The Feelings In Their Hearts

Example #1: Character

In Mosiah 14, a man (Jesus Christ) bears "griefs and sorrows" and is hurt by others' actions. He took them without responding back.
Miranda had to bear grief and sorrow because of someone else's actions. She wanted to say things to them, but she only said them when she was alone at her house baking.

Example #2: Plot

In Mosiah 7, a young man (Ammon) has to goes on a mission (an assignment) with his friends to search for missing people. They have to travel to foreign lands, and communicate with people they've never met before (a speech to find the missing people from Zarahemla). They just want to find people.
Darren went on his own mission (an assignment) with a friend (to find the lost souls of Christ). He had to travel to a new land, though maybe not foreign but foreign to him. He had to communicate with people he had never met before (a speech about the restored Gospel).

Example #3: Narrative Point of View

Keegan went to Africa, and went to a funeral. Here, he encountered a group of people who were mourning the death of a loved one. He had to deal with death, and it was not the best sight. He thought about Jesus Christ, and he felt peace. He knew the people mourning probably didn't know they would see their son again.
In Mosiah 11, a group of people (King Noah's people) had to deal with the death of their loved ones as a rival group (the Lamanites) came in to murder them. Death was unfortunately a common thing during the time of this specific ruler's reign. The ruler (King Noah) is very prideful, and does not have his thoughts on the Lord. The narrator of this passage shows the desires of the ruler as he "placed his heart upon his riches" and he had fine work made for himself, and had all manner of concubines. His heart was not upon the right things.
When the ruler's people drove back the rival group (Lamanites), they boasted in their hearts. Even though the reflection of their (the people of King Noah) hearts is not about death, this example relates to Keegan as he considered the feelings of the African's hearts.

Added Upon: A Work from the Heart

While reading and analyzing the book and novel Added Upon, it was easy to critique and point fingers at the plot holes, sappy love stories, and literary inconsistencies. Despite the flaws, there was a general consensus among the class that “Added Upon” caused one to self-reflect and ponder the mysteries of deity.

 Does that make this novel a success? Orson F. Whitney must have believed so. In his “Home Literature” sermon, Orson Whitney highlights the importance of connecting with the soul.

 “It is the heart, not simply the head, we must appeal to, if we wish to stir the soul.”

I believe that Nephi Anderson intended to do just that. More than trying to make just an engaging and poetic work, it seems obvious to me that his intention was to stir the human soul and Glorify God.

 

Orson Whitney admonished that “You must be in earnest. You must feel what you write, if you wish it to be felt by others.” 

This seems to be particularly evident in Part Five of Added Upon. In Part Five, Nephi Anderson turns away from storytelling and starts writing poetically. He ends the book with, “Thanks, Father, kind and good for what you’ve done; Thanks for the added blessings which you bring.” This is a fitting ending when you consider what Orson Whitney admonishes to future LDS writers. “But remember this, ye writers and orators of the future! It is for God's glory. Not man's.”

Despite imperfections in writing, Nephi Anderson caught the spirit of Orson F Whitney’s Sermon to appeal to the heart of mankind and to reflect upon the Glory of God. Despite doctrinal inconsistencies, there was a spirit of goodness and truth that accompanied the book as it emphasized the importance of family, the Plan of Salvation, and Jesus Christ 

It Is The Bosom That Burns

My favorite line from Orson Whitney’s Home Literature speech is as follows: 

“The intellect may shine, but it is the bosom that burns, and warms into life 

every movement that is born to bless humanity.” 

When addressing matters of the spirit, it is important to remember that whatever is being said is framed in a way that is factually correct and in a way that can inspire people. 

Photo Cred: www.lovethispic.com

How often have we spent an hour in Sunday school listening to the teacher with half a mind and no desire to connect with the lesson? Contrary to that, how many times have we learned and taken away significantly more, simply because we found our connection and it opened up our heart, which in turn opened up our mind?

In the preface to Nephi Anderson’s Added Upon, he mentions that “It is suggestive only; but it is hoped that the mind of the reader, illumined by the Spirit of the Lord, will be able to fill in all the details that the heart may desire.”As an author, especially in the Mormon Literature Genre, he understands that two different people will take away two completely different opinions of the book. While that is one of the amazing things about human nature, it also proves to be a difficult challenge to approach. 

Anderson relies on the Spirit to fill in the missing parts of his novel. He provides the basis and the story, but for many there will be no takeaway, unless they open their hearts as they are using their minds. After all, even God said that he will tell us both in our mind and in our heart (D&C 8:2).