The Liahona - contentious, rude, slothful or forgetful

Elder David A Bednar, Ensign, May 2006,30-31:  " . . .the primary purposes of the Liahona were to provide both direction and instruction during a long and demanding journey.  The director was a physical instrument that served as an outward indicator of their inner spiritual standing before God. . . . The pointers in the Liahona operated 'according to the diligence and heed' of the travelers and failed to work when family members were contentious, rude, slothful or forgetful. . . . The Holy Ghost operates in our lives precisely as the Liahona did for Lehi and his family, according to our faith and diligence and heed."

And it will fail to work for the same reasons - when we are contentious, rude, slothful or forgetful.  We similarly have a long and demanding journey in this mortal experience but we also have a way provided to be guided successfully through to the Promised Land - the "unspeakable gift" of the Holy Ghost.  Guarding our ability to receive that gift and have it operate in our life is critical to being able to find our way.  Too bad we don't have a physical instrument to serve as an outward indicator of our inner spiritual standing before God!