There is another other principle I’d like to share with you. It’s called “The Jellybean Principle.” That’s also the name of a book written by Ron McIntyre. His thesis is that if you are looking at a jar of multi-colored jellybeans, you will most often see the one color you are looking for, the one you want to pick out and eat.

So if you want a green jellybean, you will notice that the glass bowl is full of several colors, but the one you see the most will be green. Same with blue, red, black or white. That’s just what you will notice. Your perception will be that there are more of that color of jellybean in the container.

You will likewise see things this way if you are thinking about buying a new car. For example if a Mustang has caught your imagination, and you’d like a red one, all of a sudden there will seem to be an inordinate number of red Mustangs on the road. I know that’s true. We just bought a new car. And now I see the make we bought all over the place. I never noticed so many of these particular models on the road or in parking lots. Wow, it’s uncanny.

I have found that this is true of words and phrases as well. In reading the scriptures on a daily basis in the Tucson Prison Camp, I began to notice a precise word, or series of words, that I hadn’t seen so often on those pages before. The word was “hard-hearted” and the phrase is “hardness of heart,” or similar words.

Because I had been reading books with one particular inmate, Joseph, he began to enjoy our practice of reading books out loud together. He chose the books we would read. It was quite entertaining for both of us.

After reading two of my own books, “Founding Fathers—Uncommon Heroes”, and “The Illegal Trial of Christ,” I asked him to let me choose the next book we would read together. I chose to read the Book of Mormon out loud together. He agreed.

You have to know that Joseph was a Presbyterian, and that his parents were in some leading role in that Church, at least at the local level. As we began reading, Joseph would remark: “that language is scripture!” or “that is well said“ or even “ yes, those are the words of Christ” or something much the same.

Because of my study of the trial of Jesus Christ, my mind went to the time when Christ had been crucified, buried, and rose again the third day. He appeared to Mary and Martha at the garden by the tomb. He assured them he had arisen and they were to go and tell the Apostles. That they did. The Apostles couldn’t believe them, even though Christ had verified to them that he would rise after 3 days.

So when Jesus appeared to the 11 after His resurrection, “as they sat at meat, and (he) upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.” (Mark 16:14).

Notice he didn’t just softly mention that the Apostles hadn’t believed the w, he upbraided them. Look in the Thesaurus. Upbraid means to reprimand, rebuke, admonish, chastise, reprove, reproach, berate, or give a tongue-lashing! It’s not kind words. Those are not words of endearment. They are angry words. He called the Apostles on the carpet, as we might say today. He balled them out!

They wouldn’t listen to the witnesses. They had hardened their hearts. So there is that phrase. Now I see it all over. It’s been planted throughout the scriptures. It appears in the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and yes, even in the Pearl of Great Price: “Repent, for thus saith the Lord: I am angry with this people, and my fierce anger is kindled against them; for their HEARTS HAVE WAXED HARD, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar off.” (Moses 6 27).

Don’t allow yourself to become “Hard hearted.” Let yourself listen to whisperings of the Holy Ghost. You will find that you may learn something new!