Monic and I had been so looking forward to our trip to Rome this week for our six-monthly Mission Leaders Seminar, but sadly on Sunday evening, I came down with a terrible stomach flu. It’s not been very pleasant.

We hummed and hawed about it for 24 hours, delaying flights and changing schedules, but eventually, we sadly came to the conclusion on Tuesday morning that we wouldn’t be travelling and cancelled our travel plans.

We’ll be joining everyone else in Rome via a zoom link later today.

However, it meant that I’ve been in bed for the last couple of days, feeling sorry for myself.

I’ve lost a few kilos in such a short time – that’s an indication of how rotten a bug it was.

At the same time, my tummy has been making lots of weird and whacky noises.

I’ve hardly eaten a thing but drank lots of water instead.

For the first time in a while, I felt hungry.

On the plus side I’ve done lots of reading and reflection.

Unable to feed my physical body, I focussed on feeding my spirit and nourishing my soul.

Doctrine & Covenants 88:15 reads; “And the spirit and the body are the soul of man.”

Just as there is food for the body, there is food for the spirit.

Daily, as I watch the unfolding turbulent global complexities, forced to pause, ponder, and reflect longer than normal, I concluded that there is a great hunger in the world, namely, it is starved of spiritual nourishment.

I asked myself “What would Jesus do?”

A question came to mind.

Are you feeding your spirit and nourishing your soul – or are you hungry?

Job 32:8 “But there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.”

For instance, we may all experience physical hunger, but perhaps you have starved yourself of spiritual food for far too long?

It is a labour that takes more than an afternoon or a day or two in bed.

Why is it sometimes difficult to focus on spiritual things?

The Saviour said, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” – John 6:35

Not only do our physical bodies need essential nourishment, but our spirits do too.

I know it is not only important to study secular things and educate our minds, but it is also essential to nourish ourselves spiritually.

In what ways do you experience conflict between your physical and spiritual nature?