In the scriptures, we are commanded to increase our knowledge:
"A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels..." (Proverbs 1:5).
"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding" (Proverbs 4:7).
"...study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people" (D&C 90:15)
Knowledge and wisdom are not given to us all at once. Just as any other spiritual gift, we must work at it, responsibly use it, and be open to the spirit or we will lose it. The Lord gives us wisdom and knowledge " line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little...for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have" (2 Nephi 28:30).
We are commanded not only to "seek learning, even by study and also by faith" but to teach one another that we "may be instructed more perfectly" in the things that are necessary for us to "be prepared...to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you" (D&C 88:78–80; 118).
Doctrine and Covenants explains why we must continue to learn and teach. "Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come" (D&C 130:18–19). Put another way, "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance" (D&C 131:6).
Gaining knowledge has always been important to me. The more I have learned, the closer I feel to understanding a small fraction of what our Heavenly Father must know and feel. For me, though, the hardest things for me are the lessons that come through faith.
"A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels..." (Proverbs 1:5).
"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding" (Proverbs 4:7).
"...study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people" (D&C 90:15)
Knowledge and wisdom are not given to us all at once. Just as any other spiritual gift, we must work at it, responsibly use it, and be open to the spirit or we will lose it. The Lord gives us wisdom and knowledge " line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little...for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have" (2 Nephi 28:30).
We are commanded not only to "seek learning, even by study and also by faith" but to teach one another that we "may be instructed more perfectly" in the things that are necessary for us to "be prepared...to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you" (D&C 88:78–80; 118).
Doctrine and Covenants explains why we must continue to learn and teach. "Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come" (D&C 130:18–19). Put another way, "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance" (D&C 131:6).
Gaining knowledge has always been important to me. The more I have learned, the closer I feel to understanding a small fraction of what our Heavenly Father must know and feel. For me, though, the hardest things for me are the lessons that come through faith.
For the past 2 months, I've been fighting with a virus that I got from my new kidney. Since last Wednesday, I've been in the hospital being treated. The same day I came down, Bryan got into a car accident. He was ok and was able came down this weekend, but had to leave this morning since he started to get sick. So I'm once again alone. And even though I'm feeling better physically, and I know that I have been truly blessed, I'm starting to feel overwelmed and a little emotional.
Maybe it's the lack of sleep or side effects of the meds, because I know everything is happening for a reason and that I need to have faith. I just wish sometimes I had a glimmer of that reason. In a book I'm reading right now ("And Another Thing..." by Eoin Colfer), Ford tells Arthur, "Life is about moments...That's the secret. Moments are longer than you think. If you add up all the moments, then, you know. It's like ages." Someday I'm sure I'll look back and appreciate the moments. I just hope that time comes sooner than later.
I like that... life is about moments! So can you look back now and think... wow I did that!
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