Growth-Promoting Chastisement

I love reading the different epistles of Chief Captain Moroni. Particularly, I love the correspondence between Moroni and Pahoran. Moroni reprimanded Pahoran severely in one of his epistles. We all know how Pahoran responded: "And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart." (Alma 61:9) I love the fact that this man, the ruler and chief governor over all the land, was not only unpretentious in his reaction but was also overjoyed at Moroni's patriotism and greatness of heart. Such humility on Pahoran's part!

I have recently read a few noteworthy stories illustrating this brilliant attribute of humbly 'taking it'. One of my favorites is when Parley P. Pratt recalled an occasion when President Brigham Young chastened him and certain others for the governing of the westward migration. President Young wrote two letters of a reproaching nature, even accusing them of insubordination. Elder Pratt wrote of this situation, "I could not realize this at the time, and protested that in my own heart, so far as I was concerned, I had no such motive; that I had been actuated by the purest motives...." Later Elder Pratt was made aware that some of those scolded had motives that weren't as pure as his. He continued to say, "...yet I thank God for this timely chastisement; I profited by it, and it caused me to be more watchful and careful ever after." (Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, 341-42.) What fertile ground for retaliation on the guiltless Elder Pratt's part, yet he 'took it' and even more importantly he "profited by it."

These lessons learned from people like Elder Pratt and Pahoran without doubt precipitate serious self-reflection, especially when we know we're more prone to take offense instead of, as Elder Pratt so eloquently put it, "thank[ing] God for this timely chastisement..."; or to go as far as rejoicing, as Pahoran did, in the greatness of our offender's heart.