1 Nephi 6

4 For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.
5 Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world.

I love the notion that the fullness of our intent must be to persuade people to come to God. There are so many other conflicting desires that fill our lives. We may want power or prestige in the eyes of the world. Or we may simply want to be comfortable. These desired are not inherently bad, but they are dangerous if we elevate them above Godly desires. Our conduct and our interactions with others must be motivated with Godly concern for their eternal salvation.

It’s interesting also that the things that are pleasing to God cannot be pleasing to those of the world. Instead, it is only pleasing to those who are not of the world. I think this is because the things of God tend to take us out of the world. They change our focus away from the worldly and materialistic.

It does seem like a daunting challenge at times to live in this world but not be of it. Sometimes it means that the things we do, say, and desire will be incomprehensible to those who are living solely in the world.

I am grateful for the Book of Mormon and the example of those in it who managed to be in the world but not of it.