Learning As a Way of Life

"Learning As a Way of Life”

We all begin life at the same stage: An uneducated, blissfully ignorant little child with no clue what is ahead of us. We quickly find out that ignorance is not bliss once we lay our hand upon that hot stove for the first time. This is the first of many learning experiences in our life, and hopefully the only painful one. As directed in D&C 88:119, “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.”[1] So it is of God, and glorious to Him, that we should expand our knowledge of things both temporal and spiritual. Being learned is one of many items that entail Godhood, and doing all that we can to improve that helps become more like Him.

Learning is a process. The pursuit is a noble one, one that unfortunately has the pit fall of arrogance and pride. In Alma 1:26 we read, “ … and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, …”[2] Learning allows an elevated state of mind, but we need not let that make us fall pray to arrogance and pride. As was stated in Alma, the teacher is no better than the learner, and thus they were all equal. Our knowledge is for our betterment and the betterment of others, not so we can be condescending. I have personally dealt with this. I had friends throughout high school who had to work ten times harder than I did to understand things that came naturally to me. I recognize that I have been blessed with intelligence as one of my gifts from God, and that they are by no means unintelligent, their talents are in other areas that I may lack in.

Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”[3] Learning is not only a process, but it is a process that requires our effort. God has bounteous blessings to pour out upon us, if we but only do our part. We need only knock, and he shall open up the door to infinite knowledge. We must have a sincere desire and the work ethic to go along with it. This was plainly evidenced to me my last semester of senior year in high school. I had a rough first semester in my AP Statistics class. Concepts just weren’t clicking, homework was piling up, and test grades were downright dismal. After a semester in squalor, I was humbled enough to get on my knees and pray for direction. I promised to do all that I could to turn this class around if God would help me. Doing so in faith, I was utterly shocked at how rapidly I improved in the class. Where once I was on the verge of failing, by the end of the year I had practically pulled off an A. I knew that this was because I had done my part, I kept my end of the deal. God was faithful and upheld His end in turn.

We can also draw upon a spiritual aspect of learning. 1 Nephi 19:23 reads, “ And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.”[4] While we have temporal knowledge we gain through schooling, we also have spiritual knowledge gained through the reading of scripture. Scripture is written in parable and allegory, that stories have their literal meanings and at the same time can be applied to more modern situations. In these ways the scriptures are also for our learning, that we may avoid some pitfalls in life if we hearken unto their words. I can’t count how many times I have found answers to my prayers in the scriptures that carried me through difficult, seemingly unbearable times. It is by this that I can testify of the truthfulness of them, and how utterly applicable they remain to this day.

In 2 Peter 1:5, Peter emphasizes the importance of learning, “ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge.”[5] He goes on further to say that if you lack in these things that you are blind, for these are essential in fulfilling your callings in life and in this case the church. Knowledge is so universally important, I can attest to how all areas learning intertwine. Throughout my various calling in church, among them being president of my Deacons, Teachers, and 1st Assistant in Priests Quorum, I found that I was able to call upon skills of management and delegation that I had acquired through being a leader in the academic setting at school. This lead to an overall level of efficiency in these quorums during my tenure that I know would have not gone as smoothly had this not been the case.

Knowledge is not tangible. We can’t physically touch it. It isn’t something you can “see.” But it is there. More than that, it will always be there. It is numbered among the few things we can take with us in to the next life, and that more so than anything, is reason to get as much as we can during this earthly life.

Citations

[1] Doctrine and Covenants 88:119, Pearl of Great Price (Book of Mormon)
[2] Alma 1:26, Book of Mormon
[3] Matthew 7:7, The New Testament (Holy Bible - King James Version)
[4] 1 Nephi 19:23, Book of Mormon
[5] 2 Peter 1:5, The New Testament (Holy Bible - King James Version)