“A Round Ball of Curious Workmanship and It Was of Fine Brass”

(1 Ne. 18:12,21; Mosiah 1:16; Alma 37:38-47; D&C 17:1; Since Cumorah, Nibley, pp. 283-296; Messiah in Ancient America, Warren & Ferguson, p. 116; Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Reynolds and Sjodahl, 4:178-179; Improvement Era, Feb. 1961, pp. 104-110)

“Wouldn’t you like to have that kind of a ball—each one of you—so that whenever you were in error it would point the right way and write messages to you? … The Lord gave to … every person, a conscience which tells him every time he starts to go on the wrong path. He is always told if he is listening; but people can, of course, become so used to hearing the messages that they ignore them until finally they do not register anymore. You must realize that you have something like the compass, like the Liahona, in your own system. Every child is given it. When he is eight years of age, he knows good from evil, if his parents have been teaching him well. If he ignores the Liahona that he has in his own makeup, he eventually may not have it whispering to him. But if we will remember that everyone of us has the thing that will direct him aright, our ship will not get on the wrong course … if we listen to the dictates of our own Liahona, which we call the conscience.” (Spencer W. Kimball, Conference Report, Oct. 1976, pp. 116-117)

“The same Lord who provided a Liahona for Lehi provides for you and for me today a rare and valuable gift to give direction to our lives, to mark the hazards to our safety, and to chart the way, even safe passage—not to a promised land, but to our heavenly home. The gift to which I refer is known as your patriarchal blessing.” (Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, Nov. 1986, p. 65)

“One fascinating peculiarity of the Liahona was that not only did its pointers guide them in the wilderness but ‘a new writing, which was plain to be read’ appeared on the pointers to give them ‘understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to their faith, diligence’ and heed (1 Nephi 16:29). Very little is said about this phenomenon. In fact, I can find no further reference to this changeable writing. As I read the Book of Mormon, however, something strange seems to happen to me. Passages of scriptures that I have read many times in one light seem to change—and suddenly there is a new meaning to that old and familiar scripture. I like to think that the Book of Mormon is truly like the Liahona of old. Not only does it point us in the way of the Lord and to the Lord according to the faith, diligence, and heed we give it, but if we are interested enough to read it again and again, from cover to cover, there are times when a ‘new writing’—plain to be read—seems to appear.” (Robert E. Wells, Doctrines of the Book of Mormon, 1991 Sperry Symposium, p. 13)