What It Really Means to Labor with the Faculty of Your Whole Soul

Have You Ever Read a Scripture That Changed Everything?

Have you ever read a scripture you thought you understood—until the Spirit opened it in a way that left you changed? That happened to me this week while studying a single phrase: “the faculty of his whole soul.” What I discovered reshaped how I see discipleship, effort, and what it really means to give everything to Christ.

When God Plants a Phrase in Your Heart

Heavenly Father speaks to me through my writing, but He’ll typically plant a word or a phrase in my mind–something I can grasp or hang onto until I have a moment to sit down and write as I study it further. Sunday was no different as I settled in and sought clarity on what it means to give my whole soul to Christ—a thought that has been planted in my heart and mind for the last couple of weeks.

I took a few moments to search scriptures that referenced “whole soul.” I was in Words of Mormon a few days ago in chapter one when I came to verses 17 and 18 in my regular scripture study. It was verse 18 that caught my attention when it said, “by laboring with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul…” Again, that phrase. I had to go back and reread verse 17 to gain more context.

A Scripture That Stopped Me Mid-Study

King Benjamin is the ruler at this time and is referenced as a “holy man.” It also made mention of “many holy men in the land” who spoke the “word of God with power and authority” and used “much sharpness” because the people were so stubborn, obstinate, and unwilling to change. They refused to accept or yield to authority or guidance (Words of Mormon 1:17-18). 

The Sharpness of the Spirit vs. the Sharpness of the World

The word “sharpness” jumped off the page. In my mind, I have understood the word sharpness as more aggressive, bold, and powerful—like a sword that cuts straight to the heart with unyielding finality. It’s how I see the world’s reaction to disagreement—words used as a weapon—cutting and slicing with precision.

However, that idea didn’t sit well with me. It doesn’t seem Christlike, and we’re talking about “holy men”—think prophets and apostles. They speak boldly, but never cutting, unless you’re stubborn, obstinate, and unwilling to change. Then it probably stings a bit. But they wouldn’t have used sharpness to be hurtful, unrepentant, or prideful, which is how the world uses sharpness.

I knew it was different. Remember, these men were able to “establish peace in the land” (Words of Mormon 1:18) Biting, aggressive, contentious, and unloving communication cannot bring peace. Those are tools of the adversary.

With some digging, I learned that when sharpness is used by the Spirit it means:

• Spirit-directed, so it cuts through confusion or justification to reach the heart
• Exactness and truth like a surgeon’s scalpel—removing what’s harmful without wounding unnecessarily
• Moral courage: speaking truth when it’s uncomfortable
• Love as the motive: fueled by genuine care and desire for them to come to Christ

All of this required labor, might, body, and faculty of their souls.

What Does “Faculty of His Whole Soul” Mean?

Again, another word jumped off the page... faculty. Why not just “whole soul”? Why phrase it “faculty of his soul”? To me that conveys more depth—a deeper conviction than an emotional or spiritual tie. So I asked ChatGPT:

Help me understand "faculty of his whole soul" as referenced in Words of Mormon Chapter 1 verse 18 in the Book of Mormon. Why not just "whole" soul? Instead it says "faculty of his whole soul"? It seems more punchy and powerful. What more can I learn from the way this phrase is written?

Consecration in Motion: Every Power Fully Engaged

The insight ChatGPT kicked back pierced me with sharpness (just wanted to give an example of how sharpness can be used to invite change and repentance). It revealed layers of meaning I hadn’t seen before and showed me what is required of a disciple who truly wants to make a difference.

Are you ready for this? In the words of ChatGPT:

Word Meaning: “Faculty” The word faculty comes from the Latin facultas, meaning ability, power, or capability to act. In this scriptural context, it refers to the mental, spiritual, and emotional powers of a person—the parts of the soul that reason, choose, and feel.

So when Mormon says King Benjamin labored with “the faculty of his whole soul,” it’s not just saying with all his soul, but with every function, power, and capacity of that soul fully engaged.

What This Adds Beyond “Whole Soul” If Mormon had said only “with his whole soul,” it would have conveyed total devotion or sincerity. But by saying “the faculty of his whole soul,” he intensifies the meaning—it’s not just all of his heart, but every ability of his heart, mind, and spirit harnessed and put to work.

It’s like saying:

“He didn’t just feel deeply—he acted, reasoned, decided, and persevered with every spiritual and mental faculty he possessed.”

It’s total consecration in motion—not just emotion.

Scriptural Echoes of Total Devotion

You’ll notice this mirrors other scriptures where the Lord invites us to love and serve Him with “all [our] heart, might, mind, and strength” (D&C 4:2; Moroni 10:32). “Faculty of his whole soul” condenses all of those elements into one potent phrase—every part of his spiritual machinery working together toward righteousness and peace.

King Benjamin wasn’t just a passionate believer; he was a fully integrated disciple—his body, spirit, intellect, and will all aligned in one consecrated effort.

Applying It: Body, Spirit, and Soul in Harmony

This phrase can invite deep reflection:

• Body = our physical energy and actions
• Faculty of the soul = our inner powers—will, thought, emotion, discernment, faith
• Whole = undivided, consecrated, fully unified toward God’s purpose

To labor with the faculty of your whole soul means your body and spirit are yoked together in one unified effort to build the Kingdom. It’s how we “lean in” to Christ—not just believing, but channeling every gift, every thought, every ounce of energy into His cause.

In Other Words: You could paraphrase it as:

“King Benjamin worked with every spiritual, mental, and emotional power his soul possessed.” Or: “He consecrated every faculty of his being to the work of establishing peace.”

The Call to Be Peacemakers

President Nelson has emphasized and invited us, repeatedly, to be peacemakers . It was reiterated in the first session of October’s General Conference by Elder Stevenson. Whole Soul, peacemakers…these words have echoed in my mind persistently by the Spirit, which has encouraged me to consider how I’m doing right now, while also recognizing I have work to do in these areas.

Being a peacemaker is not a small invitation, though. We can see that King Benjamin labored in a way I’m not sure I ever have—maybe in some things, but not all.

What’s Holding You Back from Giving Your Whole Soul?

Today’s study has been building over the last few days. I had to consider what has been holding me back from giving my “whole soul.” What am I afraid of? What gets in my way? Tomorrow we will dive more into that.

Call to Action

As you ponder this phrase for yourself, ask the Lord:

“Which faculty of my soul do You want me to engage more fully?”

• Is it your mind—your thoughts and focus?
• Your will—your ability to surrender?
• Your heart—your capacity to trust and love?

Write what the Spirit teaches you. Then share it with your family, friends, and on social media. This is how we labor like King Benjamin—with the full faculty of our souls, consecrated to Christ’s peace and His cause.