September: Learn: Knowledge

"And He [Jesus} spake many things unto them, in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell on stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: and when the sun was up they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: but other fell onto good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold"  (Mathew 13: 3-8).

This parable, taught by Jesus, leads us to ask ourselves: how do I learn the word of God?  Do I let it fall by the wayside? Does it fall onto "deaf" ears?  Do I let my own judgement "choke" out the word?  Or do I seek out the word, accept it, and gain knowledge that will "bring forth fruit?"

We are commanded in the scriptures to “Seek learning even by study and also by faith” and to “become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people.”   Jesus Christ is our light and example in "knowledge."  In the Doctrine and Covenants we learn that "He received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness."  And we know that throughout His life, he sought the mind and will of His Father so he would know what was expected and required of Him.

 Elder Holland recently said, "What seems to me the supreme initial bond in our lives is simply not to know enough.  We learn little cliches early in our lives.  Two of them are "Ignornace is bliss" and "What I don't know won't hurt me."  Let me say with all the intensity I have that nothing will hurt you more than what you don't know.  I believe that we will be indicted for the resulting bondage that we incur and that we will serve some sentence in this life or the next for that which we fail to learn" (Sept. 2012 Ensign). 

We have a responsibility to fill our minds with knowledge - spiritual and secular.  As we do so, the Holy Ghost will be able to "bring all things to our remembrance" when we need to recall something we have learned.  If we do not fill our minds, the Holy Ghost will have nothing to "bring to our remembrance."

President Hinckley said, "None of us...knows enough.  The learning process is an endless process.  We must read, we must observe, we must assimilate, and we must ponder that to which we expose our minds...you cannot afford to stop.  You must not rest in your development.  There is so much to learn and so little time in which to learn it.  None of us can assume that he has learned enough.  As the door closes on one phase of life, it opens on another, where we must continue to pursue knowledge.  Ours ought to be a ceaseless quest for truth."

He continues, "With all our learning, let us also learn of him.  With all our study, we need to seek knowledge of the Master.  That knowledge will complement in a wonderful way our secular training and will give us character and a fulness to life that can come in no other way."