Heeding and following

[mhewett]

One issue that is discussed on this forum is heeding and following. I thought we could discuss this in light of the definitions of what the words actually mean.

From the Oxford dictionary,

Follow- Treat as a teacher or guide: those who seek to follow Jesus Christ

Heed - pay attention to, take notice of, take note of, pay heed to, be heedful of, attend to, listen to, notice, note, pay regard to, bear in mind, be mindful of, mind, mark, consider, take into account, take into consideration, be guided by, follow, obey, keep, keep to, adhere to, abide by, observe, take to heart, give ear to, be alert to;
be cautious of, watch out for

It's interesting to me that follow is a synonym for heed. Heed can either be a noun or a verb. If we heed something we do something about it which is why, I guess, that heed is a synonym for follow because when we do something about what we have heard, we are following what we have been told as well.

Recently, I gave my daughter a direction. She heard me, understood what I said, but went against what I said anyway, needless to say she was in trouble. She did not heed (follow) what I said. If she heeded (followed) what I said, she would not have gotten into trouble.

So really, why is there a problem with heeding and following? If we hear someone, a person, a man, a woman, a priest, an apostle or whatever and do what they suggest, encourage or say we should do, are we not heeding them? And by definition, are we not also following them? The dictionary say we are. What say ye?

[marc]

I prefer the term "receive" or "receiving" the messengers. This is consistent with the scriptures. Those who "received" the prophets and did not cast them out...

[mhewett]

Yes I have to agree with you, receiving is a good word and the scriptures do mention receiving the prophets. We receive the prophets at GC, the ensign, the scriptures and other ways. But if we have received the message does that mean we have or will follow through with what we have been told?

[marc]

Yes I have to agree with you, receiving is a good word and the scriptures do mention receiving the prophets. We receive the prophets at GC, the ensign, the scriptures and other ways. But if we have received the message does that mean we have or will follow through with what we have been told?

Well...if we look at 3 Nephi, it seems that only those who were "more righteous" than those who cast out and/or killed the prophets were spared. So I believe that not all those who were spared were necessarily those who followed through, but simply were "more righteous" than those who Christ destroyed. But they still mourned and weeped and wailed because they did not repent as the prophets like Samuel the Lamanite warned. And when Christ visited them, they couldn't understand Him to the point where He perceived that they were "weak" and so He commanded them to go home and ponder His words and pray that the Father would help them understand. I believe they just didn't search the scriptures and "search knowledge" as Nephi, the son of Lehi exhorted.

[A Random Phrase]

In another thread, someone posted a definition of following. It made me rethink my "defense" of not "following" because it could simply mean doing what someone else has already done. It could mean listening and doing (following instructions) which is also the definition of heeding, as noted in the op of this thread.

Perhaps it is that one should not have a following but it's okay to have a heeding? :-\

[KMCopeland]

It's interesting to me that follow is a synonym for heed.

I like that. When I first read it I thought it wasn't right. But if you think about it, you can't really heed advice without following it.

[mhewett]

Perhaps it is that one should not have a following but it's okay to have a heeding? :-\

lol...good one, I like it.

[mhewett]

Well...if we look at 3 Nephi, it seems that only those who were "more righteous" than those who cast out and/or killed the prophets were spared. So I believe that not all those who were spared were necessarily those who followed through, but simply were "more righteous" than those who Christ destroyed. But they still mourned and weeped and wailed because they did not repent as the prophets like Samuel the Lamanite warned. And when Christ visited them, they couldn't understand Him to the point where He perceived that they were "weak" and so He commanded them to go home and ponder His words and pray that the Father would help them understand. I believe they just didn't search the scriptures and "search knowledge" as Nephi, the son of Lehi exhorted.

Marc are you saying some received the prophets and acted on their words (the righteous, valiant), some received the prophets and did nothing but they were still righteous (maybe fence sitters) but only more righteous than some who did not receive the prophets at all?

The way I see it is that we can receive the prophets and their messages but with some people, that is where it ends. They receive but don't heed/follow the prophets whereas others receive and act on what they have heard, e.g. heed, follow.

[marc]

What I'm saying is all Telestial people were destroyed. And of all those who at the very least lived Terrestrial laws were preserved. And that encompasses a very wide spectrum of light and knowledge. Obviously those who survived lived according to some degree of light, probably not so much knowledge.