An Understanding Heart.

When Elder David A Bednar spoke at the Missionary Training Center two days ago,  he explained about the importance of understanding in your heart, rather than just in your mind.  Elder Bednar shared Abinidi's experience confronting wicked priests in the Book of Mormon.  "Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise. Therefore, what teach ye this people?" [Mosiah 12:27]

Blue Heart Statue at Washington State University

From King Solomon's life, we may also gather that wisdom comes from understanding in your heart. When the Lord asked King Solomon what he should offer him, King Solomon responded "Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?" [1 Kings 3:9]

Where does one obtain an understanding heart as King Solomon desired?

It's certainly something that we must ask for, just as King Solomon did.  Elder Bednar also emphasized that it's something we must receive from the Holy Ghost.  While most influences can only speak to our mind, the Holy Ghost can speak to the mind and the heart so that we can be ready and prepared to act on what we know.

"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." [Mosiah 3:19]

To experience the voice of the Holy Ghost and gain wisdom from it, we also have to be willing to listen and act as described here. The Holy Ghost cannot speak to us against our will. We have to be open to it.  We can also help others to have an understanding heart.  As a missionary, one of my primary purposes is to prepare others to experience the voice of the Spirit and gain understanding from it.  "Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes—lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and be healed." [Isaiah 6:10]   And how do I do that?  As Elder Bednar said, "The answer is in the doctrine."   By receiving the doctrine of Jesus Christ's atonement and our Father in heaven's plan for our happiness, people's hearts can be prepared to "yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit."