things like this?’ He was shocked when the young man answered, ’From my bishop.’
"During a preliminary interview for the young man’s mission, the bishop had said, ’Have you ever done this? Have you ever done that?’ describing every unworthy and depraved act he could think of. Such things had never before entered the young man’s mind, but they were in his mind now! The adversary put in his way the opportunity and the temptation-and he fell!
“Brethren, our interviews must be conducted in love, in modesty.” (Boyd K. Packer, The Holy Temple, p. 52-55)
Joseph F. Smith
“It is not necessary that our young people should know of the wickedness carried on in any place. Such knowledge is not elevating and it is quite likely that more than one young man can trace the first step of his downfall to a curiosity which led him into questionable places.” (Gospel Doctrine, pp. 373-4, as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 320)