The Liahona provided direction to Lehi and his family in the wilderness. A person can use the holy spirit as a compass in his own life.
Those who delve into the first few pages of the Book of Mormon learn the story of the flight of Lehi and his family to the new world. There are many adventure tales in the Book of Mormon, but perhaps the most important Book of Mormon is the compass given to the family by god, the Liahona. The Liahona only worked when the family of Lehi obeyed God's commands.
The Liahona, Real or a Metaphor?
While the leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints insists on a literal interpretation of the Book of Mormon, historical evidence for any of the events described in the book has never been found. Rather than continuing to ponder what the Liahona might have been, it is better instead to view this compass as a metaphor for the holy spirit.
Anyone who has been baptized has been given special insight from the Holy Ghost, or at least that is how things are supposed to work. The insight given by the Holy Spirit acts as a [ersonal Liahona, it only works when a person is living the commandments or as a Mormon often puts it, living the gospel. When a person lives in a manner contrary to God's commandments., he becomes without direction. To carry the metaphor of the holy ghost as a compass further, his personal Liahona no longer works.
The Holy Spirit as a Compass
Anyone who has been through a baptism, believes in Christ and lives the commandments is entitled to direction from the Holy Spirit. People do not always listen to the promptings of the holy spirit. The still, small voice that is possessed by the Holy Spirit in Mormon theology is easily ignored. A person who learns to listen to its guidance receives the blessings that come from following its advice and need never be without direction in his life, that is, this part of the godhead acts as his own personal Liahona. Like the device used by Lehi and his family, it can stop working if a person strays too far from a godly life.
The Real Liahona
Because evidence for the truth of the Book of Mormon has never been found, and evidence of Joseph Smith's inability to translate other languages has mounted, the Liahona described in the 1st Nephi in the Book of Mormon likely never existed. This may be disappointing news for people who would like to believe the Liahona was in fact an artifact imbued with sacred power, but people, whether they are Mormon or not, can gain access to a different kind of spiritual compass, if they learn to listen to its silent promptings.
Sources:
The Book of Mormon. Deseret Books. Salt Lake City, UT
