Learning Trust Early

My grandparents drank coffee. I was raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and from a young age I was taught not to drink it—even though I didn’t fully understand why. I only knew it came from a revelation to Joseph Smith. Along with coffee, I was taught to avoid tea and alcohol.

Coffee was everywhere. At family reunions, iced tea appeared, and later, alcohol too. By the time I could make my own choices, I had already formed a habit of resistance. Even as a child—baptized at eight—I had learned that some things, however ordinary, were worth setting aside out of loyalty to God.

Obedience Before Understanding

The Word of Wisdom (Doctrine and Covenants 89) includes guidance on avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and “hot drinks,” eating fruits and grains in season, and using meat sparingly.

The Saints weren’t given modern science to explain it. They were asked to trust God. Scripture shows the same principle:

• Abraham offering Isaac (Genesis 22)
• Naaman washing in the Jordan (2 Kings 5)
• Jericho’s walls falling after marching and trumpets (Joshua 6)
• Israel healed by looking at a bronze serpent (Numbers 21; John 3:14–15)

The blessing comes from obedience, not understanding. Coffee is no different. The action itself isn’t the point—the heart is.

Lessons From Jesus

Jesus taught, “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink” (Matthew 6:25). He wasn’t dismissing guidance; He was teaching trust.

Yet He fasted, observed dietary law, and instituted the Last Supper. Even ordinary acts—food, drink, fasting—can become opportunities for devotion when done with faith.

Beyond Coffee

The Word of Wisdom isn’t just about beverages. Its principles guide how we live:

• Avoid harmful or addictive substances
• Treat the body as a temple (1 Corinthians 3:16–17)
• Live with gratitude, temperance, and clarity of mind

Energy drinks, vaping, or overindulgence aren’t spelled out, but the principle applies: discipleship requires stewardship, not legalism.

Small Choices, Big Impact

In my article “Temple Access: Why It Feels Exclusive—And Why It’s Not,” I explained that temple worthiness isn’t a finish line—it reflects a life already being lived through humility, repentance, and daily choices.

The Word of Wisdom is part of that life. Abstaining from coffee isn’t about exclusion—it’s about preparation. It signals trust in God’s guidance and strengthens covenant living.

From Coffee to Covenant

Even small choices matter. Jesus said, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10). The Word of Wisdom trains the heart—discipline over indulgence, trust over appetite, reverence over routine.

A quiet “no” to coffee can become a daily “yes” to God, shaping character, deepening discipleship, and preparing us for covenant life in the temple and beyond.

“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God…” (Romans 12:1)